My testimony - Stephan Amaranath

Redeemer Church London member STEPHAN AMARANATH shares his testimony, revealing how being assaulted nearly a decade ago left him questioning God - before the Lord provided him with the answer he needed.

Back in 2016, I was assaulted one Sunday evening, and found myself questioning why God had allowed it to happen. Following the incident, I started to question God: Where was he? Why would he let this happen to me? I thought he loved me? I felt very alone and needed answers. Why hadn't God rescued me?

I was born in 1991 in London into a Christian family where my mother in fact came from a Hindu background. My parents had given their lives to Christ and were born again Christians before I was born. I have four sisters, two of whom live in Canada - we were a very close family unit and I felt loved and safe growing up. Growing up in a Christian household, I attended church regularly from a very young age and very much enjoyed Sunday school.

Unfortunately, God did not figure much in my life during my undergraduate degree. Being away from home for the first time and being exposed to a new world I was unprotected from, my faith and God were not priorities. However, I started attending Redeemer Church London after graduating from the University of Sussex and moving back home in 2012.

The sense of community and being made to feel welcomed from the get go, is what I loved most about Redeemer. Being at there has helped me in my walk with God as I’ve had the opportunity to surround myself with people on fire for God and have had the opportunity for accountability with the men from the church.

I then went on to complete my masters at the University of Kent in 2019, which helped me land my current role working for the NHS.

I currently work with adults with learning disabilities. My past experience has been working with those with special educational needs and disabilities and I very much love my career to date.

Up until the time of the assault in 2016, I had experienced some setbacks and bad experiences such as being bullied, being mugged once before and being in Sri Lanka during the 2004 tsunami (these are stories for another time). Despite these experiences, I did feel I was in control of my life and lived a fairly safe life, thanks to my family and upbringing.

But that assault in 2016 was different! I was shaken deep inside and was doubting the goodness of God as I never had before! To my surprise, God gave me an answer.

I got sent a short yet nourishing verse, “I prayed to the LORD, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears” (Psalm 34:4). Suddenly, I realised why I couldn’t feel or see God’s comfort or care that day. He is always there, whether or not I sense him. When I call out to him, he'll never fail me.

God doesn't take away hard times, but we can certainly find strength and hope knowing that he will always be with us and will help us through. If we have gone through life trusting in our own judgement, we may find it harder to submit to God and his plan for us. If we refuse to see God’s hand and direction in our lives, we may never know just how good he can be to us.

“Taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!” (Psalm 34:8) We will face many hard times. Some of these are inevitable and beyond our control, but these can be endured with God’s help.

Some of our anguish and affliction is self-imposed and can be avoided, yet God still offers peace as we gather the courage to make the necessary changes in our lives. God’s forgiveness and affectionate approval can give us peace as we face hard times, even when the hurting we face is our very own fault.

He has the authority to guide us down the path of life; he has already conquered all the barriers that stand in the way!

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

My Faith

We are in the midst of a preaching series based on Hebrews 11, focusing on faith, and our resident poet - Steve Page - has written a poem to go alongside the series. We hope that it blesses you and stirs your faith today.

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My faith is the certainty that gives me clarity to see
that there’s a path just beneath the current uncertainty.

My faith is a step, a one step at a time
not much of a leap, but me taking his hand with mine.
My faith is a day-by-day holding,
a minute-by-minute treading
of my boot in his footmarks left for me as a blessing.

My faith is choice that needs repeated repeating,
a daily seating at his feet,
it's not a fleeting feeling,
it’s a morning and evening both-knees kneeing.

My faith is a decision and decisions were made
to be made,
so pray,
take him at his word and take the next step,
but don’t be surprised if it involves you getting both feet wet.
Cos that is where you’ll find Jesus
at the point you find yourself out of your depth.

My faith is the certainty that gives me clarity to see
that whatever my path,
my God has gone before me.

Run and Fight

On Sundays at the moment you'll find us working our way through Paul's letter to the Corinthian church.  It's like reading a neighbour's post, but legal.  There's plenty from their life lessons for us to learn from.   1 Corinthians 9 uses the analogies of the runner and the boxer and the pictures they conjure prompted me to write an amplified version of sorts, with follows, after which is written the biblical original.

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Runners Run.
One stride at a time
One push at a time
One lap at a time

And when the climb is steep
when you feel like
you're losing ground,
then every stride,
every push, every lap
that leaves you in the race
takes you to your prize

And every time you stumble
only to regain your feet
that is a victory that is worthy
of your team captain
our captain, Jesus.

Boxers Fight.
One step at a time
One blow at a time
One round at a time

And when life throws
all it has at you,
all at one time,
then every step
every blow, every round
that leaves you in the fight
takes you to your prize

And every time you hit the canvas
only to beat the count
that is a victory that is worthy
of your champion,
our champion, Jesus.

And we will not be disqualified
from the prize.

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1 Cor 9 :24 - 27

24. Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. 

Parable of The Old River

John 7:37-38
On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them."

The river will find its course, I recall Miss Crabtree, my geography teacher, saying.  But it will be influenced by the terrain, by the obstacles in its way.  Yes, it will find its way down to the great sea, as it should, but there will be a few detours along the way. Its course will not be a direct one.

Then I learned about a river’s 'rejuvenation':  When it gets to its wide meandering stage, in its lower course, the river will slow. It looks like the hard work has been done, there's only a little way to go before it joins the sea.  But if later it hits hard rock, a restricting of the course it was seeking to follow, it will return to its narrower, fiercer youth.  It will flow faster, with a stronger current to force its way forward. The
meandering will end, the white-water will return. The river is 'rejuvenated'.

The river will do all it can to get to the great sea, fighting its way to the finish. It will get noisy, and the going will get rough. But the river will reach its intended destination – the sea.

The river is you. The hard rock... you know what that is. It's different for each of us.

God has given you what you need to rejuvenate, to rediscover the fierceness in your faith, you will find a way to the great sea.

By the way, I also recall Miss Crabtree saying that the faster moving turbulent water typically contains a greater concentration of oxygen, which supports greater biodiversity than the slower moving water.  Faster rivers mean more life.

God knows what he’s doing.

We're All Levites Now

At the end of January we celebrated all those that serve at Redeemer, and encouraged everyone in the family to get involved in one of our Sunday serving teams. Steve Page, our deacon for logistics, reflects on serving in his latest blog below.

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Levites in Frocks

As a young Christian, when I heard or read bible passages featuring the Priesthood or Levites serving in the temple, I immediately conjured up the image of guys in frocks, waving incense; not exactly heavy lifters or people you’d invite to a party. As a bloke in SE London it wasn’t much to aspire to.

When I learned of the ‘priesthood of all believers’ (1 Peter 2:9) and understood that all those who have joined God’s family get direct access to him and that we don’t need to rely on any human go-between, such as a priest, because of Jesus’ sacrifice, it became a core truth of the gospel for me: the temple curtain torn in two, no hidden backroom just for the elite priesthood; an “Access All Areas” salvation.

But the image of frocks and incense persisted.

The Complete Picture

That has all changed now. I know that the Levites, the tribe that Yahweh put aside to run the Tabernacle and from which priests were selected, weren’t just guys in frocks. Reading passages in Exodus, Numbers and Nehemiah, I see that the Levites were given jobs such as taking care of the Tabernacle frame and equipment (Num 3:36); they were foremen (Neh 11:16); record keepers/ accountants (Ex 38:21); musicians and singers (Neh 11:22 & 12:8); tithe collectors (Neh 10:37); security guards (Num 1:50,51); and teachers (Neh 8:7,8). The whole tribe got involved, not just those with a talent for ‘bells and smells’.

