Category Archives: Abi Burton

Looking Higher

By: Abi Burton

Psalm 37: 1-7

“Don’t worry about the wicked or envy those who do wrong. For like grass, they soon fade away. Like spring flowers, they soon wither.

Trust in the LORD and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart’s desires.

Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust him, and he will help you.

He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.

Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.”

I have been thinking a lot about being satisfied and appreciating all that I have; not just looking to what is next. For me, this passage in Psalms is basically describing success as God sees it; not in the way the world judges, but as we are meant to measure it.

A couple of things really stand out to me:

1) This is about the long term

             2) Don’t compare yourself to others

The psalmist writes “wait patiently” and “don’t worry”; those things that others have that you want (promotion, nice clothes, fancy cars) “soon fade away. Like spring flowers, they soon wither.” He’s not saying they aren’t attractive; just like spring flowers they are beautiful and attention grabbing. He’s also probably not saying that we can’t enjoy them if we have them in our lives. But the challenge is not to make them the focus – if being able to acquire the ‘spring flowers’ is what drives us forward then we are missing the bigger picture; those things are temporal but what God has for us, if we choose to take it, is eternal.

The second thing that jumps out at me from this passage is that when it comes to you, God is interested in you. His plan for you is uniquely yours. If you “trust in the Lord and do good then you will live safely in the land and prosper”. If you “take delight in the Lord” then “He will give you your heart’s desires.” This plan is tailor made for you! God knows exactly what makes you tick, your heart’s desires, and His plan is to fulfill them in your life. The only premise is to trust Him- but who greater to trust than God himself? His plan for my live is certainly greater than anything I could have dreamed up for myself.

So focus your attentions on that which lasts – the success that God brings has greater value than just the spring flowers:

“He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.”

What an incredible promise; only made possible by the one who created both in the first place.

So set your sights a little higher than the spring flowers; instead look to the sun, that which brings them life, growth and beauty in the first place- this is the plan God has for you.

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Just How Far You’ll Go

When you are filled with the Holy Spirit you will find yourself in places you never thought you’d go!
In Acts chapter 8, Phillip was surprised to see how far he was taken by the Holy Spirit. In speaking with the Ethiopian, sharing the Gospel with him and then baptising him, Phillip was certainly working with the Holy Spirit. Then in verses v39-40, he found himself transported 40 miles north to Azotus – somewhere he’d never expected to be!
The same is true of us in our own lives- when we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we often find ourselves somewhere we never expected to be; perhaps up at the front of the service bringing a word of encouragement, sharing some teaching in a 5 minute preach or leading the worship.
For me, I never imagined that I would one day find myself in front of the band, leading the worship team on a Sunday morning.
Whilst I wasn’t a shy person, when it came to singing in front of others I found myself shaking like a leaf, and my voice came out like I was being strangled! It was ages before I felt confident to sing out the front of church – let alone on my own during the sound check.
But then I had a bit of a breakthrough; someone shared at a musicians session on living with the Holy Spirit and how everything we do can be inspired by Him. It might sound crazy but this felt like news to me! I knew I could sing and that it was a talent from God, but until that point I had just thought that was where God’s involvement stopped!
From then on, even though I was still nervous, I believed I wasn’t just singing on my own; I was singing because of where God wanted to take me, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, not simply because there was a space on the singers rota.
This change in my thinking in turn changed my attitude and expectation for every service and God began to use me to sing songs from His heart or His word. I definitely never imagined to one day be so freely sharing like that, but you’ll be continually amazed by where the Holy Spirit can and will take you- it’s a journey that continues for a lifetime!

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Prayer: A New Habit

I’m the kind of person who really loves worship; I love music and dancing and singing and sharing that experience with others. This probably began with a bit of an interest, turning into the habit of putting on worship CDs and rehearsing songs in church with the musicians; then God got hold of my heart and transformed that habit into a passion that I believe will never fade away.

Now with prayer, that’s never really happened for me. I have prayed all through my life and it is always my first port of call when significant and immediate situations arise; waiting for an interview, applying for a mortgage etc. Don’t get me wrong, I totally believe in the power of prayer, but it has never before become a passion for me.

Over Christmas, I was struggling with feelings of resentment, not towards a particular person but towards a number of situations that I felt I couldn’t affect. So my mum challenged me to pray. Not for specific struggles or a major change, but to make it part of my morning routine, to begin by thanking God for the many wonderful people and things in my life.

