How Can You Know What Spring Is Like?

"IT’S ALWAYS BEEN WINTER, SO HOW CAN YOU KNOW WHAT SPRING IS LIKE?"
(don’t let bitterness defile you or anyone around you)

How can a slave know and enjoy freedom. We have always been slaves to fear.  It takes maturity and responsibility and humility to enjoy liberty.

"…I uttered what I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not"
Job 42:3

"For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, besides thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him."  Isaiah 64:4

"…But God hath REVEALED THEM TO US BY HIS SPIRIT…" 2 corinthians 2:10

If we were honest we would look around us and admit that we are in times that are often devoid of God’s values.  We need to be honest with God. Is this all there is... you say... no.

We know a lot in theory been it has never really been tested, and even when it is we soon find out where we are really at.

Many of us have been hardened through adversity, however, we must be careful not to ‘camp here’.

It is wise to ask God what season you are in and look at the real roots and patterns around you. But there is a choice. What is your real motivation. We all like to please people, but you can’t. In fact your’e probably going to upset someone.

We need HEALING. But first we must admit that there is NOTHING that we can do to change and improve your life. Do we merely move furniture around the room in the place of our hearts or are we going to allow the God who came to CHANGE HEARTS, to change.

Daniel Chuter

Bitterness Defiles Many (Part 3)

It is time to take responsibility. This is the one thing that Adam and Eve failed to do and the thing that we least feel. King David took responsibility, eventually, when he sinned with Bathsheba - BECAUSE OF THIS HE WAS FORGIVEN. This is recorded in psalm 51. David recognised that his sin first and foremost, was against God Himself.

We have been defiled. Many of us have been abused and hurt by those that we love. Many of us are broken by grief and pain... I am so glad that we have a friend and Saviour, that is fully able to help and HEAL. Right now He sits at the right hand of the Father, interceding and pleading our case. He was despised and rejected from the word go.

Many of us have lived in very abusive environments and been continually effected by someone else’s behaviour. Especially when this person is a loved one. They are bitter and hurt and react through this, effecting and influencing everyone around them.

The heart of God must break for the pain in this world.

However we, in turn, continue to effect everyone around us. This can be in a good way, but also not so good. Jesus talked of the need to forgive FROM THE HEART.

We are not responsible for the actions of others but we can change how we react. It is time to look at those areas in our lives that could change, if we wanted. Let’s be honest with God... He knows anyway. Perhaps we have learned to live with certain things and even see them as the norm. Perhaps we base what we believe and don’t even question some of our judgements.

God is waiting... He can do above and beyond what we ask or imagine. It is time to look again.  Perhaps you don’t have the whole picture. Maybe it is different to that which you are convinced of. It is time to let God show us how HE SEES IT.

Paul COUNTED IT ALL LOSS FOR THE KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST... AND TO BE FOUND IN HIM (Phillipians 3)

Daniel Chuter

Dawn

When we find ourselves in the midst of a trial, that never seems to lift God’s grace is indeed sufficient.  Paul talked about joy to the Phillipian church when he was in prison in Rome.
We, in the West, find it hard to understand the sufferings and state of some christians lives in difficult situations. The bible is full of examples of this. Yet there is an annointing from The Lord that IS BEYOND COMPREHENSION.

Thanksgiving and Praise is a very powerful weapon in the process of renewing our attitude in a situation. It takes true faith to see in a negative situation in a positive way.

In Song of songs 2:17 it declares...‘until the day BREAKS and the shadows flee’. Only God can cause the day to break. When it’s night it seems unbearable at times, but we also have a problem here. People can base their theology and perception of God on this. THIS IS ONLY PART OF THE STORY. WE CAN’T AFFORD TO STOP HERE.

We need Him to smile upon us...

This is merely preparation.  FIGHT THE LIES... IF HE IS SAYING GO FORWARD, IT IS FOR A REASON - DON’T STOP AND DEBATE IT.

Daniel Chuter

Ease

When we find ourselves in the midst of a trial or difficult ‘valley’, things can get intense and HEAVY.  This is not to say that there is something to be said for diligently seeking God in prayer and fasting. There are many times in the life of the psalms that emotion is expressed, frustration and confusion.
WE NEED THE VOICE OF GOD TO BREAK IN.

Like the sun breaking through the clouds or like the fresh air on a hot day.

Jesus declared that His yoke was easy and His burden was light. (Mathew 11:29)

We must push in until that breakthrough comes. When people say what is it like... well, it is when a lightness and an ease comes. We will eventually learn to live in this REST. That is our hope. We are FOUND IN HIM AND KNOWN AS HIS and this has got nothing to do with what you can or can’t do or nothing you have achieved. It is His RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Eventually God brings stability and we must press in, but whatever we get up to it doesn’t change the fact that Jesus says the same thing to everyone, everywhere... COME TO ME ALL YOU WHO ARE BURDENED AND HEAVILY LAIDEN AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST.

