A Beautiful Terrible Day

Jesus was only 33 when He died.

He was condemned to die by execution on a cross - Crucifixion.

At that time Crucifixion was reserved for the very 'worst' of criminals.

I will say at the outset that every time without fail that I think of the death of Jesus and how He died it literally brings me to tears; a fact of which I am not ashamed.

Jesus' death on Calvary on that terrible/beautiful day is a bracing slap in the face to any believer who has been lulled into taking their salvation for granted.

We should never underestimate what it cost for our salvation to be available.

The false accusations; the rigged trial; the flesh-gouging flogging; The vicious punches to His face; His beard pulled out by the handful;  the irate crowds mocking, spitting and throwing rocks; the vicious outrage of the Sanhedrin; the excruciating two kilometre journey to Golgotha carrying the huge weight of the wooden cross; the nails in His hands and feet; the crown of thorns; the crushing weight of hanging on the cross.

And worst of all the sheer horror of being abandoned by his Father God.

Jesus: impaled on that monstrous tree; man's very worst creation of human suffering - bleeding and in abject agony.

He hung there tortured with the crown of thorns pressed into His scalp and down on His brow; more than likely piercing through his eyebrows. His flogged back rasping against the rough wooden cross as he gasped for breath heaving His pain racked body and pushing up by his nailed pinned feet. The whole picture of it overwhelms me.

It took three hours for him to die! YES: three hours hanging there torturously speared in the side, naked, crying out to His father in His pain and suffering as the mocking crowds spat on him and even gambled over His clothes.

The human body holds around three and half litres of blood and Jesus poured it all out for us. He could bleed no more. Towards the end of the three hours and just before he died he was simply pouring out water from His wounds - he gave everything for us to the very last drop.

Jesus had to die to open the gates of Heaven so that you and I can have access to God. So that our sins can be washed away.

It was our sins that nailed Jesus to the cross; our mocking voices screaming obscenities to Him that day; our hand that held those nails. All of us are guilty, none can escape judgement.

God knew that without punishment none can ever even hope to see Him - all of us have sinned and fallen short of his standard.

God knew that by the death of Jesus, the holy and spotless one, was our only hope of redemption; our only hope of forgiveness and acceptance into heaven.

All of us will have to give an account of our sins either by accepting what Jesus did on that terrible/beautiful day, falling at the foot of the cross and asking forgiveness and accepting Jesus' sacrifice as our own and claiming it as full payment for our own sins or....

At the very throne of God himself when it will be too late for forgiveness; mercy or excuses!

It is just so easy for us to go along with the world - pass jokes about the Holy one of God; ridicule Him, and pass him off as some sort of lunatic! Atheists do it all the time - you just have to turn on the television to cop an eyeful of the what the world thinks of Jesus. Using his holy name as blasphemy and profanity.

BUT what do you think of Him?

I know what I think! - each and every time I sin I come back to the cross; I see him hanging there for me; His blood washing me clean and I can claim that forgiveness again - so amazing so awesome!

Come to Him or maybe come BACK to him without delay - His nailed pierced hands are waiting just for you in welcome.

God chasing - Tracks in the sand!

Always doing the right thing is far too hard - far too boring!!

God's rules are outdated; outmoded and frankly I've had enough of rules rules rules!

Sound familiar? - Well who hasn't wanted to ignore God's standards and do something immediately satisfying? I know I have - heaps of times - sometimes in what seems to me to be a never ending circle of What if? OK do it? OH Sorry Lord and then off we go again!

And... who hasn't wanted to take full credit for personal accomplishments.

For all of God's love and generosity there is one thing that He will not share and that is His Glory.

He alone is God - No one can sit in His place and your best bet is to not even try!

Sure! it is just so tempting to take the reigns off God and do the 'moral shortcut' thing when simply doing the 'right thing' is just too hard.

However if we believe that God alone is all powerful; all knowing; and all loving, you also have to conclude that he is the only one with the credentials to guide our lives and basically HE is the only reason we have a life in the first place.

Now that all sounds great when you read it off like that! - easy - just hand it over to God and DaaDaa there you go - magic all accomplished! But it isn't as easy as you may think.

We can go "God chasing" as I like to call it! - Simply I mean we can do all the right things and 'chase' after God all we like but get nowhere in the long run.

Chasing God or trying to be a 'good' christian is a waste of time take it from me  - I have been there and done that. For donkey's years  I did the right things and went to all the right places.

Amazing really the more I tried to catch God on my own the harder it got until one day - the One I was trying to catch actually caught me!!

He is the only one that can change you - You can't possibly change yourself - you can try - you can bust a gut trying - you can give it 100% and still fail - because humans are so fallible and fickle - we change our minds as the wind changes.

If you try to 'chase' after God using your own strength all you will get is frustration; disappointment; embarrassment; abuse and heaps of misunderstandings.

We carry around with us our dark little secrets; our doubts and our despairs! Some weighty problems no doubt; sometimes we feel like we are walking under really dark clouds and storms about to burst right on top of us.

We simply can't do it on our own - Chasing after God is like trying to grab a whirlwind by it's tail - it is pretty pathetic to even try and if you do you will flat on your backside in the attempt.

What is interesting about feeling like this is that they cause us to focus and centre on US! The very thing that God does not want us focusing on: Ourselves.

The world loves to tell us that we 'Need to do what is right for me; I need to focus on myself.'

BUT when we stop looking at ourselves and start focusing on God - miracles can happen. He can transfer our selfish ways to His selfless ways.

After we have given up the attempt to change ourselves and come to the realisation that we aren't going to win; it is then that God can work a miracle!

The change He can make in our lives is incredible - stunning actually - amazing and awesome because God is an AWESOME God - terrifying, yet merciful and gracious - always willing us to keep going with Him, trusting and obeying him more and more.