This began to build my interest in an area that I’d never really felt connected to in the ‘everyday’ and slowly it became a habit. Despite the negative connotations of the word, I know this habit is definitely good for me! By thanking God everyday, prayer became more a part of my daily activity and then later, a part of my thought pattern.

As a result, I found myself turning to prayer more often as a response. For example, since Christmas, I have prayed for my own healing of sore throats and ears and every time found the pain gone by morning! In the last month, I have increasingly put myself forward to pray for others when the opportunity arises, such as volunteering when the church calls for 24-hour prayer support.

This habit is starting to take root and it is not only deepening my relationship with God (and for those whom I’m praying for) but it is also transforming my thinking from the limited and frustrated mindset I had not long ago, into one of assurance that there is someone greater than me who is concerned about all I face and is far more able to do something about the tough stuff than me!

I know that whilst this is not new news, I didn’t fully realise it until I saw it from a new angle, through developing a habit of prayer – one habit I won’t be trying to kick.

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As the eagle

By Abi Burton

A message was recently delivered in church which resonated with me because I found completely relevant and inspiring for where I was at in my life at the time; I thought I would share elements of it with you because I believe it has particular impact on women of God who, by nature, are perhaps more prone to ‘flapping’ than the men we know!

The message was centered on eagles; that given the number of mentions in the Bible, and some direct comparison between eagles and us, we should perhaps take a closer look at their attributes and how we can better reflect their abilities in our own lives.

“Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40 v30 – 31

Fundamentally, eagles are designed to SOAR. They are not the type of bird to be associated with flapping – pigeons, definitely yes but not eagles! An eagle’s wings are long and broad and the strength of muscle is unseen in any other bird of prey but more than this, the feathers on their wings are perfectly designed to pick up the tiniest movement in the winds as they soar. They are able to alter their direction and height dependant on what the wind is telling them. In the same way, God has designed us to soar! He wants us to be so sensitive that we pick up on the whisperings of the Holy Spirit and take direction, altering our course to stay aligned with Him.

The reason eagles are able to soar for so long is because they make full use of nature when the opportunity arises; they use thermals in the air to take them higher before gliding down to catch the next one; all accomplished with very little wing-flapping. I believe we can emulate this by being sensitive to where God is at work and then acting on what He wants us to do; who He needs us to reach out to and how He can be glorified.

Soaring is accomplished with very little wing-flapping, enabling the eagle to conserve energy. I think you’ll agree that flapping through life is very tiring! When I first heard this message, I was simply worn-out with trying to flap to achieve at work, to make a difference, to be a good friend, to be a great wife… I was relieved to hear that with God, it shouldn’t be like that. We are in this journey with Him for eternity and if we can tune our ear to hear His Holy Spirit, we will soar on wings like eagles and display His glory throughout the earth.

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Trigger Points

By Abi Burton

Have you ever thought about what the trigger is that can instantly reignite the spark of your connection to God? If asked, I would immediately say worshipping (of the musical variety). I know that instantly I hit the play button on the CD, or the band starts up in a church service, I am overwhelmed by a sense of God’s presence and instantly know my Saviour in a way that is different to any other form of being in His presence.

For some, this trigger point is prayer; perhaps as soon as you close your eyes to speak to the Lord you feel that sense of relationship wash over you, or being in a prayer meeting surrounded by other prayer warriors just sets you alight. For others, the moment you turn the cover of your Bible you just know you are going to hear from God; when a preacher speaks on a verse/chapter/story from God’s Word, you immediately connect with the teaching and know you will remember this. Maybe your trigger is found in loving other people; surrounding yourself by those who you can encourage and be a blessing to, pouring out God’s love in practical and emotional ways.

Whatever it is, that trigger point is something to be treasured because it signifies the way in which you have been created; the very way in which God has put you together is indicated by what it is that sets you on fire for Him. I know that when it has been a while since I have worshipped, I can feel quite low and far from God; on the flip side when I have been in the midst of other worshippers, or chosen to listen to worship music on my commute to work – I am so blessed! When I connect with God in this way I am both consistently refreshed and continually challenged; because of this I know it’s through worship that I am most useful to Him!

I know that God has put a calling of Worship over my life: to serve in the church with singing, leading worship and listening to His voice for prophetic words in songs. I therefore have to be disciplined to work on my skills, to spend time in my own worship, to seek His guidance over song choices for a Sunday meeting. In doing this, I am not only honouring the gift He has given me but also receiving an amazing blessing at the same time.

