Revelation 3:20(NKJV)

20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

Jesus is enough.

The world seems crazy with Pokemon go! I was up big hills as I call it, and I just noticed many many people just wandering around aimlessly staring at their phones. How odd!

I wandered around looking at the real world noticing wonderful creations that are not pixilated. That have far greater complexity than the code that was used to write this program.

Some doves that I wandered into whilst not looking at a phone!

I had a vision many months ago where everyone was inside, all staring at their devices as life drained out of them, unaware of the world around them. I believe this is coming true. When the interest on computer screen outweighs the natural world for many. When we spend more time staring at our phones and tablets rather than connecting with the creator above, experiencing life and dreaming possibilities – there is something drastically wrong. This didn’t just start today with Pokemon, but with TV and any media that distracts us from using our brains and imaginations.

On wandering down to Christ Church on Victoria Road in Fulwood I discovered that some children had been wandering down because it was designated as a “Pokemon gym” – but on trying this app out and seeing what it was all about I discovered I was faced with three phrases which in the end turned me away.

“This is a gym a place where you test your skills at pokemon battles” – The church is the real spiritual gym where we learn and pray to be great warriors for God.  Check out Ephesians 6:10-12 The Whole Armor of God 10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

“It looks like you don’t have much experience as a pokemon trainer yet” – God calls all and uses his Holy Spirit through Jesus to empower anyone regardless of experience. – Just think of how inept Moses thought he was! Exodus 4:10 10 Then Moses said to the Lord, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.”)

“Come back when you’ve reached level five” – God calls all with no discrimination – equally we have to cast our sins on Him. Matthew 11:28-30
28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

So I switched off the phone and journeyed into the real Spiritual Gym that is Church! I sat and prayed, and read the bible, and got myself ready for the spiritual battles ahead, because I know all too clearly that there are battles each day and I need to be trained through Jesus to conquer this world and its distractions and sins.

But unlike the Pokemon gym – All are welcome no matter what level you think you are, you are all created as special in God’s eyes. Everyone is loved from before you were born.

No matter who you are, what you have done, Jesus is enough. He is God. He created everything and set us here on this course, together hurtling through space. You don’t need to have done any good works to come to Jesus – just open the door, after all it stands unlocked. Imagine that, a door with a big sign on it “unlocked” – does it not just give you itchy fingers to push the door open and stare inside? No special routines, no rituals, just open the door and listen. Don’t worry He will teach you everything no matter who you are or where you have come from or where you are.

You don’t need to be special, a certain class of person or a certain level. Go on and peer through…

You see a pleasant way forward, beautiful, and easy path. But there is a cost. You can’t go through with your baggage, go on give it all to Jesus.

After all He is the “Door-man” – John 10:9.

There is much in life that seeks to distract us from fighting the real battle. That is the spiritual battle with the devil. He is real and he does seek to propagate his volley of lies and deceit so that we follow his earthly sinful ways. So when we turn to Jesus I believe we do need to train, to train in prayer so that we can be strong spiritual warriors. The church is a place that you can do that, and all are welcome. And yes how often the churches do get it wrong.

How odd that this so called Pokemon gym has a fish swimming around on the top! The early Christians used this secret sign to say they were Christians. The symbolism is coincidental but the man holding up the ball also reminds me of the apple at Eden.

But we are on a journey and there has never been a journey that has been without cost. I struggle daily with the sin that confronts me. Whether to conform to the world or follow Jesus, and all the time I follow Jesus I get a little bit closer to that final journey to be with Him.

He is enough to completely destroy anyones sin.

Dear Lord 

Help us all to realise the sin we all have within our hearts.
Let us hold you up in Glory for your sacrifice your Son gave us through,
His death and His resurrection to new life for all who turn.

Amen