Trade in chasing after God and become a follower of His instead - such a difference - we can't strive on our own to catch him BUT we can follow in His footsteps.

Open our hearts and wills to God - Give Him all - Love Him more than anyone or anything else - your whole life will change and change forever.

Sin will no longer have it's hold on you - you will be able to move on with your life but with a whole new meaning and purpose.

God chasing or God following - both so different; and both leaving a legacy! Choose to follow!

Following leaves clear tracks - chasing only leaves skid tracks- skidding off the path; crashing and burning!

Leave tracks as a FOLLOWER not as a CHASER! - Tracks for others to see; a lasting legacy.

You CAN make a difference as you submit to God's will; carrying the Glory of God with you as you travel the path after Him.

Leave tracks that will give a lasting impression of Jesus on everyone you meet this week.

Perfect to pathetic!

If you have ever taken the time to read Genesis you will have to agree that this amazing book written 1000's of years ago captures the sweeping story of a world that swings from perfect to pathetic; from flawless to fallen in one easy lesson.

In Genesis the reader will find a world of lust, murder, incest, lying, cheating, stealing and power grabbing.

Sounding familiar? Yes all wrapped up for us neatly in Genesis is the watershed day of just why the world is as the world is today!! What a mess.

Underneath all the mayhem though, lies the incredible story of a perfect world; a world gone wrong.

An overarching theme resonates through the tragic stories of Genesis; the hope that the perfect world of Genesis 1 and 2 will one amazing day be restored.

The making of a perfect and unstained world by an omnipotent and mighty Creator blows our tiny minds completely out of the water by it's sheer magnitude and magnificence.

The painted desert; the northern lights; the great whales; the milky way; the genetic codes that make each and every person that has ever given breath, unique, God brought them all into existence with just one word from His mouth.

You would have to be some kind of a fool not to respect a Creator with that kind of power.

But what about His creation??

The creation that was perfectly made; no rain; no direct blazing heat; all contained in what the Bible describes as a firmament, above and below - so creation existed in a kind of insulted bubble; perfectly controlled temperature and moisture. No illness, no death and no war.

Then the enemy showed us sin and we loved it - the creation was marred beyond recognition; everything went pear-shaped never to be the same again.

The firmaments above and below were shattered by God's wrath; sin, war, tragedies, illness and death reigned and will continue to do so forevermore.

And so all through the book of Genesis the reader can be transported from the heights of perfection to the depths of despair in matter of chapters and it's all so so familiar.

The world today is just a sad reflection of what happened all those years ago. There is countless wars; countless illness; death at every turn; murder; child abuse; slavery; addiction of every kind; predators; thieving; lying; deceit, world economies failing, jobs lost, families shattered apart, divorce, abortion and the list goes on ad nauseam.

The book of Genesis isn't that far removed from today's world - only the characters have been changed.

So, how do we, you and I, cope with the mess we have been landed in?

Well the great and amazing change happened 2000 years ago when God sent Jesus to make atonement for the sins of the entire world. WHY?

Well we have to pay for our sin one way or another and God knew that Jesus was the only one that could pay the price - the sinless one; only Jesus could do what Jesus did.

Instead of us paying for our own transgressions and waywardness, Jesus paid for them and for us and all we have to do is commit to Him, ask forgiveness and ask him into our lives.

Now this commitment thing is a tricky issue on it's own, especially if you have burned in the past.

It's tough to commit yourself to another person who may ultimately reject you, let alone the Creator of the universe!

God won't take your commitment for granted. He won't lose interest in you. God won't panic or reject you on days when your commitment level isn't what it should be!

Committing yourself to God may feel like a risky proposition BUT it is a risk worth taking and one that I took years ago and Hey!! He has never let me down - I've let Him down but he has never left me ever!!

Taking a risk and committing 100% of your life to God pays off 100% of the time!!

So when the tragedy of Genesis slams into your own private world and knocks you for six! - Remember who actually paid the price - JESUS!

Commit to Him and this world with all your personal tsunamis will fade into insignificance. This world is NOT the end - we have been created for Him and can look forward to eternity in perfection.

Liar Liar

Cutting corners, fudging with facts, telling 'little white lies' - the Bible says God hates all these things.

Anything less than the whole truth is loathsome and abhorrent to the Lord, who is truth personified

(John 14:6).

The implications for believers are clear. Refuse to 'spin' facts or shade the truth.

Be forthright. Insist on your integrity in your own heart and in the actions of your family.

God cannot be honoured or represented by dishonesty.

Every time we tell a lie or misrepresent the truth, we do harm. Not just to our reputations and not just to our relationship with God, but to anyone we have deceived.

If we can't be trusted to tell the truth about everyday things, how can anyone believe what we say about Christian things and living for Jesus? When we start to tell others about how Jesus has worked in our lives or about the truthfulness of the Bible, if we haven't been completely up front in our own lives why should anyone believe what we say.

So basically we can't play fast and loose with the truth.

To be called a liar is probably one of the most insulting things someone could say about us. We hear it every day though - you just have to turn on the TV set especially for "question time" in Parliament - if it isn't the Government calling the Opposition liars then it will certainly be the other way around.

The thing is, we have all lied at some point in our life; we have deceived and we have conned we may have even betrayed others and probably all for a 'good' reason, or so we thought.

Satan is the father of lies - he will tell you things that makes everything look so good, so innocent, so easy and 'it won't hurt anyone".

John 8: 44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Look what he did to Jesus - the very Son of God!  Tempted and lied to Him for 40 days in the desert. Satan attacks us now in telling us that what the Bible says is not right - That God will not judge us if we do wrong - "Do that thing - God will forgive!!"

Are you a sitting duck for Satan's lies? Are you caught up in a sin? Do you struggle with lies, sexual temptations and sins, on-line pornography? Do you struggle with urges to lie just to make yourself look good?