I was recently down to lead worship and in the preparation time, found myself so nervous that I had shaky hands and a shaky singing voice. God spoke to me and told me to worship Him “as if it was just the two of us;” when the time came to begin the service there were only 5 people in their seats so for the first 10 minutes at least it seemed as if it was exactly that! I was so blessed by His word to me and was able to lead the church in worship as He intended.

God has designed it so perfectly that in doing the very thing you have been made to do, you are blessed in the way most unique and perfect to your very being. Thank you God!

A fantastic worship song by Paul Baloche declares:

“When we see you, we find strength to face the day, In your presence all our fears are washed away.”

Whether you see God most clearly in your prayer time or having coffee with your best friend, when you open up your Bible or when you sing along to a worship album, it is in this that we find strength to face any and every circumstance that the day may bring us; not because the external has changed but because we have connected with God in exactly the way He designed, and are now most able to be a blessing to others.

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Food for the Soul

By Abi Burton

In the last few weeks, God has been challenging me about spiritual dryness; about why it’s important to keep spending time with God and feeding your spirit with ‘food and drink’ from His Word.

Well, a few days ago I got a terrible stomach bug and had fresh revelation of what happens when you become ill from a lack of nourishment… My body was empty and this is how it affected me.

The first thing was my inability to go to work. I was so exhausted and run down from being sick and unable to eat anything that I couldn’t do the job I was supposed to do. I had to call my boss and let her down for two days running.

In my spiritual life, I know that when I am not properly nourished then the first thing that goes is my ability to do the job I am meant to do- I don’t have the resource to speak to people about God because i don’t know my subject well enough to give an answer for my faith. When it says in the Bible, “from the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks” it isn’t wrong; and I’m not really in a place to change lives by what’s overflowing!

I can’t show people what it’s like to live a life that is different and rooted in the eternal; instead I am rooted in my own thoughts and opinions, my own selfishness.

The second element quick to go when I was physically sick was my ability to care for others. My family were also unwell but I was too ill to properly look after them or really even call and speak to them, to show I was thinking of them and wanting to help. In the same way, when my spiritual life is rundown I know one of the earliest signs is that my compassion begins to dwindle.

My ability to connect with those around me; my family, friends, even strangers, suddenly becomes an almost impossible task. I find myself thinking, “do I have to love everyone?”! I am irritable and unforgiving, hostile and ungracious. I used to think I was a naturally compassionate person until I began to see it in recede from my character when I was spiritually dry… And I didn’t like it.

Finally, with my stomach bug fully active I was infectious. This is probably the worst trait because it really goes against everything God is looking for and moves us more towards what the Devil is hoping to achieve through us. As soon as I caught the bug, my poor husband had it too. Being ill together is certainly binding but it isn’t pretty!

In the same way, when lacking spiritual nourishment this was one of the ways in which God truly challenged me. A few weeks back we were on holiday and having a fight; both saying things that distinctly lacked compassion and indeed did not build each other up. At one point, Benj looked at me and asked “Where is all this coming from?”. I didn’t really have an answer and was about to say as much when he followed up with “I think we’re not spending enough time with God.”

Well that stopped me – its amazing how the truth can do that – and I realised that he was absolutely right. The truth of it was that it had probably stemmed from me and spilled over into his heart, because of the symptoms I was showing such as a sharp tongue, a short temper and a generally stinking attitude. A far cry from the Proverbs 31 woman.

The amazing thing about God’s grace is that it turns all things around for good if we let Him! Being infectious is also possible when we are spiritually full; we can spill over and inspire people with our kindness, our encouragement and our gracious attitude. Jesus said, “The food that keeps me going is that I do the will of the One who sent me, finishing the work he started. (John 4:34 MSG) I want to be useful, compassionate and infectious with a message that counts.

And the great news is that, unlike  as I’ve Found with introducing food again to my delicate tummy, it doesn’t have to be a slow process getting full up again! There’s no such thing as overindulging when it comes to His Word.

 

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Remember, remember

By: Abi Burton

It’s coming up to my favourite time of the year- the nights are getting dark, the air is getting cold and a big celebration is nearly on us… But I’m not talking about Christmas! Bonfire night is just my favourite night of the year and I’m so excited as it fast approaches!In England we celebrate the survival of King James against a treasonous attack on 5th November- “Remember remember the 5th of November, gun powder, treason and plot” – with amazing firework displays and huge bonfires; alongside as many toffee apples and hot dogs as you can fit in. I love dressing up in my warmest clothes and, with hat-gloves-scarf in place, stand out in the cold night air for hours looking at the sky.I think what draws most people is the hope that they are going to be amazed.  Certainly the teams behind the displays put everything they have into making it the best display ever, knocking the socks off last year’s attempt and often ploughing more and more money into this years feat. I find the most spectacular firework displays are when the sky is clear and starry; seeing man’s version of wonder and delight against one of God’s own.

