Month: February 2012

Posted in 40 Days updates

Can it really be over already?

Posted on by Rev Bill Crawford

It’s the last day of 40 Days of Blessing and it has been a wonderful 40 days. When a church our size has nearly 40 adults and nearly 20 kids attending small groups you have to marvel at all that has happened.

For me the study has truly deepened my trust in God for my every need. I’m just not qualified to know what I need – but the loving Creator who is my source of all Blessing does know. He’s the Alpha and the Omega. Which reminds me of this mornings first reading:

Revelation 22:1-4 NIV Revelation 22:1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.

One of the things that amuses me about modern Christianity that we are so focused on apocalyptic visions that we fail to notice all the wonderful and grand worship in the Book of the Revelation. Stop trying to figure out all the meanings and just soak in the overarching theme of God’s Glory. It is truly an amazing thing.

Posted in 40 Days updates

Speaking Blessings

Posted on by Rev Bill Crawford

It is an incredibly powerful part of being a Christian that we interact in the world with spiritual power. We can speak with tongues of Angels, we receive prophetic words, we are able to face persecution, and much more all by the power of the Holy Spirit (see 1 Corinthians 13). Of course in all of these things if we do not have love we are useless. We are like a nuclear plant that doesn’t power homes it just sits within itself seething with unused and worthless (albeit dangerous) power.

But you; Christian, have an incredible power. What are you doing with it? One thing you can do today is verbally bless those you love. Read the words of scriptures over their lives. Place your hand on your child and bless them as God has blessed you. (read Isaiah 43:1-5). Speak to a friend in need the comfort of God’s truth and pray a blessing over them. Scripture is full of blessings you can speak to people you love.

Bill Gothard says when we do this we do amazing things:

When we bless others, we can speak forth biblical answers God has for them. In this way, we begin to impart to them the desire and power to truly live those words out – empowered by the active work of Christ in their lives and the strong help of the indwelling Holy Spirit. (Bill Gothard, The Power of Spoken Blessings pp.31)

Posted in 40 Days updates

Humility

Posted on by Rev Bill Crawford

This great scripture has always had a profound impact on me. We just can’t ignore the importance of humility. It may not always come naturally but it is well worth the effort.

Philippians 2:1-7 NIV Philippians 2:1 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

There’s this amazing thing about God on the one hand He absolutely must trumpet his Glory (or He is being selfish) but on the other He chooses; in Christ, to be humble. “Amazing love – how can it be?”

God is not like any of us.