We’re All Levites Now

And so it struck me, if under the New Covenant made possible by Christ we’re all priests, here to serve God and one another and all part of one body with all a part to play, then surely it follows that we’re all Levites now. We’ve all got a role to play to ensure Sunday worship comes off without a hitch – some with a flair for taking care of equipment and some for teaching (and perhaps some for both), and all with a calling to serve one another.

We’re all Levites now, but in the 21st Century the roles have changed a little: greeters, sound desk operators, coffee servers, teachers, toddler minders, un-packers, singers & musicians, money counters, administrators, and more: bringing God’s word for one-another, praying for each other and encouraging each other.
And none of these are mutually exclusive. All priests, serving one-another; all Levites, serving in God’s house. No false humility, just a willingness to do our part.

We're the New Levites:
the early risers, the cable layers,
the coffee makers, the sound checkers.
the purple greeters with a ‘good to see-yers’,
the smiling pray-ers, the red kids’ workers.
We’re all priests, cos we’re all believers
and I’ve got news for you – we’re all Levites too
We qualify by turning up,
with willing hands and open hearts.

We're the New Levites
and the rota's open.

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Find out more about serving at Redeemer at redeemerlondon.org/serving

Trip to Thailand - 2nd part - God is at work even in the most unexpected places

As promised, here is part two of the trip to Thailand of Maria and Simona, where you can witness God's work in unexpected places! Let the adventure begin!

After the experience in Chiang Mai, we took a coach and travelled for 5 hours to Mae Sot, where we stayed at PictureBook, a lovely guesthouse co-run by students and some Burmese locals (Mae Sot’s population, although in Thailand, is 80% Burmese) . We were welcomed by Aaron, the founder of a foundation that works in over 30 communities, and who has been living in Thailand for over 10 years. Over the weekend, on top of an adventure-ready Thai-style truck🚚, seated at the rear (obviously with no belt or any safety measure whatsoever! lol), he took us on an extraordinary and discovery tour of the city and neighbouring areas where we could fully indulge in the beauty of Thailand's wilderness and scenery.🌿🌳🐒 We even visited the border between Thailand and Myanmar, and Aaron shared with us some incredible insights and information that you won't certainly find in tourist guides. Once there, backed by breathtaking mountains ⛰️🗻 and facing the “other world” and reality beyond the river, there was a very touching moment when we were invited to pray over the refugee communities from Myanmair trapped there. These people had to leave their homes and villages because of bombings. Now, stranded in Thailand, they can't work or go to school because they lack legal rights and proper documents. They're stuck here, afraid to go back home because they might be killed. Aaron also told us the sad story of the 200 casinos built along the border in the last 3 years for money-laundering purposes, the big scale of the scammers market, the local mafia who controls the villages, and the invisible and forgotten people by the riverside.

🤓Fun fact: the visit to the local wet markets! They were selling all sorts of stuff, including grilled rats and other very weird “delicacies”! I have videos to confirm it by the way! :))

🤓🤓Another fun fact: visiting a gemstone store where you could sit on the floor with the workers and watch them sift through sapphires, rubies, and other stones for hours was incredibly fascinating. I even bought some raw stones at an incredibly cheap price!

🤓🤓🤓Last fun fact (for now!): we ate raw cane sugar which the host picked for us from the bushes!

During our time at the S.T. Foundation, we had the privilege of hosting a CHE vision seminary. The staff was welcoming and enthusiastic about our visit, and they were eager to learn more about our collaboration in the future and see how the CHE approach can benefit their work. We were able to visit a total of five different communities with them, where we had the opportunity to experience local and refugee life from an insider's perspective. The residents welcomed us into their homes and were friendly and accommodating. Although they were curious about our presence, they were not bothered and seemed intrigued. We were able to observe the foundation's staff delivering training on practical topics such as good parenting skills and money management to the residents. The training room wasn't a fancy hall with desks, chairs, whiteboards and coffee breaks stations, but a cement grey room where people were also sleeping and doing daily life - we were seated all in a circle on the floor including the oldest ones, I never had such an informal and unique class!

And lastly, we couldn't leave Thailand without visiting the famous idyllic beaches🏖️🌊🌴, experiencing some of the jungle vibes, and even riding an elephant! 🐘Check out pictures for a taster!

FUN FACTS:

🌶️🔥🥢Thai food is very healthy and spicy! I fell in love with pineapple rice, sticky rice with mango, Pad Thai goong, garlic chicken, and other dishes I cannot even name!

🍍🍌🥭Tropical fruits like pineapple, papaya, dragon fruit, coconut and of course, mangos are absolutely delicious! They have nothing to do with the flavour of imported fruit we eat here.

👟🚫It is customary to take off your shoes and leave them outside when you enter every house, some buildings, and even shops!

🌳🌴Women and children living at the border put a white "cream" on their cheeks made with Thanaka soap, taken from the trunk of a tree, to protect themselves from the sun and show they are clean and have had their shower.

👍I felt really safe! People generally do not steal, despite being in need or not.

🚖📍Taxi services are very efficient, and I met some very nice taxi drivers who went above and beyond without expecting tips or extra money, especially the young gentlemen who drove me to the airport when I was panicking about missing my flight back to the UK - even though his English very basic, we ended up talking about Jesus!

🦋Fairytale and Disney-like butterflies everywhere!

🛍️🏬🛒People love spending a huge amount of time in the malls, which are a bit different from the shopping centres we are used to here in Europe. They have gardens, salons, spas, and other entertainment inside!

🥥🌴Real coconut ice cream and real pineapple cocktails!

🫶The BIGgest memory:❤️💕

I have experienced the presence of God✨💖 and His wrapping protection in unexpected places and circumstances (i.e. while having a panic attack while riding an elephant, being on a small boat at sea under a stormy sky, and feeling fearful of being trafficked in a taxi by myself when the driver suddenly took a dark shortcut in the middle of nowhere!!). The prevalence of Buddhism in Thailand, with its golden temples, scary dragons, majestic statues, and spirit houses, has reinforced my belief that the God of the Bible is the one true God. Only Jesus 💡✨ can provide true answers to life's biggest questions, and only through Him can one experience true joy and peace. I feel blessed to know this God and be known by Him, the God who came down from heaven to die on a cross for me, the only God who gave His life for us all.🙏✝️

Things I struggled with:

📌Few Christians: As a follower of Jesus, I felt sad about the small number of Christians in Thailand. A visit to a famous temple reinforced my Christian beliefs, as it mentioned that the first Buddha couldn't find the truth and settled for a compromise, 'the middle way”. The essence of life is rooted in the teachings of Jesus Christ, who declared, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life.'

📌Communication Dynamics: Thai people are friendly, but their cultural habit of saying 'yes' to avoid conflict can make it hard to know their true feelings. Forming genuine friendships might take a long time, as Thais may need years to reveal their real selves.

📌Black Market Sex Industry: I was saddened to discover a thriving black market sex industry in a central district of Phuket. It casts a shadow on the vibrant culture, raising concerns about the well-being of those affected.

📌Language Barriers: Communicating in English was challenging in most cases which could prevent you from having deep conversations.

👇Bottom line:👇

My trip wasn't in any way what I had anticipated and this is usually the case when it comes to mission work. I was reminded quite vividly that it's not just about the immediate “relief” or tangible results you hope to achieve or the tasks you completed, but maybe it is much more about the many encounters and random conversations in a taxi, in a farm, on the beach, whilst riding an elephant, etc..it is about sowing seeds, giving locals or missionaries hope, preparing the ground and laying the foundation for a much bigger construction whose final look you might even not be able to see in this life!

