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"(I ask) that according to the riches of His glory He may grant you to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." Ephesians 3:16-19, ESV

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about expectancy - expecting more of the fullness of Jesus in every part of your life.  After all, He said that He came that we might have and enjoy life; life to the full.

Last night at Collide, our mid-week meeting where everyone gets opportunity to share whatever God is doing in their lives, a chance to share little bits of our stories, or whatever, I was sitting in the next room with my crying baby daughter enjoying the worship, the stories, the revelation and I remembered something that seems small but is actually quite significant in my how my expectation of Christ at the centre of every aspect of life has shifted in recent months.

I've never been someone who gets sick often, but historically when I do, I do so in spectacular style - a simple cold ending up as 3 days straight in bed with raging fevers, for example.  On Tuesday, completely out of the blue at around 2pm, I felt myself getting sick - very sore left ear, sharp pain in the throat, slight fever, a little dizzy.  Not good symptoms.  First reaction was to text my wife and let her know I'd likely need to go to bed when I got home - also not good since I usually take over looking after our daughter to give her a break.

Then it occured to me - I don't have to settle for this.  So I didn't.  I told those symptoms the truth of Jesus' sacrifice, meaning I don't have to settle for the brokenness of this world and just accept that sickness is just the way it is.  Jesus paid that price so suffering illness is not necessarily part of my destiny.

And within 30 minutes, as quickly as it all came on, it was gone.  A change in thinking, in my expectation, in my approach to prayer, and a small victory was won.

It's only a little thing, but from little things - big things grow ;)  Expect God to work in the smallest areas of your own life, and as you see Him doing that, your expectation of seeing Him work big things will seem less daunting.  We limit Him by our thinking, but there's so much more of Him to experience and enjoy.  Let Him give you life, life to the full.

If you've not already done so, you might like to listen to our podcasts, which form the basis of most of the posts on this blog. You can find links on our website, our Facebook page, or our app, which can be found by searching for "Exchange Church Belfast" in iTunes, the iOS App store or Android app market.

"I ask Him to strengthen you by His Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength—that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite Him in. And I ask Him that with both feet planted firmly on love, you'll be able to take in with all Christians the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God." Ephesians 3:16-19, MSG

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"But as for me, I will look to the Lord and confident in Him I will keep watch; I will wait with hope and expectancy for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me." Micah 7:7, AMP

By way of possibly unnecessary explanation, after 3 months of virtual silence, this blog is getting a reboot.

The lack of writing certainly hasn't been for a lack of things to say and share about what God is saying and doing, merely a lack of time.  Or rather, an intentional refocus of the time I once spent writing into living life more fully in the season my family has been going through.  And it's been a great season : new job, new home, new baby.  My hands have, very literally, been full.

But it's now time to be intentional about ensuring there's a little margin in there to write again.

Last night, at a meeting with a lot of my favourite people - people I get to serve with and do life together with at Exchange - there was much anticipation about the future of our church family.  But at the same time, there's a "holy discontent".  There's more, so much more, to living life to the fullest, and we're not only wanting that, we're expecting that.  It's a subtle mind-shift, from knowing it's possible, to expecting it to happen. So every single day, we're expecting to see God's hand move in extraordinary ways in our own lives and the lives of all those who call this place "home".  And we're going to celebrate every miracle; the big flashy ones, the barely noticeable ones, and all the ones in between - all are gifts from God, and a glimpse of the gloriously abundant life He wants for us.

By being intentional about building and encouraging a culture of expectancy, we're not going to ignore the disappointments that come along either.  The world we live in is a difficult, imperfect place, and there's going to be hurts along the way - but rooted and grounded in God's unfailingly immense love and His free-for-all covering of grace that Jesus bought for us, we can be real with each other about the journey - the good, the bad and the ugly, knowing that the bad and ugly are ultimately refashioned into good by God's love.

