The Novelty has worn off!  Yes, I am officially sick of the snow.  It was nice at first.  Quite Cute.  Everything looked so beautiful.  The children were having (and are still having) such fun! The schools were closed!  The snowmen were huge.  The snow fights were epic and the sliding around was pure madness!  But now I want it to go…..

There is an epic piece of scripture found in Isaiah Chapter 1 that reads, “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool” (Isaiah 1v18).  To those of us looking out through Irish windows these days, consider and see how the snow has covered everything……as far as the eye can see……everything is white.  Snow has covered it all with its pure white cloak!

As Christians we believe that Jesus died on the cross in our stead and on our behalf.  We believe that Jesus, the pure spotless lamb, shed His blood to cover our sins.  And we believe that such was the power and the impact of this sacrificial act that all of our sins….every single one of them-past, present and future…..are forgiven and covered so that they appear white as snow.  As far as any judgemental eye or accusing tongue can see all is white.  All is covered.  All is forgiven.

Come under the cloak of Gods provision of Righteousness this day by repenting of your sin, turning back to God and asking Jesus to be your Lord, master, forgiver and God!  If you do, you will be white as snow in His Holy sight.  Wow!  Come on!  All together Now….’Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!’

Just finished with the second of our two Carol services.  Thank God for all the new faces and the opportunity to sow ‘life’ seed into hungry hearts.  To God be the Glory and praise!  Let me share with you what I spoke on this evening.

The Gospel of Mark is amazing in the way it gets off the mark (no pun intended!).  There is no reference to what we know as the nativity story, as found in Matthew and Luke; or any mystical leanings as found in the introduction to the Gospel of John.  Mark dives straight in, quoting the Prophet Isaiah, “Prepare the way for the Lord!”  This reminds me of my favourite Carol.  ‘Joy to the world’ and the line, ‘Let every heart prepare Him ROOM!’ (I know you had the tune in your head as you read the lyric!!)

The famous Christmas story tells us that when Mary and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem, there was NO ROOM in the inn.  Jesus, the Son of God and Son of Man grows up and as the world groans for a saviour Jesus begins His salvation ministry.  As he goes around a very small part of planet earth mankind and history conspire to declare that there is NO ROOM for a loving God and His message of love.  Jesus is crucified after just three years of ministry and service.  But He does not stay dead!  He is the resurrection and the life and as His Spirit of life ministers in our world this very day our crowded hearts and minds, schedules and programmes declare to God, ‘I am sorry but I have NO ROOM for you!’

My fellow travelers, time is short, life is hard and we are weary.  Let us make every effort to ‘Prepare Him ROOM’ this Christmas for He is the only one who can lead us into the freedom and ROOM we all long for.  Only He can lead us into a good and spacious land!!

God bless you and yours this Christmas and throughout 2010,

Love in Christ

Seán and Susan

We had a great Sunday yesterday!  It was just one of those days when it all worked, when the presence of God in all meetings took my breath away, when the love and unity expressed among each other was real and when the word and the Spirit combined to reach and touch many souls….including mine.

I think the ‘thought of the day’ prize went to Jeff Lucas for a powerful point made in our evening service.  Speaking from Luke 15 and what we call the ‘Parable of the prodigal son’, Jeff referred to the point in the story where the father cries, “ ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. ²³ Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. ²⁴ For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.”

Jeff described a tradition at that time whereby an individual who had brought disgrace or shame upon his/her family or family name would be met on the outskirts of a the town or on the boundary lines of the homestead by a group of people whose sole purpose was to express to the returning son or daughter the fact that they did not want anything to do with that person ever again.  That ’sinner’ and ’shamer’ was dead to the family, the town and the community.  They did not want him/her in their area ever again!

The parable from Jesus though, paints an utterly different picture.  It expresses the joy of a Father at the return of a lost son.  It expresses sheer loving abandon as he runs to welcome his son and, the story, expresses immense urgency as the father cries “QUICK!”  Why?  Because the father wanted to make sure that grace reached his returning son before judgment!  Wow!  The father wanted grace to win the race.  As ever, grace won!  Isn’t it amazing!

You know, if you turn toward home tonight and come back to trusting Jesus the Christ, the Father will make sure that grace gets to you before judgment comes to cut you off and send you away!  The Father wants you to hear one word tonight: “QUICK!”

Luv Seán

I committed my life to Christ when I was 12 years of age at a Revival Tent meeting in Shankill, Co. Dublin!  I am 40 now and I can truly testify to the faithfulness of God, to my family and I, through all these years.  Truly, He is Lord and He is magnificent.

Of late I have been reintroduced to an ‘old friend’ called Grace.  You may know Grace.  My experience is that much of the time I live like I don’t know ‘her’.  I see that I can sing amazing grace and yet live in stifling law!  But recently as we got reacquainted I was left awe struck and reeling at the magnitude of love, acceptance and forgiveness that is mine on a daily basis.  I can live as a Kings kid or as a slave.  I can live with a skip in my step or carrying the ‘weight of the world’.  I can live in joy or I can live in sadness.

So, to cut a long story short, I have decided to move in with Grace (my wife is delighted!) and I have renewed my commitment to the God of Grace and the Grace of God.  Is it time you got reacquainted with Grace?…..it could change your life!