All of the above come directly from Satan who will tell you that what you are doing is OK - God will forgive you; He will not judge you - after all isn't He a merciful God always willing to forgive?

Well, yes God is a forgiving God and yes he is so willing to forgive us BUT deliberate and conscious sin tells me that you are not one hundred percent devoted to your Lord. We can't just deliberately sin and sin, and tell lie upon lie and not be changed.

God WILL judge - we will have to give an account of every sin we have ever done which is not covered  by the blood of Christ.

God hates lies and it is impossible for Him to lie (Hebrews 6:18). He commands us in Psalms 34:13 "Then keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies!"

Back in 2010 I personally had to come back to God after spending 14 years in a desert place far removed from God; far removed from any truthfulness; far removed from any integrity.

I could sin over and over and over and truly believe that God would forgive me somehow someday!

He brought me back with a HUGE jolt and I prayed a prayer similar to this one:-

Here is my life Father, I give it to you; I place it in your hands; forgive me Lord; take everything my thoughts; my loves; my anger; my frustrations; my money; take the lot Lord it is no longer mine. Fill me with your Holy Spirit - I want to live for you and you alone.

Don't ask me how this miracle took place? - I was and still am in total awe of Christ - he actually found me buried beneath all this garbage and lies I had told myself for years and years - He dragged me out and cleaned me up.

If He can do that for me - He will certainly do it for you.

Our God is indeed a consuming fire; burning Holy flame from His very glory; our God is indeed and righteous Judge - ruling over us with kindness and wisdom.

Our God is a mighty fortress; He is a sacred refuge for us; His kingdom is unshakable BUT

He is also a wrathful judge for those who ignore and scoff at His free gift of salvation; the liars, the deceitful and the deceived of Satan.

We need so much to keep our eyes on Him; give him our one hundred percent; our everything.

We will still falter sometimes because we are human BUT not deliberately!!

Please read over the prayer I prayed back in 2010 - please take the time and I challenge you to pray it to God from your heart and mean every word.

His Holy Spirit will work the same miracle in your life as He did in mine - God bless you.

Joe and the Egyptians

Trials, distress and adversity are common in today world - seems like every where we turn there is some catastrophe happening.

When trials come, and they inevitably will, I wonder how we will react - I know how my best friend reacted.....

David Mackenzie was only 40 years old when he was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease - This horrible disease often begins with weakness of the muscles in the arms or legs and eventually leads to total and generalised paralysis.

It was my privilege to get to know David and the Mackenzie family - I must admit I was a bit awe stuck when I met David in 2002 - here he was labouring under a death sentence yet trusting in God and actually writing a book.

David's book "Coming to Life" changed my life; He reckoned he wasn't 'going to die' in fact he was 'coming to life'.

The entire book chronicles his journey with MND from diagnosis to leaving a legacy not only for his beautiful wife Jill and children Andrew, Fiona and Scott but also to his future Grandchildren.

It also leaves a legacy to any who happens to read it - including me.

Throughout this amazing book, David asks some pretty straightforward questions and gives some pretty straightforward answers.

As his illness took hold of him more and more and he became more physically weaker, he chose to embrace his life and became a real inspiration to everyone who met him.

He always looked for the blessings in things and we both talked for hours about miracles and amazing advances in technology but basically he knew that the actual miracle was to be found in us!

It was how we coped when the chips were down - who we relied upon when we were in total distress and when the adversity and anguish had all run it's course, who in fact were we trusting?

David's faith in God totally blew me away and not just once. No matter what happens in my life - David's faith will shine like a beacon; a constant reminder of the utter loveliness of our God and how a life of faith can change lives.

David passed away on 16th June, 2007; He left behind an amazing legacy.
He was my mentor; my wise teacher and my very best friend.

So learning from David - I now realise that blessings in fact do occur in our trials and tribulations.

We can always look for miracles when everything goes pear-shaped but the amazing thing I have leaned and so often shared with David was the fact that the very best miracle of all happens in us.

God works miracles every day of the week - which actually brings me to our subject for this blog - "Joe and the Egyptians".

Joseph was the 2nd youngest son of Jacob who had in fact 12 sons and at least one daughter as we read in the Bible.

Joseph though was special; - he was the first-born son of Jacobs favourite wife Rachael. Jake had worked 7 years for Rach and was tricked at the alter by his cunning old Father-In-Law, Laban, who passed off his older daughter Leah in Rachael's place.

Jacob though had a special place in his heart for Joseph because of Rachael and favoured him above all his other sons.

I guess we all the know the story pretty well - how because of jealousy, his brothers sold him into slavery, how Joseph was lusted after by his masters wife, accused wrongly of rape and thrown into prison where he languished for a few years before correctly interpreting Pharaohs dream of 7 years of plenty followed by 7 years of famine.

Daaadaaaa Joseph made Governor of Egypt!!

The 7 years of famine were well under way when the brothers came scrounging for food, not even considering poor old Joe whom they had sold into slavery - he was probably dead anyway!

The brothers had done a great job on Joseph - they had got rid of their problem - Old Dad had finally accepted the truth/lie that some wild beast had eaten him; things settled down; no more dreams being interpreted; no more coats of many colours bandied around by a doting dad and no more jealousy!

They made their way to Egypt; scrounged the food they were after; got accused by the some high falutin Governor of spying, but apart from that they were on their way back to dad with the grain; had to leave old Simeon behind and were made to promise to bring Benjamin back with them next time., but nevertheless they were on their way WOOHOO.

Must have been about 2 years later the food ran out and they were stuck, Jake didn't want them to take Benjamin to Egypt - after all he was the only son left of his and Rachael's line, but the 9 remaining  brothers won out and Ben was soon mounted on his donkey and away!

The brothers has obviously done a great wrong to Joseph years earlier, and when he finally reveals the truth to his brothers in Genesis 45:8 he does not gloss over any details of their offence nor their culpability for it.