✨🌍🌟I strongly encourage everyone to take the opportunity to go on a short-term, medium-term, or long-term mission trip or volunteering program abroad. Despite any challenges, cultural shock, or difficulties you may encounter, it will undoubtedly be an enriching experience for you and your life. After all, Jesus encouraged us to be the light of the world and to spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth, didn't he? So, what are you waiting for? 🌈🤗💪🌍

Grateful for the experience! 🫶

Mission in Thailand • Jesus Is The Only Way • Part 1

Over the next couple of weeks we will be hearing from Simona, a member of the Redeemer staff team, who recently travelled to Thailand to work alongside local missionaries and see the gospel preached to those who have never heard it before. We hope you are encouraged, challenged, and inspired by her story.

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You could say that our adventure began on October 27th when my lovely travel companion, Maria Bo, and I headed to Heathrow Airport en route to Bangkok. However, the adventure actually began earlier this year in January when we were invited to participate in a four-day training program on empowering struggling communities  🤝 . The program was held at The Hub in the heart of Ealing and was hosted by Richard Holt, the training also included an invitation to join him in one of his projects in Asia to put into practice what we had learned.

As such, the main purpose of our trip was to help facilitate a TOT (Training of Trainers) for a Community Health Evangelism (CHE) program. CHE is a community development program that focuses on evangelism in unreached and impoverished populations by meeting their most urgent needs and working together with local leaders to support and facilitate work within those communities. The work targets major sectors such as health, education, agriculture, and trauma recovery, and its holistic approach is based on biblical principles and the example of Jesus, who met people's physical, emotional, and spiritual needs when entering the community and preaching the good news of the Kingdom of God.

As well as the knowledge we gained, it was a great opportunity for me to meet many inspirational, radical and dedicated missionaries and people from different cultures who have left their home country to serve in Thailand and make a difference by being ” light and salt”, just as Jesus commanded us! We discovered that they possess a deep understanding of the local culture and spirituality. This knowledge enables them to effectively communicate the message of Jesus to the Thais in a way that is both relevant and easily understandable in this particular part of the world.

Life Changers

How can I not mention some of the meaningful conversations I had? 🗨️💖💬 The one with Sara* from Australia 🇦🇺🦘 for example. She moved to Northern Thailand with her whole family and children to reach an unreached group with the Gospel. She shared how difficult it is to enter those villages, and sometimes it takes years to have a minimal impact. She likened sharing the Word of God with the Buddhist society to “trying to cut water with a sword” because the impact of the effort would not be long-lasting or significant, as Buddhism already defines and encompasses every aspect of people's lives in those areas. At the moment, they do prayer walks in the villages and offer to pray for people. Surprisingly, she didn't ask for protection prayer but for resilience and perseverance despite the daily difficulties and challenges she faces. She was hopeful about the training we offered as she said it might be a very effective tool to open doors in those villages, especially as it wasn’t labelled as "Christian”. This often creates barriers, preventing them from building an initial connection with the village chief. I was inspired and encouraged by her story. ✨🌟😊

I also had the pleasure of meeting X., a Burmese refugee who shared his story with us. He belongs to the Karen community which is mainly Christian and very blessed, despite being very small.  He told us about the ongoing civil war, how he lost all his documents, his rescue and how he met his Norwegian wife on the field. He joked: “When God calls you, He also likes to give you the whole package”! - pointing at her.  We were invited to their home and enjoyed a meal with them, their children, and friends. It was a sweet experience. 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦❤️👫🫶

It was also encouraging for me to meet Cris at a home fellowship church gathering. Cris is a single American woman in her late 40s who has been serving in Thailand for many years as a lawyer, helping families and children. She told us that despite the challenges of living abroad without a husband or companion at her age, she felt the desire to adopt a child. God has blessed her with supportive communities and friends along the way. Maria and I had the opportunity to pray for her. 🙌

During our first week, we stayed at the ECHO farm in Chiang Mai. It's a beautiful agricultural farm that employs local Thai people who are all Christian, which is quite remarkable since the percentage of Christians in Thailand is very small. They cultivate a wide variety of plants, fruits, and vegetables, and maintain their own seed bank.🌱🌾🧡🍈🌴I even bought some seeds from them, including papaya and dragon fruit, but I'm not sure if they'll grow! I might get a chance if I entrust them to my family in sunny Calabria -South Italy! ☀️🏊‍♂️

After the experience in Chiang Mai, we took a coach and travelled for 5 hours to Mae Sot, and you can hear more about that experience next week!

*Some of the names in this story have been changed for the safety of those involved.

What Not to Expect from New Years Resolutions

As we begin 2023, many of us will be thinking about our New Years Resolutions, below we have featured a blog by Brianna Lambert, first published on thegospelcoalition.org, which seeks to remind us of the pitfalls that we can fall into when setting them, and how we can focus on God and on biblical truth as we set our goals for this year. Enjoy!

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With New Year’s resolutions in full force, you may have noticed an uptick of before-and-after pictures flooding your newsfeeds. These dramatic transformations encompass everything from weight loss to home makeovers, the pictures broadcasting all we can attain: smaller bodies; higher energy; bigger muscles; more beauty, organization, or peace.

While nothing is wrong with celebrating progress, these juxtaposed images can influence us in subtle ways. A steady diet of before-and-after pictures can slowly skew our expectations and perspective on reality. They whisper lies that can trickle down even into our spiritual lives.

Here are four lies to watch out for as we scroll.

Lie #1: We should expect and prize dramatic results.

Before-and-after images thrive on shock and awe, whether it’s body changes or a refurbished desk. Yet dramatic change doesn’t represent the majority of day-to-day life. Most of the change in our lives comes slowly, and this is especially true for our spiritual lives. God routinely compares our growth in him to the practice of farming—a slow and patient toil. He beckons us to wait on him and not grow weary while waiting for the harvest (Gal. 6:9; Ps. 27:14). This hardly sounds like a life of dramatic reveals.

Yet it’s easy to assume our battles with sin should be won quickly. We hope the Bible verse we read on Monday will cure our anger by Wednesday, but the Spirit works differently. He slowly changes us from one degree of glory to another (2 Cor. 3:18). Prioritizing shocking changes steals our opportunities to see the active grace of the Lord in our lives and may cause us to minimize the importance of small steps of growth.

Lie #2: We are the main force of change.

Images are influential. We glance at the before-and-after pictures and the lesson is clear: my effort will bring me from picture A to picture B. But this bootstrap mentality falls short when we carry it into our Christian lives. While the culture around us prizes personal action, God reminds us he is the author and perfecter of our faith (Heb. 12:2). We excel in good works because “God is able to make all grace abound” to his children (2 Cor. 9:8). We’re only able to work out our salvation because the Lord is working in our hearts to will and to work (Phil. 2:12–13).

We may rightly create goals, reading plans, and mission statements for the year, but we must remember that when December comes, every single bit of growth was accomplished through the power of the Spirit who enables us.

Lie #3: Easy formulas provide results.

As each makeover passes our eyes, we’re tempted to believe the same process will work for us. We print out the cleaning routine, add organizational products to our shopping cart, and wait for the promised idyllic home. Yet the images don’t tell the whole story. Did the redecorated room alone truly bring organization, or was it accompanied by decluttering and an overhaul in habits and mindset?

