James 4 7-10

I thought I’d write about something that has impacted my life recently. While reading different books within the bible I came across James chapter 4. Although I’ve previously read it opened my eyes massively. After researching in to it I felt compelled to share it.

Four verses really stood out, verses 7-10.

⁷ Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ⁸ Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. ⁹ Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. ¹⁰ Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

It’s amazing how in 56 words there’s 10 commands of how to get closer to God if we need rescuing and understanding who God is. The commands are: submit, resist, come near, wash, purify, grieve, mourn, wail, change, humble yourselves. By taking out the command words out it leaves 44 words. So, on average 4.4 words per command. Short, sweet and direct. Its amazing how punchy these commands are. I found that this isn’t the first time a communication is short, sweet and to the point. When Mary and Martha sent a note to Jesus about Lazarus, it simply said, ‘Lord the one you love is sick’ (John 11:3). Just seven words to tell Jesus that someone was ill.

It seems on reflection that some of the commands are weird and unusual, but digging deeper into them actually shows the opposite.

Submit, I found for ages I couldn’t get to grips with this word. To most people it means to give up or give in. To lose. However, researching recently I found it’s more about finding your position, such as when a new recruit joins the army, he submits to his role and knows where he stands and what officers are above him. It’s the same within Ephesians (5:21-33), wives submitting to their husbands and husbands submitting to the church.

Resist, quite simple really to understand but sometimes hard to control the urges from the devil. As we live with free will all round us and we get easily influenced by others resisting is sometimes one of the hardest to do. When resisting we should remember our shield of faith (Ephesians 6:16), Knowing that we have faith will help us to resist the devil.

Come near, sounds easy to do however, responses from God vary and sometimes we have to change to hear them. If we’re drawing closer to God are, we walking the walk and talking the talk? Elijah found that God doesn’t always come in the busy loud times and events, but sometimes we have to step back to here him in the quiet times (1 Kings 19 11-13).

Wash, wash away your sins, we’re baptised in the holy waters and been given Gods grace. Keep the body guarded from the devil. The more that we sin the more we have to clean our hands, all sin is dirty but we have Gods’ grace.

Purify, our hearts should only be on God, no one or anything else should come between that. Why should we doubt Gods’ amazing and generous grace when we doubt him? Our rewards will be so much better if we just believe in him and trust him. Jesus blessed those who hadn’t seen his raise from the dead but believed that he had (John 20 29).

Grieve, mourn and wail all fit in to one package. Do we hurt when we sin? Do we feel sad after we’ve sinned? When we repent do, we beg God for forgiveness and actually feel forgiven or do we just brush it off? We should open our hearts when we repent, if we don’t then we won’t be forgiven, confess your sins and let God show his mercy and grace.

Change, if we’re happy sinning would we be happier living in Gods’ glory and getting our true pleasure in heaven? We should be changing from our sinful nature to living for God. If we can live for God and leave our sin behind, then we’ll have changed our hearts and be transferred our hearts view to him, but it isn’t easy. Sometimes it takes time, like a caterpillar evolving into a butterfly there's no quick fix.

Humble yourselves, don’t compare yourselves to other, keep yourself submitted to God. Look at what God expects of us. Why should we compare ourselves to others when its not our job to judge others? Be humble and think what your live would be like without God.

The whole chapter really impacted my life recently. I'd suggest reading the rest of chapter 4 and try and follow the ten commandments of James. 

(All quotes from NIV translation).

Praising In The Storm.

So its been just short of two years since my last blog post. During that time there has been plenty of ups and down. After seeing a service today from Trent Vineyard I thought it was time to finally put my thoughts to paper and write another blog praising God during the hard times.

Since the start of 2020 the world has been a tough place for all of us with this virus flying around. However, just have a look at what the the lock down has done all over the world. Viennas' waters are now clean of pollution and are now clear, the smog over China has disappeared, it has brought friends, neighbours and families closer together, its shown how mentally strong people are and how as a country we can pull together to get through a bad time.

