http://doneganonstuff.blogspot.com
I've now moved to a new blog where I'm posting daily thoughts.
Click below to go now:
doneganonstuff.blogspot.com
This is the final post here...
Friday, January 25, 2008
Friday, January 18, 2008
One small step - one giant leap...
I was walking in the hills with my friend Martin Garner recently, when I came upon this staircase (pictured above.) I couldn't see to the top of the hill or to our destination. I just had to take the next step and make some progress.Just lately, a series of people keep asking me the same question. It's usually something like, "I'm not sure what the big long term picture is. God hasn't shown me yet. Therefore I don't know what to do now in the present."
The truth is that while God gives us all a vision for our life, if we ask him, he never shows us the whole picture. If he did that it would terrify most of us. Waiting for God to reveal your whole future is a stupid pointless activity. What God offers is to tell us the next step. That's why the Psalmist wrote, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."
(Psalm 119:105)
When we are in the dark and we have a lamp or a torch, we can only see the next step. We look to the glow of the lamp and step one step into the light we have. God's word gives us enough light to take the next step. So if you are frozen in fear of making a mistake and waiting for the 'big picture', just stop. Chill out. Just ask Jesus to show you the next step. To give you a word that will be a lamp to your path and a lamp to your feet.
Discipleship with Jesus is a journey. So as long as we are moving and in the general right direction, it's OK. Mistakes are not the same as sin. God cannot steer a stationary car so we need to move. But we don't need the whole map just now, just the step. Each small step of obedience builds to an accumulated giant leap after time. What is your next step?
--------------------------------------------
Listen online at: www.doneganpodcast.co.uk
Don's books available at: www.rsvptrust.co.uk/resources.html
Thursday, January 17, 2008
2008 is going to be great!
Seven is the number of completion. Eight is the number of new beginnings. As we move into 2008 it’s a new beginning. When we think of beginnings we think of Genesis - the book of beginnings. In Genesis 2:10-14 we read:
As God puts Adam in the garden of Eden, we read of four rivers that flow from the garden of the relationship between God and Adam.
I believe 2008 is going to be great and that God is sending four rivers to flow in your life. As we look at the names of these four rivers we can see what God wants you to flow in this year.
Let’s look at the names of these four rivers God put in the garden for Adam.
1. The first river was called Pishon which means "increase"
‘Increase’: in the dictionary is described as to ‘become or make, greater in size, amount, intensity or degree’
God wants to make your influence for him greater in size, amount, intensity or degree’
He wants you to increase in wealth and finance - it speaks of a river which flows through a land where the gold is good and which is filled with precious stones. And as this river flows into your life you will see supernatural increase.
Psalm 1:3 describes a man planted by the river like this:
“And whatever he does shall prosper.”
Increase is the first flow that will come to your life in 2008. It may come as a promotion, unexpected success, an inheritance, a change of job or career, or a new platform for ministry. Increase is coming. 2008 is going to be great!
--------------
The second river was called Gihon
Gihon literally means "bursting forth".
It was one of the four rivers of the Garden of Eden
and also the name of a spring near Jerusalem where Solomon was anointed king - where he burst forth as a king.
It’s a bursting forth, a breakthrough.
"bursting forth": is described in the dictionary as - ‘to break suddenly and violently apart, spilling the contents, typically as a result of impact or internal pressure; to be so full as to almost break open; issue suddenly and uncontrollably as though from a splitting container; be opened suddenly or forcibly (like a door)
This is the second river that will flow into your life this year. The river of breakthough or bursting forth. Something may have been holding you back through circumstances or timing. But get ready because the supernatural breakthrough is coming to take you up to a new level with God. It may come forcibly, it may cause controversy, but don’t fear the break though will come.
When a dam bursts it initially makes a mess but when the dust settles things are changed forever and there’s no going back. Once Israel had crossed the Red Sea and the Egyptian army had been drowned there really was no way back to Egypt for Israel. the situation was changed forever and they were free.
Then we need to look at our character. It took God two weeks to get Israel out of Egypt but it took Him forty years to get Egypt out of Israel.
Get ready for your breakthrough. This is the second river God is sending to you.