Unfortunately, we often sidestep the details in favor of tidy formulas in our Christian lives. But God isn’t a guru offering three-step guides to health and happiness. The wisdom literature of Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes routinely demonstrates that life doesn’t always work out in tidy ways. Sickness may continue even as we seek after the Lord; children we’ve brought up in the faith may turn away. The righteous often face hardship, while the wicked seem to flourish (Eccl. 7:15).

The unpredictability of life forces us to ditch the formulas and cling closer to our Lord. It pushes us to stop viewing our Bibles as a handbook and instead as the means to know our covenant-keeping Father, who loves and shepherds his people through each mountaintop and valley. Jesus is so much better than any formula. He knows the truths and help we need today might be different than the saint sitting next to us in the pew. God doesn’t deal in rigid formulas—he actively guides us by his Spirit each and every day.

Lie #4: Our ‘after’ will look better.

Perhaps the greatest lie before-and-after pictures preach is that our “after” should always look better. Tighter muscles, fewer wrinkles, and growing beauty represent progress in our culture. Yet Christians follow a Savior who walked toward suffering rather than beautification. Christ emptied himself to the point of death (Phil. 2:7–10).

We follow in the same manner. As we pour out our lives serving our children, friends, church, and community, our bodies will be broken. Our frames will grow weaker from the weight of burdens shared with other saints. The wrinkles on our faces will tell the story of toil, tears, and even joy in a lifetime of following Christ. Though God inwardly renews us as we grow in him, our outer body will continue to waste away as it makes its journey back to dust (2 Cor. 4:16). Caring for our bodies is good, but we must remember that ultimately our “after” picture is one that displays a life poured out for another (2 Tim. 4:6).

As we swipe through our news feeds this year and absorb each shocking reveal, may we do so discerningly. The Christian’s before-and-after picture may not go viral on social media, but it’s the picture that most closely resembles our Savior.

Brianna Lambert lives in Indiana with her husband and three kids where they attend Crosspointe Community Church. She is a staff writer at Gospel-Centered Discipleship and has contributed to various online publications such as Christianity Today and Risen Motherhood. You can read more of her writing at lookingtotheharvest.com or follow her at Instagram or Facebook.

Love is Not Nice

On Sunday the 23rd Pete challenged us from the words in 1 John to take loving one another seriously.

Here's my paraphrase:

Love is not nice.

‘Nice’ is soft and inoffensive.
‘Nice’ is careful and non-assertive.
‘Nice’ is easy and effects no change.
She’s cotton wool trying to soften the pain,
but not stuffed tight, just resting on the surface,
ready to be blown away
or be pressed under a muddy boot of disinterest.

‘Nice’ is a damp whisper.
A mouse cowering in the corner,
hoping you will blink and miss her,
lest she attract your notice,
lest she presume too much
and cause a whisker of offence.

Love is not like that –

Love pushes in, quick and nimble:
A hero with no mask, unasked,
unexpected, dodging the turmoil,
leaving nothing unsaid and little undone
in her pursuit of creating a counter-disruption.

Love defies convention.

Love carefully aims her weapons of choice
and advances relentless and regardless
of any and all obstacles in her way.
Love perseveres all the love-long day

Love doesn’t delay.

Love is gleeful for the chance of invasion,
ready to disarm with expert compassion
with her regiments of patience,
armed to the teeth with gracious,
placing tanks of good faith on all fronts.

Love confronts.

Courage is her currency, kindness her language.
Trust and hope are her passports to lands long unexplored,
happily wearing all-weather clothing
for any and all unexpected storms

Love transforms.

Love weakens all defences
and challenges all camouflaged pretences.
Love pours itself out to fill unhealed wounds
and on shrapnel-seeded battlefields
she - blooms.

Love perfumes.

Love is not 'nice'.
Love isn’t in this for the likes.
Love bites.
She’s a take-on-all-comers, undefeated delight
Love never bails from the fight,
never fails, never takes flight.

Love is nothing casual,
nothing incidental.
This love is elemental.
She is Avengers-Assemble,
End-Game-level, monumental.

Love is not 'nice'.
Love keeps on loving at any price.

Go to 1 John, chapters 1-5 for the original.

Steve is Redeemer’s resident poet, and has been instrumental in encouraging and motivating other creative individuals at Redeemer to pursue the gifting God has placed in them! You can read his poetry HERE, or find his anthologies on Amazon.

The Apprenticeship Is Over

This is a word, which was first shared during our most recent week of prayer, and again at a recent Leadership Training evening, but it’s a word for the church, and so I’m setting it out for the whole church to see.

God has been drawing my attention to the phrase ‘The Apprenticeship is over’.

Those Apprenticed To Him

It started when reading Matthew 5 in The Message.  I’m very used to the gospels referring to Jesus teaching his disciples, getting them prepared for the time when they would be given responsibility to build his church.  It’s what his 3-year ministry was all about.  So when I joined a meet up this year that focused on familiar passages in the gospel of Matthew, I decided to read the gospel in The Message (a contemporary translation of the original biblical text - written by Eugene Peterson), with a view to waking me up to what Jesus was saying rather just letting the familiar language wash over me.

Matthew recounts the sermon on the mount in chapter 5.  The Message starts the account like this:

“When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down and taught his climbing companions. This is what he said:… “

‘Those who were apprenticed to him’.  That phrase took me by surprise.

There is an apprentice in my team at work – an apprentice accountant.  She works on my projects alongside her teammates, spends 1 day a week in study and has a series of exams to complete over the course of her apprenticeship – and one day she’ll qualify as an accountant.  The apprenticeship will then be over, and she will have a permanent role as an accountant in my team or in a similar one.

She’s been with us for under 2 years, but I’ve seen how she’s grown in confidence, in knowledge, gathering experience that makes her a more competent colleague and makes her better able to fulfil her role.  She’s also begun sharing her knowledge with others, taking more initiative, and adding greater value to the projects she’s involved in.  But she’s still the ‘apprentice’ and that defines some of the expectations we have of her and that she has of herself.

New Expectations

In Matthew 28 The Message tells us that Jesus commissions the 12 (his apprentices):

“Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near,…”

The apprenticeship was over.  He had new expectations of his friends, those he had chosen as his apprentices.

This is what I believe God wants to speak to us about as a church - I think he is stirring us to take on a new mindset –

Our apprenticeship is over.  Now is the time
- to expect to coach and train others, as much as be coached and trained.
- to encourage others as much as be encouraged.
- to lead by example as much as look to the example of others.
- to be responsible for others as much as be responsible to God.
- to be a big sister, not just an obedient daughter.
- to be a big brother, not just an obedient son.

I’d encourage you to consider this for yourself.

What new responsibilities does Jesus have for you, given the time you’ve spent apprenticed to him?

Have you been growing in confidence and ability to play a greater role?

Is now the time for that to start.

As a starting point, look around at those who have been apprenticed to Jesus for a shorter period than you; take the opportunity to share your experience, your story of faith – you’ll be surprised how much they appreciate it.

Your apprenticeship is over – it’s time to begin a new role.

Gospel Stories from Ukraine

Anyone reading this will no doubt be aware of the war currently taking place in Ukraine, and will have seen many harrowing news reports, alongside videos and posts on social media, which give us a glimpse of how difficult and painful life is for those still in Ukraine, and those who are displaced by the conflict. One of our Redeemer Family who is directly affected by the conflict is Maria, and below she has shared some reflections on all that has happened in the previous few weeks, as well as some advice on how we can pray, and other ways we can support those affected by the war.