But no matter how much is spent on the display, I am always enthralled. I love seeing the rocket fly up, the Catherine wheel spin, the sparks fly and the colour rain down on the earth and all spectators.Now compare that with God’s awesome works. How good it is to be lost in the wonder of his mighty displays: of power, of love, of grace. When he continually amazes us by what he brings next:
“The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies disp
lay his craftsmanship.”   
Psalm 19:1
I want to be lost in his works just as I am lost in the colourful sky on 5th November; to experience the anticipation and diligently prepare to see all that he wants me to see. I want to lose myself in the awesome display and it all starts by coming prepared to be amazed.

And His displays blow everyone else’s out the water.

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Love Letter

By Abi Burton

My darling, I have looked deep into your heart and know everything about you.

I know when you sit down or stand up; I know your thoughts even when you’re far away. I watch over you when you travel and when you’re resting at home. I know everything you do. I even know what you’re going to say before you say it!

I go before you and I follow you. I place my hand of blessing on your head. I know, such knowledge is too wonderful for you, too great to understand – you can never escape from my Spirit! You can never get away from my presence.

If you go up to heaven, I am there; if you go down to the grave, I am there.
 If you ride on the wings of the morning, if you dwell by the farthest oceans, even there my hand will guide you, and my strength will support you. You could ask the darkness to hide you and the light around you to become night—
 but even in darkness you cannot hide from me. To me the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to me.

I made all the delicate, inner parts of your body and knit you together in your mother’s womb. You are so wonderfully complex and that’s how I made you! My workmanship is marvelous—how well you should know it. I watched as you were being formed in utter seclusion, as you were woven together in the dark of the womb. I saw you before you were even born.

Every day of your life was recorded in my book. Every moment was laid out
before a single day had passed. How precious are my thoughts about you, my darling.
They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; 
they outnumber the grains of sand!
And when you wake up, 
I am still with you.

Let me search you my precious one, and know your heart; test you and know your anxious thoughts.
Allow me to point out anything in you that grieves me, 
and walk with me along the path of everlasting life.

(Paraphrase of Psalm 139 v 1-18, 23-24)

 

Make no mistake ladies, these are God’s thoughts about you. He loves you passionately, no holding back! This is my favourite Psalm, not least because of the final 2 verses. I always read them with a sense of awe, wishing I could be that intimate with God and that I was humble enough to say those words to Him. But rather than aspiring to get there, read those last 2 verses as He means them; spoken out of love for you with a deep desire to know you better. Trust Him and you will walk together, side by side, hand in hand, heart in heart.

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Contentment of the Soul

By Abi Burton

This summer I was able to attend a women’s conference in Cambridge, UK, all about The Undivided Heart; we heard from a whole host of fantastic speakers but two that really connected for me were a talk by Baroness Cox on ‘The Privilege of Making a Difference’ and a seminar led by Faith Rawley about ‘Soaking in God’s Love’. Baroness Cox had spoken about the particular difficulties faced by the people of Burma, how they had been forced from their homes and villages by the thousands and were now wandering aimlessly; trekking through the jungles and wading through rivers with their few possessions on their backs. They were refugees, fleeing their home countries without a destination to aim for, without hope of finding rest in the near future.

 

  

Later in Faith’s seminar, we were encouraged to take time and reflect on God’s Word from Psalm 91:1-4:

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

One word instantly stood out to me: refuge. I began to understand what that really meant, seeing it that day in the context of the Burmese refugees who were walking and walking, without hope or destination. God began to speak to me about what it meant to take my refuge in Him; slowly seeing that is it more than I had ever imagined! Not only should I see my relationship with Him as a place of shelter, protection and safety but knowing God as my refuge means the opposite to being a refugee.

A refugee is someone who is being driven on without any idea true of where they are going; with God as my refuge, I am aiming straight for Him. A refugee lacks hope of ever coming to rest; my hope is rooted in God and his plan for me: “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure” (Hebrews 6:19).

Instead, we can say to our souls; “Be content.” Just as the Psalmist declared of the Lord in Psalm 46,“[He] is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging” (v1-3).

No matter what the circumstances we are in, whether the world is falling apart around us or it just feels as though it is, “The Lord Almighty is with us; [God] is our fortress” (Psalm 46:7).

