Unity

Guest Post 

There is strength in Numbers; in togetherness. The great thing about this season is that it brings people together. 

I remember watching The World Cup when I was younger, I really didn’t care about football but for some reason I got into football for that period; It was great having family and friends around and everyone rooting for the same team. The excitement in the room when we all unanimously screamed “GOAL”!!

Something similar happened with the Nativity Story. Mary had just given birth, her and her husband finally settled in a manger somewhere not too far from the fields where some sheep and their shepherds lay.

And so an angel appeared to the Shepherds and said, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” – Luke 2:10-12

Immediately after, There was a host of Angels who had gathered around and were praising God. The shepherd also went to see the new born King. Wise men came to see Jesus too. All of a sudden, people from nowhere were coming round to see one Child, Christ – the sole unifying factor for all!  

Like the excitement that The World cup brought, the birth of Christ was also to bring Great Joy to ALL, not just for the year of His birth or the duration of His lifetime, but for several years even after His death.

Isaiah 9:6-7 (TM) tells us this “For a child has been born—for us! the gift of a son—for us!

He’ll take over the running of the world. His names will be: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. His ruling authority will grow and there’ll be no limits to the Peace He brings”

Christ Brought peace, love, joy... He made a way out, everything was now on Him; He was going to rule the world and sort things out. He basically gave us a chance to relax and stop running our own world whilst being worried and stressed out about things. He is in control Now.

Somehow we’ve let that Unity slip away from us. Even when we gather around for Christmas, everyone is still killing time on apps, social networks and our cyber world. Our friends and families are sitting across from us at the table but we’re too busy sending SMS's to people in our phones that we cannot say actual words to the people we love.

Maybe it’s not a time issue, maybe we’re not too busy to help each other, maybe we are just caught up in unforgiveness and the past. 

Whatever it is, it is time to let those reasons go and bring back Unity.  Colossians 3:14b “Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which holds you all together in perfect unity”. The love that we need has already been displayed in a perfect sacrifice and we are to follow that example; putting ourselves aside so we can help others get ahead (Philippians 2:3). It’s time to be interested in the lives of others enough to encourage them and lift them up when they are down (Phil 2:4)

In this time of year, we are to reconcile. God not only wants you to have peace with Him; He also wants you to have peace (goodwill) with other people, too (Luke 2:14). Rick Warren says this “Rather than promoting harmony, holiday seasons often become a time of conflict. All families have difficulties; there are jealousies, grudges, resentment, and misunderstanding”. How can a body be divided against itself?

When Christ is in you and me, then Christ isn't going to argue with Christ. We're never going to have peace on Earth until the Prince of Peace reigns in everybody's heart, and that’s why we need to reconcile with God and with other people.

So in this season, let’s get on the same team. We are one In Christ. We are strong together, when we are Unified. 

J.O.

New Shoes

The fire crackled and blazed, in the cold of the winter as they gathered together that evening. The year and all its activities had gone by ever so quickly and now it was coming to an end. The annual tradition of this house was to present a new pair of shoes to a person they believe had excelled the most that year. It was never an easy decision to make, so as always Mr Potter and his wife deliberated for a number of days about the candidates for this year.

As the sun lifted its face upon the horizon of the globe, the Potter’s rose and gave God thanks. “My God you have enabled us to see another day, as you kept us through the night. Please guide our thoughts and our actions in all we do today and let us be drawn to the right pair of shoes.”

Once the coffee had brewed and breakfast ingested, they set off in search of the anticipated gift. The shop was filled with great variety and the choices seem to overwhelm them.

“Can I be of any help to you?” the young assistant asked.

“Yes, we are looking for a pair of shoes to give to a friend ours later tonight.” They replied.

“Well you have definitely come to the right place; we have all types of shoes in every colour imaginable. We’ve got many textures and materials from suede to authentic leather. You’re bound to find the right type of shoe for your friend!”

Before she had the chance to continue Mrs Potter interrupted with a question. “Young lady, what do you propose that the purpose of a shoe is?”

Perplexed by the intention of the question the young assistant paused. She gazed at the floor and with the look of concentration reflecting so evidently from her face, began to speak what she believed. “I believe that shoes are designed to compliment an outfit, for any and every occasion”  

Mr Potter glanced at his wife, just in time to see the grin that had crept up on her face. She asked him “would you like to do the honours this year Mr Potter?”

“Certainly my beauty” he replied, then proceeded to face the direction of the assistant who now looked as though she regretted coming to their aid.

