http://mikebettslatest.blogspot.com

I have decided to move my blogs to the above address, accessible either direct or via face book and michael betts.  Hope to see you there in due course

Mike

Over the years I have known many Christians and seen some grow in God and others seemingly get stuck at certain points in their growth in God.  Sadly also I have seen some doing really well for many years and then seem to lose their way.  I have been thinking over the last few days, probably because issues of succession and the next generation are never far from my thoughts.  We are only here for a short while.  There seems so much to do, so little time to do it.  I have been thinking about how people grow in God? What creates a personal internal environment so people develop?

I think people need basically two things.  A bit of time with someone who can father them in God.  Not always someone old enough to be their Father.  But someone who is a bit further on than them but who they respect and feel faith and stimulation to hang around with.  Just meeting together to pray and chat once a month is a great start it's not rocket science.  Then they just need to be given some responsibility.  I grow more convinced that it does not matter in the early years of our Christian lives what we do by way of serving.  What matters is that we are faithful with a little and can be relied upon to do what we have said they will do.  This is the stuff of growth.  This leads on to be faithful with more.  If someone wants to lead a big church or have some mega ministry (not always a wrong ambition) then they need to start by being faithful with going on the chair rota month by month.  There is no short cut.  Absolutely none!  I even look for people who will volunteer to go on the rota rather than wait to be asked.

By the time Joseph came out of serving others and in prison at that he found it had all been training for the day when he would feed a nation and have great authority.  Often the bigger the calling the more care and preparation God will put into a person.  Think about it God has to trust us with things he asks us to do.  He needs to know we are a safe pair of hands.

People also need to be teachable and willing to be changed by the Lord and by those who lead them.  Training we used to say in my FYP oversight days was a matter of developing knowledge, character and skills.  This I still believe to be true, but in all of this teachability underpins it all.  When the chips are down it is often a case of can an individual submit to doing something the way another over them in the Lord wants it done, simply because that person is over them in that area of service.  None of us can have authority until we have learned to be under it.  This is massive test faithfulness, responsibility, being teachable.  No wonder we have few leaders of calibre.  Most miss it and go for the glitz trying to bypass being a servant or get fed up being directed by others and go off and create their own ministry.  Such a waste!

I love to see people grow in God.  I love spending time with people hungry to grow in God.  I really do, it feeds my soul.  My concern in our fast food age is that many might get impatient with the process God takes them through and impatience for arrival at their destiny might make them miss out on some key things they could have seen and been a part of.  I have seen too many wrecks over the years.  It breaks the heart.

Perhaps next time some musings on what issues tend to shipwreck lives? Any comments?

'What are you doing here?'  I wish I could have taped those words and framed them. Hanging them on the wall of my office.  'What are you doing here?' were there ever more wonderful words spoken to a 46 year old man.

Where was I?  What could possibly be so glorious about such words?  I was at the Gym having a fitness assessment and new program done. For the first time in 7 years I thought a new set of workouts and stuff was a good move.  I admit I was a bit concerned that the BP and BMI might be a bit of an issue.

After plugging me in to various things and running all the tests.  My assessor concluded I was very healthy and said the words now enshrined in my ears (If that is possible) 'What are you doing here?

All young whipper snappers who take delight in prodding my belly and pointing out my alleged increasing dimensions (you are false prophets!!).  Take note 'what are you doing here' are not words spoken lightly.  They are carefully crafted and chosen.  It would seem I am fitter than my accusers have been saying – I rest my case.

Have to say though the cross trainer was a bit harsh!

North Europe Training 

I am on way back to UK from Copenhagen where we have just had two days of training for church leaders amongst our churches in North Europe.  We had around 45 there from Denmark, Sweden, Lapland, Estonia, Holland and Latvia. 

I did two days on apostolic foundations from the Pastoral Epistles; Timothy and Titus.

I have to say for me this has been one of the most significant equipping things I have ever done.  I felt the presence of God on the training and we found great help together at looking through these epistles at issues affecting how to build healthy local church The Saturday night we then went over to Malmo in Sweden to welcome Thomas church into the New Frontiers family.  We have found ourselves growing in relationship over recent years and now this young church has become part of the family of churches in New Frontiers on a mission together.  We met in the basement where they first started as the building they intended to use was not available.  I felt there was something significant about coming back to roots to then go out again in strength.  An additional pleasure was that several friends form the other nations stayed and joined us for the evening.