Rather, he focuses his mind, and theirs on the key message of this saga of sagas: and that message is GOD IS AT WORK EVEN AMID THE PLANS OF EVIL MEN.

The brothers were responsible for their actions, but Joseph forgave them.

We don't know how he felt in the middle of all his trials and tribulations (I can only guess) but he remained faithful through them.

By the time his troubles came to an end, God had given him wisdom to understand that his slavery, rejection and imprisonment had accomplished the purposes of God for his entire family.

So.... when we suffer hardship, we aren't always privy to Gods amazing purposes, even at the end of our trials.

We may have to show an even greater faith that Joseph had - more like my friend David maybe - BUT in Jesus Christ we have someone greater than Joseph to follow.

So I reckon our trials, distress, anxiety whatever, can come attached to blessings of BIBLICAL proportions - what we have to do is to look for the miracles - accepting the fact that the miracle we are looking for maybe in us!

Catching a glimpse of the REAL awesomeness of God

The waters saw you, God

the waters saw you and writhed;

the very depths were convulsed:

the clouds poured down water,

the heavens resounded with thunder

your arrows flashed back and forth

Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind

your lightning lit up the world

the earth trembled and quacked.

Your path led through the sea

Your way through the mighty waters,

though your footprints were not seen.

Psalm 78

How mighty is our God - How incredible is He? how many adjectives would it take to describe the Lord; our God?

We so commonly throw around these words trying to describe various things in our lives - from the latest clothes to our new car - everything is  awesome, astonishing, breathtaking, mind-blowing even overwhelming.

We use them so much they have become 'throw-away' cliches; even the word 'great' has lost it's proper meaning!

In the Bible, things, events, even people were described as 'great'. God is great to an infinite degree, because He is limitless.

God's very nature is overwhelming and mind-boggling. His works are staggering and stunning.

Consequently, God deserves  to be represented by Christians who have been bowled over by His awesome character.

God is indeed awesome, but we have made Him sound just like a bowl of ice cream or a vanilla milkshake.

What does the actual word "AWESOME" mean - it means full of dread - it means to produce AWE in someone - fear and serious threatening. Nothing really soft and warm in that word.

So... When we describe our God as Awesome- we are really shedding a whole new light on our God - a God who can be terrifying as well as merciful; wrathful as well as just .

The real meaning of the word "awesome" when talking about God should make us fall flat on our faces or at best send shivers up our spines.

It says in Hebrews 10:31 "It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God"

On saying all of that - when we hand our lives over to Him - the actual 'scariness' of such a terrifying God becomes like a big warm blanket on a freezing cold day - it gives you instant warmth, comfort and reassurance that everything is going to be alright no matter what the world throws at us.

God's very AWESOMENESS runs through our veins; our lives; our very hearts. It gives us confidence in the future and takes away any fear of dying.

His Holy Spirit comes into our lives at that moment and changes us completely - we don't have to be "scared" of God - we know that we have been created just for Him, in His likeness.

We do however, have to show Him utmost reverence - and in today's world where His Holy name has been derided, our leaders mock and laugh at Him and where he has been excluded in almost everything that we as a nation used to hold dear, then holding Him in reverence will be hard and sacrificial for us to do.

When we finally do encounter our Lord face to face - The one true God who is truly AWESOME!! we are all going to be speechless - there will be no words to describe that moment.

When you sit down and think about it; maybe that is the better way - maybe speechless is the only way to approach God's awesomeness.

In the silence of His very being; those times when we are alone with him; those may be the very times He needs to speak to our hearts to turn them from stone into His throne.

God is AWESOME! He is the one who holds the seas in His hand, who measures the span of the galaxies. He spoke the world into existence.

It doesn't matter what the so-called Skeptics have to say - our God IS AWESOME - and that same AWESOME God saved me and that same AWESOME God can save you.

You don't have to know all of the theological answers to all the books in the Bible - you don't have to WOW! the person beside you with your answers to unfathomable mysteries: Our AWESOME God is the answer to all of our questions.

All we have to do is to come to Him with Faith and come without delay. Our God is a BIG God - a God who doesn't mind getting his hands dirty; rolls up His sleeves and commands us to get going and live and love for Him.

Same God but a different side; This time we see the gentleness of the God - who cares for the weak; the sick; the doubting and wounded.

So just how "Awesome" is the God you know? Have you relegated Him to the awesomeness of a vanilla milkshake or a Plasma TV set?

AWESOME indeed is a strong word and one which should be used sparingly and with reverence when referring to our God.

He is pleading with you to come and get to know Him. This AWESOME God of mine - a God whose grace and mercy are as deep and as unfathomable as the galaxy and beyond.

Of course there are heaps of people who don't even think about our Awesome God nor His saving grace and the special gift He has of eternity.  God has a message for them as well; a message of sadness; destruction and endless separation.

Are you prepared to give your life to this AWESOME God. I'm personally gripped by His grace and forgiveness, I just pray that you will be too.

The Corporate Ladder - way to Go??

What is your strategy for succeeding in life?

I know what mine USED to be.

I was the expert in organisation; had all the business catchphrases down pat; was up and rearing to go with my Key Point Indicators/ flow charts/ Timecel NSS/ Industrial and Organisational Analysis and behaviour definitions and also my Document Revision History.

Not only that I was a whizz at all things Human resources From Workforce Training to Remuneration to Organisational Communication - you name it - I was your man.

The books I read and the people I looked up to as my mentors were second to none and I rose quickly, confidently and quite easily to the top WOOHOO!

I could quote jargon with the best of 'em eg " The theory and proactive liasions between employers, employees, union and government, as well as the management of people within an organisation is vital, including recruitment, selection, remuneration, appraisal and training and development. These provide a critical and in-depth analysis of the human resource management theories, paying particular attention to the concept of strategy, people management and organisational performance."

