Radio Interviews, Seasons of life

Changing Seasons ¦ Audio

Audio

How do you start a new season in your life?

This 11-minute radio interview is all about the changing seasons of life, how God sometimes has us in a particular season for a particular purpose, and how we can remove the blockages to entering into what God has for us next.

Listen to the full interview here.

If you sense something in your life needs to change, but you are struggling to know what God is saying about it, I recommend watching the full video teaching on ‘5 Ways God Guides Us’ click here.

 

Church, Devotionals

The Church ¦ Devotional

Scripture: Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. – 1 Corinthians 12:27

What do you think of when I mention the word ‘church’? Perhaps a building with a steeple? Maybe you’ve known ‘church’ in a different setting like a theatre or a converted warehouse? What about the people? Some will immediately think of a small, close-knit gathering of believers, whereas others might be used to going to ‘church’ with thousands of other people whose names they will never know.

Some of us have had wonderful experiences of church – a place where our deepest relationships have been formed, where we can laugh, cry and really be ourselves. A place where we have felt God’s presence and grown in our relationship with Him. Others, if they are really honest have been bored at church and sometimes wondered if they are really getting anything out of it at all. Even worse, some have been badly hurt at church by other members or even by their leaders. I don’t need to tell you that being a Christian isn’t a lifetime protection against being hurt! I thank God that He can heal our hearts as we choose to forgive.

Ever since I became a Christian, it has been drilled into me how important it is to go to church and to fellowship with other believers. I agree wholeheartedly with that. We need each other, and meeting at least once a week is a healthy practise. However, I have also noticed that for many people, ‘going to church’ has become a substitute for being the Church.

We need to be constantly reminded that Jesus never actually told us to gather together once a week, sing songs, listen to a sermon, drink tea or coffee together and then go home. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing bad about any of these things. However, we have a serious problem if we are ONLY doing these things! You see, the Church is not really about us. I once heard it said that ‘the church is the only institution in the world that exists for the benefit of its non-members.’ It was never supposed to be a social club for the born-again! We have a job to do.

Jesus is the head of the Church, and we are His body. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we have been given the task of continuing Christ’s ministry on the earth. Before Jesus ascended to heaven he told his disciples very clearly what they were supposed to do. He said “go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19-20). Can you believe it – not even a mention of buildings, musical worship or tea and cakes!!

This is probably also a good time to mention that God never asked us to ‘build’ the church for Him. Jesus said ‘I will build my church’ (Matthew 16:18). Our job is simply to carry out the commission He has given us and He will do the rest.

Can I encourage you to keep going to church, but to put even more emphasis on being the Church. In my personal experience there is nothing more exhilarating than committing your life to fulfilling the simple commission of Jesus, all the time relying on the power of the Holy Spirit to enable you to do it.

Prayer: Father, thank you that you are building your Church and that the gates of hell will not prevail against it! Thank you that you have not called me to live a boring life, but that you that you have an amazing plan for me which will come to pass if I choose to walk in obedience to you. I’m sorry for the times I’ve settled for going to church when you’ve wanted me to focus on being the Church. Would you help me to live my life in such a way that you, your Kingdom and your purposes are at the top of my priority list, and would you empower me by your Holy Spirit to be a living example to those around me as I carry out the simple commands of your Great Commission. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Source:  Seeds of the Kingdom

Devotionals, Forgiveness, Jealousy, Offence

A Defining Moment ¦ Devotional

Scripture: Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. – Colossians 3:12-13

Though I was only about eight years old at the time, I can remember the moment as if it were yesterday. It was Christmas day and a close family member had arrived bearing gifts for my brother and I.

Excitedly I opened my gift and half watched my brother opening his at the same time. Instantly I could see that my brother’s gift was of greater value than my own. What an injustice!

In that moment time seemed to stop, as I weighed up how I should respond in my heart to the situation.

Just a few days ago I felt the Lord say to me “David, that moment was one of the most defining moments in your life. If you had responded differently, you would have cut yourself off from your brother and also from the gift-giver. Instead, you opened up your life to many blessings”.

How did I open up my life to many blessings?

I made the choice to forgive those who hurt me and to be truly happy for those who are successful (without allowing offence or jealousy to creep in). At the time it felt like the hardest decision I had ever made. Since then many much harder ‘injustices’ have occurred in my life but that one was special because that day I decided to make this response the ‘default’ setting of my heart.