However, the meaning of this blog is to show you the good things out of sad events. Even in the bible it says to praise the lord in all circumstances Psalm 34:1 (I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips). We can all do this when things are going our way, but most of us fail to praise God when bad things happen.

At the start of the year I lost someone very dear to me who was also my cornerstone. Even while watching over her in hospital, slowly passing away I could still praise God for the glorious 28 years we’d had together. During that time two bible verses came to mind. Romans 10:9, (if you confess with you mouth that Jesus is Lord and belief in your heart that God raised him from the dead you will be saved),and John 14 2-5, (In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also, and whither I go ye know, and the way ye know). It felt weird to ask someone who confess with their mouth Jesus is King when they couldn’t respond so a rare smile was accepted. 

A friend of mine also had a bad start to 2020. A death in the family also coupled with the loss of the family pet, a cancelled wedding and a close family member having major surgery. Even syringe this tough time we can still praise. She had memories of spending time with the family member and pet. She still had her dad after his major surgery and they still had the family wedding to look for to. Again in a place of darkness light was shining brightly.

Even in the bible in Acts Paul was praising in prison after being beaten, striped and imprison for his faith. At the stroke of midnight he started celebrating, singing and praising God even though he was in such a bad time. Acts 16 22-25 The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.

Job was still able to praise God even when he was losing everything around him. Job 1: 20-22 At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said:

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,

    and naked I will depart.

The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;

    may the name of the Lord be praised.”

In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.

It’s just amazing how in dreadful circumstances there are still good things that be praised and brought out of it. After after failure, death, illness and heartbreak.

The best pound I ever spent was in a book called Count It All Joy. If you ever thought your life was bad, please read that book. After all the bad events that happen in this woman’s life she still has the presence, faith and grace to praise.

Praise be to God!

Mental Health.

So its been a while but recently a massive topic has come into peoples lives around me. The subject today is still sort of taboo and noone really understands it. In some cases its hard for the person to say how they feel and in other cases its hard for people to understand. As you've already guessed, that topic is mental health.

Quite recently I've had a handful of friends battling mental health problems. But as an on looker its hard to see what happens. some people describe it as having two voices in your head and we choose which one to listen to and then amplify it. Others describe it as this is how society has made me feel. Others suffer because of their past and they struggle to overcome it.

There's a lot of different strands to mental health but because of society and technology nowadays this seems to have demonised some of the issues. According to society its ok to be anxious waiting for test results, but being anxious about going to work, a meeting or waiting on a reply is classed a a mental illness. Being stressed with kids is 'normal' but getting stressed at work is seen as a sign of weakness. Being alone in a crowded room now seems the 'norm' but when someone says they're depressed its classed as attention seeking. How can it be that one strand is ok and the other isn't??

Nowadays, people are becoming more involved in social media and portraying a fake image about themselves because being liked by thousands of people across the world makes them feel happy about a life where talking face to face is now a problem. Everyone gets asked where they're working now or which car they're driving but how many people actually get asked if they're ok?? 

With social media and technology, we seem to be more involved with celebrities and people we don't even know rather then the friends and family who we should be spending our time with. missing out on quality time with people who could actually help us. The problems we have these days is that technology has got us to a stage where checking out phones every five minutes is fine but when your waiting for a reply you start to over think. Surely this shows that these are mental health problems. Checking your phone every 5 minutes is OCD, over thinking is paranoia, stalking someones social media builds anger and trust issues.

I saw this picture recently and for me it sums up how technology has taken how we used to be to how we are now. How trying to get fifty likes will make us happy instead of having that one friend who says, you look beautiful or lets meet up sometime.

Surely this shows that not only pictures or messages sent that trust issues can be broken and damaged within seconds. How misinterpreting a message because of how its written and not said because we've taken it on face value instead of asking the person who said it.

Where in this world currently 1 in 4 people struggle with mental illness in a year and where suicide is the biggest killer for men under 49. It only takes 30 seconds to check in with someone and ask if they're ok...........

