Following the crowd may appear a place of safety but it is also a place where we can waste our lives...

Life is finally beginning to reemerge into a sort of new reality. We had a fabulous holiday in Florida with our friends John and Kathryn Fonville and family, enjoyed our connection and little bit of ministry too at Paramount church there in Jacksonville...God has really been so good to us....we moved into our new home here in Mid Ulster in September and just got internet installed today, hence the new blog to say hi! Kids are settling into school and while this is never easy we can feel God's grace on our lives... Here are a few of my random and not so random thoughts connected with our topsy turvy new life, change and new missional aspirations: * God goes ahead of His children, He truly is a Sovereign God with sovereign determination, and He is bringing His will and plan together in time and space, and - get this - we get to be a part of this, what a privilege! I deeply sense that God has gone ahead of us. God's church exists for the sake of God's mission and mandate, mission does not exist for the sake of church. Its amazing to think that we can join God in what He is doing rather than trying to manufacture stuff in our own strength - sanity! This is our current goal! * How deeply is the church of Jesus Christ allowing the Gospel to penetrate their hearts and lives? We think of the Gospel only for the unsaved, and while this is vital for saving Grace to be revealed by the power of God's Gospel and Spirit, I am also so aware that we as God's children desperately need to continue as Gospel fuelled believers. The believer who claims that he could never forgive someone who treated them shamefully, the couple living on a tight budget who would never consider being a giver as well as a receiver, the husband who refuses to love or serve in his home, the so called 'committed Christian' who would never consider relocating to a new area - even if God called them......! Such are the evidence of the need for a deeper revelation of Christ and His finished work, and the good works we were created in Christ to do! The Gospel reminds us that 'we are not our own' and were 'bought' and redeemed at a great price. How deeply has God's Gospel affected your heart today, mine? Are we just living for the next blessing to be fulfilled? Is God just our way out of problems or the love of our soul? God's gracious promise is that as we 'seek first the Kingdom of God....all these things will be added unto us' * Change is painful. Change is uncomfortable. Relocating to a new area can sound romantic but it is also tough. Much of the missional calling we have as Christians in our villages, towns and cities will involve having to deal with loneliness of some sort. No-one likes loneliness but being prepared to endure certain hardships is surely a prerequisite for us being more impactful with our lives. Following the crowd may appear a place of safety but it is also a place where we can waste our lives... If the cross and resurrection are the centre-pieces of the Gospel, then they must become the centre-pieces of our lives. That will mean change and as they say 'change is here to stay' We thank God today for His Grace and comfort as we transition still into our new chapter. JS. Sept 18th, Mid Ulster

Grace offers pardon. Religion only parole

“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets." Matthew 7v12 The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant 21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. Matthew 18v21-22 "For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?" Matthew 5v46

Grace is different from religion. So very different. Grace gives us what we don't deserve. Religion doles out what we do deserve and continues to hold judgement over us. Its easy to point out one anothers faults and even to make a profession of counting them up into a grand summary of another person's worth or value. Jesus and the new life He purchased for sinners is so very different, He loved and sacrificed for us inspite of our unworthiness. Whats more by full Justification for sin in the High court room of heaven for all those redeemed, He continues to count not sins against those who have received His salvation gift, but instead forever declares over us the verdict of 'Not guilty!' Grace doesn't just leave us on parole, with a black cloud of ongoing suspicion or coldness hanging over us. No, Grace is what God is. Grace offers pardon, uncompromised love. The parable of the unmerciful servant is a stark reminder that religion and mean spiritedness can happily accept pardon and enjoy the benefits and relief of getting off 'Scott free', but leave us short of the same attitude and love in response to others failures and debts. This should not be. JS

Good News

Thought for today: The Gospel is such Good News for those who know they are powerless to achieve right standing with God and the life that God gives, without His saving and enabling Grace. The Gospel does not sound like Good News to the self-made and self-absorbed man who is busy building his own right standing and the life that he himself builds, and sees no need for this talk of saving or enabling Grace. The reason the Gospel is such Good News is because of the cross and resurrection. Christ accomplished a perfect sacrifice for sin that leads to the life that only God can give in His Kingdom. This is such Good news for the poor, the powerless, the disenfranchised but especially for those who are humbled to understand their plight outside of Christ. Thank God for the Good News! JS

When feelings fail

"In the current lazy-busy church age, we don't have the will or energy to search Jesus out: we much rather want Him to fall on us and squash our angst, ambush us with darts of good feeling, and cocoon us with a bubble of grace. The perennial problem of feelings is they are as fickle as our fragile personalities. In contrast, the Word of God is forever-and-always trustworthy. Feelings are nice when they come, but when they fail we can still seek God and do good." Quote by Nick Davis

Two rich men

Two rich men........ .....one young ruler turns away from Jesus sad, another short fraudster climbs out of a tree at his request and puts things right......both were rich, both met Jesus, the 'good' guy turned his back on Him, the 'bad' guy opened his heart to Him and love followed. We will be 'known by our fruits'...... Which part of the DIFFERENCE do YOU and I actually lie on today?

These tears

Just want to testify today to the healing and liberating power of our God. He came to set the captives free and to release those imprisoned in dark dungeons of despair. He is able people. The following is a poem that flowed today from a time of great love and emotion, "I have longed for these tears these uncontrived, true and timely tears. Welling love, dripping, drowning grief. Flowing freely, a great release. Expression of true liberty and a voice that speaks louder, Sorrow fleeing with each paradoxical sob, I knew this day would come. But could I make it come? No, love sometimes waits, crouching, but cannot be denied, Only His roaring call can awaken the dawn, With rivers deep, and temple curtain torn. I have longed for these tears" JS.

13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. Matthew 7v13-14 On Sun 27th May, at South City Church's main meeting, we were part of a baton change in leadership where we were 'commissioned' for a new pioneering work in Mid-Ulster (from Sept 2012)for the Kingdom of God, and the new leadership of scc was affirmed and commissioned. As such I passed the 'baton of captaincy' on to David Williamson. It was a wonderful time of impartation and recognition of new things God is doing! As part of the morning I left a final charge in leadership of the church. I preached on the 'Narrow path' Christ taught on. More than that I believe Christ died and rose again to bring us onto this path! The other path is broad, seductive but in the end Christ taught - leads to destruction. I link you here to the website if you would like to either listen to or download this message: 'Walking the Narrow path' The principle characters in this story are....you and I, a guy who read tea leaves (or something similar), a donkey, an angel, an accuser, and God Himself! Enjoy and do contact me if you would like to get to know Jesus Christ personally, beyond 'religion' and to walk His narrow path.... JS

The Kingdom belongs to such as these

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly John 10v10 ESV Children have so much to teach us adults. Jesus taught us that we must learn from them every bit as much as they must learn from us. They have audacity and easily believe. They are joyful, playful and are not burdened down by worry. They are loving and spontaneous.

The Kingdom of God belongs to such as these (picture above is of my audacious and oh so fun 7 year old son Jayden) JS

A Kingdom not of this world

Jesus said that His Kingdom was not of this world...yet has shown us that we need to pray for and invite His Kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven...

The following is a message I preached at South City Church, Dublin on Easter Sunday.

We had just witnessed a most moving and impactful audio visual prepared by Michael Keegan (scc) so I am a bit emotional as I stand to speak...

DO listen, the Good News will do you good, both today and for eternity

"a KINGDOM NOT OF THIS WORLD"