Do you believe in what you believe in?

I believe many things. Belief is what provokes all that I do. I think it's fait to say that someone who doesn't believe in anything will find it hard to do anything. For example, I believe that when I type on this keyboard, the letters I am typing will appear on the screen. I believe that when I turn on a tap, water will come out of it. That is why I bother typing on keyboards, and turning taps!

(Briefly, though, I must remember that not everyone has a tap to turn, and there are those who turn taps and the water is not safe to drink... What are we doing about that?)

I drink water because I believe that it is safe to drink it. I study because I believe my brain processes it, and I will see success in my degree as I do... These are examples of what I believe. But what do I believe in? In whom do I believe?

I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and because I believe in Him, and I believe in Him as God, I believe what He says about Himself.

Having been touched my His grace, His saving power, His mercy, His love, it is not difficult to believe what He says about Himself. I accepted Jesus as Lord and Saviour of my life. But the most important thing about me is Jesus, who I believe. So actually, far more important than believing that someone has built pipes in order that I will see water come out of a tap, I believe that God is a powerful God, I believe that He is merciful, I believe all that He says about Himself in His word, which, incidentally, I also believe to be true!

I have been challenged recently as to how much time I invest in believing what I believe about God. Belief stirs faith. Faith stirs action. I know I have faith - the Word of God tells me so - and I've realised that as I spent time believing what God says about Himself, my faith is stirred, and God gives me more faith. Since the things I believe about taps, keyboards and books manifest themselves in my life (I am not thirsty, I write emails and blogposts, I remember what I study), how much more should what I believe in manifest itself in my life?

Initially my question may sound odd - do you believe in what you believe in? But I believe it is crucial. Whom we believe in is what defines us, and I believe that if we spend time believing in God whom we have believed, and still do believe, we will see the fruit of that belief increasingly manifest in our lives.

I am alive

Just a quick post - I should be reading. At some point I may write about Korea, Cambodia, Vietnam and all that... but for now, suffice it to say I am alive.

Malaysia - tick.

Went to Pulau Dayang (a tiny island) in Malaysia to do my Open Water Diving Course this weekend. It was outta-this-world.

Awesome sites, beautiful coral, luminous fish, a green turtle, a jellyfish, a school of thousands upon thousands of fish, good food, wonderful company, escape from Singapore.

NB: going diving made me feel like I was high.

Just a quick one.

I must go to bed, so just a quick post to update y'all.

Am reading Acts at the moment, and it has been really really good! Read Acts 8 this morning, and it brought back so many things I'd learned from it before... It has reminded me that reading something again, not only brings fresh revelation, but can bring back past-but-still-very-relevant revelation :-)

I think the hardest three weeks of my time here ended last Friday. I have a new laptop now. She arrived today, and hasn't broken yet, so she is definitely doing better than the last one. I'm hoping that she will last a good 3 years at least!

I hope everyone in Manchester is doing well! I can't say I'm missing Manchester, but I definitely miss the people there!

Have a beautiful day! And I hope you remember some revelation of old today!

Long time no post...

Sorry! I've been away, then my laptop broke, then I purchased a new one, then that one broke the next day... I'm still trying to get a new one but I have to wait on a refund for the old one... It's been wee bit crazy to say the least!

So... since the last post I've been to Laos, and through Thailand. I caught the travelling bug, so I postponed my flight home, and am going to see Cambodia and Vietnam at the end of term... (I'm going to have to work really hard through July and early August to be ready for my exams in August!) I've done three papers, had huge laptop issues, realised that I've changed, etc etc etc...

Hmm... what's changed?

I've learnt how to be in Christ, well, I'm still learning. Being here, and being in a huge church... not being prominent in it... not doing as much: it's been good to rest, but it was a struggle at first to see where I was in Christ. Although I didn't ever think these things outright, it has become clear to me that my being in Christ is not because I'm on the worship team, or because I'm a youth leader, or because I do all that I do, but rather because of Him, and because of His love and His grace. I am just as much in Christ here, when I'm not doing those things, as I was back home when I was. He doesn't look at me differently, nor does He love me less, nor do I deserve it more back home than I do here.

Ultimately, no matter what I do, I don't deserve His salvation, His love, His grace... I don't deserve to know Him. It's funny (well not really funny) how easily one can slip into finding one's identity in what one does as opposed to what one is.

I think that I've just begun to realise that being in Him, and in relationship with Him doesn't mean just serving Him because I love Him, but that it means loving Him... and that the serving is just something that comes with loving Him. I knew in my head before, but I think I've just begun to experience knowing it.

Honestly? It hasn't been what I expected. I'm sure the rest of my time here will surprise me too. Sorry if I don't post for a while... but no laptop... lots of work... lots of travelling... it means no internet!

Otherwise... I'm really interested and curious to know what has been happening at the midweek meetings at Kings'!!!

That's all for now.

Just be!

Just being in God, in His presence, trusting in Him, loving Him. It's so sweet!

Just give me Love

Take away the comfort of familiarity, tear down structures that give security, strip away reputation, place me away from friends and family, but just give me Love! For Love is my ultimate familiarity, the utmost security, the only reputation I desire, and will love me more than any person ever could. All I need is Love. All I desire is Love. Show me Love, give me Love, for all else is worthless without Him. Let Love love me, for His love is greater than any other love one could ever know. Love saves, Love transforms, Love is "the most excellent way". This Love, He is perfect. "Perfect Love drives out fear". Love does not change. He is patient, kind. He does not envy, He does not boast. He is not proud, nor is He rude or self-seeking. He is not easily angered and keeps no record of wrong. He does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. He always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. He never fails. Who is He?

"God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him".

So take away the comfort of familiarity, tear down structures that give security, strip away my reputation, place me away from friends and family. Shake my world if it will show me all that Love is. Without Love, I would not be, cannot be. Let all else go, in order that Love may prevail, and Love may reign. May I be consumed by Love. May I live in Love, may all I do come out of living in that Love. I can only love because I experienced the love of Christ, who is love.
Bring me back to Love, than I may go on with Him. My desire is not His blessings. It is not His plans.
I know that Love will take me wherever I need to be, and provide for me whatever I need.

So just give me Love!