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This is what true Christians are up against

Posted by Shirley Anne on June 1, 2012

There is a war going on in the ranks of human beings and especially those who are Christians. The greatest problems we face as Christians in trying to witness to the unbeliever are generated by ourselves………….

The offices of The Gazette newspaper on Saint ...

The offices of The Gazette newspaper on Saint Catherine Street, Montreal, Canada. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

“But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children—  with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.”        Psalm 103:17-18 NIV1984

Christianity in Transition and Karma (an article written in The Montreal Gazette recently by a friend of mine…..I pray for her daily)

With more than 1,000 people protesting in a demonstration on Sunday against a North Carolina pastor who made anti-gay comments last week, some of his 100 or so congregants applauded him in church, according to a report on msnbc.com. Apparently, though, leaders of other churches are trying to distance themselves from him, feeling that his outrageous statements will hurt their more moderate anti-gay efforts.
Sigh . . .   When will all these folks understand that not everybody believes their Bible is the inspired work of a god and that their interpretations of it are relevant or realistic? Really, where do these folks get off thinking that they can impose their superstitious belief system on everybody else? Of course they have a right to believe what they want, but they simply should not have a right to use their beliefs to spread hate and discrimination.   It’s obvious to me that much of Western society is in transition (there’s that word again). Many people have moved on from the superstitious belief system expounded by people like the North Carolina pastor who preaches fire and brimstone if you don’t believe what he does. But some haven’t moved on.  Still, fundamentalists are not united on these issues — some are far more liberal than others. Those with extreme views are becoming more and more isolated, which is probably why their extreme comments go viral sometimes.   Which is not to say the essential message of Christianity is lost or irrelevant. The bottom line has always been to love thy neighbours, regardless of who they might be. It’s the bottom line in most spiritual schools of thought — and those religious institutions that lose sight of it ultimately lose followers. Which explains why only 100 people are showing up in that North Carolina church while more than 1,000 were protesting against the pastor outside the Justice Center . . . Sounds like karmic justice to me.

Jillian

The great lost chord of modern civilization is forgetfulness of the fact in nature of universal brotherhood, which means not merely a sentimental or political brotherhood; it means that we are all of one common cosmic or spiritual origin, and that what affects one affects all . . . – G. de Purucker (end of article)

Whilst in some respects I understand what Jillian is saying I feel she is missing the point somewhat. Many of us will have heard about the North Carolina pastor who voiced such an unloving sermon and as a result will now thinking his opinions are those of the true Christian Church. They are most emphatically not! In her article Jillian agrees that and indicates that the main anti-gay movement within the Church has been harmed by what this pastor has said and I agree with her on that point. However the Christian message has never been one of hate thy neighbour, whether gay or not. Many Christians think that just because Scripture shows us that homosexuality is a sinful way of life that it gives them the right to judge and condemn participants. It doesn’t! Neither is it appropriate to marginalize people for believing in other things or making a stand against their rights to behave as they wish. A true Christian does not do these things. A true Christian reaches out in love whilst being a faithful witness for Christ Jesus. This means pointing people to what God is saying and what God is commanding from us all. Decisions on lifestyle and belief always should rest with the individual. Being a witness does not mean pushing the faith down the throats of unbelievers but it is a duty and a commandment to explain and deliver the Gospel message to non-believers. From a Christians point of view it should be as an encouragement for sinners to repent, not something to turn them further away!

Jillian mentions (quite correctly) that not everyone believes that The Bible is the inspired Word of God but what she should have said is that non-believers in God think that way. Christians believe it is, or SHOULD do. I read Jillian’s posts quite frequently and I have found her to be very caustic sometimes when writing some of her articles. Firstly, in this article, she appears to accuse all Christians of being ‘fundamentalists’ as if being a fundamentalist was wrong. It isn’t wrong for Christians cannot turn away from the fundamental teachings encompassed in Scripture, they either have to believe it is God’s Word or not. Some conflicts  do arise in interpretation sometimes but the tenet of content is unaffected. Remember, fundamentalism isn’t an invitation nor a free ticket to stir up hatred and discord with non-believers. Secondly, Jillian renders Scripture and belief in the Faith as all superstitious nonsense. This is a personal and direct attack on the Christian faith and ultimately God. Personal opinions should be kept out of good journalism. Present the facts and let the people choose one way or the other. This should be the case in presenting The Gospel too and it would be wiser for all those ‘fundamentalists’ to consider that fact.