God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Psalm 46:1

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24th of February 2022

It seemed the whole world had stopped for a moment, as Putin's army crossed the borders of Ukraine.

It had been over 8 years since the events now known as the Maidan Uprising, which were shortly followed by the annexing of Crimea; and only 80 years since the Second World War, an event that we hoped to not experience again in Europe in our lifetimes.

As shocking and unexpected as this attack may appear, it is the opinion of many that it is a carefully and long-planned military action with the purpose of destroying and subduing the Ukrainian nation to its much more powerful opponent.

Being of Ukrainian origin myself and having a family living in a little town called Przemysl near the Polish-Ukrainian border, that has now become the main place of crossing for thousands of refugees, I watched unfolding events with great concern.

Stories from Przemyśl

As of now, about 2 million Ukrainians have fled their homes, cities and jobs for safety to Poland and other Eastern European countries. A larger number of people have been internally displaced. In my parents' town, several thousand people cross the border every day.

Despite the crisis, there has been absolutely exceptional response from the people of Poland and a great collective effort undertaken to support those fleeing the war.

Help comes from NGOs, volunteers, and individuals that are offering their time and resources on an unprecedented scale. Hundreds of thousands of citizens are opening their own homes to refugees. People are organising free transport, food, and accommodation. New schools being created and activities for children, as well as services like free medical treatment and psychological help are being provided and often privately funded. 

My sister in law has been volunteering on a border for several days now and this is how she describes her experience:

“Refugees are coming. Scared, exhausted, dirty. These are mothers with children; infants and toddlers, the women themselves, some elderly people. You know, you look at them, you feel compassion for every single one. You feel for a missed childhood, for youth and quiet old age. But they come, stay strong. I don't know how??? We have a mother with 2 children (5 and 7 years old), a young woman born in 1996, tiny. Her husband stayed to fight. She did not sleep for 4 days. The road from Lviv by train (normally 2 hours) took 24 hours. Her hands were swollen and bruised because she was holding the child in her arms and standing all this time. As they travelled from Zaporizhia to Lviv there was a bombing -  lights went out, the train was stopping in the dark. There was no water. Being so tiny she could not take her suitcase upon arrival, she lost everything she had somewhere at the station in a crowd. 

Another woman - a mother of two. They are 2 years old, twin girls. She arrived with her father-in-law. He is 75 years old and has a heart disease. He left with her to help with the children. His wife stayed in Kyiv. He walks around and cries that they have been together for 50 years and were supposed to die together .... It will likely not be so !!!”

Supporting International Refugees

We should stand together against evil, regardless of our background, ethnicity or race, united, as children of God. 

“Since the first day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in Poland, tens of thousands of people have been seeking shelter every day. Forced to abandon their homes, they face many difficulties, caused by long roads, crowded trains, multi-hour queues at border crossings. Among them are not only citizens of Ukraine, but also representatives of other countries, in particular African and Asian countries.

As a result of observations of our volunteers and media reports, people of other nationalities stumble upon borders with the worse treatment and discrimination. At the same time, these are people who have lived, and worked in Ukraine, and now, like Ukrainians, they are fleeing the war and looking for security. 

We appeal to show our support in solidarity with all those who need it. We strongly condemn all forms of discrimination, as well as aggression and violence against refugees.”
Union of Ukrainians in Poland

The Needs Of Ukraine

The most urgent need is not with people who escaped, as they are already safe and getting help -  but within Ukraine itself; with those who remained in the country - fighting, getting bombed, getting injured, but refusing to give up their freedom as the whole world is watching. Those who are trying to escape, but being stranded in besieged cities, with no way out; Kyiv, Mariupol, Sumy, Kharkiw…where people are left without medical assistance, food or water for many days, under severe attack and continuous bombing. There are some taking risks to rescue others and travel with humanitarian convoys to reach those cities with medication, food, other necessities, and to help people to flee the war.

One of those people is Magda from Canaan Church in Bytom, who is travelling to Ukraine as part of rescue operations and to evangelise:

“We are the Church from Poland that is committed to helping Ukraine. We travel to the borders and transport families from Ukraine, we welcome them to our homes, we sort out all the formalities. However, the greatest need for help is in Ukraine. We are connecting to a humanitarian convoy travelling to Ukraine. Our goal will be to help runaway families to get to the Polish border. We need cars, 9-seater buses. We are asking for help in buying such a car and covering the costs associated with this trip (largely fuel, food, etc.). We also ask you to pray for us because every entry into Ukraine is very risky…”
Canaan Christian Centre, Bytom.

Prayer

When we witness great evil and suffering, when we watch great courage and heroism of humanity, let us not underestimate the power of prayer.

The victory belongs to the Lord. Our eyes are fixed on Him.

We stand on the promise that He is the One who fights for His people… We trust Him at all times, when we are on the top of the mountain, and we walk through the valley of the shadow of death - we fear no evil. We hope for His salvation and eternal life in His presence.

This is a fight for freedom, human dignity and solidarity in the face of ultimate suffering and death. Like an encounter between David and Goliath, or many battles of Israel with its enemies recorded in the Bible, it is a manifestation of a much greater battle that is happening in the Spirit. We must not cease in our prayer.

We pray for:

• Wisdom and unity for the World leaders, for successful negotiations that would lead to a shortening of the length of the invasion, and peaceful solutions.

• Against escalation of the conflict, such as using chemical or atomic weapons, bombing of the cities and civilians.

• For the protection of lives, especially in the besieged cities, Mariupol, Kyiv, Kharkiv and for meaningful ceasefire in humanitarian corridors.

• Protection of humanitarian convoys and medical support, so that help can reach those with the greatest need in attacked cities and for the protection of those travelling between war zones.

• For the people who stayed in Ukraine - for peace, boldness, protection and that they might save lives.

• Against fear and anxiety, for those grieving loss, suffering mental trauma or physically injured.

• For families who are separated by this war, for the safety of women, children, the elderly and all in a vulnerable position.

• For the protection of international students, African and Asian refugees, for God's love, provision, security and care for all refugees.

• For an opening and changing of people hearts, unity between people, that they might stand up against racism and prejudice.

• For Russian soldiers, and Russian society that they will take a stand against the regime.

• Against misinformation and division, pray for exposure of the lies of the enemy, and for the truth to be heard.

• For revival and spiritual awakening in Ukraine (there are many evangelical churches in this region), Russia and Eastern Europe.

• For God's church to stand strong, the Gospel to be preached in both countries, and many salvations on both sides.

• We pray for God's Kingdom to come and His will to be done, and that Jesus will be glorified in every situation.

Verses to Declare

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places
Ephesians 6:12

No king is saved by the size of his army;no warrior escapes by his great strength.A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save.But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.
Psalm 33:16-19

 Only live according to the gospel of Christ, that whether I come and see you,or not I have heard of you, that you stand in one spirit, fighting wholeheartedly for the faith of the gospel, And in nothing fear not your opponents; this is the proof of death to them, and your salvation. And this is from God!
Philippians 1:27-28

 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28

Ways You Can Help & Links to Additional Information

It has been uplifting seeing the UK and many other countries uniting to support Ukraine during this time.

It is possible to help those in need through multiple organisations, volunteering and various initiatives supported by the UK government, including the upcoming project of housing a refugee in your home.

As per their advice, one of the best ways to help is by donating money through registered and legitimate charities and aid organisations, rather than donating goods. “Unsolicited donations of goods, although well-meant, can obstruct supply chains and delay more urgent life-saving assistance from getting through.” They also have a charity checker on their website.