This, I believe, is contentment in its truest sense. Not happiness necessarily, which is only one way in which we use the word. The definition of ‘content’ is:

Being satisfied with what one is or has; not wanting more or anything else.

This is exactly the attitude that we adopt when we can look at the circumstance around us and still say “My hope is in the Lord and his plan for me is unswerving.” I am not saying that is the magic cure for the circumstances to change, but I do believe that by looking to God rather than outwardly to the world, or from within ourselves, we will know what it is to trust in God and be at peace. As is God’s command to us:

Be still, and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10).

The beautiful truth about knowing God is that he can be trusted to take on our hopes and fears, whatever it is that we hold dear or that might cause us to run to Him. King David understood what it meant to be content; he did not pretend to have all the answers but he certainly knew and declared the Truth:

My heart is not proud, LORD, my eyes are not haughty; 
I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content. Israel, put your hope in the LORD both now and forevermore. Psalm 131:1-3

 

 

 

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Authorities vs. Authority

By Abi Burton

Acts 4 is a chapter full of rich teaching about whose authority we live under and how this relates to our everyday. Peter and John were not afraid to declare whose authority they were under; even before a hostile audience. They were thrown into prison because they were teaching the people about Jesus and all He had done – in that one teaching session, 5,000 people came to know Jesus as their Saviour and the authorities didn’t like it. The next day when they were hauled in front of the high priest and the rulers and elders, their interrogation began with this simple question:

“By what power, or in what name, have you done this?” (v7)

What an opening! It was from this launch pad that Peter began his delivery of a speech that I’m sure stayed in their minds for consideration over the days to come, as indeed it has been immortalised for us in the Word. It certainly got me thinking about how I would respond to that question and truthfully, I’m not sure it would be an especially effective message. So I thought I would have a look at what Peter did and take some pointers! There were 5 key things that jumped out at me in Peter’s address; if we applied them to our lives, I believe they could really transform how we see our authority on this Earth and just what that means in our day to day.

Ready to make a defence

Peter was ready; the moment that question came his way, he had the response formed on his tongue: ‘Rulers and elders of the people, if we are on trial today…’ (v8b-9a). The way in which he delivered his message without delay and with Scripture to support his statement – exactly the right way to address this audience – shows he had prepared himself “for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14).

Clear and exact

Peter was not afraid to be clear! Peter wasted no words on introduction, nor did he cloud the message with his own opinion or personal grievances. He presented the situation clearly and ensured he left no room for doubt as to his intended meaning: “Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead – - by this name this man stands here before you in good health.” (v10) This is not a time for moaning- it’s a time to honour God with your attitude and be clear with His message!

Bold is not ungracious

Peter was bold in his delivery, declaring to a hostile audience that Jesus is the only “name under heaven …by which we must be saved” (v12). This boldness however is not equal to an ungracious attitude. In delivering God’s message we are not at liberty to dismiss God’s very attributes! The underlying message was one of grace, Peter was willing the people on to hear the call and respond to having relationship with God.

Knowing Jesus

The reaction of the rulers and elders to this delivery is fantastic; the Bible says “they were amazed”! They could see the men were uneducated and untrained but they recognised them as having been with Jesus; isn’t that the key! Not to despise education by any means, but certainly the key to being effective when asked to account for our faith lies in knowing Jesus personally and deeply; being familiar with His Word and knowing His voice. I was struck last week by just how much extra time and preparation I put into being better at my job, outside of work, in order to become more skilled and secure a promotion to the next level. But how much time do I give to knowing Jesus better? Not as much… And that should change.

Filled with the Spirit

From the outset we know that Peter’s words were inspired by the Holy Spirit and therefore covered by God: “Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them…” (v8). This truly is the most precious gift Jesus left to us when He said, “I am going to send you what my Father has promised” (Luke 24:49). God delights to use us, it is why we are on this Earth, and He will bless the work of our hands (or mouths!) by infusing it with his Holy Spirit; so let’s get to work!

So are we ready to explain our actions to those we encounter in our lives? Like me, you may be unlikely to actually find yourself preaching to people at work or in the queue for lunch; but at some point, perhaps when we least expect it, we will be called to give an account for our actions, for our Faith. We may help a stranger and be asked by a friend why we did that. Maybe its in taking a meal round to a friend who doesn’t have the time to cook themselves; maybe you will just be asked about your relentless positive attitude! All these things are being called to account for your faith and we should have an answer.

Perhaps the right question is “How willing am I to make myself ready?” Knowing how easily the Spirit works to bring about such conversations in my life, I think it’s time I readied myself!

 

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