we be church

Grace in Your Face that Leads You to the Cross

Do you have a grasp on the vastness of grace that God has given you? Actually, he hasn’t just given you, he has poured it out in vast amounts. Amounts that we can’t even comprehend. God certainly is Love and this is delightfully demonstrated through his salvation plan, but sometimes as those who have chosen to follow Jesus we fail to see that even taking it for granted. It’s like passively receiving a surprise double portion ice cream sunday. God’s grace is constantly in our face but we can gaze right on through it. Man, what a loss!

Realisation of God’s grace motivates you say “Is this your usual way of dealing with man, O Sovereign Lord?” 2 Samuel 7:19 This is King David’s reaction after receiving the knowledge of God’s plans for him and his descendant. The grace of God is mind blowing!

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Sharing Your Faith on Facebook – BE BOLD

Recently I have been in contact with Roger Van who will be leading a seminar on internet evangelism at Agape’s Fire Seed Conference for Students held in Nottingham. Facebook is going to be a large focus as many students will hold existing relationships on that social network. Facebook is like a mirror for every day activity, why not faith sharing too? While in New Zealand I came across a great acronym for sharing your faith relationally “BOLD”. I adapted it slightly to “BE BOLD” and shared it with Roger to use in the seminar. I thought I would post it on this blog too.

1. Be who God made you to be – so many young Christians feel overbearing pressure to share their faith. So what is a noble deed tends to be born out of frustration and legalism. Rather you need to be able to share your faith under the knowledge of God’s lavish grace. Understanding that he is for you, that he called you and has given you his power to share His Story. Ephesians 2:6-10

2. Edify – If we are to be who God made us to be then we were made to spend time with God in the Spirit, enjoy being with him, read your Bible and listen to what He is saying. Enjoy His love, peace and joy. Philippians 4:4-9

3. Be on the lookout – (for the right situation) Get to know people through common passions and hobbies. Luke 19:5 is a great example of Jesus being on the lookout and basically inviting himself round to Zacchaeus’ house to chill out.

4. Ordinary conversation – Again don’t put yourself under pressure to share Christ 5 people a day, God is not interested in that. Also listen, do a lot of listening. How can you expect someone to listen to you if you don’t listen to them? Eventually you will be able to…

5. Leap in with the Gospel – Share who Jesus is and what has done and why he is significant to you personally. This is a great opportunity to also demonstrate your faith by praying for people to be healed and leading them in a prayer them selves or to receive the Holy Spirit.

6. Don’t give up – keep speaking to them, keep answering questions, keep serving them, keep listening and finally keep praying for them when your alone with God.

Contemplating Suicide

This Christmas many people are going to feel like this girl in the video, empty, alone, no identity, imperfect and depressed.

The Perfect Human from pixeljuggler on Vimeo.

Suicide – The Problem

• In the year 2000, approximately one million people died from suicide: a “global” mortality rate of 16 per 100,000, or one death every 40 seconds.
• In the last 45 years suicide rates have increased by 60% worldwide. Suicide is now among the three leading causes of death among those aged 15-44 years (both sexes); these figures do not include suicide attempts up to 20 times more frequent than completed suicide.
• Although traditionally suicide rates have been highest among the male elderly, rates among young people have been increasing to such an extent that they are now the group at highest risk in a third of countries, in both developed and developing countries.

Read more about worldwide suicide rates at the World Health Organization (WHO).

Suicide – The Solution

Really there is only one prevention program for suicide, his name is Jesus. As the above video demonstrates, GOD is interested in YOU. He has the power change your life, give you a clean eternal start, to give you peace and joy, and also talk to you personally. He is just longing to talk to His people. In order for Suicide to decrease it is the responsibility of those who follow Jesus to share how amazing He is and how he fills our empty lives with purpose and LOVE.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:16-17)

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This video was masterminded and filmed by Mary Lee (my sister) with an amazing crew from the University of Hertfordshire!