Because His Grace Is Sufficient
This is where I share some of the things that God does in my life and around me and where I share openly and honestly about the things He challenges me with. He is good. His grace is enough.
Thursday 24 December 2015
Why we should be excited about Christmas
Thursday 3 December 2015
The UK
The Lord is not finished
In June I started a new job
It's a job where I get to hear everyday about the amazing things that God is doing around the world, the amazing things that He is doing in and through His church, even in the darkest places we could ever dare imagine
But what has also amazed me is what I have observed God doing within the church in the UK
It is a genuine blessing
I got this job after a year of feeling somewhat disillusioned with the church. Growing up within the church as a pastors kid I have seen first hand how the people closest to you and closest to your family will be the ones to cause you and your family the most hurt and damage.
For the last year and a half I have been going through a phase of seeing a lot of well meaning churchy people and assuming that their apparent niceness, kindness, warmth and care was fake, just for show. I hated hearing the twee Christianese cliches that came from the mouths of the middle class British church and I felt that no-one could really be trusted.
The short version is, I was disappointed with the church and couldn't stand to be around the nice churchy facade that so many people seemed to hide behind.
And then I got this job
This job where most of what I was doing was talking to people about what God was doing around the world and then offering to pray for them.
And God started to show me that He was still doing what He always does, it was something he had been challenging me with for a while as he took me to some pretty crazy places and showed me some of the things He was doing in these areas... and I was encouraged, I was encouraged to hear of what He was doing over seas in warzones, refugee camps and prisons. I was convinced that He was still at work in those dark places, utterly convinced.
But if I'm honest I was not as convinced that God's power extended to the country I was born in. Honestly, I had not seen even half the miraculous mind blowing powerful works in the UK that I had seen in other countries.
I had sort of given up on the UK church, maybe it sounds a bit dramatic and yes it probably was pretty dramatic but I sort of did
I couldn't wait to leave the UK and go to a place where God was really at work and if I'm honest I still kind of feel that way a little
But the more I spoke to people all over the UK on the phone, prayed for them and with them, the more I was amazed and encouraged that the Lord is doing far more than we could ask or imagine even in this nation.
I loved hearing from people who God had used to plant churches completely made up of refugees, hearing from people who had set up youth groups and seen families and communities being brought into the Kingdom, hearing from those who God had burdened to pray for years for specific places and things and hearing of how the Lord had powerfully answered their prayers even if it had taken years, hearing of people who has given up everything to move into drug dens and red light areas to love these people and point them to Jesus, I loved praying for little old ladies who had smuggled Bibles and spent most of their lives working in faraway places telling people about Jesus and seeing revival
There is nowhere where God is not at work. Though it seems like everywhere is writhing in pain from all the evil that ravages the earth and it seems like the whole world is so far from God, He is at work. He is not far from us.
The first few chapters of Habbakuk have spoken deeply into my soul recently. It begins with Habbakkuk crying out to God saying
'All I see is violence and bloodshed and godlessness. There is nothing good happening anywhere, only evil. God what are you doing? What could you possibly be doing in this situation? Why will you not intervene?'
And God's reply is basically 'I am doing more than you could ever imagine in these days. If I told you all the plans I have, all the ways I'm working this situation for good you would not believe me.'
There is no situation that He cannot work for the good of His people, the building of His kingdom and the glory of His name.
And we live to experience that Kingdom, so it means ofcourse we will experience that glory in all its fullness one day... but we will also experience the suffering that comes before that glorious day.
But do not be discouraged
I have been hugely encouraged
For the Lord is not finished yet
The Lord is not finished with His church, He is doing far more than we could have ever asked or hoped regardless of what meets the eye
Though to some it feels like this nation is getting further and further away from God, I will not despair for there is an army of faithful warriors who are acting as instruments in God's Kingdom and who the Lord is accomplishing the most glorious things through
I will not lose heart, the church is still being made ready for the day when Jesus returns. There are faithful witnesses all over the world who are awaiting that day and who are seeing God's kingdom come as a present reality, in the UK, in Iraq, in Syria, in Iran, in Somalia, in Nigeria, in Kenya, in China, in North Korea and in every other nation.
From every tribe and tongue they will be gathered before the throne
And the folly of church politics and selfishness and the general nature of what happens when broken people try and convince other broken people that they are well held together good Christian folk... all that brokenness and rubbish and hurt that has been bruising the church will be no more because the Bible says that the bride of Christ will be spotless and without blemish
The lamb wins, He is not done with His church
أمين تعال أيها الرب يسوع
Amen come Lord Jesus
God is good all the time
God is good and that is his nature
Thursday 14 May 2015
Reflecting Again on Psalm 46
who is a very present help in time of trouble,
who forgives me
who does mighty and awesome things even in the midst of devastation,
who is the Prince of Peace and the Lord of Lords,
who is working all things for the good of those who love Him,
who is ferociously and fiercely defending the church,
who has marked me as safe from Satan's accusations forever and who will, who absolutely will be exalted among the nations - on that day every eye shall take in His beauty and majesty and every knee will hit the ground and from every voice we shall hear that Jesus is Lord!
Just so glorious!
Than any victory Jesus is better
More than all riches Jesus is better
Than any comfort Jesus is better
Make my heart believe'
God is good and that is His nature
Wednesday 31 December 2014
Cheesy Cliché New Year Post
Good morning and happy 2015
In many ways this year has been a very difficult one, but coming to the end of a year does force you to look back and actually, somehow, among all the things that have happened that have caused great hurt, disappointment, confusion, broken relationships, anger and all the rest this has somehow been the best year of my life...