I am personally greatly encouraged as we find God joining our hearts with more and more people.  We met new friends from Lapland this weekend.  They travelled 28 hours by train to be with us from inside the Arctic Circle.

Sunday I preached at Copenhagen Community Church.  This is a church gathering momentum.  The building is almost full to capacity making finding the next step a pressing priority.  The present building can perhaps cope with 75 or so.

The presence of God was very noticeable and I found great liberty in preaching, with 3 or 4 people responding to the gospel also.

Jimmi Clarke has come with me on this trip.  It has been great to spend the time together.  I am in Copenhagen airport waiting for easy jet.  This is a growing feature of life now.  The pace of new nations opening up and increase in the all of the churches I and the team working with me are working with is very very noticeable – praise God for increase and growing momentum.

'Seek first the Kingdom of God' – Matthew 6:32-34

On Sunday I preached a kind of launching word for 2008.  I Felt God speak to me recently that the principle of 'seek first the kingdom of God' was going to be something more and more attention should be given to.  Something that would be of key importance to us this coming year.  To 'Seek' means look for, with effort and energy required.  If I buried £10000 in the field opposite our building and said 'Seek' and you can keep.  Many people would put considerable effort in as it would be worth finding.  The Kingdom of God is far more valuable than £10000

What are we looking for? 

Kingdom means his rule and reign.  So seeking to live life under his lordship / kingdom in every area means in real terms that we become more and more governed and influenced in our desires and decisions by the will and purposes of God.  We start to want what he wants, we start to behave as he would behave, what is of prime importance to Jesus becomes of prime importance to us.  We become more Christ like.

What will a church seeking the Kingdom of God look like?

Seeking first the kingdom will mean a contrast in our focus

We should have different appetites and activities to those around us who do not know Christ. 'Do not run after these things' possessions, things and stuff.  We should be noticeably different.  Not in how we look or live,  I have seen enough odd Christians thank you.  But rather in our appetites and focus.  Certain things will not catch our hearts any more as they once did.  We are done with them. 

Seeking first the kingdom will mean living with an awareness of his promise of care and provision

We should not live carelessly so we do not work hard, pay our bills, save money and plan ahead.  Enjoy life and look forward to nice things, holidays and recreation etc  These things are 'needed' for a balanced and happy life.  But for most in the world this is their entire focus in life.  God says to his people 'I know you need them, I will sort that out.  You are to give yourself to seeking other things'.  Do not worry about these things.  God is not saying they don't matter he is saying 'leave that to me, you get on with the things I have asked you to do'  God knows and will provide, often at the last minute so we learn to rely and trust him to keep his word, but provide he will.  We are off to Centre Parcs soon so that is a nice provision.  hopefully no broken toe and bruised rib this year, which was not God providing pain to teach me something but me being daft!

Seeking first the Kingdom will mean pursuing 'intimacy with God' – 2 Corinthians 8:5 'and they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will' seeking his kingdom will mean we give ourselves to him first.  Are you are building in intimacy with God into your daily life.  Work at finding how to walk with God for yourself, prayer, worship, reading and meditating on his word.  We are all different in how this works best for us but we are all the same in the fact we need it.

Seeking first the kingdom will mean devotion to the Fellowship

Heb 10:25 – 'habits' are formed.  We must form good ones! It does matter if you are at church Sunday morning regularly.  It does matter that you are attending and committed to a cell or small group in your church church.  It does matter whether you are engaged in serving in some way in line with your gifting. Have you got into bad habits with regard to church attendance? What are you going to do about it?

There is much talk about TV church and Cyber church and 'doing church'.  It is all mostly missing the point that God intends each of us to be in committed relationship with a biblically founded local church where we live where we can serve and outwork our life for Christ.  This will never change until the Lord returns the only thing that should change is the church should become bigger and more mature, which it will not do so quickly without you playing your part.  You are a brick in the wall – a living stone!

Seeking first the kingdom will mean seeking to keep relationships Godly

It amazes me how God keeps a church together, having a group of people together even God's people brings with it constant potential for misunderstanding.  Sadly in Kenya we see now a nation of peace once called a 'beacon of stability', in some chaos, all it needed was for unrestrained and ungodly anger to spill out towards one another and anarchy breaks out.  Do not be fooled into thinking you and I are not capable of very sinful actions and words.  We have to choose to live by the Spirit not by the flesh.   Even with a new heart and being joined to Christ, the flesh (that unredeemed as yet part of us with all of its appetites and desires) can have its way if we let it.  We must give diligent care to how things are amongst us.  When things get strained we should be quick to say to one who we feel a little strain towards 'help me understand why you did or said this?'

