[Friday's Devotional] - Releasing Life

Today we complete our look at the 8 Essential Qualities found in healthy churches, we have considered Empowering Leadership, Gift-Based Ministry, Passionate Spirituality, Inspiring Worship, Holistic Small Groups, Need-Oriented Outreach and Loving Relationships. Finally we come to Effective Structures.

The bible doesn't give a model or blueprint for church structures and an historical church like the Church of England has some pretty rigid and inflexible structures that we can do nothing about. But within those limitations a healthy church will have Effective Structures that enable it to fulfil all its functions and responsibilities well. Structures that will also be flexible and ready to change as circumstances change. Too often structures and old ways of doing things can become a barrier to growth so we need to be constantly asking ourselves if these structures are relevant to today and how might things be done better and more effectively.

Is there something in your life which needs to change? Are you still doing the same things but hoping for a different result? If we can see areas in our lives where there needs to be improvement or something different, we need to change what we are doing or how we are doing it. Is God prompting you right now about an area in your life? What will you do about it with His help?

When a church is healthy in these 8 areas we have been considering it can only grow. Just as a plant with the right environment – with water, heat, light and nutrients - it can only grow. In my new role I will be coming alongside church leaders and leaderships and helping them address these issues in their churches.

Please pray that God will continue to prepare me for this new role and pray for the family of m2o as it goes on seeking to be faithful to God's calling upon each member – to live the life, share the faith and build the body.

Martin Saxby

[Thursday's Devotional] - Expressing Love

We have nearly finished our look at the 8 Essential Qualities found in healthy churches, we have considered Empowering Leadership, Gift-Based Ministry, Passionate Spirituality, Inspiring Worship and Holistic Small Groups. Today we consider Need-Oriented Outreach and Loving Relationships.

We are not all called to be Billy Grahams or J Johns but we are all called to share the love of Jesus. This is Need-Oriented Outreach. The world is tired of being told what to do and what to believe but people never tire of being loved and Need-Oriented Outreach is expressing the love of Jesus by meeting the needs of the people in our communities. Healthy churches have all been found to be doing this in some way or another and it is demonstrated in much of what we do on Overslade and through ministries such as Hope4, Foodbank, Healing on the Streets, CAP, Street Pastors and so on.

We can all play a part in something, using our gifts and passion to express the love of Jesus. What is it that you do?

In healthy churches there is a high level of fun and laughter evident and these are outwards signs of the next quality characteristic, Loving Relationships. Authentic love endows a church with a much greater magnetic power, real love spreads a scent that few can resist. Jesus encouraged us to make sure we were in a right relationship with each other, and maybe right now he is reminding you of someone you need to say sorry to and inject a bit of laughter back into your relationship with them. He will help you to do it!

Martin Saxby

[Wednesday's Devotional] - Experiencing God and Life

As we have been looking at the 8 Essential Qualities found in healthy churches we have thought about Empowering Leadership, Gift-Based Ministry and Passionate Spirituality. Today we move on to Inspiring Worship and Holistic Small Groups.

There is no right or wrong style of worship, what is seen in healthy churches is that those who attend, find the worship an inspiring or uplifting experience. So the next quality is Inspiring Worship. Rather than being an obligation or spiritual duty, worship is something they would not miss. When we did a survey on this at m2o a few years ago we discovered that a significant proportion of people did not prepare themselves internally for worship and so arrived in church in a hurried and distracted frame of mind.

Very often what we get out of worship is in direct proportion to what we put into it. Try to find space to prepare yourself for your encounter with God each week.

We have had home groups or small groups at m2o for longer than most people can remember but for some it can be a mixed experience. Research has shown that healthy churches have Holistic Small Groups where people not only discuss the bible and learn from books or the leader but actually apply the biblical lessons to the questions members have about everyday lives. And more than that, they do all the church does but on a smaller scale – pastoral support, prayer, worship, outreach and using one another's gifts.

What could you bring to your Small Group to help it become more holistic, or how could you help other groups become as good as yours?

Martin Saxby

[Tuesday's Devotional] - Passion at Work and Worship

Today I'm going to continue our look at the 8 Essential Qualities found in healthy churches.

Yesterday we thought about Empowering Leadership, today we move on to Gift-Based Ministry and Passionate Spirituality.

