Over the past week the Lord has arisen the whole area of FEAR. In particular when FEAR stops us living the very way he created us to live. What happens when we experience fear? It paralyses, confuses and makes us doubt the very thing that we hold dear to us. Fear is not something that just fades when you follow Jesus. It seems to always be knocking at your door! But should this be the case? Is this just a fact of being human? or can it be overcome?
Jesus says “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Profound words by a profound King! Maybe we can't get rid of fear completely, but God gives a pretty cool tool to overcome it. "Take Courage." When we think courageously we can do more than we can imagine. Just think of crew that have accomplished enormous tasks, Sir William Wilberforce, Sir Edmund Hilary to name a few. We claim this courage, but i reckon when Jesus says "it is I" he gives a pretty good clue that he is the one who gives us courage if we choose to step out! So as you travel this week, this month, this year may you be drawing on the courage that is already in you just waiting to be released if you are willing! then your fear will dissipate!
God bless ya!
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Plodding along the path of a calling!
Well the last three weeks have been tight to say the least! i never thought you could survive with no more than $12.56 in the bank, but we have managed. it wasn't easy though. At time i wanted to ring God's neck, at times i cried and sometimes i just wanted to throw the towel in. But something deep inside my heart said keep going! It reminds me of a great quote from a great missionary of the faith "expect great things from God, attempt great things for God and Plod." Plodding is sometimes the only way to get to the goal or whatever your heading too. Plodding is hard yakka and takes sacrifice, willingness to be open to anything and always remembering why you are doing or attempting the things for God that you are.
The plodding journey will continue and with a bit of light shining through by way of a great mate who has given me a door in some landscaping work that is flexible in time with CS work and so i will plod another day! By the way that quote comes from a guy called William Carey!(google him) He certainly expected, attempted and more than anything plodded to the God given goal that was in his heart!
God bless and have a great day!
The plodding journey will continue and with a bit of light shining through by way of a great mate who has given me a door in some landscaping work that is flexible in time with CS work and so i will plod another day! By the way that quote comes from a guy called William Carey!(google him) He certainly expected, attempted and more than anything plodded to the God given goal that was in his heart!
God bless and have a great day!
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
NEW CHANGES HAPPENING!
Hey Crew,
Just wanting to ask for your prayers as there are a few changes happening in Liana and i's life. Our Good friends and neighbours Andy and Jessi have been led to aldinga and so we will have a vacancy next to us. this is a change because of the open house community vibe we had going and with a stranger moving in we still want to carry on this vibe! We also are wanting to transfer across to Andy and Jessi's house because with our open house ministry growing we would really benefit with the backyard and extra space. So please get your prayer on as these changes are happening soon!
God Bless
Just wanting to ask for your prayers as there are a few changes happening in Liana and i's life. Our Good friends and neighbours Andy and Jessi have been led to aldinga and so we will have a vacancy next to us. this is a change because of the open house community vibe we had going and with a stranger moving in we still want to carry on this vibe! We also are wanting to transfer across to Andy and Jessi's house because with our open house ministry growing we would really benefit with the backyard and extra space. So please get your prayer on as these changes are happening soon!
God Bless
Faithfully Report what you see!
"Faithfully report what you see (Rev 1:2)" these are the words that seem to be speaking to my heart! if i am to faithfully report what i see i will see people encouraged, challenged and inspired. The reason being because what i am seeing is God moving so powerfully in lives all the time.
Its such a journey when it comes to following the LORD completely with every aspect our lives. When Jesus calls us to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow him he demands our whole self. A challenge that even after serving in ministry for over 10 years can really be hard at times. Sometimes the allure of the world and following a 'normal' path can sometimes get the better of you. its funny though cos as we serve in CS its not long until God brings something into our path that does assure us that there is no greater path than the one of obedience. And when things boil things down obedience is where true life lies. If you can say that you are obedient to the one who loves your obedience you will find life!