Ephesians 4:3 make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.  Go the extra mile – have you got anything you need to put right with anyone?

Seeking first the kingdom will mean pressing into Kingdom advance

Matthew 11:12 Are you prepared to step out and do stuff – pray for the sick, bring a prophetic word to someone, share the gospel with a stranger in the street when prompted, go to another nation on a team, work with the poor and needy of your town?

Where and what are your boundaries?  What boundaries is God wanting to push in you this year.  If you want to see something you have never seen you have to do something you have never done

Seeking first the kingdom will mean giving of finances

If we want to see the church grow we will need more staffing, more eldership and leadership time, more ministries released to attend to their callings.  A church will only grow to the ceiling of the ministry serving it in time and gifting

If we want to see a new building which I am sure is on God's heart and will come in due course.  Make no mistake it will cost serious money and mean serious sacrificial giving – Have you got fresh faith goals for your giving for this year?

I think I have well and truly seen it all now when it comes to Christmas.  I entered a well known bookstore in the run up to Christmas and on the shelves with a big sign, 'New for Christmas' were three titles displayed prominently.  They were 'God is not great', 'In God we doubt' and yes you've guessed 'The God delusion' – Happy Christmas!!

I could hardly find any Christmas cards with any reference to Jesus or any aspect of the incarnation story. 

What does all this mean?  Well actually a few things I feel are going on.  The fact there are three best selling books inquiring and questioning as to the existence of a God is actually in our heavily secular and humanistic culture a step forward believe it or not.  The materialism and consumerism that is Christmas I believe is even beginning to sicken many who have up to now gorged themselves on a life of more, more more.

This is a moment in our day and generation when people want answers.   I recently spent some time talking to a couple of folk about the authority of Scripture and the primacy of Jesus Christ in getting to know God.

My feelings are that God is preparing our nation for a fresh outpouring of his mercy and grace.  Lord we need it.  Our part is to build radiant churches that represent Jesus to the world in authentic communication of who he is and what he said about how to know God.  Our part is to live lives of authentic love for God, service to others and love for each other. 

I pray 2008 will see steps forward for the church in the UK and Europe.  Let us give ourselves once again to spreading everywhere his fragrance. 

I look at my diary for 2008 and see so many new openings for churches to be planted and strengthened.  It is very daunting and encouragin all at once.  What a priviledge.  I look at my home town and see how we as a church really do have a great opportunity to be an influence for the Lord in our locality.  I am really thankful for the increasing activity amongst us.  There is more to come this year I am sure.  Bring it on!

Seek first the kingdom of God

I have felt God pressing the truth to me of the key principle to 'Seek first the kingdom of God'.  This is true for us to live by both personally and corporately.

I believe the principle of 'Seeking first the kingdom of God' might well have significant expression for us in many areas.  We will, I am sure, explore these throughout the year.  For us, as a church, the development of an even greater priority in our hearts and lives for prayer and intimacy with God is vital, and cannot be underestimated.

2 Corinthians 8:5 says 'And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will'. 

With more to do, the temptation is to do more 'for the Lord' and be less 'with the Lord'.  However for the purposes of God to advance as he desires, it is vital we learn more about the value of an attitude like Mary's over that of Martha, her sister. (see Luke 10:37-40).

I cannot better express what prayer is, in its most simple and effective form, than by referring to this wonderful quote from Charles Spurgeon:

If some of the prayers at certain prayer meetings were less doctrinal, less experimental, and more argumentative with God, they would be more like true prayer should be, for true prayer is just pleading with the Most High, spreading our case before him, and then pressing our suit with all the arguments we can muster.  

You can say, "Lord, thou didst tell me to believe in Jesus Christ, thy Son; then, wilt thou not accept me, for his sake, for I have done what thou didst bid me do? Thou hast said, 'Call upon me in the day of trouble;' Lord, this is a day of trouble with me, and I do call upon thee; so wilt thou not answer me?"