Gift-Based Ministry is at the centre of the Network Course that many of you have done over the years. Getting to understand the way that God has made us, recognising not only our spiritual gifts but the things we really care about and our personality and using them to make sure we are fulfilled in our service in church and making a difference in people's lives. It's no good someone with a passion for older people helping in the children's groups or for someone gifted in administration to have to teach a group of teenagers. Churches grow when people are doing what God has called and equipped them for.

What ministry are you involved in? Is it fulfilling, using your gifts? If not, don't just jack it in, but talk to one of the church leaders about how you might be better used. If it is fulfilling, tell someone how great it is to be doing what you are doing!

We can get all sorts of ideas about what is meant by Passionate Spirituality but it doesn't mean someone swinging from the chandeliers in exuberant worship. Passion is not necessarily shown in an outward display, it is something going on inside us, something we care deeply about. In healthy churches people are passionate about their faith, about Jesus and about living for him.

How would you rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 10? Pray today that the Holy Spirit would re-ignite your desire for Jesus and for serving Him.

Martin Saxby

[Monday's Devotional] - Healthy Churches

I was almost as surprised three weeks ago to be announcing my departure from m2o as everyone else was to hear the announcement! From March next year I shall be working across the whole Diocese of Coventry as Healthy Churches Mentor. What is a healthy church?

A lot of research has been undertaken to establish what is the best environment for a church to grow in, to discern what makes for a healthy church. My new role will be sharing those insights and helping churches develop the 8 Essential Qualities found in healthy churches. And over the next 5 days we'll be looking together at these.

The first quality found in healthy churches is Empowering Leadership, that's not about the Vicar but about whether all those in leadership positions within the church empower others to fulfil their roles – to equip, support, motivate and work with others to help them become all that God wants them to be.

There are great examples of this in the bible – John the Baptist who prepared the way for Jesus (as we are remembering this week in Advent); Barnabas the encourager who enabled and supported Paul in his ministry, and of course we see it in Jesus in the way he chose his disciples, trained them up and then released them as the first leaders of the fledgling church.

Who can you empower by getting alongside them, supporting them, encouraging them and helping them to believe in themselves, so that they can become all God wants them to be? Pray for them now and how you can do that.

Martin Saxby

[Friday's Devotional] - Celebrate

In October m2o is screening the film "58: Fast. Forward. The End of Extreme Poverty"

I do hope you will be able to get your ticket and come to see this film. It tells the story of the incredible work of God's people in our hurting world. It is a celebration which will inspire us to recognise that caring for the poor is not an option but the heartbeat of Jesus' mission.

It is not all doom and gloom, it is good to recognise the impact of what God is doing through you and to celebrate!

Some tips for celebrating:

• Seek out the reasons for celebration – the evidence, the stories, the lives changed.
• Celebrate in prayer by thanking God for the good things you see in the fight against poverty.
• Celebrate in your conversations by pointing out the evidence and sharing the stories of hope.
• When you pass milestones -- completing a fast, funding a project, receiving a project report - share the good news!

Decide today to get your ticket to see "58:" and celebrate what God is doing through you!

Follow these links for more information about:

• the sermon series "Just Living"
• the film "58:"
• how to order tickets for the Rugby showing

Martin Saxby

[Thursday's Devotional] - Give

Giving is critically important to help towards ending extreme poverty but it is neither the beginning nor the end!

God is looking for a change in our hearts, he wants us to be motivated by love for the poor, not guilt. And he wants us to engage with the needs of the poor, not salve our conscience by sending off a few quid somewhere!

Regular giving to support the work to eradicate extreme poverty, given out of love and compassion, is an essential part of the process. If we are engaged with this issue we will want to make regular gifts to support the poor through whatever means we decide – a church based project, a Christian organisation, etc – to support work in this country or overseas.

It is good to give the same amounts regularly but then to be able to make one off additional gifts, perhaps from money you have saved through fasting.

Of course giving isn't just about money. We give when we pray for a project, the people doing the work, and the people in the community. We give of our time and voice when we tell others what we are doing and invite them to join. Some projects may even offer an opportunity to give of our talent by getting directly involved.

Some tips for giving:

• Join with the church or your Small Group to support a project or ministry.
• Invite friends to join you in funding your project.
• Consider fasting to increase your giving.

What can you change today in the way you give?