Now you did understand that didn't you???  I hope you are impressed???? very impressed!!

I used to be - that was my goal; to impress; how I made my living and what a saw as the very very best way to achieve.

I lived by Warren G. Bennis's code of "How to be a  good leader and his strategy for success."  And here it is..... DaaaDaa!!

"Good leaders make people feel that they are at the very heart of things, not at the periphery. Everyone feels that he or she makes a difference to the success of the organisation. When that happens people feel centred and that gives their work meaning"

Well there you go - that was my working life all wrapped up in a few short sentences - a success!! I did it!! and I did it on my own!!! Climbed the good old Corporate Ladder - well done... slap on the back!!

Oh the business world!! - what a mess and so so contrary to what God is saying to us throughout the whole of the Bible.

While reading Psalms the other day especially Psalms 37 & 38 I came across some real gems.

What is your strategies for succeeding in life?

If you are a fan of self-help or, like I was, getting ahead in the business world there are heaps of books that will be able to help you along the way.

There are questions and answers to the most detailed problems; what to do in a crisis and what not to do; how to motivate your team; how to relax and communicate to your inner self; How to rise to the top and discard those who don't come up to the standard.

There is certainly something to be said for visualisation; net working, entrepreneurial confidence etc etc but here in Psalms, David offers a much simpler approach to finding fulfilment in life.

In Psalm 37 David tells us not to fret about what others are doing; don't get envious about those who do wrong: take delight in the Lord.

In other words make Him No 1 in your life. Focus on pleasing Him. Living your life according to His Word and pay attention to His leading.

David goes on:- Commit your ways to the Lord and trust in Him; Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him; refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret - it only leads to evil.

Amazing words, so true; so simple and yet so earth shattering.

If I had only taken that road instead of trying to climb the corporate ladder; what a different life I would have had.

God wants to give you the kind of success that doesn't come from self-improvement books, or crash courses in Management and Organisational Ethics.

He wants you; your life; your time; your love. As David says in the Psalm "The Lord wants to help you and deliver you if you take refuge in Him."

Psalm 38 continues along a similar line but this time David points out to the reader that God is all so ready to help us in all sorts of situations in which we get ourselves.

He pleads with God not to forsake him in the hour of trial and temptation of which we all suffer.

The evil one is so entrenched in our lives that he will never be truly driven out while we still live here on earth.

But even though we are often tempted and tried, with God as our captain; at the helm of our boat; in charge of our salvation; we can be more than conquerors. Now that deserves a WOOHOO!!

But it is not only in times of trial that we should ask God not to forsake us, but we should use this prayer all the time.

It is also through the joys in life - Don't forsake me Lord unless through pure joy I forget you and rely on me and me alone.

Don't forsake me Lord when I am in grieving and have almost given up in case I get angry with you.

Don't forsake me when I am feeling weak because I know with you I can be strong.

God is so willing to help us - He will never forsake us - so model your strategies for living on Jesus - He and He alone can give us the kind of success the world can't possibly offer.

Do an about face today - forget the corporate ladder and how to climb it - I know I wish I had.

My Mum's amazing message

I was the most fortunate of kids!

I was brought up with a Mum and Dad who loved God.

Being the youngest of five, (I had twin sisters but sadly one died of TB when she was only one year old) I guess things monetary wise were a bit stretched, but we certainly never went without the essentials and we certainly had plenty of love handed out liberally, especially by my hard-working and devoted Mum.

BUT

That didn't stop us going off the rails - (well the boys that is) unfortunately when we became of age and even had families of our own, the world and it's lures were all too much and even though I personally put on the face of a Christian and did all the 'Christian" things - I was far off from the Lord.

But Mum and Dad kept on praying for us - determined and sure that God would bring us back to Him.

Personally for me their prayers have been answered.

Dad died in 1998 and our Dear Mum passed away in 2000. Before they died they both recorded a message to us from "beyond the grave" sort of thing and re-listening to them again recently I was staggered at Mum's simple yet solid faith in God - determined that her sons would come back to the Lord.

She says at some point that she has never stopped praying for us even before we were born. And in another part that "It doesn't matter if Dad and I don't see it for we have prayed fervently for you all."

Well I'm afraid they didn't see it - But I know that one day we will ALL meet around the throne of God in unity and love of our Lord and Saviour.

Here is a transcript of her message - I pray that you will be blessed as you read it as I was to hear it.

The prayers of a faithful Mum and Dad for their kids is awesome in it's simplicity and mighty in it's outcome - Praise God.

 As my Savior has said - Weep not for me for I have only gone ahead to rest and wait for you in a place where there is no more pain or loss.

My children, when you were under our care your Dad and I endeavoured under the scant knowledge that was ours to show you that God has an infinite plan for us.

That plan of God's was to bring home to us the amazing power and love that is available to anyone who has surrendered their hearts and love to the guidance and teaching of the Holy Spirit which is the gift from God to those, when in faith believe in the hearts and confess with their mouths that Jesus is the Messiah, died to pay the price of our sins and that He rose again.

I tried to teach you of The advantages of a committed life, of the security we have knowing that what ever happens we are the children of the Almighty God and nothing can separate us from Him - we have someone to go to when we are in trouble - and who isn't in this sad world of ours.

Our God is a prayer answering and miracle working God - how many times have we proven that - over and over again.

He has promised never to fail or forsake those who put their trust in Him.

Sin unconfessed is the only thing that can disturb that relationship which exists between man and His maker for sin uncovered by the sacrifice of the Son of God CANNOT, literally CANNOT, exist in the presence of the glory and holiness of the Father.

So that those who have not come in faith to the Father find that sin puts a barrier between them.

Sin estranges God and Man  - for the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ happened only that man may be restored to the relationship that should exist between the creature and his creator.