I believe this heart attitude is the way of the cross. For Jesus to be hanging there was the greatest injustice that ever took place in the history of the world. His response? ‘Father forgive them, for they know not what they do’ (Luke 23:34) and we know that ‘out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks’ (Matthew 12:34b).

I don’t know exactly why as an eight year old I chose the way of the cross because I certainly didn’t understand what I do now. However what I do know is that one year earlier I accepted the gospel and something changed in my heart. Even so, I still had a decision to make. Have you allowed the gospel to dictate the default setting of your heart? Be honest with yourself… is there any offence or jealousy in your heart right now? Who do you need to forgive today?

Prayer: Father, I thank You that Jesus was able to forgive the greatest injustice of all time and that the same Spirit that enabled Him to do it lives in me today. I ask that You would enable me now to forgive all those who have hurt me. Please heal the pain that has been caused and help me to make forgiveness the default setting of my heart, in Jesus’ name. Amen

Source:  Seeds of the Kingdom

BONUS: Jesus said that in the last days ‘many will be offended’. If you want to learn how rid your life of offence and truly forgive from your heart (even if you feel like you can’t), watch this video.

Christmas, Devotionals

What? No 5 Star Hotel? ¦ Devotional

Scripture: She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. – Luke 2:7b

While sitting on the train this week, I took the opportunity to read the story of Jesus’ birth again. As I opened my bible and found the beginning of the book of Luke, I asked the Holy Spirit to speak something new to me.

The events began to unfold and I tried my best to imagine how the characters would be feeling. It must have been quite incredible and rather overwhelming for Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth and Zechariah to all have had angels of the Lord appear to them in such a short period. Of course for Mary and Elizabeth it was even more outrageous because the chances of either of them having babies in a natural way were definitely zero!

I must admit I was slightly jealous when I got to Luke 1:15 and read that John the Baptist had been filled with the Holy Spirit before he was even born! Also, I had never picked up on the fact that Mary had gone to stay with Elizabeth for the last three months of Elizabeth’s pregnancy. I can just imagine the two of them talking late into the night and getting quite carried away with excitement! I’m sure they could barely contain themselves as they eagerly anticipated the births of these two miracle babies.

Finally, Mary and Joseph were travelling to Bethlehem and Luke 2:6 says that ‘the time came for the baby to be born’. I wonder what was going through Mary and Joseph’s minds as they arrived in Bethlehem? They both knew very well that this was no ordinary baby – it was the Son of God no less! I wouldn’t be surprised if they half expected that God would have gone ahead of them and prepared some kind of 5-star hotel room for this royal baby to be born in…

…but no. Not a 5 star hotel. No hotel at all in fact. Not even a room!

God chose perhaps the worst conditions Mary could have imagined. “Why did you do that?” I asked the Lord as I got to this part of the story. Into my heart came a few possible reasons. Firstly, if they had been tucked away in a posh hotel room somewhere, would the shepherds and the Magi have been able to find them? Would they have missed out on the blessing of those beautiful and expensive gifts they received? Not to mention the amazing confirmations that this really was the Son of God! Secondly, would it have been fitting for the Son of God who himself later said that he had come ‘to serve and not to be served’ to have had maids and servants running around, fluffing his pillows and caring for his every need?

What is abundantly clear from this story is that God will often choose to do things in a way that completely offends our minds and goes against all our fleshly desires for comfort. Why? Because He has a greater purpose. His ways are not our ways, but we have a choice. If we choose to let go of our human understanding and cravings and instead yield to Him, we will see extraordinary things happen and our lives will bear an abundance of eternal fruit.

Prayer: Father, thank you that you loved us so much that you sent your Son into this world. Thank you that you sent Him in all humility, not to have a privileged existence but to make Him familiar with hardship and suffering, to really know what it’s like for us down here. Thank you for your wonderful ways. Please forgive me for the times I have fought against your ways because my flesh wanted something different, something more comfortable. Help me to yield to you, even when I don’t fully understand, and may your Holy Spirit overshadow me just like it did Mary, so that I may be able to do extraordinary things in your name and for Your glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

If God has used this teaching to impact you by His Spirit, don’t keep it to yourself. Share it!