God has done glorious things. He has blessed me and granted me the most marvellous experiences, brought some of His most amazing people into my life and spectacularly restored some things that were beyond hope. The glorious things He has done have honestly far outweighed any of the more despairing moments. He is so good. Just so so good, and I cannot praise Him enough.
Proverbs 25:1
This was the second passage I read in 2015 and it spoke to me as if in conversation with a human being. This year may we not grow lazy in seeking God's heart. But may we diligently seek Him in all circumstances, when everything is miraculously falling into place and when all of life is a chaotic confusion. He is still the same, His same glorious self. He is always worth it.
This year may we fall more passionately in love with Jesus, more in love with His word, may God do absolutely whatever it takes to make us more like Jesus even if it hurts us and breaks us.
This year may we not be hesitant in the things that He calls us to do but may we learn the art of radical obedience. Following Him wherever He leads, jumping into our Fathers arms and knowing that that is the safest place we could possibly be - so nowhere could be too far to go.
This year may we make more time for Him. Not out of obligation but out of adoration, may we find reading His word, worshipping Him, praying to Him and spending time in His presence the most irresistible thing in life.
I commit this year to my awesome Lord and Saviour
May He continue to do immeasurably more than we could ask or imagine
God is good all the time
God is good and that is His nature
God bless you
Caris
X
Saturday 13 December 2014
"Caris, when did you stop living under Grace?"
A few weeks ago I spoke to a mentor who I fondly refer to as my big sister. She is amazing, she's one of those people who it is simply impossible to lie to, by just the sound of your voice she'll somehow be able to gauge exactly where you are at spiritually. About ten minutes into the conversation she said to me plainly
"Ok, what's going on? Right now I'm not speaking to the Caris I know, what have you not surrendered to God, what is it that's keeping your heart from Him?"I love that woman, everyone needs someone in their life who can do this. But at that time I had no idea. How could I possibly know? Perhaps I wasn't quite experiencing a spiritual high at that point, but I didn't feel I was in a totally terrible place with God. So she told me to go and pray about it.
So I did.
I got nothing.
Two days later someone else said the same things to me, that there was something I wasn't surrendering.
So I prayed.
I heard nothing.
The next day in a worship evening a prophesy was given that there was someone who needed to surrender something that was stopping them from giving their heart completely to God.
So I prayed again.
And again, nothing.
It was getting weird, if there was something this big why on earth wasn't God telling me when I asked Him?! It was so frustrating!
On Tuesday morning, God spoke to me during a time of worship in a voice that cut to the core of my being, I have no idea how to explain it other than a violent hurricane-like whisper:
"Caris, when did you stop living under Grace? When did you decide that it was your works that saved you? When did you start believing that I would only be proud of you if you went somewhere like Iraq? When did you start believing that the things that you do have anything to do with my outrageous love for you? When did mission itself become your god? When did your desire shift from being solely for me to being solely for my work?"I wanted His work. I wanted to see disciples made. I wanted to risk my life for Him in the most dangerous of places to show the world that He was worth dying for, I wanted to shout His good news at the top of my lungs for all to hear... but somehow I had wanted those things more than I wanted God Himself. And that's idolatry.
Not long after this encounter, I was informed that college had changed their mind about allowing me to go, they explained that the risks that were involved far outweighed any long term impact that my presence would have therefore college refused to sign it off.
Within half an hour of each other God had answered all that I had been wanting know at that point in time. And I didn't realise that they were so intrinsically linked.
I was gutted that I couldn't go, really gutted.
But considering what God had told me just before finding out, it kind of made sense.
My desire should always first and foremost be for Him and Him alone and then all the other things will come from an overflow of that. Not from anything I try to muster up in myself.
Grace cuts to the root of our pride, there's absolutely nothing we can do to earn it... and that beautiful truth is also the most incredibly exasperating truth, because deep down a lot of us kind of want to be able to earn it, we want to be better than others, more deserving than others, we want to prove ourselves not only to other people but also to God. We have a nature that resists grace.
We are recovering legalists, often allowing ourselves to think that God isn't pleased with us unless we try to please Him.
The thing is though, God's grace, His unmerited favour towards us is not based on our performance for Him but what He performed on that cross for us.
Grace disarms us of our pride.
Chase after Jesus first and then the rest will follow. It's all about Him.
Saturday 16 August 2014
His Kingdom Come. His Will Be Done
The things my brothers and sisters in Iraq have had to endure these past few months are just unbelievable.
All over the world may you comfort your people who have lost everything, may their steadfastness be an inspiration not only to the worldwide church but may it send a loud clear message of your grace to the very people who wish to wipe them out. Strengthen them I pray. May they know that you have not and cannot forsake them! May you remind them of this in immense ways.
Do amazing things Lord in that place. Amazing things beyond what we could ask or comprehend right now.
Do it Lord
Hope of the world
For your namesake, for your glory, break the powers of evil in that land.
Amen'
'Prayer is the greatest weapon that any disciple maker can wield, and God's people are using it effectively around the world at this very minute. Prayer takes the spiritual battle out of the human realm and puts it fully into God's hands, and not even the powers of hell itself can stand against His almighty Spirit. It is prayer that has torn down walls of bigotry,and broken the weapons of hatred. When God's people kneel in prayer, God's will is done on earth as it is in heaven.'Please continue to pray for Iraq, Syria and the rest of that troubled region.
Sunday 4 May 2014
'When I Don't Understand Your Perfect Plan - I Will Trust In You My God'
"To You I give my future, as long as it may last. To You I give my present. To You I give my past because Your thoughts are higher than mine, Your words are deeper than mine, Your love is stronger than mine - this is no sacrifice, here's my life." - No Sacrifice by Jason Upton.