Gods greatest miracle is not the creation of the world, the suspension of the sun, the ceaselessness of the tide, Gods greatest miracle is the salvation of the human soul that all people should be saved and is unwilling that any should be lost and He has bound up the salvation of men and women with the prayerful ministry of his own people.

There is no doubt that the prayers for the salvation of others are well within the will of God. Your Dad and I have prayed fervently for the salvation of all our family - and this type of prayer is never in doubt and being the will of God shall in is own good time be fulfilled.

It doesn't matter if your Dad and I don't see it, for we have prayed for you all and these are just some of these promises we have held for you all.

Isaiah 54:13 That you all will be "taught of the Lord" and great will be your peace.
Psalm 119:11 That you all will "hide God's word in your hearts."
Colossians 1:9 That God will fill you all with the knowledge of His will so that you can walk in a way that's pleasing to Him and that your lives will bear fruit.
Proverbs 3: 5-6 That your hearts will trust in the Lord and not lean on your own understanding
Psalm 5:12 That God's favour will surround you all like a shield.

I can assure you, my children, that you were prayed for and committed unto the Lord before you were born- the Grandchildren also - and Gods promises are true.

The salvation of a soul is a mighty BIG undertaking for it just doesn't include cleansing from sin but a full commitment of a life to God's will and the receiving of a place in the family of God and the freely given gift of a life everlasting to Christians of all ages - there is no generation gap here - and also the presence of our beloved Lord Himself.

No one can be saved unless they are convicted or conscious of sin and when that consciousness of sin is present the way is opened to bring that one to the feet of the Saviour.

To confess and repent, that is being sorry for sins committed, and being determined to turn to Christs way of living will enable us to partake freely of the peace, joy and love that can be found in this earth.

Turning from sin and trusting Jesus also includes safety and perfection in the next world when our Lords presents us faultless before the presence of His Father and ours.

Now I know we have enjoyed a happy life together in spite of troubles that may have sunk the ship, but we also shared the gift of laughter, a sense of fun, of little private jokes as well as tears and I am very pleased to have loved you all and I am so looking forward to a wonderful reunion with you ALL in our Lord's good time.

Your dad and I praying that you all will see the value of sins forgiven, a walk in a plain path, and a keeping in a world of sorrow and danger.

May God bless you all my darlings from the eldest to the youngest child and may He give through you the answer to our continual prayer.

Will the circle be unbroken? - God grant that it may - see you in the morning - Love you - Mum.

Against all odds

Amazing and extraordinary things happen to all of us through our journey here on earth; some very good and some very very bad.

In January this year I wrote a blog entitled "Consequences". In that blog I fictionalised a story set in World War 2 - a story where our hero or anti-hero killed a man who was looting from his friends home during the blitz.

It wasn't until the man actually came face to face with an encounter with God that he realised his need of forgiveness and 'owned-up' to his crime

The consequences of our past sins, although forgiven by God can still have far-reaching effects on our lives as well as those who may have been hurt in the process.

In this blog I would like to relate the true story of George Anderson Hopper and where I will not dwell on the "consequences" of sin, I would like to emphasise the utter forgiveness of our gracious and merciful Lord; also try to come to terms with the age old question "where was God in all of this?"

George Anderson Hopper was born on the 10th June, 1955 and was executed by lethal injection on 8th March, 2005 in Huntsville, Texas for the murder-for-hire of 33 year old Ms Rozanne Gailiunas.

Hopper was sentenced to death in 1988 for the October 1983 murder of Ms Gailinuas who at 33 was the mother of a 4 year old son.

Ms Gailinuas was found still alive by her young son, but died two days after being admitted to hospital.

Hopper was 'hired' to kill Ms Gailinuas by William Garland who had been paid $5,000 by Dallas socialite Joy David Aylor whose husband Larry was allegedly planning to marry Ms Gailinuas and had filed for divorce from his wife.

Mrs Aylor who was ultimately convicted of capital murder in 1994 and who is now serving a life sentence.

Hopper's life and the tragic events leading up to and after the murder of Ms Gailinuas has been the subject of two book and a tele-movie but they don't tell of his obvious conversion to Christianity at sometime during his time on death row.

After searching the net and pouring over heaps of information on Hopper, the only evidence I have of a changed life of this man is in his final words before the lethal injection did it's work.

His final words as he lay on the table that day in 2005 were and I quote:-

"I want to apologize to you, and I am sorry, I have made a lot of mistakes in my life. The things I did changed so many lives. I can't take it back, it was an atrocity. I am sorry. I beg your forgiveness, I know I am not worthy of it. I love you Mom and Dad, and all my family. Thank you for everything. Jesus, thank you for your love and saving grace. Thank you for shedding your blood on Calvary for me. Thank you Jesus for the love you have shown me." 

(http://222.tdcj.state.tx.us/stat/dr_info/hoppergeorgelast.html)

Obviously some unknown person has shared the gospel with this guy and obviously he has made a commitment to Christ. From his last words it would appear that he had accepted Jesus as his Saviour and Lord.

Against all odds, this man who was so vicious; so hard; so calculating; so cruel as to murder this young woman and mother of a 4 year old child, in such an horrendous manner, had been touched by the hand of Jesus even as he sat in death row in that jail in Huntsville Texas.

We will never understand exactly how God works and how exactly this man had been changed, or for that matter who it was that brought the good news into that jail for him to hear.

What we do know is that if he was sincere in his repentance and acceptance of Jesus as Lord, then he would have been forgiven his sins for as it says in John 6:37b "....and he who comes to me I will in no wise cast out"

So glad that this verse is in the Bible because there have been many times that I failed our Lord so miserably.

There have been times when I have honestly come to Him wondering how and why He could ever forgive me.

Hopper was a wicked and vile sinner who deserved nothing from God or man BUT aren't we all?

God was merciful to Hopper even after all of what he did - Yes, he still had to pay the consequences of his sin as we all do and yes, his life was forfeit here on earth according to Texan law; but God says "I will in no wise cast out". Full stop. Thank you Lord for that full stop because there was no "unless" after it.