The Third river was called Hiddekel which means "rapid"
This river is better known as the Tigris
Hiddekel means ‘Rapid’ which means - ‘happening in a short time or at a fast pace’ (of a river, fast flowing and turbulent)
This third flow will happen very rapidly. It will be going faster than you want it to go so you’ll feel things are out of control. But really God will be in control and you will need to trust him. Something that most of find very hard to do. Rapid also means fast flowing and turbulent - like white water rapids. Most of us would not take part in white water rafting - it looks dangerous. But this flow from God may feel like just that. You need to get in the raft and hold tight!
The fourth river was the Euphrates which means "fruitfulness"
The dictionary says fruitful means - ‘producing much fruit, fertile, producing good or helpful results, productive, producing many offspring’.
In 1996 I visited a monument to John Speke in Uganda. John Speke was accredited with discovering the source of the Nile at Lake Victoria. I remember standing by that great river and seeing the power of its flow
These four rivers will come with a powerful flow. The question is will you get into the flow or stand and watch them go by?
In Genesis 2:15-17 God explained to Adam that this flow, this blessing, was dependant on our walking in obedience with God.
Get ready because God is sending these four rivers into your life in 2008 - increase, breakthrough, rapid change, fruitfulness.
2008 is going to be great!
----------------------------------------
You can listen to this message online at:
www.doneganpodcast.co.uk
“Now a river went out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it parted and became four riverheads. The name of the first is Pishon; it is the one which skirts the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. And the gold of that land is good. Bdellium and the onyx stone are there. The name of the second river is Gihon; it is the one which goes around the whole land of Cush. The name of the third river is Hiddekel; it is the one which goes toward the east of Assyria. The fourth river is the Euphrates.”
As God puts Adam in the garden of Eden, we read of four rivers that flow from the garden of the relationship between God and Adam.
I believe 2008 is going to be great and that God is sending four rivers to flow in your life. As we look at the names of these four rivers we can see what God wants you to flow in this year.
Let’s look at the names of these four rivers God put in the garden for Adam.
1. The first river was called Pishon which means "increase"
‘Increase’: in the dictionary is described as to ‘become or make, greater in size, amount, intensity or degree’
God wants to make your influence for him greater in size, amount, intensity or degree’
He wants you to increase in wealth and finance - it speaks of a river which flows through a land where the gold is good and which is filled with precious stones. And as this river flows into your life you will see supernatural increase.
Psalm 1:3 describes a man planted by the river like this:
“And whatever he does shall prosper.”
Increase is the first flow that will come to your life in 2008. It may come as a promotion, unexpected success, an inheritance, a change of job or career, or a new platform for ministry. Increase is coming. 2008 is going to be great!
--------------
The second river was called Gihon
Gihon literally means "bursting forth".
It was one of the four rivers of the Garden of Eden
and also the name of a spring near Jerusalem where Solomon was anointed king - where he burst forth as a king.
It’s a bursting forth, a breakthrough.
"bursting forth": is described in the dictionary as - ‘to break suddenly and violently apart, spilling the contents, typically as a result of impact or internal pressure; to be so full as to almost break open; issue suddenly and uncontrollably as though from a splitting container; be opened suddenly or forcibly (like a door)
This is the second river that will flow into your life this year. The river of breakthough or bursting forth. Something may have been holding you back through circumstances or timing. But get ready because the supernatural breakthrough is coming to take you up to a new level with God. It may come forcibly, it may cause controversy, but don’t fear the break though will come.
When a dam bursts it initially makes a mess but when the dust settles things are changed forever and there’s no going back. Once Israel had crossed the Red Sea and the Egyptian army had been drowned there really was no way back to Egypt for Israel. the situation was changed forever and they were free.
Then we need to look at our character. It took God two weeks to get Israel out of Egypt but it took Him forty years to get Egypt out of Israel.
Get ready for your breakthrough. This is the second river God is sending to you.
The Third river was called Hiddekel which means "rapid"
This river is better known as the Tigris
Hiddekel means ‘Rapid’ which means - ‘happening in a short time or at a fast pace’ (of a river, fast flowing and turbulent)
This third flow will happen very rapidly. It will be going faster than you want it to go so you’ll feel things are out of control. But really God will be in control and you will need to trust him. Something that most of find very hard to do. Rapid also means fast flowing and turbulent - like white water rapids. Most of us would not take part in white water rafting - it looks dangerous. But this flow from God may feel like just that. You need to get in the raft and hold tight!