Daniel Chuter

Bitterness defiles many (part two)

It is important that we police our own emotions. Whilst we are blaming everyone else and refusing to let go and let God heal us we are actually in more danger of letting the enemy in to our lives. We each have a door before us. A choice. One door leads to LIFE. The other to death and destruction.

We effect others, by our attitude, when we refuse to let go of things that make us angry and hurt. This seems strange because we are the ones who feel hard done to.

When Israel reached the red sea, which was shut before them, the enemy was pursuing them.  If they had stayed where they were, Pharaoh would have caught up and destroyed them. In this day and age God gives us instructions which may seem strange but ARE FOR A REASON... SO WE CAN STAY AHEAD OF THE ENEMY.

Moses reached out in faith and the waters parted. God wants to open a way for us. A WAY OF ESCAPE.
Jesus declared... I AM THE DOOR. In the old testament book of Hosea it talks, in the second chapter, of A DOOR OF HOPE. But this door opens FROM WITHIN the wilderness. Expect God to open a door of hope from within the place of difficulty.

Jesus declared to the church at Laodicea, in Revelation 3, that… "I STAND AT THE DOOR AND KNOCK". Do you hear Him knocking? Answer before it’s too late.

There is Hope....even now!!!

Bitterness defiles many

Sometimes we cry out to the Lord in situations that are of our own making. We are trapped in prisons that are self inflicted.  We blame others.

When we are babies we cry out and are comforted immediately because we are helpless. But when we grow we must move forward with more determination. Jesus comes to us but beckons us forward, and often everything in us groans and aches.

If God is saying go forward there is a reason. Often it is because He knows that there is danger if we stay where we are.

We need healing and we have a choice. Sometimes we allow that pain to get the better of us. In that distress we can effect others in a negative way.

We all have a choice, but sometimes it is impossible to see it. God has made available ALL that we need to GO FORWARD. THERE IS A REASON THAT HE IS SAYING THIS.

Often God waits for us to stop blaming everyone else and to take responsibility for our own hurt.  Sometimes when we are younger we are deeply hurt and affected by the negative choices of other people, often our parents.  However our choice and response can in turn IMPRISON US. We are then the only ones that can UNDO VOWS that were made in anger and pain. The enemy is a legal expert and knows that he can block or way. We may put a wall around ourselves to protect but he will make it a prison.

Let’s get to the roots and get free. Nothing can stop His LOVE TOWARD US if we ask Him.

Daniel Chuter

The Ultimate Creator

The Ultimate Creator, the God of social justice.

When it comes to being creative we have a God who leaves everyone standing in awe. He is the advanced guard. He is the forerunner.
He looks at society from His Holy Temple and steps INTO IT when people cry out to Him for help.

With relevance He invades and Heals. His Spirit Creates when we give the chaos of our lives to Him.  As when He created in the beginning. No darkness is too great, in fact He comes into the storm.  He steps in when things seem impossible.

But His signature is unique. He takes our hearts desires and CREATES. He asks what we have that He can use. He uses it to fulfil us and those that we love.

He is AVANT GAURD when everyone else is trying to conform. He stands against the flow. He knows when to intervene and when to be so gentle.

He knows what is about to happen and what has already happened and what will happen in the future.  He anticipates us. He does above and beyond.

NO EAR HAS HEARD NOR EYE HAS SEEN NOR THE HEART OF MAN HAS NOT CONCEIVED what He has prepared for those that love Him.

Nice as a Photoshopped image is, it is not even close

to what awaits those, who have trusted in Him

Daniel Chuter

Influence

Should our creativity reflect or be in influenced by society. Surely as prophetic people we should be relevant to what is happening around us. It is for every generation to find out which way the wind of God’s Sprit is blowing and how fast His heart is beating and move with that pace.
However we are called to stand against the flow. Against the mainstream. But surely the Spirit of God is in tune with the needs of society. Of course but it meets that need in a way that defies our understanding. The greatest need of man is to be reconciled to the one who made Him so knows exactly how to repair him. And further more Knows exactly how to speak and appeal to him.  This might be where creativity comes in.

How can we reach a generation that is so lost. What language do they respond to. There is nothing more powerful than a meaningful expression of creativity.

But what is our motivation. Creativity can be a very self indulgent thing. People through history are often influenced by anger and rebellion in their desire to be different. There is none of this in the Spirit of God just LOVE. LOVE FOR OTHERS AND LOVE FOR GOD.

We are born with a strong sense of social justice, but it must be tempered. We need to have the right foundations.

We can look back at many periods of history and see what social reformers have done. One example is at the turn of the last century where we can see that individuals pioneered new ideas and expressions which continue to influence society.

So should we, as a church, be producing creative expressions that are relevant to what needs there are around us. Creative expressions can be a very powerful way of speaking to someone in a deeper way.  We don’t always recognise that what is weird to one person might be just what someone else needs to hear and see.

Daniel Chuter