There are no conditions put on coming to Christ; no provisos; nothing we can do; we just come to Him, repent and accept His gracious gift.

So if I come to Jesus; He will not cast me out. Hopper came to Jesus and I am sure that Jesus, true to His word would not cast Him out.

All of salvation is GRACE . It is the GRACE that God chose to save the ungodly; it is GRACE that Jesus came to earth to secure our salvation by dying at Calvary, and it is GRACE that changes stony old hearts to hearts of flesh; all through the power of the Holy Spirit.

It is only through the Holy Spirit that we can come to Jesus at all. It was only through that same Spirit that Hopper came to Jesus too.

The Bible makes that perfectly clear in 1 Corinthians 12: 3 it says:- "Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, 'Jesus be cursed,' and no one can say 'Jesus is Lord,' except by the Holy Spirit."

So George Anderson Hopper, convicted murderer was led by the Spirit to proclaim that Jesus is Lord and he had accepted Him to be his Saviour before his execution date on 8th March, 2005.

Amazing news, incredible and awesome - everybody, no matter who we are or what we have done can come to Jesus, repent of our sins and claim forgiveness through the blood of His sacrifice.

But what about Hopper's innocent victim, Rozanne Gailiunas, her young son and her family and extended family?

Where was God in all of that; where was He when she was dying an horrific death?

It is so hard for us to get our minds around this eternal question!

What about the parents who pray and pray for the sick child and yet their child never gets well; how about broken relationships that never come back together; how about businesses that fail; and how about horrendous murders like Rozanne's?

Life, it seems is just made up of tribulations and trials of every sort; situations completely out of control; completely out of left wing; everything going pear-shaped; Where is God?

There are some things that we will never understand; there are some things about God's will that we will never understand.

But, what God does do through our trials is to give us a perspective as to how to handle our situation when bad things happen.

What would it be like if my greatest crisis become my greatest opportunity; not so much in the crisis
itself but in my very life?

What if a miracle took place through my crisis? Again, not so much in the actual crisis, but in me?

What if God used my crisis as a blessing to others and in so doing became a blessing to me also? In other words what if the Miracle in the crisis was ME?

I wonder what it would be like to seize the opportunity of my crisis to actually SEE God's glory?

After all of that I still have no idea How Rozanne's family and extended family coped with that tragedy; or for that matter where they all stood with God.

All I know is whatever happens, our God is just and merciful and whatever he decides will be fair and accurate.

So when things go pear-shaped, frustrating and confusing; I wonder if it would be possible to seize the opportunity to see the potential to trust in Jesus more instead of blaming Him for whatever it is that is sinking our ship.

Thinking like that makes me wonder; just maybe our greatest set-backs may become our greatest building blocks to a miraculous and super natural relationship with our Heavenly Father.

Mysteries - great and small!!

WOW! Mysteries - I love em!! - Well sometimes anyway - I must admit that the mysteries of the computer make me frustrated, angry and despairing!!

But other mysteries well that's another matter; the mystery of creation; the universe; the gobsmacking splendour of the galaxy; the rainbows; the beauty of the sunrise; the stillness of star studded skies in the wilderness, all of these can leave me breathless with heaps of unanswered questions...

There is one mystery though that I will never get my head around - and I reckon it is the GREATEST mystery of all time!!

How God saved me is one HUGE mystery and one which I will eternally grateful for.

The plan of salvation is the mystery of mysteries and shows a love that is beyond our minds to comprehend.

God paid the price for my salvation - He took me to be His prize!! Me! that is a mystery that I cannot understand.

I had nothing; proud; deceitful; jealous; I could sin and feel  no compunction; hear of my guilt and remain unhumbled. Then Jesus came!

He changed my life and where I was only ever out to make life better for me, whatever the cost, He made me realise that I was bound to sin; a slave to sin; I was in chains and didn't realise it.

If we come to Jesus, we need to come bearing no gifts; there is nothing we can bring to Him; we owe everything to Him; how then can we bring anything to Him?

It is only through his grace that we can come anywhere near him at all.

Jesus is the King of the dependent: King of the despised; King of the weak; King of the left-outs and King of the hated!

Hated? - Yes Hated; we will be hated by others if we make a stand for Jesus. Left out? Yes certainly we will be left out; not part of the crowd; even despised.

The world at large will not take too kindly to us telling them about the only way to enrich their lives for eternity is to accept the invitation that Jesus brings; Why?

Because to come to Jesus we have to empty ourselves of all we have; we need to be totally dependent on Him bringing our sins; our past; our everything and laying them at the foot of the cross.

We need to leave behind the things of earth; and not place importance on the things that really don't matter. That was one BIG lesson I had to learn - Jesus died for us just as we are.

When He died on the cross, He took my sins up there with Him; when He died so did I in a way; died to sin; I became bound to Jesus through His death when I accepted the gift of freedom that He offered me.

The old life I had is gone - Now I have to rely solely on Him.

I don't know what mysteries lie ahead; have no idea, really what eternity will be like; death doesn't scare me but it is a mystery - an amazing mystery and one where I can be assured of God's amazing promises that where He is I will be also.

I have no idea what lies ahead of me; what trials; what tribulations; what joy; what pain - but I do know whatever happens, Jesus goes before me anyway.

There is nothing that I could possibly go through that he hasn't been there before me; and that He has promised to be with me through everything that happens.

My life is bound up in Jesus - My whole life is in Him.

The very same power that resurrected Jesus; that rolled the stone away; that killed death, is the very same power that saved me and brought me to life with Him.

Jesus paid the price for you and me. His blood bought us life.

When we are weak, then we are strong; God can't use us when we are proud, haughty and full of our own importance. We need to be totally broken in front of Him; totally dependent on Him; giving Him the glory in everything we do.