If you argue with the Lord in such a style as this, you will find that this kind of pleading is potent with him who is omnipotent.  When a man has promised you something that you really need, you take him by the buttonhole, and you say to him, "Now, you promised to give me that;" and if he is an honest man, you can hold him by his own word; and shall the God of truth ever fail to perform his promise? No, that is one of the things that God cannot do; he cannot lie, and yet cannot run back from his promise, nor does he want to do so.

O Christian, if you would get anything from God, find a promise of it in his Word, and then thou mayest count the thing as good as received. When a man of means gives you his cheque, you count it just as good as hard cash; and God's promises are even better than cheques or bank notes. We have only to take them, and plead them before him, and we may rest assured that he will honour them.

We begin the year in our church at LCC with a week of prayer and fasting.  Each evening we will have opportunity to gather together and give ourselves FIRST to the Lord.

If you are part of LCC I want to encourage you to come together through this first week and then to take a fresh look at prayer with a view to find out how personally and corporately, whether in cell or bigger meetings, we can develop patterns of life that encourage a fresh wave of 'seeking first the kingdom of God' in prayer.

If you are reading this and part of another local church, may the Lord help you press into his presence and find the purposes of God pressing through into your situation as you do.

Fragrance

This morning in church a strange thing happened.  Someone shared about a fragrance they had smelt in the course of a normal working day.  The only thing was there was no fragrance around.  They felt God saying it was 'the fragrance of life'.  As they shared I started to smell a perfumed smell like incense or rose water, very sweet.  I checked with those near me, could they smell it, some could some could not.  Anyway as we progressed the smell got stronger and several people all around the room could then smell it.  Then it went as quickly as it came.

This afternoon at the youth alpha Holy Spirit sessions the smell came again just while we were setting up.  This time everyone smelt it.  Even in my office it came again and then went.  Like waves of this same smell with no reason or natural cause.  It was quite intense with no natural cause whatsoever, in spite of my searching the building for the source of this fragrance.

God does seem to be manifesting his presence in unusual ways in recent times in various meetings I have been aware of, why?  for the purpose of assuring us of his desire to be with us and bless us, making us aware he is there and ready to touch lives.  This says to me that his activity and pleasure is on us and his purposes are unfolding….interesting days.  Time to press in.

I felt God really helping me this morning in preaching about the kind of worship God is looking for.  I think the talk will be on the web this week to listen to if it is of help to you

Displaying a Diamond

I have been reading through Ezekiel recently.  One of the things that is striking about the prophetic message that this man had to carry to a sinful people was just how much wrath and judgment God promises to pour out on those who have sinned.  Admittedly the sins of the people in questions were abhorrent to God and would be to most people. The very worst of human behavior toward God and each other.  That being said God is sustained and unrelenting, he does not ease off, slow down, relent, let them off.  In chapter after chapter wrath, punishment, judgment for sin is metered out again and again.  Great waves of it crashing over a guilty people.  For example Ezekiel 25:17 'I will carry out great Vengeance on them and punish them in my wrath'.  Ezekiel 24:14 'the time has come for me to act.  I will not hold back; I will not have pity, nor will I relent.  You will be judged according to your conduct and your actions'

Some have concluded in reading such things.  How can this be a God of Love? Perhaps this is another God to one in the New Testament. The father we read of full of love and mercy.  Many unfamiliar with the Old Testament give up trying to understand and conclude it is confusing alongside the New Testament.

All of these are great and significant mistakes.  I Corinthians 10:11 says these things were written down for us on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come (my paraphrase)

In other words the things on the Old Testament are they're pointing to something else.

If you go into a Jewelers shop and he wants to display a diamond.  He puts it on the blackest and darkest background possible.  The contrast shows off the beauty of the diamond in a way that if it did not have something stark behind it the significance and beauty of it would be diminished and it fail to be seen in all its glory.

Titus 3:4 says 'But when the kindness and love of our savior appeared'

Here is the Diamond set against the backdrop of Gods judgment and wrath against sin.  There was a time when the diamond was brought out and displayed. A day when wrath was replaced with kindness for those who believe in Jesus Christ.

When Jesus came he ushered in the fulfillment of the ages.  What God had planned all along?  God cannot be holy and let sin go he must be punished.  His heart of love had planned since before creation redemptions plan, the kindness and love of God appeared, breaking out on the scene of darkened humanity.  The entire unrelenting wrath of God written so descriptively of in Ezekiel was fully poured out on Jesus as he hung on the cross.  Wave after wave of undimished holy anger at the sin of the world he took on himself and was fully punished in my place for my sin, that I might be forgiven.