“Every year, for the past 25years, we buy a new pair of shoes for the person we consider to have made a significant achievement. It’s not the shoes that matter to us, but it’s the meaning behind them that does. The added bonus of a shoe is that it compliments your outfit. But the very purpose of a shoe is that it protects your interests. Your feet were made for walking, so where your feet go you go. As Christians we carry the light, and light is not useful unless it shines in a darker place. There are many places in this world that have been longing to see, but the darkness that surrounds them has not yet been dealt with. We carry the very Source of Light, but only obedience and persistence will spread that light. An athlete never uses the same pair of shoes for the entire duration of their career. It eventually gets worn out, tears and doesn’t provide the stability and support it once did. Figuratively speaking our friend has run a hard race this year and his shoes have grown weary so to speak. So in order for him to continue his race we are looking for a shoe of the following description: Its soles need to be a firm foundation, one that represents The solid rock; Jesus Christ. Its material needs to be durable, weather-proof and suitable in every God given season. The interior should be as gentle as his Master and as comforting as the good news he is going to tell the world. Its laces should be knitted firmly through each loop with precision and with purpose. As for its colour, well love that doesn’t matter. God doesn’t judge on the outward appearance, it’s the condition of one’s heart that counts, so its colour and style can be as crazy or as subtle as you like, for every character has a place in God’s kingdom. I’ve said this not to confuse you but rather to enlighten you so the next time you slip your feet in a shoe, you’ll be reminded of this conversation we had. A shoe protects your interest. My interest is God’s interest and God’s interest is you. You have been loved for longer than you or I will ever know; you have been watched over from the time of your conception. The One who has your interest at heart, waits patiently for you to meet Him. Today He sent me to let you know that He is knocking at the door of your heart, if you’d just use everything you have within you let Him in, He’ll brighten up your life with the source of His light. Then your shoes will have a purpose in Him”

Butterflies fly! – Free people, free people!

Guest Post

Butterflies are first caterpillars, but caterpillars are purposefully created to be butterflies...This is the same for us, we were created to be free but we were captive first! Our lives and that of butterflies are so similar. Once caterpillars realise they have wings to fly they are free but they are not born free! Rather through a process, they transform into these beautiful free beings!

Let’s consider the well known children’s book ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’. Firstly the caterpillar comes out of its egg hungry. We were born to be filled with Jesus; although born into sin we hunger for salvation. As the book progresses we notice the caterpillar searches far and wide for something, anything, to satisfy his hunger.

1.    1 apple, 2 pears, 3 plums, 4 strawberries, 5 oranges

2.    Chocolate cake, ice cream, pickle, Swiss cheese, salami, lollipop, cherry pie, sausage, cupcake, slice of watermelon

3.    A single leaf

As humans we search for quick fixes and tend to look to things to satisfy us but a void still remains. Notice that the caterpillar first eats the ‘good stuff’ i.e. fruits, we also can look to people, money and our title to satisfy our longing and this may not seem remotely sinful or bad but they are not designed to restore us.

Then the caterpillar turns to ‘junk’ and after ends up with a stomach ache? You would think that after eating so much you would be full and satisfied right? Not in this case. The day after, we see a shift, the caterpillar decides to eat a leaf (food more suited to a caterpillar), and guess what after this he wasn’t hungry anymore (see where I’m going with this...). As Christians we need to be able to go to the right person to fill our hunger, fill the void, the emptiness! This person is God and once you have your ‘God dose’ you will be oh so full (just like some of us on Christmas day :p). John 6: 35 explicitly states this!

After the caterpillar became full he retreated into his shell and two weeks later sprung out as a beautiful butterfly! Freedom!..But it was only after he got the dose of the right food! Revelation 3:20 simply says Gods stands at our door and politely knocks, if we open He will come and eat with us, and us eat with him (paraphrased). He’s the good stuff!

In addition, turning into a butterfly means the caterpillar’s existence is totally destroyed - as a butterfly is built anew! This is the same for us; God uses our past as building blocks to bring us up while satan wants to use it to bring us down! But what satan doesn’t realise is that without the caterpillar in its state there would be no butterfly.

It’s important to highlight that butterflies and caterpillars have different diets; a butterfly cannot eat what it used to eat when it was a caterpillar and vice versa. When you are a butterfly and know freedom do you really want to go back and eat what you ate as a caterpillar? It may be tempting but you realise there is something better.

Let people see you soar, fly over mountains - and yes mountains exists -  but remember you are a butterfly made to fly and you have the strength and capability to do so!

A.A.