Information from the UK Government

List of charities:

Christian Aid

Disasters Emergency Committee

Just Giving - Ukraine

GoFundMe - Ukraine

 Organisation helping Asian refugees:

Aid for Asian Refugees from Ukraine

and African refugees:

Support for African Refugees in Ukraine

 If you would like more info about collection for the bus mentioned above, you can contact Magda from Kannan Church, Bytom by emailing MagdaC@wp.eu

You can also give to Magda’s efforts using the following link - https://gofund.me/0f8ae1ad

Facebook Group - Humanitarian Convoys from Poland

Kanaan Church Website

References

A report from Przemysl, near Eastern border with Ukraine:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YD_Etmv3Qm0

​​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wMYK6uNx-s

https://www.facebook.com/572870156/videos/649874066342630/

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10166652151960157&id=572870156

We Are All Levites Now

Yesterday was Serving Sunday at Redeemer, where we encouraged everyone who would call Redeemer Church their home to follow the example of Jesus, and sign up to serve on a team!

Steve Page has written this blog post as a follow up to yesterday’s service.

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As a young Christian, when I heard or read bible passages featuring the Priesthood or Levites serving in the temple, I immediately conjured up the image of guys in frocks, waving incense; not exactly heavy lifters or people you’d invite to a party.  As a bloke in SE London it wasn’t much to aspire to.

When I learned of the ‘priesthood of all believers’ [see 1 Peter 2:9] and understood that all those who have joined God’s family get direct access to him and that we don’t need to rely on any human go-between, such as a priest, because of Jesus’ sacrifice, it became a core truth of the gospel for me: the temple curtain torn in two, no hidden backroom just for the elite priesthood; an “Access All Areas” salvation.

But the image of frocks and incense persisted.

I’ve now got a more complete picture.

The Levites, the tribe that Yahweh put aside to run the Tabernacle and from which priests were selected, weren’t just guys in frocks.  Reading passages in Exodus, Numbers and Nehemiah, I see that the Levites were given jobs such as taking care of the Tabernacle frame and equipment (Num 3:36); they were foreman (Neh 11:16); record keepers/ accountants (Ex 38:21); musicians and singers (Neh 11:22 & 12:8); tithe collectors (Neh 10:37); security guards (Num 1:50,51); and teachers (Neh 8:7,8).  The whole tribe got involved, not just those with a talent for ‘smells and bells’. 

And so it struck me, if under the New Covenant made possible by Christ we’re all priests, here to serve one another and all part of one body with all a part to play, then surely it follows that we’re all Levites now.  We’ve all got a role to play to ensure Sunday worship comes off without a hitch – some with a flair for taking care of equipment and some for teaching (and perhaps some for both), and all with a calling to serve one another.  

We’re all Levites now, but under the New Covenant in the 21st Century the roles have changed a little: greeters, sound desk operators, coffee servers, teachers, toddler minders, un-packers, singers & musicians, money counters, administrators, and more: bringing God’s word for one-another, praying for each other and encouraging each other.  

And none of these are mutually exclusive.  All priests, serving one-another; all Levites, serving in God’s house.  No false humility, just a willingness to do our part.  

We're the New Levites: 

the early risers, the cable layers,
the coffee makers, the sound checkers.
the purple greeters with a ‘good to see-yers’,
the smiling pray-ers, the red kids’ workers.

We’re all priests, cos we’re all believers
and I’ve got news for you – we’re all Levites too

We qualify by turning up,
with willing hands and open hearts.

We're the New Levites
and the rota's open.

Written by Steve Page

Maranatha

On the final day of Advent - Christmas Eve, Timali has written a poem about the one whose arrival we celebrate tomorrow, and every day!

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Maranatha

He came once

but in a quiet unintrusive way

hidden in the womb of a young unassuming girl.

How he shed his resplendent glory and vacated his abode of magnanimous dominion - I know not.

But this I know, he came.

Came to the malaised Earth, 

its fractured world of broken humanity,

there he silently stole into the almost-wedded lives of an earnest and devout couple - unexpected, uninvited.

How he relinquished his power, majesty and 

incorruptible divinity - I know not.

But this I know, he did. 

Did subject himself to the trappings 

of the frail and fragile human form - the same clay vessels

that he had lovingly created and fashioned.

How he willingly diminished his status and stature to

become a vulnerable babe,  child,  man - I know not.

But this I know, he did.

Did mysteriously manifest in this earthly realm

via scandal and suspicion, the bearer of peace yet causing contention.

His humble birth bringing awe and wonder to the low and the wise,

but revealing also the sin-sick darkness in the heart of man

How he surrendered his authority and rule to become the

object of envy and ridicule - I know not.

But this I know, he did.

Did breathe our air, tread our sod and experience 

the limitations and temptations of mankind.

Yet he remained pure,

untainted

by the ravaging wages of sin.

A perfect sacrifice

a saviour born to die

the true messiah

Messiah then, messiah now, messiah yet to come

Come again to make all things new

with trumpets sounding and angelic hosts at his command.

No longer a newborn baby

but King of kings and Lord of Lords!

How he will establish righteousness and truth, administer justice 

and usher in his kingdom reign - I know not

But this I know, he will.

Then the seventh angel sounded [his trumpet]; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying,

“The kingdom (dominion, rule) of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.”
Revelation 11:15 (AMP)

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Timali Ebanks is a follower of Jesus, cherished wife and mother of a beloved motley crew. When she is not enthusiastically expounding on the joys of delving into literature and engaging students in copious amounts of reading and analysis, she enjoys bouts of writing and adventures of all sorts.

Hearing God - Logos and Rhema

Sometimes when we are waiting for direction or answers to prayers, we can become frustrated by the seeming silence from God. It is challenging to continue to seek him with a right spirit when we feel like we are getting nowhere… waiting and waiting for enlightenment, a green light or for that matter a red light-just any light to illuminate what can sometimes feel like despairing darkness.

In an Insta world we often mistakenly act like we believe our communion with God should result in Insta- communication as we see fit, according to our timelines. When the Almighty God doesn’t bend to our iron wills and unrealistic expectations – we are often weigh laid with worry or indignant: Asking - Where is God? Why isn’t he answering my prayers? Doesn’t he care?

We of little faith!

The God who said and there was, who spoke the very universe into being, is always speaking.  Everything that exists has its origins in the Word of God. 

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning. 3Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made.”
John 1:1-3 

Since he changes not and is the same God yesterday, today and forever more- we can expect and should expect that he will continue to speak over his creation and especially to his most valued creation: mankind.  Psalm 8 says, 

“3When I behold Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place— 4 what is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You care for him? 5You made him a little lower than the angels; You crowned him with glory and honor”
Psalm 8:3-5

We are his masterpiece, which is why Jesus the Word made flesh, came down to earth, to live and die as a human in order to make atonement for our sins so that we could once more be reconciled to God. 

“1 On many past occasions and in many different ways, God spoke to our fathers through the prophets. 2But in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe.” Hebrews 1: 1-2 

Restored Communication

Jesus’ life, death and resurrection has resulted in restored fellowship and communion with God. So that once again like Adam, we can walk and talk in the cool of the day with God- our spirits connecting with his Spirit. Amazing, isn’t it? Direct access to God- anytime, anyplace, having the ability to both speak to and hear from him.

While God primarily speaks to us through the written word (the Holy Bible) which is ‘alive and active’ and capable of judging the thoughts and intentions of the heart’. he also now speaks to us through the Holy Spirit!

