Well It's That Time Again....

IT'S CHRISTMAS!!
The silly season for many people. I hear it all the time, spend; spend; spend! All I want to ask them is WHY??
They buy food that is enough to feed the armed troops in Iraq for a family of 4. Best part of it is wasted. Spend silly money on gifts to give to people, they rarely see or barely know. Or simply for kids who get what they want all year round. It all boils down to a concept of "Well everyone does it.... cause it's Christmas."
Do you eat sprouts only at Christmas? Why.. well it's tradition got to have them with Christmas dinner, BUT I don't like them!! WELL.... don't buy them, it's that simple.
People will sing songs that they don't know (ie Carols) go to a carol service, probably enjoy it, but never to return. WHY? cause it's CHRISTMAS.
Decorate their houses inside and out...I've seen some really tacky stuff driving around. WHY? cause It's CHRISTMAS
One of the top Christmas songs for over 20 years is Wizard's "I wish it could be Christmas every day". Well guess what it can be.
When a person becomes a Christian ( a Christ one!) Gives their lives over to let Jesus be Lord and Saviour of their life, it can be Christmas everyday.
Jesus is always ready to give his followers gifts, anytime not just on Dec 25th. Because he loves to give good gifts to those who He loves.
The feeling Peace to all men can be and is there to those who love God and are called to follow Him.
I want to offer the best gift of all to all who read this JOHN 3:16 GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE..... HIS ONLY SON!!
So that is my offer to you His gift JESUS. WHY?...cause IT'S CHRISTMAS !

It's late summer/ early autumn and the "warm" days of July and August are behind us, but there are still days when it's really pleasant just to sit out and enjoy the late summer sun and autumn freshness.

They say that life has it's seasons and often say a person is in their autumn years once they pass 6o. Well I've often wondered if that was true and if people really did just sit down in a quiet corner or tend to their late summer blooms.....NOT TRUE!!

I had my 60th in July and believe you me I've never once had the chance to just sit in that quiet corner and just be!

Work is getting busier week by week, when I started at this branch of Iceland, the deliveries were around 80 - 90 the last four weeks have been 125: 131; 112 and 141. The 112 was what we normally do at present but there are quite a few new customers having a home delivery. Some are NEW customers, others have been impressed with the service that they told family and friends about it and they've give it a go.

Church is the same: the numbers are growing the people themselves are growing and we are looking to move to a larger place. "Enlarge our tents" as the Bible puts it. Where we are at presen is limiting the ministry of the church and the leadership in what we want to do for God's kingdom.

However that take a great leap of faith on our part as we dont have the money to finance any move, BUT we know that God is leading us a larger place and have looked at one or two in the Silver Link area of North Tyneside.

Our Worship Band have just made their first CD single, and it was written by Dan Matthews who is the Worship leader at church. (check out the church web site link).

Teresa and I have started a small resource area at church with Books/CD's/Handmade Cards (by Teresa) This is the first step to fullfilling our dream of our own bookshop and Coffee Lounge. It may well expand and develope as days go by and be the near finished item in our new church building.

So the autumn years could well prove to be our most fruitful one yet, cause as the older saints have always said "The best is yet to come" and in God that is always true.

Bus Pass

Where did the time go??

I turned 60 at the end of July and became eligble for my BUS PASS!!! AAGGHH.

It seems like only yesterday I was starting at Bible College at the age of 29. In my mind I'm still that young man, but with 31 years experience.

There are the usual pluses to turning 60; Getting a bus pass to travel for free on public transport; Getting a pass to travel on the local Metro for £12 per year (that's a £1 per month); getting the £200 heating allowance from government and finally being able to claim that small pension which is available when I reached 60.

There are the problems that come with getting older, my body doesn't respond as it did when I was 29, grey hair, loss of hair, false teeth or no teeth, more aches and pains, loss of memory....(what was I talking about?). But Hey, I am enjoying life even more.. because I have learnt to enjoy every moment of every day. To be positive about life, this comes not just with the positive thinking theory (good as it is) but with claiming all the promises of God.