So we rest in the knowledge that His love never fails, never gives up, never runs out.  We can't fail to see Him, feel Him, touch Him, hear Him when we are secure in who we've been made to be through Him, and expect Him to be in the midst of our every moment.  It's counter-cultural to this "me, me, me" world - placing God in His rightful position at the centre of our lives - but as one of my very favourite verses reminds me, "the church...is not peripheral to the world; the world is peripheral to the church".

Let's shake up the culture we live in and create a new one.  One that expects love, expects good, expects miracles : expects God.  The world won't be able to resist.

If you've not already done so, you might like to listen to our podcasts, which form the basis of most of the posts on this blog. You can find links on our website, our Facebook page, or our app, which can be found by searching for "Exchange Church Belfast" in iTunes, the iOS App store or Android app market.

"But me, I'm not giving up. I'm sticking around to see what God will do. I'm waiting for God to make things right. I'm counting on God to listen to me." Micah 7:7, MSG

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"So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ." Romans 10:17, ESV

Once again, it's been quiet around this little blog corner of the world.  But at the same time, it's got a whole lot louder over on our Twitter feed, as recently we've started "live tweeting" our services.

What does that mean?

It means that little nuggets from the message as sent out over Twitter as the service is actually taking place - mostly on Sunday, but also our mid-week meetings too.  As the person doing this live tweeting is my wife, who is in her 3rd trimester of pregnancy, it may not happen every week, but if you've not yet checked out our twitterings, you should take a look over at http://twitter.com/ExchangeChurch.

While you're at it, if you've not "liked" us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/ExchangeChurchBelfast), you might want to do that too, to join our extended on-line family.  We've also got a new website in the final stages of production too, but in the meantime, you can check out the latest addition to our online media offerings : Exchange TV, featuring high-definition videos of our weekly talks.  So now you can watch us as well as hear us.

Of course, if you're in Belfast, we'd love to see you at our church too, so please come along - we meet Sundays at 11am, though from Sunday 3 July throughout the summer we'll be meeting at 10.30am.

And lastly for this public-service-announcement-cunningly-disguised-as-a-blog-post post, we're starting an evening service on 11 September 2011.  We'll be giving more details about that over the summer.  Or winter, if you're in that hemisphere and possibly planning a visit.

If you've not already done so, you might like to listen to our podcasts, which form the basis of most of the posts on this blog. You can find links on our website, our Facebook page, or our app, which can be found by searching for "Exchange Church Belfast" in iTunes, the iOS App store or Android app market.

"The point is, Before you trust, you have to listen. But unless Christ's Word is preached, there's nothing to listen to." Romans 10:17, MSG

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"The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and You in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that You sent me and loved them even as You loved me." John 17:22,23, ESV

Throughout the Bible, we see that God is a relational God.  From the very essence of His being - three-in-one; Father, Son & Holy Spirit all in relationship - to His covenants with His people, to amazing grace made available to all who receive His love, God is all about relationship.

And a vital part of how He wants us to be in relationship with each other is His established Church.  I'm not talking about tradition or structure, this is about family.  Sure a family is going to have tradition and structure, and it's going to need some organisation in order to function effectively, but more importantly a family is a place to be loved unconditionally, to learn how to relate to one another, to have the freedom to wrestle with tough questions, and quite simply, a place to live.

Talk of the Church age being over misses the point that the church age is over when Jesus returns.  Until that amazing day, the Church is where our relationship with God is nurtured by practicing relationship with others who love God.  It's only in getting these relationships healthy that we can effectively build relationships with those who don't really know how much God loves them and longs for them to also be part of His family.  It's what we were made for.

If you've not already done so, you might like to listen to our podcasts, which form the basis of most of the posts on this blog. You can find links on our website, our Facebook page, or by searching for "Exchange Church Belfast" in iTunes, the iOS App store or Android app market.

