Sermon Audio: Daniel 4:1-37

On Sunday morning we looked at the madness of King Nebuchadnezzar. It's amazing that this enemy, this pagan king writes a chapter of the Bible as he gives his testimony to the God of grace. Listen in for yourself.

All To Bring Victoria Home

I've recently finished reading a book which describes a mother's nightmare. All To Bring Victoria Home is the story of an evangelical Christian couple living in France, whose daughter was seized by the state under false accusations that their small church was a cult. I was going to blog more about it, but thought it would be better to let the mother tell you the story herself. so here is a testimony (via SermonAudio.com) by Delwyn Schmidt, and their efforts to get their daughter back.

The Fall

I'm reading 'Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners' by John Bunyan at present. A haunting description and testimony of the doubts that afflicted him for many years, and how God graciously worked in his life, through His Word to confirm his faith. These few words struck me about the depth and tragedy of the fall:

Man indeed is the most noble by creation of all creatures in the visible world, but by sin he has made himself the most ignoble.

Second Birthday

It's not just the Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth who has two birthdays. Today is my second birthday. No, I haven't just turned two. I'm 25... for another wee while anyway...

But it is 14 years to the day when I became a Christian. It was the last night of a mission held in our church, during the Decade of Evangelism. The visiting preacher and evangelist was Neil (or Neal) Steadman, from Cumbria. I had been involved in the dramas and youth elements of the mission, and on that last night, Sunday 29th November 1992, he asked people to stand if they had been affected by the week, or had made a decision.

And I stood.

I'm not saying that by standing up I was made a Christian - it was only an outward symbol of what was happening inside, a declaration of sorts. But it definitely happened. No longer was I trusting in myself. I was trusting in Jesus and his cross. No longer did I think I could be good enough for God, and do enough good things for him, or that he would accept me for my goodness. I was trusting in Jesus and his cross, and what God in Christ did for me.

Fourteen years. A long time. I'm not saying I always get it right. I'm not saying it has been a perfect discipleship. I still mess up and get things wrong. And still struggle.

But God who has started a good work in me will bring it to completion. Amen - because I couldn't do it on my own!

I have decided to follow Jesus,
I have decided to follow Jesus,
I have decided to follow Jesus,
No turning back. No turning back.

The world behind me, the cross before me.
The world behind me, the cross before me.
The world behind me, the cross before me.
No turning back. No turning back.

Where Jesus leads me, I'll surely follow.
Where Jesus leads me, I'll surely follow.
Where Jesus leads me, I'll surely follow.
No turning back. No turning back.