Martin Saxby

[Wednesday's Devotional] - Unite

We are all better together.

The churches ending extreme poverty seems like a wild hope but Scott Todd in his book "Fast Living" demonstrates to the sceptical how it is not as fanciful as we might image. If you have 2 1/2 minutes to spare watch this video now

Scott explains how we can make a difference and we can see how the churches and Christians of Rugby have been able to make a significant impact for the poor in our town by uniting and working together under the Revive umbrella. Here are just some of the initiatives that none of the churches could have done on their own:

• Street Pastors
• Christians Against Poverty
• Foodbank
• Soup kitchen
• Hope4
• Healing on the Streets
• World of Difference

If we engage together with our church, with other groups or with our friends we can maximize our impact for the poor and play our part in ending extreme poverty.

It's not only our engaging with specific actions which make a difference, it is also the multiple decisions we make each day as to how we live our lives – things like the items we purchase, the clothes we wear, the amount of fuel we use and the things we throw away.

How will you engage with others to serve the poor and work for the end of extreme poverty? What can you do today?

Martin Saxby

[Tuesday's Devotional] - Shout

Isaiah 58 begins with a call to shout out about the wrongs in society and in people's lives, to shout out about God's concern for the poor, the homeless and the hungry, to cry out against injustice.

We can take action to end extreme poverty by telling others. Here are some ways you can start "shouting:"

Some tips for shouting:

• "Shouting" is just telling others and inviting them to take action.
• You can shout any way you want: by email, by Facebook, by Twitter, by text or - you could even talk to them!
• Shouting matters because the more people you tell, the greater difference you can make.
• Start with your friends and family, but realize the power of your Shout. You can use your voice to let the church or even government leaders know they need to take action as well to end extreme poverty.
• Learn more about Shouting and the biblical mandate for it.

This last tip is so important, we need to know and understand about the issues we are shouting about – reading "Fast Living" is a great way to do that, another is to use the resources available to Small Group leaders to discuss and learn about these issues in your Small Group.

How will you shout out today about the poor?

Martin Saxby

[Monday's Devotional] - Fast Living

I have been really challenged in my thinking in recent months and I shall be sharing much of this on Sundays at 11am from 16 September as we embark on a series called "Just Living". We shall confront the challenge to live justly, looking at global issues of poverty, justice, the environment, compassion and how as Christians God calls each one of us to respond to him in these areas.

Isaiah 58 calls us to true fasting which pre-echoes Jesus' manifesto in Luke 4:16-21 and Micah's call for us to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with God.

I'd encourage you to read that chapter of Isaiah now – Isaiah 58.

I've also been reading "Fast Living – How the Church will End Extreme Poverty" by Scott Todd, this book looks at the true fasting God requires that we see in Isaiah 58. This is an audacious but achievable goal. For more information see www.live58.org/about - a website promoting "58:" which is a global initiative to end extreme poverty by living out Isaiah 58.

God's heart is for all people but many have identified in Jesus' own ministry what some have called a "bias for the poor".

As we "live 58" there is a place for fasting, shouting, uniting, giving and celebrating – we'll explore these this week.

Caring for the poor is not an option but the heartbeat of Jesus' mission. We align our heart with God's heart through prayer and fasting.

Some tips for fasting:

• Realize fasting is an ancient spiritual practice. Don't take it lightly.
• Start small with maybe just not eating a single meal.
• Don't limit yourself to food. You can fast from media, bad habits, certain situations, etc.
• Realize that fasting and prayer are interrelated. Fasting a meal without prayer is just a recipe to be grumpy from low blood sugar!
• Give up small things over a long time, say going without chocolate or alcohol for several weeks. The amount of money you save adds up and can help fund a project.

What is the true fast God is calling you to live?

Martin Saxby

[Friday's Devotional] - Sharing God's Word Boldly

With 24 hours gone, and still another 50 to 60 hours to go, our m2o Bible reading marathon has a long way to go!

Thanks for coming along yesterday if you managed to make it at all – don't forget you can also pop in today and over the weekend, especially for the entire story of the bible in 50 minutes on Saturday.

On Sunday we hope to be able to let those who are at church know approximately what time the reading will finish, do come along with a picnic at that time and join in the great celebration as we complete this challenge.