Slán agus Beannacht (good bye and blessings)

Seán

I was reminded of this series this morning as I read from Ephesians chapter 4.  In verse 27, Paul warns us by writing, “Do not give the enemy a foothold”.  In this text and context Paul is referring to anger as a foothold where the enemy can get in and wreak havoc.  As I read, I was challenged to think of areas in my life that are vulnerable which could offer the devil a starting block!  Satan is definitely someone who lives by the idiom, ‘give him an inch and he’ll take a mile’!   It can be the smallest thing, the tiniest moment, the weakest of habits or the fastest of glances yet Satan can use this to get a foothold.

The Bible makes it clear that, It is the smallest bit of yeast that can get in and works it’s way through the whole batch of dough.  Let’s not be foolish and lazy but let’s be wise and alert.  These are critical days.  We are all needed in the harvest field!  There is nothing Satan would love more than to have you and I in a stranglehold of condemnation, guilt and sin.  But it does not have to be this way.

If it all starts with a little foothold, let us ask ourselves this day, ‘what am I offering my enemy as a foothold?’  Give it to God in prayer, have faith in the power of the blood of the lamb and keep in step with the Spirit.  It could save your walk!!

Bless you all,

Seán

Just finished watching the ‘Late Late Show’ here at home.  The show is, I believe, the longest running chat show in the world!  So there!

Two guests tonight were pointing to, arguing for and joking about the none existence of God.  As Richard Dawkins was plugging his new book and Jimmy Carr was larking about in true comedic sense, the ‘nonsense’ of faith in God was being expressed very strongly.  Mr Dawkins was contending that we people of faith were very much deluded and Mr Carr was joking that he had out grown his ‘imaginary’ friend.  They were proud to be atheists.

I couldn’t help thinking about the scripture that says, it is the fool who says in his heart ‘There is no God’ (ps 14 v 1 ).

God bless

Seán

Thanks for your patience.  Much has happened since I ’saw’ you last.  The most impactful happening was a source of both joy and considerable pain…..Yes, I turned forty years of age!!  Please don’t laugh!

It’s funny the way ‘milestones’ (as distinct from millstones!) cause you to think and look at things differently.  As I have pondered (very deep!) on my forty years ‘a growing’ I have come to one conclusion……God Is Faithful!

Through the years when I knew Him not, He was faithful.  When I started out in the faith and I didn’t know my backside from my elbow, He was faithful.  When I started taking baby steps into Christian activity and made many a mess, He was faithful.  When I was faithless, He was faithful.  When I was sinful, He was faithful.  When I was lonely and confused, He was faithful.  When I was all worldly and proud, He was faithful.  When I was exhausted and broken, He was faithful.

My friends, I don’t know if you know Him, but I can assure you that if you come to Jesus Christ right now, He will show himself faithful.  I can say this with great assurance because I have forty years experience!!

Bless you all.  Love Seán

As I ponder on all that came to pass over these past few days I see that the common thread in all these experiences is… ‘Commitment’.  The wedding in Wicklow of two committed Christians, making a commitment of a lifetime to each other, surrounded by a committed group of family and friends, was a joy to behold.  The 40th birthday was a celebration of Gods committed blessing upon us all, a celebration of lasting, committed relationships and a celebration of life!  It was very moving.  And the ‘Fun Day’ for the kids was an exercise in love from a group of people committed to showing some children from ‘over yonder’ the love of God and the face of caring humanity.  Beautiful!

For all of this though, the most emotional I got was at the childrens service in Greystones on Friday.  This was not just the last service for this years two week outreach, it was the last service with Rev Robert and Christine McMullen at the helm.  Robert has been attending this mission as a leader, every summer, for the last 31 years and he has been overall leader for the past 25 years.  Now, that’s commitment!  As we gathered to praise God and honour Robert and Christine, a young man spoke about the time he gave his life to Christ Jesus at this beach mission.  Powerful stuff!

Sometimes we wonder on the brink of a choice or a decision or a new direction, if commitment is worth all the effort, strain, pain, focus, input, dedication, time and energy? On the strength of a lone weekend in my life the answer to that would be a resounding ‘Yes’!

Who or what are you committed to?

Love ya….Seán

Just here on the threshold of a U2 weekend!  Great excitement and anticipation wash over me any time my mind wanders onto the upcoming gigs.  I bought tickets for the Monday concert and my Aunt (Godmothers are great!) bought me tickets for the Saturday concert as a birthday gift!!  I cannot wait.

As U2 prepare to come home and play Dublin I got to thinking on the early Church, as recorded in the book of Acts, and how they lived in a constant state of anticipation.  They anticipated the Lord’s coming back every day!  They anticipated saved souls!  They anticipated miracles!  They anticipated the moving of the Holy Spirit!  They anticipated much and to my knowledge were very rarely left disappointed or sorry.  I’m praying here that the Lord increase my ‘Anticipation’ for Him and the things of His kingdom.  I want to get so caught up in Him that ‘I’m at a place called vertigo!’

Here’s to the rock and the rock that rolled!  See ya

Seán

For all the enjoyment and all the rest, I have to say that, it was a great moment turning the key in the door and getting home.  I know, I know, it’s an often quoted cliché, but truly there is no place like home!  Home is a safe place.  A familiar place.  A place where you belong.  A place where you can be yourself.  A place where you are loved as you are.  A place where you can play U2 on full volume!

In the midst of pigs and ‘pig muck’ the prodigal son ‘came to his senses’ and started in the direction of home.  He thought, ‘Being a servant at home is better than being a prodigal with pigs!’  Home, though, does not seek servants.  It seeks after ’sons’.

Child of God, Isn’t it time you came home?

Love Seán