A Catalyst

Sometimes it takes a catalyst to get something moving. Rockets are great examples of an occurrence of something that moves the vehicle in another direction. The explosion inside the rocket pushes outward and escapes thru the only place it can and propels the rocket forward.

Its like that in life. Something happens that causes a change in direction. I think its God putting or allowing catalysts to push us in another direction. Its at those times that we can either push against the direction that the catalyst (placed by God) is throwing us in, or we can move at the speed of the push in that direction.

Many times I see the catalyst in a negative light and spend lots of time where the catalyst occurred, mulling over why it happend or who caused it to happen etc etc - but when it comes down to the facts - where is the explosion, set off by the catalyst, pushing me towards - why does God want me to move in that direction ?

Has a catalyst occurred in your life - try look at it from a different viewpoint - its possibly pushing you toward a direction you may not have gone in.

In the bible I read in Acts about the martyr Stephen when he was stoned to death because of his beliefs - this would not have been pretty - but a dispersion happend that caused the disciples of Jesus to run in all sorts of direction for fear of their lives - God disperses the early church beyond just Jerusalem and Judea ! A catalyst.

A wise man once said - "God uses your Bruises". The Holy Spirit allows discomfort and irritation to get us to move.

What catalyst has hit you lately - where will it take you ?

Thoughts about forgiving the church that hurt me.

I can say many things to justify the pain. To keep my own private piece of hurt. Nurtured nicely and tucked away to resurface whenever I feel it would be good to mumble and grumble. But I need to start forgiving. Forgiving the church that hurt me.
I want to be sure that I am not carrying something of a hurt agenda.

The organized church is a misnomer. Many times it looks like a disorganised, disenfranchising, dysfunctional body. Yet it is a group of believers trying to do what they think church should be – I need to be careful not to disqualify a part of the global church – the organized church from Gods kingdom. Its not my ‘church’ – its Jesus bride – in whatever format or size it comes. I still think that it can be better done in a simple format - in a smaller meeting – with a relational walk beyond all of that functional stuff.
For me to walk into what The Holy Spirit has for me, to BE church and not just DO church, I need to release the past, especially the past hurts. Especially if I think the organized church has hurt me.

When we fossilise the Spirit

Have you ever seen a fossil move ? Have you ever seen a fossil talk ? Have you ever seen a fossil grow ?

I'm a great one to speak ! I prop up those great memorials to a past move of the Holy Spirit, so much so, that I can't see the real thing when He comes !

The Holy Spirit moves and we want to pitch a tent, capture the Kodak moment and hope He blesses what we are doing, instead of blessing what He is doing.

John 3:8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."

Over time we take the things that have occurred around the time when the Spirit moved and practice them - we practice them to death ! But it becomes religion - it loses its life and the Spirit moves on calling us - but we stand admiring our past experience.

Does the Holy Spirit have the ability or the freedom to move me now - out of my past into my future - can He tear down the temple I build to the past ? Do I know Him that well to trust Him to do what He knows best ?