Give blood. #Noexcuses

So it's been a while since I last wrote a blog and a recent event has changed that. Recently our family lost two family members with in a very short space of time. The second is the main reason behind this post.

A few years ago I decided to sign up to give blood and after a year I eventually did it, not knowing how close to home it would affect us. People have always given different reason as to why they give blood or reasons why other people should and in one way or another they are all connected to that person. My reason to start with was to give hope to other people, now its to give other people time. Time to survive or in some cases enough time for someone to say goodbye.

A few weeks ago I went to visit uncle in hospital. He'd been in for a while and after speaking to the nurses I found out everything he'd been through during his time. One thing that struck me was that he'd had 20 units of blood in one week. This hit me like a freight train. As a blood donor you never find out who your blood has gone to only that its been donated at a certain hospital. I took that as a sign. I said my goodbyes before I left and the hardest of all, goodbye to my uncle. A few hours later, it was goodbye. Ever since then, my passion and will has never been stronger for more people to donate to help others in situations like this.

Even for me the hardest thing is seeing a needle entering the body, that is something I have overcome to help up to three people with every pint of blood that I give. My reason for this blog is to urge people to sign up to donate blood or platelets. It only takes 45 minutes out of your day and you could help to save the lifes of people you love and care about. So far three of my friends have taken the plunge and decided to donate. For 45 minutes of your time you could help change the lives of others. The commitment is low, donate every three months for a male and four months for a female, how hard is it really to turn up three/four times a year. If it helps there's even snacks!!!!!!

I had to overcome a lot to go and donate blood but now I have an extra reason to donate and I'll be donating while ever I can. When I sat in the chair today I booked my next appointment. The staff in my local center are top notch and with first timers they guide you through it every step of the way. So what ever your excuse is, take the plunge.

If I can over come my fears and doubts, then whats stopping you?

• Approximately 1 out of every 7 people entering the hospital needs blood.
• 1 donation has the potential to save as many as 3 lives.
• 3 teaspoons of blood can save a baby's life.
• If there are 100 people in a room, 46 will have type O blood, 40 will have type A, 10 will have type B and four will have type AB.
• If 50 people donate, they could provide enough blood to take care of victims of a major car accident.
• If 20 people donate, they could help 1 burn victim.

Missing letters, Join today. #noexcuses

Relationships.

Have you ever had times in your life when all you've needed someone to help you or someone to talk to? Relationships are one of the most important things while we live on earth. I know of two stories that show that people who are the most desperate for someone to help that they go to different lengths to get help.

The first, a speaker is talking in a stadium and he gets a notion from God to go and speak and pray for a lad sitting on the vary back row of the stadium. He goes up to speak to him puts his hand on his shoulder and the lad starts weeping. He says he needs to talk to someone and points at the screen and said that Gods left me and I asked him to send you up here to pray with me otherwise I was going to do something. The lad pulled out a gun with the intent of ending it all if someone hadn't spoken to him. But God sent him someone to help him through his troubles.

The second, a guy checks in at a hotel when another man walks in and says he needs petrol. So the first man takes him there. The first man then pays for a petrol can, petrol and some how just knows something is wrong. The second man opens up to him and says that his sister had a heart attack, he hasn't been paid from work and he hadn't felt god in his life for a while.

The only thing is God was there. God answered their silent prays. He put someone in their life to help. He saved one man from death and another from depression.

Maybe you've got troubles in your life right now that you need to talk to someone with. If you've never prayed then pray let God answer your prayer, or ask for God to put someone in your life to talk to you.

I was recently talking to two people who's families health or their own health was affected in serious ways. Their pray was answered when they asked for someone to talk to. Their faith was restored when they had someone to talk to. Their prayer was answered when they thought God was back in their life. The only thing was God handed left them. The relationship had been closed from one side. But not from Gods side.