Source:  Seeds of the Kingdom

Lordship, The Holy Spirit, Video Teaching

How To Walk In The Power Of The Holy Spirit ¦ Video

Video

In this message I cover:

– Why we don’t need to fly half way across the world seeking an ‘anointing’
– How the true presence of God follows obedience
– What it really means to make Jesus Lord
– Where to focus your attention in order to see freedom and healing unfold in your life
– The characteristics of the Holy Spirit and why we so desperately need Him

This is session 3 of 3 from a conference at Ellel Ministries Pierrepont called ‘Jesus Heals Today’. The previous two sessions are:

Session 1: Why Is The World In Such A Mess?
Session 2: The Master Key To Healing, Freedom and Restoration

>> More info about David Steele

Forgiveness, Healing, Video Teaching

The Master Key To Healing, Freedom & Restoration ¦ Video

Video

This could be the most important video you ever watch. It teaches you how to practise one of the most important (and often most difficult!) commands Jesus gave us: forgive one another.

In this message I also cover:

– How each of us have been given a different capacity for life, depending on the individual call we have
– How that capacity can be damaged and decreased
– How words can crush the human spirit
– What you can do to get your capacity back
– How to enter the process of healing from even the worst betrayal or rejection life can throw at you

This is session 2 of 3 from a conference at Ellel Ministries Pierrepont called ‘Jesus Heals Today’. To watch session 1 click here.

>> More info about David Steele

Big Questions, Deliverance, Healing, Video Teaching

Why Is The World In Such A Mess? ¦ Video

Video

In this teaching I answer some key questions, such as:

– If God is a God of love, why is there so much suffering in the world?
– What does it really mean to be born again?
– Why did Jesus have to be born through a virgin?
– What is the biblical basis for the healing and deliverance ministry?
– Why does Satan seem to have so much power in this world?
– When we have issues in our lives that will not go away, what are some of the possible roots?

This is session 1 of 3 from a conference at Ellel Ministries Pierrepont called ‘Jesus Heals Today’.

>> More info about David Steele

Devotionals, False Prophecy, Idolatry

Cars, Houses and Husbands ¦ Devotional

Scripture: The idols speak deceitfully, diviners see visions that lie; they tell dreams that are false, they give comfort in vain. Therefore the people wander like sheep oppressed for lack of a shepherd. – Zechariah 10:2

A friend of mine once received a prophecy telling her she was going to get married very soon. The ‘prophet’ even told her the name of the guy she was going to marry, which happened to be the name of a guy she’d had her eyes set on and had been praying for some time that one day he would be her husband. Finally, God had given her the confirmation she needed (or so she thought)! Her excitement was bubbling over and her heart was now full of hope and anticipation of the love story that was about to unfold.

The love story never happened. He married someone else. She was utterly bewildered. Had she missed God’s plan for her life? Or if he wasn’t the man for her, how could she have been so deceived? The prophecy seemed so accurate, it answered her heart’s cry and yet she found herself confused and broken-hearted. Did God lead her into a trap? If He really loved her, how could he have let this happen?

Sadly my friend had never learnt the spiritual truth that idolatry can attract false prophecy.

How many times have you heard of a person receiving a specific prophecy that seems like it’s straight out of God’s mouth? It promises that in a specific time period they will receive the very thing they’ve been waiting, hoping and praying for (such as the perfect car, house or husband). It can include the most accurate details that the ‘prophet’ could never have known without some kind of supernatural knowledge.

The only reason we can find in scripture for such a prophecy to occur is if the person receiving the prophecy has an idol in their heart. Ezekiel 14:4 says ‘Therefore speak to them and tell them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: When any of the Israelites set up idols in their hearts and put a wicked stumbling block before their faces and then go to a prophet, I the LORD will answer them myself in keeping with their great idolatry.’

The lesson is simple, if you want to avoid being deceived by false prophecy, deal with your idols. Make sure that God is number one and that nothing in your life is more important to you than Him.

This kind of prophecy brings false hope and Proverbs 13:12 tells us that ‘hope deferred makes the heart sick’. Satan would love to bring sickness into your heart by filling it with empty promises. Your heart is the wellspring of life, and my advice to you today is exactly the same as King Solomon’s, one of the wisest men who ever lived – guard it.

Prayer: Father, thank You that You love me and want the very best for me. Thank You for reminding me to guard my heart today. I am so sorry for allowing other things to become more important to me than You. I’m sorry for constantly praying for the things that I want, rather than entrusting my future into Your hands and being content with what I have. I want to say sorry for the times I’ve been disappointed with You, when in reality I had set up idols in my heart. Lord Jesus, I offer all my hopes and dreams up to You today, and I place them under Your Lordship. Thank You for being my good shepherd who takes care of every detail of my life. Please help me to guard my heart and to hide Your word there instead. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

If God has used this teaching to impact you by His Spirit, don’t keep it to yourself. Share it!

>> More info about David Steele

Source:  Seeds of the Kingdom