Growing in faith 2 & 3

I didn't blog about the second session, because I was letting it sink in and things do get busy! Part of my previous post comes from session 2 and what Bishop Zack said. He spoke about how being safe in Europe is a huge problem for Christianity. Everything that he said is jumbled on my page, but he spoke about the idols that we have - the things we believe in that stop us from being true followers. Four things - religion, church, safety and security, youthfulness. The ultimate idol is 'me' which is a message, according to Bishop Zack, that the church and society sell to the individual. His closing message was about a bucket and an ocean - you're the bucket and Jesus is the ocean. So when the bucket is thrown into the ocean, is the ocean in the bucket or the bucket in the ocean? Is Christ in your or are you in Christ?

Season 3 was Simon Ponsonby and he spoke on Romans 7:22-23. He has four points too (starting to think I might construct my next talk like this).
1. Warfare is the way of the believer - once you have said you believe, the Devil will highlight every sin.
2. The battle ground is within yourself - and every day you need to recognise that fact (which is something the Bishop of Bradwell said tonight 'We need conversion every day')
3. The battle scars are mine - you have to take personal responsibility for your sin. It is yours and you have to care about it, because that draws you closer to God, but God is at work through all of it!
4. The battle cry is Thanks be to God! All of this, in all the sin, God has the glory, Christ's is the victory!

Finally, he talked about Christoph Blumhardt, who prayed a simple prayer over a girl who was possessed by an evil spirit

'Lord, we have seen what the devil can do, now what can you do?'

Christ has defeated death, his is the victory and we need to stand in that hope! Nothing is lost if we have Christ. One more bible passage

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.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:28, 38, 39 NIV)