On the Sunday evening those who have been involved in running the event will pack away all the equipment, the Bible exhibition and tidy up. But one thing they won't be packing up is the bible! The bible is unlike any other book, once read we need to keep it with us to read again and again. I am often amazed how I can read a passage in the bible that I have read so many times before, but I notice something I hadn't noticed before!

It's as though I am reading it for the first time and God's Spirit reveals new truths, new insights to me – of course he will do that for you as well.

Paul writes to the Christians at Ephesus "Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." 6:17 And in Acts we read: "After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly." 4:31

It is clear that it is the Holy Spirit at work in us and who reveals God's truth to us in his Word. The very fact of being filled with the Holy Spirit equipped the early Christians to speak the Word of God boldly.

Today, will you speak the Word of God boldly? To do this you need to invite the Holy Spirit to fill you and as you take up the Word of God to love it, to learn it and to live it (as Rick Warren encouraged us to do), you will share his Word with others and give them the opportunity of eternal life.

That's what we are seeking to do through the Bibleathon – do come and share with us over the weekend and then keep reading and keep sharing the Word through the marathon of your life.

Martin Saxby

[Thursday's Devotional] - On Your Marks, Get Set, Go!

Today's the day – the Bibleathon gets underway!

You may have been there at the launch at 8am, or you may be reading this before we have actually started – please pray that all the arrangements for the event will go well and that nothing prevents people hearing the Word of God.

We recently involved hundreds of school children in a bible reading competition which generated a great deal of excitement and the competition final was held at the end of last month. Some of the children from St. Matthew's Bloxam School, St. Oswald's School and the Harris School will be involved in reading the bible during our marathon today and tomorrow. This process has exposed the children to the Word of God and consequentially teachers and parents.

As we shared in our 40 Days in the Word adventure during Lent we learnt for ourselves different ways of meditating on the bible and we discovered how sometimes the bible can speak to us personally and specifically in a powerful way. My prayer is that God will do just that through the reading of the scriptures this weekend for all who hear even the shortest bit.

I pray too, that as you read his word today you will hear his voice speaking powerfully into your life – but there is one requirement for that to happen … yes of course, you have to read it!

In response to temptation Jesus said to Satan:

"It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" Mat 4:4

Do come along to St. Matthew's & St. Oswald's at any time night or day over the next 80 hours to encourage those reading God's Word and to feed on them.

Martin Saxby

[Wednesday's Devotional] - Words of Eternal Life

We begin the Bibleathon tomorrow outside St. Matthew & St. Oswald's at 8am – it would be great if you could join us on the way into work for the grand beginning of our marathon reading of God's Word.

But why are we doing this at all and why stuck outside the church during daylight hours? Quite simply we believe, as the bible says, that it contains "the words of eternal life" John 6:68 and it is our duty and responsibility to share these words of eternal life with others.

Just reading out the words as people pass by on foot, in cars, in buses and lorries may seem a fruitless task but we believe that some of the words that we sow will land in good soil and will bear fruit in the lives of people in our parish.

In Isaiah it says:

"so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." Isaiah 55:11

We believe that God's Word spoken over the people who pass by in New Bilton will indeed bear fruit and achieve God's purposes. As school children, MPs, Councillors and others respond to the invitation to join is and read the Bible, God's Word will impact their lives too.

It would be sad for God's Word to be working away in all these people during the Bibleathon and for others, including us, to miss out! Do come along as much or as little as you can, come and witness the proclamation of God's Word in our community and get a taste of what God is doing in our midst.

Martin Saxby

[Tuesday's Devotional] - The Big Picture

The last minute preparations are well underway for the Bibleathon, we are also have a bible exhibition and a live audio/visual presentation called "The Entire Story of the Bible in 50 minutes". The bible exhibition will be full of interesting exhibits and three times of Saturday 19 May there is a chance to see the presentation, at 10am, 12 noon and 2.30pm.

Mike Fuller's fast and furious telling of the entire story of the bible in 50 minutes is funny, entertaining and very informative. One of the problems we have in reading short passages of the bible is that we never get a feel for the whole book – where all the bits fit together.

I was born and brought up in London for most of my childhood and I knew all the various sites to see but it didn't have a clue where they all were. It was only when as a teenager I took myself off into the centre of London that I realised how Westminster Abbey, Whitehall, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus etc were all linked together and quite close to one another.

