I’ve been thinking about rivers recently,  well the truth is I think about the river everyday. My house looks out on the River Forth. The thing is the river never stays the same it changes everyday in life. I believe its such a great privilege to live so close to a river.  There are so many exciting analogies about tour spiritual life , to be learned from a river. Here’s a picture of the River  Tweed in full flow this afternoon, Monday 7th September.

A couple of Sundays ago i was preaching on the text from Psalm 46. ” There is a river that makes glad the city of God. What a wonderful thought. I wonder what the city of God “being glad” sounds like ? Its a wonderful image.

There is a River

I think this river is

Laughing with me

It too has a place in the city

God has given rivers a future

Now i know why it’s  singing in tune with the stones and the fish

Its presence lifts your spirit

It really knows how to move

It never stays still

A river is always going somewhere

Flowing

Faster

Slower

Deeper

Broader

I want to move with the river

I want to to race the river

I want to swim in the water

I want to catch a fish in the river

I want to flow like the river

Lord let the river of life flow through me

Today

Yesterday

And forever

Just back from Sanctuary First. the theme was all about moving from one space ro another . It was about helping us see that the way to  bring about change in the life of the church is to be prepared to make the appropriate sacrifice.

Although it was a Bank Holiday weekend we were delighted to have a number of friends join with us in the worship.  We were pomoting the C40 programme. this is our made up Discipleship programme. So if you want to join the Challenge text  Bible 40 to the following mobile number 80806. When you do this it will cost you £1.50 per week. I hope you join in he challenge and then return to tis blog with yourown questions and answers. So look out for the first C40 post tomorrow morning.

I’m not sure what happened last night. When making my post I lost the article entitled ” Discipleship Challenge”. So here it is back again. This is material which will be part of the Sanctuary First service on Sunday evening. The last time I made this post James invited me to set a 40 day challenge as part of the response to this article. Having considered his suggestion I’m going to rise to the Challenge. If you text on your mobile the word BIBLE 40 I will text to your mobile if you so desire a challenge that will be designed to help you grow in your Christian experience. You’ll receive your first text on Monday 4 May the cost will be £1.50 per week. Sorry we can’t keep the freebees going. I intend to use the blog over the next forty days to reflect upon the actions in which you will be invited to take part. I also hope that this will generate a considerable amount of interest and comment.

The article below is based on Christ inviting us into the desert place – to the place of testing, not so that we can fail but rather so that we can be toughened up to face the many difficulties that present themselves to us in our lives. Here is the audio version that people will hear on Sunday on the MP3 players. It is an edited version of the meditation below. I want to say a big thanks to Alec shuttleworth who came over during the week to record it, and of course thanks to Rae for her editorial skills. Both Rae and Alec added to the meditation. a lot Oh and James make you comment again so that we can get folks taking up the challenge! AUDIO

Come with me
Leave all this behind
Just for a short time

I know what your thinking
What is this place?
Where am I going?

I’m going to help you to
take the discipleship challenge

I heard you say you wanted to move to a new place
You said you wanted to find a cross shaped space in your life
`I wonder if you really meant what you prayed

I know you’re very busy
Watch your footing
There’s a huge
Chasm on your left
Lots of loose stones
Falling debris
Its easy to drop
Ideas
Hopes
And even dreams
In this place
Once they fall over the edge
They’re gone

Can I say something to you
When you move round the corner
I will have to leave you on your own
Look I’ll be with you
But you won’t see me

You have to face your own struggle
You know there is a voice of evil in this place
Within you
When it speaks you can choose to obey it
Or challenge it
If you do nothing
You will end up obeying the voice

Keep your eyes on the path
Don’t try to see my face
We will meet one day
But Its my feet
you need to look after at the moment
Feet washing is something I’m into
Just follow my footprints.

Come closer
I want you to hear this
I don’t want you ro misunderstand.

There are basically three fundamental temptations
And I suppose seven deadly sins
These are common to every human being
In life – its as simple as that
You humans are not all that complicated
I made you I should know
Funny complete things often come in 3s and 7s

Anyway
You have choices to make
It boils down to
Popularity
Wealth
And
Love of self
Discipleship is all about
Serving others and denying self interest

Do you know the problem with most relationships?
People love themselves
Their image
Their look
Their sexuality
Their singleness
Their definition as sexual beings
The greatest denial of love
Is to make love to yourself
It is to exclude the other
The greatest lie is to believe
You must love yourself first
Before you love another
The truth is if you love yourself
You will leave no room to love another

Discipleship turns everything on its head
Makes for an upside down world
It suggests its only when you love another first
That you come to love the self
You know It sounds impossible to love someone
You don’t know – but its not
True love is not based on knowledge
Its based on unconditional acceptance
To truly love is to make that someone
An indispensible part of your being
It is to deny self love
And embrace service
It is to lose yourself and find your meaning
In caring for an unknown child
An unknown beggar
An unknown person

Your about to turn the corner
Get ready to make
Your choices