The fourth river was the Euphrates which means "fruitfulness"
The dictionary says fruitful means - ‘producing much fruit, fertile, producing good or helpful results, productive, producing many offspring’.
In 1996 I visited a monument to John Speke in Uganda. John Speke was accredited with discovering the source of the Nile at Lake Victoria. I remember standing by that great river and seeing the power of its flow
These four rivers will come with a powerful flow. The question is will you get into the flow or stand and watch them go by?
In Genesis 2:15-17 God explained to Adam that this flow, this blessing, was dependant on our walking in obedience with God.
Get ready because God is sending these four rivers into your life in 2008 - increase, breakthrough, rapid change, fruitfulness.
2008 is going to be great!
----------------------------------------
You can listen to this message online at:
www.doneganpodcast.co.uk
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Beautiful on the Mountains - NEW BOOK
The autobiography of Don Egan, founder of the RSVP Trust. When tragedy stuck it looked like it was all over. But then an amzazing oportunity opened up in Africa to transform thousands of lives. And so the RSVP Trust was born.
The book also tells of Don's search for miracles and how the blind received their sight as Don prayed for them. Told with a mixture of humour and gravity the story embraces scenes from Don's childhood in Manchester through to his encounter with the Rwandan genocide.
"The moving story of an ordinary man following the extraordinary call of God. A joyful and tearful roller-coaster that will cause you to reflect about your own life.''
J.John - The Philo Trust
COMING SOON! AVAILABLE FROM MID DECEMBER 2007
Book - Price £7.99
RSVP Shop
Monday, September 17, 2007
Don Egan & RSVP are now on Facebook...
View the Don Egan/RSVP Facebook pages at:
www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=599592311
You may have to join Facebook to see this profile.
There is an RSVP Group for friends of RSVP. Join this group for special news updates.
www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=599592311
You may have to join Facebook to see this profile.
There is an RSVP Group for friends of RSVP. Join this group for special news updates.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Paul Poulton runs London Marathon for RSVP
The marathon went really well, thank you to everyone who sponsored me, the Rwandan orphans and the RSVP Trust will be blessed by your willingness to give and I'm sure the Lord is pleased.
Marathon day was a hot day, in fact I heard it was the hottest London marathon ever, so most people were running slow, which meant we were running for a long time, almost 5 hours. It was hard to get past people and you have to go with the flow, quite a lot slowed right down.
One in seven people were treated by the medical people for heat related problems. But the crowd support was excellent and very encouraging: "Cam on my san" as they say in London.
There were a lot of bands playing music along the way and some church bands were playing songs too. At one pub there was a very realistic Elvis singer, I enjoyed that, and a hot blues band at another, the music helps to spur you on, so many different styles of music, the Sikh drummers were fabulous, the Jazz bands and brass bands all helped, Music is such a great encouragement that God has given to us.
I met some great people as we all ran together, I got talking to one guy from New Jersey, he was doing his one hundred and first marathon.
The marathon is run over 26.2 miles, and because we were running so slowly my legs started to hurt around mile 13, the last 6 miles were tough but the Holy Spirit was with me, the Parakletos: "One who draws alongside to help". The Holy Spirit kept me going as He drew along side to help me.
My legs hurt little bit more with every successive mile, but I managed to keep going without stopping to walk which I was glad about. There's also no doubt about it, people who had sponsored me also kept me going, I was also thinking, "I hope these Rwandan kids appreciate this".
It's quite emotional too, the crowds really get behind the runners, and when you cross the finish line, it's easy to see how some runners collapse as emotional wrecks.
Running the marathon is a great parallel to running the race of faith, keep going, it gets hard some times but the Holy Spirit will draw alongside to help. Be aware that He is there and call out to Him, till we all get to that finish line. I'm also grateful for the scripture verses that people reminded me about, that helped too.
The day before the marathon Lorraine, Isaac and I spent some time in London and we had lunch at some beautiful fountains that people could walk in and out of, I noticed that there was a plaque at the fountains that quoted Psalm 1:3 "He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers." I thought about those words and trusted God to prosper me, and get me to the finish-line.
Paul Poulton
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