So with the bible we need to spend some time in the whole book to get an idea of how it all hangs together and not just pick on our favourite bits.

The presentation this Saturday will certainly help you do that, so I hope you'll make an effort to be there and invite others. But you don't have to wait until then, why not set yourself to read through Mark's gospel in one sitting sometime this week – it really doesn't take very long, and as you read it that way you'll realise what an exciting story Mark tells – a story that has changed the world.

Martin Saxby

[Monday's Devotional] - From Beginning to End

This week at m2o we are embarking on an exciting adventure together as we read through the whole bible from cover to cover, without stopping, day and night. We think it will take us between 75 and 85 hours. So, starting on Thursday morning, we expect to finish sometime on Sunday afternoon. It's a marathon reading of the bible, so we've called it a "Bibleathon".

Over the four days we shall be reading about 775,600 words, 31,100 verses, 1,189 chapters and 66 books by over 40 different authors!

Why are we taking on this enormous challenge? The bible says of itself:

"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." Hebrews 4:12

The bible is a powerful weapon and its words are challenging as we encounter them. Sometimes we just can't be bothered to read the bible. Other times it is too uncomfortable or too challenging, because as we read it, the words reveal the truth about ourselves and we don't always like what we see.

But it is only as we are honest with God about our true selves that we can find forgiveness and fulfillment in life.

I hope you will be joining in this adventure – it's not too late to sign up to come and read, simply ring 01788 330442 and we can put you down for a slot. But you don't have to wait until later this week, you could read the bible right now and ask God to reveal something of himself to you – but watch out, it can be dangerous!

Martin Saxby

[Friday's Devotional] - A Book unlike any other book

Jesus said that knowing and applying the Word of God creates the foundation for our lives:

"Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock." Matthew 7:24 [NIV]

In order for us to become Christ-like we must become living translations of God's Word. The Bible is unlike any other book – it is alive. When God speaks our lives are transformed – but that can only happen by making the Bible the authoritative standard for our lives, the compass we rely on for direction, the wisdom we listen to for making decisions and the measure for evaluating everything.

The Bible must always have the first and the last word in our lives.

As we begin to prepare for our adventure in 40 Days in the Word next year, my prayer is that this will become a life-transforming experience as we love the Word of God more, as we learn more of God's Word and as we Live out God's Word.

In today's reading form Malachi, chapter 3 verse 8 we are warned against robbing God, Malachi goes on to explain how his hearers were robbing God by not paying the full amount of the tithe into the Temple. They were claiming one thing and doing another.

The reality is that we will often say that we believe things which in fact we don't! We cannot just say that we believe the Bible, like some kind of book of theories – we demonstrate that we believe it when we do it – so with tithing we might say we believe in tithing, but unless we actually tithe we don't really believe in it and we are robbing God if we don't!

To be a healthy disciple of Jesus, feeding on God's Word must be our first priority, Jesus called it "abiding". He said "If you abide in my word, then you are truly disciples of mine" John 8:31 [NIV]

May you abide in God's Word today and every day and be transformed to become the disciples Jesus made you to be.

Please pray for every member of m2o and others who may be drawn in, as together we embark on the adventure of 40 Days in the Word next year.

Martin Saxby

Read the Bible in a Year: Psalm 144:1-8; Malachi 2:17-4:6; Revelation 7:1-17

[Thursday's Devotional] - Living the Word of God

Loving the Word of God is one thing, learning the Word of God is another but they are both a waste of time and ultimately pointless if we do not live the Word of God. James writes:

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. James 1:22 [NIV]

One of the aspects of the 40 Days in the Word campaign will be encouraging us to put the Word of God into practice. One way is that we will be encouraged in our Small Groups and across m2o to take on a Micah 6:8 assignment, an act of service in our local community. In Micah 6:8 it says:

He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8 [NIV]

This echoes the words of our Psalm 143 today:

Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground. Psalm 143:10 [NIV]

Teach me to do your will!

We can know our bible upside down, inside out and back to front, but if it doesn't impact our lives it is all for nothing.

Rick Warren (the author of The Purpose Driven Life) says he has been asked what is the best translation of the bible many times and he always replies: "the best translation is when you translate it into your life".

As you read the bible today ask God how you are to translate it into obedient action today.