"The same glory you gave me, I gave them, So they'll be as unified and together as we are - I in them and you in me. Then they'll be mature in this oneness, and give the godless world evidence that You've sent me and loved them in the same way You've loved me." John 17:22,23, MSG

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"...Christ loved the church...that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word..." Ephesians 5:25,26, ESV

There's an increasing number of Christians who think that church happens whenever and wherever they meet with one or two others.  And while there's an element of truth in that, it's not the whole story.  But it fits with the individualistic culture that has been growing and growing in recent times, so people often don't even think to question it, especially when combined with the almost inevitable hurt we endure in our church experience.

But if we're only relying on the universal church - our personal relationship with God, devoid of regular, meaningful contact with diverse groups of His people - we're missing out on God's plan for our lives.  The universal is vital, but without the local, it's not doing what it's been designed to do.  It's what Jesus was talking about when He talked about hiding a lit lamp.

The local church - God's family meeting together in communities across the globe - is how the universal church impacts the world around it; it's by God's design, the place where our relationship with God can be nurtured, where His love shines brightest, where we are built up and equipped with all we need to take His love to world.

So no matter your past experience of "the church", don't be fooled into thinking you can understand all you are in Christ and be all God wants you to be without it.  Jesus gave His life for the church, and when we focus on Him and come together in His name, we really can change the world : it's exactly what He's got planned.

If you've not already done so, you might like to listen to our podcasts, which form the basis of most of the posts on this blog. You can find links on our website, our Facebook page, or by searching for "Exchange Church Belfast" in iTunes, the iOS App store or Android app market.

"Christ's love makes the church whole. His words evoke her beauty. Everything he does and says is designed to bring the best out of her..." Ephesians 5:26, MSG

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"They are planted in the house of the Lord; they flourish in the courts of our God" Psalm 92:13, ESV

Knowing God is something we long for (even if we don't necessarily recognise it) and just like truly knowing a person requires a relationship that goes beyond a single dimension, so does knowing God.

His word (His truth) outlines ways He intends for us to know Him, and it's clear that being part of a local church community isn't an optional extra in how He wants us to do life with Him.  God knows that to truly know Him, we need to be part of a family that really loves and cares for each other, and that's what the church is designed to be.

Knowing Him is about way more than knowing the truth about Him, it's about belonging to His family - and like all families, it's not always easy.  But when you realise it's about Him, and not about you - somewhat ironically, that's when you start to discover who you really are.

If you've not already done so, you might like to listen to our podcasts, which form the basis of most of the posts on this blog. You can find links on our website, our Facebook page, or by searching for "Exchange Church Belfast" in iTunes, the iOS App store or Android app market.

"...transplanted to God's courtyard, they'll grow tall in the presence of God" Psalm 92:13, MSG

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"...David said to Saul, "Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him." 1 Samuel 17:34,35, ESV

Lions & bears are both animals known to be dangerous to humans, and while they generally avoid contact with us, if they feel threatened they will attack.  Few people would think that fighting lions or bears almost bare handed would be a good way to spend the day.  Even with modern weaponry, most people stay well away. Lions & bears are unpredictable, strong and have ample ability to injure or kill.

Yet it was in fighting lions and bears that a young shepherd boy became prepared to fight the most feared soldier in the enemy army, and he was able to do it because he was sure of who he was, and that God would not fail Him.  David knew His God so well that he was sure God would not abandon him as he took on those lions and bears each time his flock was threatened.  Natural human flight instincts were overruled by a choice to stand, knowing God is greater than any of His creation!

We all have areas in our lives where we need to be overcomers, our own personal lions & bears to fight that left unchecked will continue to cause harm and perhaps even kill us.  Things we need to fight, where passively waiting for some change in circumstances isn't the answer.  And like David knew where he stood with God and so could stand and fight, we have even greater assurance through the gift of grace Jesus secured for all of us.  God's character is unchanging, and just as David knew He would not be let down fighting lions, bears and uncircumcised Philistines, He won't let us down.

If you've not already done so, you might like to listen to our podcasts which form the basis of most of the posts on this blog. You can find links on our website, or by searching for "Exchange Church Belfast" in iTunes, the iOS App store or Android app market.