For Liana and i this obedience has seen us stretched and tested all the way! a word was given to me by that said "i was bruised reed, but i would not be broken and that God was proud of my obedience". these words pierced my heart and was certainly the reminder that God really did know where i was at. He is totally aware of how i am trying to serve him and he is proud. What a testament to God who is alive and well when a complete stranger can bring you to tears by his obedience. This was what this man saw in me and he faithfully reported it to me!
What i need to faithfully report to you all who have supported us is that God is alive and he breaking into new lives all the time. And the season that i am currently experiencing is one that is seeing God revealing himself completely and whispering that "i love you." I have had the privilege of seeing this a number of times in the last few months and it brings you no greater joy to see one of God children be awakened to the fact that God is wanting them. these awakenings are happening all the time of late, and i guess the challenge is to see these awakenings grow to maturity and then produce a harvest that carries on into new lives. I guess this is the question of true discipleship.
Yesterday i was chatting to a pastor that had a refreshing view of discipleship. It wasn't about a program, a method or a strategy, but was just about doing life together! he said he didn't care how this was done, but said as long as in 12 months time he saw people grow thats all he cared about! As i reflect on this i realize that if we do just do life together we are going to see growth. When discipleship comes as naturally as this it becomes the very fibre of our being rather than something we just learn. Often discipleship is seen as a chore, and as far as i can see Jesus was just hanging with friends that he loved and new that if he was just to hang with them they would grow. Imagine if discipleship became just as naturally as this. I think we would see a lot more of growth!
Keep praying for us as we enter this next season which presents great opportunity to see God come even more alive in hearts and lives of new people we meet along the way!
Bless ya heaps!
Justin Monaghan
Its such a journey when it comes to following the LORD completely with every aspect our lives. When Jesus calls us to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow him he demands our whole self. A challenge that even after serving in ministry for over 10 years can really be hard at times. Sometimes the allure of the world and following a 'normal' path can sometimes get the better of you. its funny though cos as we serve in CS its not long until God brings something into our path that does assure us that there is no greater path than the one of obedience. And when things boil things down obedience is where true life lies. If you can say that you are obedient to the one who loves your obedience you will find life!
For Liana and i this obedience has seen us stretched and tested all the way! a word was given to me by that said "i was bruised reed, but i would not be broken and that God was proud of my obedience". these words pierced my heart and was certainly the reminder that God really did know where i was at. He is totally aware of how i am trying to serve him and he is proud. What a testament to God who is alive and well when a complete stranger can bring you to tears by his obedience. This was what this man saw in me and he faithfully reported it to me!
What i need to faithfully report to you all who have supported us is that God is alive and he breaking into new lives all the time. And the season that i am currently experiencing is one that is seeing God revealing himself completely and whispering that "i love you." I have had the privilege of seeing this a number of times in the last few months and it brings you no greater joy to see one of God children be awakened to the fact that God is wanting them. these awakenings are happening all the time of late, and i guess the challenge is to see these awakenings grow to maturity and then produce a harvest that carries on into new lives. I guess this is the question of true discipleship.
Yesterday i was chatting to a pastor that had a refreshing view of discipleship. It wasn't about a program, a method or a strategy, but was just about doing life together! he said he didn't care how this was done, but said as long as in 12 months time he saw people grow thats all he cared about! As i reflect on this i realize that if we do just do life together we are going to see growth. When discipleship comes as naturally as this it becomes the very fibre of our being rather than something we just learn. Often discipleship is seen as a chore, and as far as i can see Jesus was just hanging with friends that he loved and new that if he was just to hang with them they would grow. Imagine if discipleship became just as naturally as this. I think we would see a lot more of growth!
Keep praying for us as we enter this next season which presents great opportunity to see God come even more alive in hearts and lives of new people we meet along the way!
Bless ya heaps!
Justin Monaghan
God morning down in beachport as i served with a surfer coaching for 6 days!
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