Now for us who believe in him and have found him as our savior.  Never again will we ever hear and angry word towards us from the heart of God.  Never again will any wrath ever be kindled by anything we might have done in the past.  Even if we let God down and sin now, though no genuine Christian would want to do so, our flesh is weak and at times vulnerable.  Even when we do sin we only ever encounter kindness and love.  Wave after wave, unrelenting.  The kindness and love of God has come to us and it now flows in wave after wave of sustained love and kindness.  Every day we awake it is kindness and love.  Every night we go to bed it, it is the same.  He will not relent; he will not hold back, he will not change his mind.  Everything he said of wrath in Ezekiel God now says of his kindness and love

Does it not make the diamond sparkle brighter when it is seen in its correct setting against the background of dark wrath?  Sometimes reading of the fiercest judgment in the heart of God against sin.  Lifts us to greater enjoyment and perspective on the kindness and love we now enjoy.

The Klippen Weekend

It is about 12 hours door to door from my house to Rocknby where I am heading for their annual church camp. 

After waiting in Lowestoft to see if the forecast devastation of flooding happened it was with great relief and thankfulness to God that I set off to Stansted.  We must be truly grateful to God he spared us as a town.  It would have ruined the revitalization on the economy considerably had our entire town centre been under the North Sea!

I was amazed how quickly we went from knowing nothing about this to the n being warned of monumental floods.  Truly man is very fragile.

So I left Lowestoft behind grateful we evaded the much promised and feared floods.  Some 20cm from disaster it would seem.  Praise God for his mercy.  'He bids the mighty ocean deep its own appointed limits keep'.  The damage to the future of the town would have been huge if the defences had been breached. However a flood of his presence in the Town would be gratefully received.

I arrived in Rocknby around 9pm after seeing my first snow of the winter from the train window as it weaved its way through the wonderful Swedish countryside.  This is totally unspoilt and under populated land.  Mile after mile of forest, lakes, and countryside filled with Moose and not much else.

Around 75 people 30 of whom are teenagers some 20 of which are not Christians had gathered in a seaside summer house a bit like Ringfield hall in size but a breathtaking location.  I was scheduled to teach in three sessions on the Holy Spirit. I feel real faith rising.  This is a good group of people; some excellent folk have joined Markus and Ellen.  From around 2 years ago when it was basically them plus a few others.  They now gather up to 70 people regularly.  The number of young children around 10-12 is also notable.  As is the teenagers many of who have some through the Rock School idea.  This is a bit like our reverb but the musicians and trained by the church and then do the concert for friends and family. 

It was good to see Tobias again doing so well.  Luke Foreman is speaking Swedish like he was born there, how does this happen in only two months I do not know, only God!  He loves it out here.  He is a great example of an older teenager taking a year out to serve in local church life in a European setting.  I would love us to be able to send more like Luke.  The are a growing number of opportunities. 

So good to see everyone in the church here again and sample the great atmosphere here in this big country house.  There is a marked atmosphere of relationship which is truly a great blessing to see.

I teach 2 sessions on the Saturday and several folk mostly young give their lives to Christ.  I also do a session on baptism of the Holy Spirit and several folk meet God in this way.  Gifts and activity of God is around everywhere and some reminders of 94 are in evidence from the teenagers rolling around on the floor laughing in the spirit uncontrollably.

The combination of worshipping together, eating together and relaxing together certainly does build a strong community.  Around 70 people is the limit for this kind of dynamic.  It makes me ponder how as a church gets bigger this kind of fellowship can remain the experience of all.  The early church must have had this problem.  Certainly as things grow in Europe we are going to have to find creative ways forward as indeed we have to in LCC.

I leave to start the long 12 hour journey home again at 3pm Sunday afternoon.  There are now two New Frontiers churches in Sweden and the way they are both doing makes me quite convinced there will soon be more.  Praise God for the privilege of seeing what he is doing.

Opportunities for people to serve into Northern Europe are openeing up. Luke is a trailblazer and his example stirring.  Who else I wonder will consider short, medium or long term trips top serve these emerging fledgling churches with a great set of people in them and so many opportunities for gifted people to make a real difference.  Please let me know if you want to talk about it - take some risks in life!!