"David said, "I've been a shepherd, tending sheep for my father. Whenever a lion or bear came and took a lamb from the flock, I'd go after it, knock it down, and rescue the lamb. If it turned on me, I'd grab it by the throat, wring its neck, and kill it." 1 Samuel 17:34,35, MSG

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"...put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness." Ephesians 4:22-24, ESV

For any relationship to function as it should, there needs to be an ever-growing mutual knowledge of each party to the relationship.  There's always something more to know, more to discover, more to understand - and it's likely a great amount of what you find out will be about you as much as the other person/s.

So how much greater is it to be in a functional relationship with God!  Because while He already knows all there is and ever will be to know about you, you've got an eternity of perfection to know about Him.

Perhaps it would be easy to throw your hands up and go "too hard" when faced with something that big, but the prospect of knowing God isn't something to be daunted by.

Knowing God is a beautiful thing.  When you know God, you understand who you are because of what Jesus has done for you, and when you really know Him - like David knew Him - all those problems that seem too hard to handle get smaller, and your ability to deal with them gets bigger.  That doesn't happen instantly, and when those big problems are looming large, God's help may seem out of reach - but if you never start the journey of getting to know Him better day by day, you'll still be in the same position : with insurmountable problems and no better equipped to handle them.

Being satisfied with God's grace and its sufficiency for you depends on knowing God.  If you don't really know Him, your understanding of just how good He is and just how much He loves you.  And the best thing (for me anyway) is just when you think you know Him well enough to really understand the hugeness of His love, He shows you that you've still got more to learn.  The journey of knowing Him is life-long as He 'reproduces His character in you'.

If you've not already done so, you might like to listen to our podcasts which form the basis of most of the posts on this blog. You can find links on our website, or by searching for "Exchange Church Belfast" in iTunes, the iOS App store or Android app market.

"...we do not have the excuse of ignorance, everything - and I do mean everything - connected with that old way of life has to go. It's rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life - a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces His character in you." Ephesians 4:22-24, MSG

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"Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." Mark 11:23,24, ESV

When you feel you're in the midst of mass uncertainty, severe pain, impossible situations, physically speaking to your problems is probably the furthest thing from your mind.  And it's likely because you've not been used to speaking out during those times when life is peachy.

We live in a fallen world, it's inevitable that you're going to come up against something that's less than perfect, so put that mustard-seed faith to work in every situation that isn't exactly as it should be.  If you wait until you come up against something really big, you'll be out of shape and un-prepared.

For what you speak to reflect an overflow of a heart filled with an abundance of God's love and grace (Matthew 12:34), walk closely with Him, speak with Him, and speak with His people. That way when you tell your problems Who's really important in your life, you're not actually trying to convince yourself as much as you are trying to convince the problem!  When you're sure when you speak, nothing can stand in your way.

If you've not already done so, I recommend listening to our podcasts which form the basis of most of the posts on this blog. You can find links on our website, or by searching for "Exchange Church Belfast" in iTunes, the iOS App store or Android app market.

"...nothing will be too much for you. This mountain, for instance: Just say, 'Go jump in the lake' - no shuffling or shilly-shallying - and it's as good as done. That's why I urge you to pray for absolutely everything, ranging from small to large. Include everything as you embrace this God-life, and you'll get God's everything." Mark 11:23,24, MSG

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You may or may not be wondering where the posts have disappeared to this week!  I'm currently in Liverpool with Bluetree as they record their new album, and certainly at least in the early studio sessions I'm not going to be getting over here to update the old blog.

In fact, I should be recording what's happening right now.  So until after April 17, posts on here may be sporadic.  Or non existent.  So use the time you'd usually spend reading this blog to listen to the amazing podcast of the most recent talk at Exchange Church as Aaron & Jill Boyd share their family's experiences in healing and living in the now and the not yet.  It's definitely worthy of repeat listens - so soak it in.

And always remember : you are loved by God more than you can conceive, nothing you do ever changes that, and He always wants the best for you - life and life to the full.