“… when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak what He hears, and He will declare to you what is to come”
John 16:13

Thankfully, in those times when we need clear guidance from God we can turn to his written Word which is useful for, “teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness…” and then we can also wait before him listening and paying attention to how the Holy Spirit will reveal to us what the Father is saying in the present, for the specific situation or concern we are seeking him about- a Rhema word: a particular insight into a portion of Scripture relating to our lives and circumstances. 

Becoming Familiar

If we are patient, alert and expectant, we will find that God speaks through nature, through people- like the prophets of old, through dreams and visions, through signs and wonders, through events. Ultimately, we must return to the written Word: Logos, to test these revelations. But as we abide more and more in his Word and presence, his voice will become increasingly familiar. We will soon realise that he is continually speaking if only we will have eyes and ears to hear him.

Timali Ebanks is a follower of Jesus, cherished wife and mother of a beloved motley crew. When she is not enthusiastically expounding on the joys of delving into literature and engaging students in copious amounts of reading and analysis, she enjoys bouts of writing and adventures of all sorts.

A Testimony of Freedom!

Below is a testimony from a treasured member of our Redeemer family, we hope their story inspires you, encourages you, and leads you to both glorify God for all he has done and expect him to do amazing things in your life.

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As I write this, I am now 115 days free!

I’ve had a very long-standing struggle with porn and masturbation (about 17 years). I was first exposed in my very early teens. In my later years, I became very impulsive and started to act on my sexual urges to just get a ‘high’. I started to watch more hardcore stuff of all genres to get my fix. It became very habitual - I was just doing it for the sake of it. There was no longer a trigger. It became very ingrown into my daily routine. I was broken.

There was only so much I could do to safeguard myself (i.e., with internet blockers) but I felt I really needed to dig deep and figure out the root cause. After prayer and reflection, it was an identity issue rooted into my masculinity because of some past experiences (i.e., being bullied, assaulted, mugged). I felt weak and inferior, and I wanted to feel ‘manly’, and porn was filling that void in my heart. I was getting attention and social affirmation with those I engaged with online, but it was just a short-term fix and in fact it was eating away at my masculinity and sexuality. 

Finding My Identity

Over the last few months, I have drawn closer to my Father in Heaven and have started affirming my identity in Him! I am known by God. He has a plan for me. He hears my voice. He loves me. There is truth in the Holy Spirit! I consider myself dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus (Romans 6:11). He loves us despite our imperfections, and I am beyond grateful he does! God is with us, wherever we wonder. We get caught up in our sin and have moments where our hearts are heavy, mistakes take over and feeling so far away from God. God sees all that, he sees our brokenness, our guilt, our mess, and he loves us anyway!

We can certainly find strength and hope knowing that he will always be with us and will help us through it. If we have gone through life trusting in our own judgement, we may find it harder to submit to God and his plan for us. If we refuse to see God’s hand and direction in our lives, we may never know just how good he can be to us. 

Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!
Psalm 34:8

Honest Accountability

On a practical level, accountability has been so important because it removes the element of isolation. In Christ we are part of a family and a body. We know that challenges will come (John 16:33) and having accountability helps us to press ahead and to continue to live for Christ. An accountability partner can pray with and for us, teach us, rebuke us, rejoice with us, weep with us, and encourage us. I was not alone in this battle. 

A turning point for me was being completely open, honest, and vulnerable about the extent of my struggles with my accountability partners and my parents. The pathway to healing is in forgiveness that begins with confession and repentance, which means to turn away from sin and think differently about it. The enemy can only tempt you with something you desire. If you want to be free from the power of sin, you must hate sin the way God hates it. Jesus loves you and has paid a great price for you to live in freedom. If you are struggling with addiction, there is hope. You can find freedom because Jesus has not only freed you from the penalty of sin. He has also freed you from its power. I feel I have shifted my mindset from natural sexual desire to holy pleasures. I have not suppressed these desires, but I have prioritised God over them.

Hope for the Future

To anyone who is struggling with any form of addiction, you all have a God-driven future; God has great plans for you and there is absolutely hope for breakthrough. You are all loved - remember that. We all fall short but saved by his grace. He's always there, he has never left us. Just waiting with his arms wide open ready to embrace us. We can be confident and secure when we’re immersed in intimacy with God. As you break free from this stronghold, you are paving the way for victory!

This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for He faced all of the same testing’s we do, yet He did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.
Hebrews 4:15–16

A Disposition of Grace

Welcome to our newest post about Sharing Your Faith! In his regular posts, Ryan Bentley will be stirring us to share our faith with others, by looking at passages of scripture and giving practical tips. We hope you enjoy the blog below!

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This week I flubbed up pretty bad. Just a flub and not a full blown mishap, possibly could be a hiccup. When it was revealed to me by someone close to me it was done with typical banter, just giving me a hard time about my flub. What they weren’t aware of, was that I was in a more sensitive emotional state. As a result, I felt ashamed.

The Banter Formula

Banter is a normal part of our human interactions, I’d say, one of the major connecting forces in British culture. It carries quite a few benefits; it breeds familiarity where both people can choose the pace, it allows us to laugh at ourselves while showing that we don’t take ourselves too seriously (a cornerstone of British Humour) and helps us discover boundaries. From my observation the formula for interactions goes a little like this:

Nice
Banter
Empathy and Understanding
Banter
Banter
Banter
Depth of Conversation & Relationship

Hidden Consequences

Unfortunately, Banter often has the unintended (or subconsciously intended) result of bringing shame and embarrassment.

I don’t think shame has a place in the Kingdom of God. In the past I have memorised 2 Corinthians 7:10 - Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. But I made a mistake in my memorisation, replacing the word sorrow with shame. But then I started writing this blog, and I couldn’t find that translation anywhere. Godly Sorrow brings about repentance, while worldly sorrow brings death. I don’t think Sorrow and Shame are interchangeable here.

As followers of Jesus, we’re called to be salt and light. Salt substantially changes the make up of things due to it’s interactions with the substance it’s added to. Salt the earth, it won’t grow. Salt some meat, it begins to break down. Salt your coffee…go get some more sleep, because you meant to use sugar. My point being that grace brings brings transformation, not shame, and I’m questioning whether my banter leads to grace.

Where’s the grace in banter?

After all that’s what we’re trying to bring people into isn’t it? Grace? We bringing people from death to life!

Grace is a transformational power in the kingdom of God, not shame or guilt. Grace is the key to the door of the kingdom. It’s the waterfall we all must walk through to get into the kingdom. We are bathed in it. It’s soaked into every fiber of our being when we put Jesus on the throne of our lives.

When we share our faith with others and we’re developing a relationship with them, it begins and must have its roots in grace, not banter. We are made to be different. We are made to substantially change the make up of the things that we come into contact with. This is a challenge to myself as much as it is to you. (Actually, probably more-so!)

Having a disposition of grace will open doors, start conversations and ultimately bring the transformational change Jesus is calling us to work in. Imagine being so full, that your love, grace and joy is affecting others to the point they want to join in?!

That! Is the kingdom. Isaiah 2:1-5 will help us see that.

The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

2 It shall come to pass in the latter days
    that the mountain of the house of the Lord
shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
    and shall be lifted up above the hills;
and all the nations shall flow to it,
3     and many peoples shall come, and say:
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
    to the house of the God of Jacob,
that he may teach us his ways
    and that we may walk in his paths.”
For out of Zion shall go forth the law,[a]
    and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
4 He shall judge between the nations,
    and shall decide disputes for many peoples;
and they shall beat their swords into plowshares,
    and their spears into pruning hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
    neither shall they learn war anymore.