Jesus said "I have come that you might have life in all it's fullness" [John 10:10]

My walk with God is not boring, it's not as vibrant as it could be, but I'm growing in the Holy Spirit day by day in a way I didn't when I was 29. "When I was young I spoke like a child reasoned like a child, but now I'm a man I have given up childish ways" (some say not!!) But I am still child like in my faith, as Jesus said "Unless you become like a child you cannot enter the Kingdom of God".
Although I'm turning 60 I'm still young at heart...or as I say to some people "I'm a 60 year old in an 80 year body with a 25 year old's spirit"! Age is only a number on your birth certificate, it's true you are only as young as you feel!.
I've found however that the Bible promises "Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength, they mount up with wings like eagles run and be weary walk and not faint" (Isaiah 39 :31.)
So am I depressed, disheartened? NO WAY I'm glad that my life and my times are in His hands. I will continue to serve the One who give Abundant Life and live in that Abundant Life.

Revival

"Summer time and the living is easy!" So the song goes, well when God is moving in his church the living is far from easy! In fact it's quite tiring. We in North Shields are on the brink of something great happening in the Church, the sense of God's presence is really heavy every time we meet. We are begining to realise that where we are meeting is very soon going to be too small to hold the number of people who will come.
At present we have around 60 regulars with the odd visitor, but the sense of the Spirit of God in the place gives us a real feeling of growth in those regulars.
A number of us have been watching the meetings broadcast on GOD TV from Lakeland Florida of the revival there under Todd Bentley. WOW is God really moving there in healings and other signs and wonders. There have to date (May 26th 08) been 13/14 stories of people raised from the DEAD!!! One guy sat up in his coffin on the day of his funeral!! There are stories of arms having their nerves restored, one guy can now see out of his GLASS EYE!! People with MS & MD getting up out of their wheelchairs and walking for the first time unaided in 4/5 years.
I really believe that this is going to spread to many churches around the globe, we are certainly hungry for it to happen in our church here at Lighthouse Christian Centre.
If you have'nt seen it yet check it out on GOD TV or go to their web page at www.god.tv and follow the live links.
We as a church world wide are on the brink of a mighty outpouring of God's Holy Spirit, not only in healings but in souls getting saved. If you who are reading this don't know Jesus as your Lord and Saviour then do so NOW! Simply ask Him to forgive your sins and accept his forgiveness through his death on the cross, invite him into your life to cleanse and restore you. Get linked with a Bible believing church and tell the Pastor....or....leave a note on the comment page (see link) with your email address and I'll contact you with some help.
We called this sight Bri-Ter Days because we believe that we have brighter days with Jesus as our Lord and Saviour.
God Bless you.
Brian.

Spring Time

I love this time of the year! It smells and tastes of NEW LIFE. The crocus and snowdrops are popping up through the hard cold soil. It really amazes me that such delicate plants can force through such hard surfaces.
At church our Pastor is talking on "Breakthrough" and that we live in a time of breakthrough, it seems to me that like these plants, no matter how delicate we may think we are we can breakthrough. There is no area around us that we can't breakthrough. Just like those crocus and snowdrops we need just to be what God designed us to be breakthrough people.

Work is going well. The shop has just undergone a re-fit. It's looking bright and fresh. (I work for Icelands as Home Delivery Driver). At my review, I was told that Home Deliveries have gone up 40% since I started there. Well with my personality why shouldn't it!!
Teresa is on the way to becoming an IT genius, she doesnt know what she is doing but she's getting there. She has started an IT course at college and has passed one exam and well on the way to her second one. She has got her certificate, she is well and truly certified!

Church is FANTASTIC (see links) A new web sight is being developed and will be posted very soon. There is also the Men of Purpose web sight as well, which deals with the men's ministry in our church. Check this out as I have done an article on life matters for it on "Encouragement"!
We had a bowling night out recently Guys vs Girls the Guys won by 1463 - 685. I top scored with 212. Not exactly international league standard but we all had a laugh. There were 3 people there who weren't from our church so it proved to be a great ice breaker as one has started to come regularly and his Dad and sister may well follow soon.

We took a group of 27 down to Hope City Church in Sheffield a few weeks ago so they could see where we came from and to see and catch the vision of where Pastor Dave is taking the church. However we really need to move to a bigger building if the vision is to grow into reality.
We allocated people to shadow those who were doing the same role in Sheffield as they were, hopefully to learn and catch the love and passion they have for it to grow.

Once a month we go over to Hope City Church in Newcastle which was launched last Sept. We go to support Simon and Rachael (Congregational Pastors), there are ususally between 6-10 who go along. It great to see how Simon has grown over the years and to watch his potential develope. Also it's good to catch up with friends who come up on team from Sheffield .
If you are in the area on Friday 25th April @ 7:30 / Sat 26th April @ 10:00am. We have Dave Gilpin speaking to our church and leaders, it will be worth getting along to. A great faith building series of meetings.