Martin Saxby

Read the Bible in a Year: Psalm 143:1-12; Malachi 1:1-2:16; Revelation 6:1-17

[Wednesday's Devotional] - Learning the Word of God

It saddens me that so many Christians have a slight anxiety about Jehovah Witnesses appearing on their doorstep. Very often the reason I am given for this fear is the belief that the JW understands and knows the bible better than the Christian does. It is rarely the case that a Jehovah Witness really does know their bible well – they only learn certain key passages and use a dubious translation – but sadly it is probably true they know it better than many Christians!

That surely should be enough motivation for us to learn, know and understand the word of God!

During our 40 Days in the Word campaign next year we will be discovering a number of new ways to read and study the bible and learn how to meditate on the Word of God. My prayer is that we will learn, know, and understand the bible like we have never done before – that our knowledge would be transformed – no longer feeling inferior but confident in God's Word.

If you have kept up with the Bible in a Year, this month you are reading through the book of Revelation, we are also studying it in my Small Group where we are using the Omega course. Too often this is a book that Christians have avoided as too difficult to understand, yet that hardly seems a responsible approach to the word of God!

God has given us his whole Word and we need to persevere not only in the habits of reading it, but in studying it and seeking to understand it and learn from it. And one day we will join together in worship as John saw it in the Revelation:

Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honour and glory and power, for ever and ever!" Revelation 5:13 [NIV]

As we learn God's word today, may he prepare us for that day when Jesus will come again and the whole earth will worship Him.

Martin Saxby

Read the Bible in a Year: Proverbs 30:11-23; Esther 9:1-10:3; Revelation 5:6-14

[Tuesday's Devotional] - Loving the Word of God

In my experience I do the things that I really want to do and the more I love something the more I want of it. That can be really bad for you – chocolate for example! But it is not true in every case. Falling in love with someone produces a physical yearning for that person within you, like an ache.

It seems to me that the greater our desire for God and his word the greater will be our intensity in seeking to spend time with him and reading his word. Part of what I hope we will all experience through the 40 Days in the Word campaign next year is for us to fall more in love with God's Word. That we might yearn for it and long to spend time with it in God's presence, that we might love the Word of God like we have never done before.

David writes of his yearning for God in today's psalm 142 when he says in verse 1 "I cry out to the LORD with all my voice" – right now David is in trouble, hiding from his enemies in a cave, so he has a vested interest in God coming to rescue him! But don't we always have a vested interest in crying out to God, in seeking his help, to protect and defend us, and most importantly to rescue and redeem us!

Father grant to me a longing within me for you and your Word, that with the psalmist I might cry out "Oh how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long" Psalm 119:97

Martin Saxby

Read the Bible in a Year: Psalm 142:1-7; Esther 6:1-8:17; Revelation 4:1-5:5

[Monday's Devotional] - Keep your eyes on God

At the start of 2011 we encouraged everyone to spend more time in bible reading as part of the celebrations of the 400^th anniversary of the King James Bible. We particularly encouraged people to try to read the bible in a year. Many of our devotionals through the year have followed the readings that we have included at the bottom of each day.

I wonder how well you have done. I have to admit that I have struggled at times and have not always completed the readings set for the day. I comfort myself by thinking I am probably not alone, but I would be delighted to hear from those of you who have been able to keep to it throughout the year!

The truth is that it is not easy to stick to a routine of bible reading but God's Word is worth persevering with – especially as we recognise that within scripture are words of life and eternal significance!

In 2012 during Lent we shall be following a programme right across m2o in all our services, Small Groups, youth and children's work and other activities, called 40 Days in the Word. My prayer is that this will be life changing for each of us as individuals, as a church, and as we serve our local communities in direct response to the Word of God, being not only hearers but doers of the Word.

Today's Psalm 141 reminds us in verse 8 that we need to keep our eyes on God – faithfully coming to Him each day, and reading God's word is one of the ways we keep our eyes on Him – and as our eyes are focussed on Him, so everything else comes into perspective and we are equipped to live for Him in all we are doing.

Esther was faithful against enormous odds and with her life under threat – let us keep our eyes on the Lord as we encounter Him in His Word day by day.

Martin Saxby

Read the Bible in a Year: Psalm 141:1-10; Esther 2:19-5:14; Revelation 3:7-22