5 O house of Jacob,
    come, let us walk
    in the light of the Lord.
Isaiah 2:1-5

Ryan Bentley
Ryan moved from Birmingham in 2020 to be part of Redeemer along with his wife Sarah (our families worker) and his two kids, Rhys and Torah! He serves the church full time and his aim is to equip each of us to share the gospel with those around us on a daily basis. Look out for his Faith Sharing Meetup next term, or find more of his wisdom on Instagram.

Selah - Practising Stillness

Selah

Often at this time of year we can find ourselves occupied by so many things: work commitments, family commitments, running essential errands. Even the more enjoyable leisure activities and social events take planning and organising and before we know it our calendars are full; our minds are busy and our time taken up.  Yet time is one of the most precious gifts we have in this life- it can’t be bought or replaced; it can’t be returned. Who we spend our time with is significant. How we spend our time matters. What we spend our time on is important. 

The world seems to shout at us that there is time for everything-we can do it all! We can do it all and apparently all at once: endless multitasking in our own multiverses – this, we are told, is what it looks like to live a productive life. How often do we buy into this lie? How often too, are we plagued by the fear of missing out (FOMO)?  How often do we find ourselves on that hamster wheel running from one thing to another? Not just juggling social calendars but struggling under the weight of pursuits. All the while patting ourselves on the back for being such good go- getters? 

How much of our time is spent expending ourselves?

A Time for Stillness  

Instead of spending our time-the currency of our lives, trying to cram in everything, we should take heed of King Solomon’s revelation in Ecclesiastes 3 that “To everything there is a season, and a time for every matter or purpose under heaven” and perhaps also understand that there MUST be a time for stillness. 

Stillness- A time to pause and just be. A time to reflect. A time to quietly glory in God’s goodness- with no agenda, no outcomes to measure, nothing to check off, nowhere to be. The Bible is replete with scripture verses on stillness and resting in God.

For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength
Isaiah 30:15

We are reminded of the importance of allowing God to lead us, “beside quiet waters” as he “refreshes [our] soul”

Jesus himself said to his disciples “Come away by yourselves to a quiet place and rest a while…” Mark 6:31

In Hebrews we learn of a Sabbath-rest for the people of God, “…for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his” As humans we need physical rest from activity and labours and as Christians we are blessed to enter into salvation- deliverance from toiling under sin’s scourge, from the impossible demand to keep the law, from the threat of striving to no avail and never having peace.

This is why we share the gospel so that all may enter into that rest- but this rest that has been won for us is also to be enjoyed to the fullest on this earth, during our human lives, at this time.

Press Pause

Should we not then seek to redeem the time we have by intentionally and purposefully pressing the pause button so that we can enjoy what Christ died to gift us? I hope you are encouraged to pencil in time for stillness in your calendars and lives. 

Timali Ebanks is a follower of Jesus, cherished wife and mother of a beloved motley crew. When she is not enthusiastically expounding on the joys of delving into literature and engaging students in copious amounts of reading and analysis, she enjoys bouts of writing and adventures of all sorts.

Poet's Corner - Believe In More

This week on Poet’s Corner, we feature a video from our sung worship time on Sunday 10th October, where Steve shared his poem Believe in More.

Inspired by Ephesians 3:20-21, Steve encourages us to remember that our God can do more in and through us than we could possibly ask or imagine.

#RedeemerRecommends - New Songs At Redeemer!

We want to make sure that the songs we use at Redeemer are not just theologically beneficial, and musically and vocally engaging, but also that they reflect the diversity of the Redeemer family and the ever evolving nature of worship music across the world.

All of this means that the list of songs we use on a Sunday morning regularly undergoes changes and new songs are added, which we hope reflect the season we are going through as a church at the time.

Below are some songs, both new and old, which we are hoping to introduce to Sunday mornings at Redeemer over the next few months, we hope this gives you the opportunity to begin to learn them and use them as part of your personal worship times too!

(Click the names of the songs for YouTube links!)

Promises - Maverick City Music

Maverick City are an excellent example of what it looks like when worship brings together people from across different church backgrounds and cultures, Promises is a song which reminds us of just that, the promises of God throughout history, and how we can worship him for his faithfulness today.

Come Lord Jesus - Sam Cox & Newday

Newday is a youth festival which Redeemer have been serving and attending with our youth group for many years! Sam Cox wrote the song Come Lord Jesus for the festival in 2016, and its lyrics encourage us to invite Jesus to come and meet personally with us, transforming us inside and out.

Every Praise - Hezekiah Walker

Hezekiah Walker has been a prominent gospel music artist for over 20 years, and pastors Love Fellowship Tabernacle in New York. His song Every Praise, lifts our eyes to God who is deserving of our worship, regardless of our situation or how we feel.

Your Great Name - Todd Dulaney

Your Great Name is a reminder to us as followers of Jesus that there is power in his name! Power that is stronger than any other, and that we can call on when we need to see change in our attitude or our circumstances. Things change when we call on his name!

Bow Down and Worship Him - Bishop Paul Morton

A simple song exhorting us as believers to humble ourselves as we worship God, reminding us that as we come into his presence we are on holy ground!

Hymn of Heaven & House of The Lord - Phil Wickham

Phil Wickham will be a familiar name to many of those who worship with us regularly at Redeemer! His songs Great Things, Living Hope & This is Amazing Grace have been blessing us for many years! Hymn of Heaven & House of the Lord are two songs from his most recent album, Hymn of Heaven helps us to worship in assurance of our eternal future in Christ, while House of The Lord is a song of celebration to be sung as a whole church together!

Freedom is Coming - Hillsong Young & Free

Mi-Kaisha Masella is a newer member of the Y&F songwriting team, and has brought a fresh gospel feel to the song Freedom is Coming, found on their most recent album. The song proclaims the truth that in Jesus we are free, our chains fall, our strongholds break, our sins are forgiven!

From the Squalor of A Borrowed Stable - Stuart Townend

Stuart Townend was a songwriter who was involved in Newfrontiers events for many years, and wrote this song back in 1999. The beautiful lyrics take us as worshippers on a journey through the life of Jesus, encouraging us with each chorus to proclaim that he is God with Us - Immanuel!

Listen out for these new songs at Redeemer on Sunday mornings over the next few months, and check out the Redeemer Spotify playlist for all of our songs!

A New CBR Journal for 2022

Here at Redeemer we believe that the Bible is the word of God, and that reading it daily equips us as Christians to honour and follow God in everything that we do. We also believe that however long you have been following Jesus, be it 5 minutes or 50 years, there are always new things that we can learn from every passage of scripture.

That is why we encourage everyone to not just read the bible daily, but to share with others at Redeemer how the word of God has impacted, challenged and encouraged us each day. We do this with the help of the Community Bible Reading (CBR) Journal, which leads us to a chapter of the Old & New Testament each day, and encourages us to write down our thoughts on the passages, and share them with others.

In order to better equip people to read the bible daily, and benefit from the incredible wisdom it holds, there are some changes happening with the CBR Journal, which will be seen in the new journals published for the beginning of 2022. We’ll have these journals available soon at Redeemer!

You can hear all about these changes from the founder - Ted Sinn - below.

If you would like more information on how we use the CBR Journal at Redeemer please email hello@redeemerlondon.org.

We are also running a meetup this term for men who would like to follow the CBR reading plan together! Sign up to that group, or any of our others below!