Werrington Parish Church

THE REAL DAVID

"ONE OF MY HEROES is a man who went through every sort of human angst and emotion. He sank to the depths of despair yet soared to incredible heights. He was a true wilderness survivor, taking on the very worst that the elements could throw at him while he was still a boy. And as a scrawny kid standing in front of a violent, jeering crowd, he struck down a giant and won the freedom of his people. He went on to be king and a hero.
But there's another side to his story. He was a liar and a cheat. He was the kind of weak-willed man who conspired to send an innocent man to his death just so that he could satisfy his heart's desire.
Despite all his ups and downs, everything that he did well, and everything that he did wrong, the reason for David's greatness was simple. He knew he couldn't do it all alone. So King David looked beyond himself, putting his confidence in God, the only one who would never let him down.

'The Lord is my light and my salvation --
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life --
of whom shall I be afraid?' Psalm 27:1

I don't want to copy his mistakes, but I certainly want to love God the way David did. I want to start my days with his words on my heart: 'Oh, let me rise in the morning and live always with you!' (Psalm 139:18 MSG)"

'SOUL FUEL: A Daily Devotional' by Bear Grylls
Are you a man or woman after God's own heart? David was despite his wrongs. He always leaned into God and new His strength when things were tough. Ask Jesus for the help you need to walk in His ways!!!! ... See more

‪May you know God’s grace when you walk through valleys that you wouldn’t choose and you feel like you are stumbling in the darkness. The only thing you can control is how you respond to life, and sometimes all you can do is trust, so may you be given the gift of faith #niteblessing‬ ... See more

THE ROUTE

"THERE ARE PLENTY OF good things that come with age. I like to say that any skills and experience I have are the sum of all my near misses. Experience becomes wisdom, the things we've failed at make us stronger, and all the learning we rack up can give us a solid footing in life.
Sadly, 'wisdom' and 'learning' are words whose worth has been badly eroded these days. We often see leaders being hypocrites. We're told we can be happy if we keep on buying more stuff. We can become so inward looking that we are blind to the power of God around us.
So how should we live?
Jesus gives us a perfect example to follow. His words are the best sort of wisdom and learning for us to follow:

'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbour as yourself.' Matthew 22:37-9

It's so simple yet so hard. But it is all we truly need."

'SOUL FUEL: A Daily Devotional' by Bear Grylls.
Are you loving God with all of your being ? secondly are you loving your neighbour like you love yourself? Ask Jesus what He would have you do and then do it!!!! ... See more

WHO WAS JESUS?

"WHO WAS JESUS? AT some point in life, most people find themselves asking this simple question. We all have to make up our minds, just as people did back when He was walking on earth. For them -- and us too -- there seems to be only three credible, possible answers:

. he is out of his mind (Mark 3:21),
. he is possessed by Beelzebul! (v. 22 ) or
. [he is] the Son of God (v. 11).

In other words, He was either insane, evil or God.
I used to think, Couldn't He simply have been a good teacher and good guy? But then I looked at His life and words. Do good teachers repeatedly claim to be God? Do they claim to be one with the Father? Do they say they have come to die for all of humankind? Do they raise people from the dead and walk on water and calm storms? Those are strong claims and strong deeds.
C.S. Lewis reasoned that 'a man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be [insane]... or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice... But, let us not come up with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.'
Who we decide Jesus is to us is a big question with big implications for our lives. But if we study the overwhelming and compelling evidence and then choose to believe that He is who He said He is -- if we can take that leap of faith and ask, 'Are You really there, and are You really good?' -- it can be the start of an incredible journey and adventure. An adventure into life.
That's why the offer He made two thousand years ago still stands for us today:

'Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.' Matthew 11:28.

Even today, for you and me, right now -- that invitation has the power to change everything. If we let Him, He seeks us, saves us, strengthens us, supports us, and shows us how to live every day."

SOUL FUEL: A Daily Devotional by Bear Grylls
Do you Know Jesus personally? Have you responded to His call and invitation? Talk to Jesus right now wherever you are and invite Him into your life as Saviour Friend and Lord. Then look forward to the rest of your life and eternity with Him!!! ... See more

WHAT DOES GOD REQUIRE?

"ANY BIG JOURNEY OFTEN brings out mixed emotions at the start. A lot of the time we just want to hurry on and make it to our destination as quickly as possible. On the journey of faith, things are a little different. The destination is so far off that we won't even reach it in this lifetime. And the journey we take to get there is full of challenges. And it's long -- so long that it will last beyond our final breath.
But here's the truth: we don't travel alone. God is both our destination and our guide, and He has promised to be with us every step of the way.
And what should those steps look like? The answer is beautifully clear:

'What does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God'. Micah 6:8

You and I are definitely going to stumble from time to time, but when we do, let's not lose heart. Let's look up and see His hand outstretched about us, helping us back to our feet.
Act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with our God."

'SOUL FUEL: A Daily Devotional' by Bear Grylls. ... See more

'Soul Fuel: A Daily Devotional' by Bear Grylls

IT'S GOOD TO BE REMINDED

"I HAVE TO WALK through the door of fear regularly in my life. We all do if we are to get anywhere meaningful. But I have learned to pray quietly in my heart in those moments and to draw on Someone bigger, braver and stronger than I am. That's been the key. Don't go alone. Put your hand in the hand of the Almighty. He's there for us.
That's what great fathers do. They hold their children's hands.
The prayers I say when I'm afraid are raw. (They are maybe real prayers.) I'm showing God my deepest fears and asking Him to be beside me. I'm asking Him for His help to keep me moving forward.
A lot of us try to keep our fears secret, but burying them is how they grow. When we bring them into the light, they often start to wither. But to bring them out and share them with God or loved ones takes courage.
See what the Bible says:

'Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not be terrified or dismayed. Joshua 1:9 AMP'

But how do we find that courage?

'For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. v.9 AMP'

Whatever fear we're facing, remember this: we do not face it alone. The Creator of the universe is good; He is beside us, within us and for us."

What fears are you facing in life? are you burying them or talking to Jesus about them acknowledging that He is with you every step of the way. Take His hand and move through your fears into Freedom with Christ!!! ... See more

WHO JESUS IS

'WHEN I WAS GROWING up,' Madonna once said, 'Jesus Christ was like a movie star, my favorite idol of all.'
Napoleon Bonaparte went further: 'I know men, and I tell you Jesus Christ was not a man. Superficial minds see a resemblance between Christ and the founders of empires and the gods of other religions. That resemblance does not exist. There is between Christianity and other religions the distance of infinity.'
And then there was novelist H.G. Wells: 'I am an historian, I am not a believer. But, this penniless preacher from Galilee is irresistibly the centre of history.'
There has never been a human quite like Jesus. He towers above us all in goodness and courage, in impact and influence. The greatest artists, leaders and thinkers, all put together, are dwarfed by Him.
Yet Jesus did not come to impress us. He said He had come to save us, in total humility, as God come down among us. If He is who He says He is, and the gospel is real, then this is very good news. He simply wants us to learn to reach out and trust Him to help and calm us, to forgive and restore us. If we are to live fully and empowered, then this has to be the first step.
So wherever you are with God -- whether you are searching, are wanting more, or have turned your back and are walking away -- this verse is truth:

'The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.
Luke 19:10'

Remember -- or discover for the first time -- that we can trust Him and that He has the power to change our lives for the better. I am slowly learning that He is the key to everything.

'Soul Fuel: A Daily Devotional' by Bear Grylls
Do you Know Jesus? not know about Him but truly Know Him as your very own Lord and Saviour? Seek Him and let Him into your life so He can truly make your life worth living!!!!! ... See more