Very often God has put people in our lives for a reason and most of the time we turn away those people. the thing is when we are at our most vulnerable and hurt, 9 out of 10 people say Jesus Christ. Some are cursing but others are asking him to take away the pain as quickly as possible.

But from after reading this, take the offer of talking to the person that's put in your life, say that prayer for God to help you.

Matthew Chapter 11 verse 28

Things happen for a reason.

I recently watched a film I haven't watched since last year and there was one quote that stuck with me since Revelations 3 verse 7 "What HE opens no one can close and what HE closes no one can open". This got me thinking about things that have gone on in my past that either wont be given as an opportunity again or things that I wouldn't want again.

This got me thinking about what happens and if there was a reason behind it. Most of the time people say things happen for a reason but sometimes you don't know why it happened, so I got thinking about what had happened in my life and if there was a reason behind it.

On one occasion I was travelling on a train for my mates stag do and ended up talking to the bloke opposite me who happens to work for Sports Coach UK. Talk about lucky hey!!!! But what was the reason behind it???

I also found recently that saying no ends something that you had and makes things work, however in some cases it doesn't make things better. Recently I said no to something I was doing and a few weeks later got a new job, improved friendships, coaching opportunities all because I wanted to stop doing one thing and I got 3 things in return. One story I find was that I said no to playing county level sports when I was at university but what would of happened if I had said yes where would I be now???? But everything happens for a reason.

So sometimes it is hard to see why everything happens for a reason, look in the bible at David he had no idea what was going to happen in the lion pit but he had faith he knew that things happened for a reason. Look in the bible when Jesus died some people wouldn't of known why he'd died. People didn't know why Judas betrayed Jesus but everything happens for a reason. But it does say in the good book that: trust in the lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Prov 3:5-6

Back in September I had the chance to go to an academy and the day before we were due to start I had to say know. The reason that came out a month was a good enough reason to back out but at the time it just felt like I was lost but had faith because I knew everything happens for a reason.

So just remember when life gets tough and you feel a lone or feel like your being buried in the sand there will be a reason for it. Sometimes people just want to see how far they can push you before you say no or they want to see how strong you are. 

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Matthew 6:25

The Big Bad World.

So its been a while since I last wrote a blog but here goes. Since leaving university life hasn't been easy, with my dad still signed off work and me not getting in to uni because of various reasons, I turned my hand to trying to find a full time job in the big bad world.

When I was at university I loved the phrase 'one day you'll be in the real world'. As a student life was so much more relaxed and it felt like that day would never arrive until now. The worst thing about being in the big bad world is unemployment. One thing I hate with a passion is being unemployed. For various years I've held part time jobs before, during and after university but when you want to get a full time job its like trying to sell your car. People will listen or take your CV but when you ask if they have any jobs going they become quiet and don't say anything. I found this to be true in most  places that I handed a CV or letter in to.

Recently I've found that the phrase " when one door closes another opens" does happen. I recent gained a full time job!!!!!!! I went through numerous interviews trying to find a full time and in some cases just a part time job. With my hours getting less and less where I was before I had to get out. A few days after an interview for a part time job The manager at a local pub asked me if I was still looking for a job and whether I'd like to apply there and I did. A week later the came round and now that I've got the job I can honestly say that its one of the most enjoyable jobs that I've had. Soon after this I saw a quote which is below which I think describes life perfectly.

I have found one thing comforting, God. In most of my blogs God gets a mention and that's because God does something in my life to make my life better. Recently my life changed slightly when I knew I wasn't returning to Preston but that ment God had something for me in store. Then earlier today I saw a quote which I'll share with you "an arrow can only be shot by pulling backwards, when life is dragging you back with difficulties, just imagine its going to launch you into something great".

Just remember that in Jesus' life he had hard times but on the other hand he had fantastic times so with a little prayer and belief life will get better and it'll make the hard times easier to cope with.

But until I have time to write a longer blog filling people in on Jesus, my life and the impacts these two things have had on other people. Keep believing.