Glorifying God is when we see God as more important than anything else we are doing or what or who is in our lives.

It is only when we humble ourselves to the His will and let the Holy Spirit infill us will be be even remotely able to kneel before a Holy God.

We have to come to a point in our lives where we realise that can do nothing on our own; all power comes from God.

We can hold nothing back thinking that God can do so much and we can do the rest; we have nothing with which to come to God save his miraculous grace by which we are saved.

It is only when we come to that realisation that He will lift us up and see us through the sacrifice of Jesus; see us washed and clean; free of sin.

Way down deep

Don't you just love computer viruses??

A few weeks ago - the old laptop started to do strange and amazing things - like not shutting down - then shutting down 1/2 way through something!

Then it started dropping things off - like the web cam disappearing - the sound disappearing - strange messages appeared telling me that my anti virus was not installed - strange and mysterious are the ways of the computer!!

In desperation I called up my very favourite Daughter-In-Law (must say at this point that she is my ONLY Daughter-In-law, nevertheless) who I trust implicitly as a guru on all things techno!

She denies emphatically that she knows anything about computers but it amazes me (that for one, self-described novice, in all things tech) just how much knowledge her pretty little head can hold.

Anyway, she put me onto a tech minded Computer (and can I use the word) Geek. An amazing young man - quiet, determined, straight shooter, down to business sort of young fellow - who actually came to me without me having to go to him - extraordinary!!

He got straight down to the nitty gritty and YES!! - I had some sort of obscure virus that bi passed my security and anti malware programmes and embedded itself deep deep inside the driver of the Web Cam - making it give up the ghost entirely and taking out with it most of the other drivers as well.

That is about as much knowledge I needed to know and wasn't at all surprised when he suggested that I needed to 'wipe the slate clean' and then re-load the hard drive!!

As I said earlier - don't you just LOVE computers!!

Long story cut short - the Computer and I are friends again - I no longer threaten to hurl it down the steps onto the road and we have kissed and made up - even after hours of re-loading programmes.

All of that got me thinking long and hard about what actually is going on deep down inside our very souls - like the computer virus so easily stalked my little laptop and zeroed in for the kill so it is with sin.

Sin can get so embedded deep deep down in the very core of our personalities that it becomes so second nature to us that we accept it without question.

We can get used to and ever so comfortable with our sin-lives that we no longer have any consciousness of it there at all. That can be a HUGE problem!!

We can even get to like our sin - we like it so much that we can actually turn off the promptings of our Heavenly Father through His Holy Spirit and immune ourselves to not even thinking about whether it is there or not.

Yes, unlike the computer virus - our sin virus can slowly slowly take over our lives.

But, God will never give up on us - Believe me  - He didn't give up on me - and if He didn't give up in me then He won't give up on you.

He keeps wanting to get you back to Him - He wants you to have a full and lasting relationship with Him - How?

Well, the only way to having that sort of lasting relationship with God is to be prepared to hand everything over to Him - not just a little bit - but the whole lot.

So, maybe you are thinking I am just too bad - My sin/virus is embedded so so deep - not even a re-load of the hard drive will remove it - well, I have news for you.

No matter what you have done - no matter what sort of life you have led - Jesus loves you and wants you to come to Him.

Maybe you have wandered away from Him - He wants you back!

Maybe you been so hurt in the past that you have actually got so angry at God and you have vowed never to even think of Him again - guess what - He wants you back!

Maybe you have had a close friend or someone in the family that have been taken ill with a terminal disease or even died and you have blamed God and told Him so - Guess what - He wants you back.

No matter where you are on the "missing in action" list - God wants you back.

None of us are promised an easy ride in this life - We are going to suffer all sorts of stuff - from persecution, disease, grief, doubt, confusion, financial disasters, marital breakdowns - you name it - BUT God says - we are just passing though - this place is not our home - this place is just such a temporary dwelling - our real home is in eternity with Him.

I have heard people say that "there could never be a loving God in Heaven because Look at Bill - great man, gave all he had to the poor and yet God will send him to Hell".

My answer - How do you know that? - we cannot judge a persons heart - we cannot put our puny minds in the mind of God - Yes - God has said that all sin must be paid for either by accepting what Jesus did on the cross at Calvary or at the throne of God! BUT...

We are not in the 'judging' business!! - That is up to a mighty, just and merciful God!

We desperately need to get our own homes in order while we are living here in the days of God's Grace - while there is still time - we need to come to repentance and kneel at his cross where the burdens of past sins can be chucked into oblivion never to counted against us ever.

Are you one of those people, who think they are just too bad for God? Or are you angry at God for some reason? Or are your sins embedded so deep inside your personal computer 'drive' that you feel so comfortable with the whole set-up you just want to leave well enough alone?

God still wants YOU!! - He gave His son for YOU! - Don't try to put your mind in the mind of God? You will never do it!

Your sin embedded too deep? - God can go deeper!

Too angry with God for perceived injustices? God's love can overcome anything - even that - Come to Him today!!

Don't delay - He wants you just the way you are - Angry, hurt, confused, doubting, full of deep sin - just the way you are.

He worked a miracle in my life - he can work one in yours as well.

Oh the Deep Deep Love of Jesus (S. Trevor Francis)

O the deep deep love of Jesus, vast unmeasured, boundless, free!

Rolling as a mighty ocean in its fullness over me!

Underneath me, all around me, is the current of Thy love.

Leading onward, leading homeward to Thy glorious rest above!

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, spread His praise from shore to shore!

How He loveth, ever loveth, changeth never, nevermore!

How He watches o'er His loved ones, died to call them all His own;

How for them He intercedeth, watcheth o'er them from the throne!

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, love of every love the best!

'Tis an ocean full of blessing, 'tis a haven giving rest!

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, 'tis a heaven of heavens to me;

And it lifts me up to glory, for it lifts me up to Thee!