Jillian redeemed herself in her concluding remarks though recognising that what has been voiced by an over-zealous pastor is not what the Christian message is all about nor is it the same opinion of all people of the faith or anyone with an inkling of common sense and humanity. Love thy neighbour even if he has six heads four arms and is green-skinned!

The war is not between human beings. It is a spiritual war being waged out of our sight and it is a war for souls, lost souls who need redemption.

“But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children—  with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.”    Psalm 103: 17-18 (NIV 1984). I just wish Christians would remember to obey his precepts and do all things in love as He commands, maybe then the unbeliever will respond to the Gospel.

Shirley Anne

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Foolish?

Posted by Shirley Anne on May 16, 2012

Getup Get God

Getup Get God (Photo credit: prettywar-stl)

Psalm 14:1-3

New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)

For the director of music. Of David.

1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
They are corrupt, their deeds are vile;
there is no one who does good.
2 The Lord looks down from heaven
on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand,
any who seek God.
3 All have turned aside,
they have together become corrupt;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.

From United Christian Broadcasting (UCB) http://www.ucb.co.uk/word_for_today

10 May 2012

Don’t Be a Fool (1)

The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God…’ Psalm  14:1

The atheistic fool. It’s said, ‘An atheist can’t find God for the same reason a thief can’t find a policeman.’ Sometimes pride is at the core of atheism. Without God, you become your own god, which means there’s no higher power than yourself! But the God of the Bible proves His existence in three ways: 1) Creation. Many people are in prison today who weren’t caught at the scene of the crime, and no one actually witnessed the crime. What proved they did it? Fingerprints! DNA! Creation carries God’s fingerprints and DNA. ‘Look up into the heavens. Who created all the stars? He brings them out like an army, one after another, calling each by its name…’ (Isaiah 40:26 NLT). 2) Calvary. In creation you see God’s power, at the cross you see His love for you. In creation you see His hand, at the cross you see His heart. 3) Conscience. ‘Gentiles…even without having heard it…demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right’ (Romans 2:14-15 NLT). Conscience is like having a Bible in your soul; no one was born without one. Voltaire, the French atheist, said, ‘It took twelve fishermen to build Christianity. I will show the world how one Frenchman can destroy it.’ After Voltaire died, the home in which he had lived became Europe‘s most famous Bible distribution centre. Bottom line: Voltaire is dead; our God lives! Atheism is the greatest gamble of all. After all, what if there is a God and you stand before Him one day?

11 May 2012

Don’t Be a Fool (2)

‘…Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee…’ Luke 12:20

The ambitious fool. Jesus told the story of a successful farmer who said, ‘…I will pull down my barns, and build greater…’ (v. 18). Evidently he was a good businessman and planner. But then he said: ‘I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee…So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God’ (vv. 19-21). This man had a plan for time, but none for eternity. He thought about himself, but not God. He paid attention to his body, but not his soul. It’s said that the average body has enough phosphorus to make eight hundred thousand match heads, enough sugar to go into sixty cubes, enough salt to cover twenty spoons, and enough iron to make about ten dollars’ worth of nails. The rest is just dust and water. When you pamper, promote and protect the part of you that will only live seventy or eighty years and neglect the part of you that will live on in either heaven or hell, God says you’re a fool. This man told himself he had ‘many years,’ but God said, ‘This night thy soul shall be required of thee.’ Don’t you realise that an accident, a blocked artery, a stray bullet, a plane with engine failure or a drunk driver could take you out in an instant? Wise up! The question is not will you die, but when? And are you ready to stand before God?

12 May 2012

Don’t Be a Fool (3)

…Died Abner as a fool dieth. 2 Samuel 3:33

The absolute fool. Abner slew a man called Asahel, whose brother happened to be Joab, King David’s number one general. So Joab was out to take Abner’s life. The tragedy of this story is that Abner was within reach of Hebron, one of the six cities of refuge. But instead of running into that city and enjoying its protection, he allowed the enemy to catch him outside the gates and kill him. ‘They buried Abner in Hebron: and the king lifted up his voice, and wept…and said, ‘Died Abner as a fool dieth?’ (vv. 32-33). Abner was the absolute fool. Why? Because unlike the atheistic fool who did not believe in God, or the ambitious fool who had no time for God, he knew what to do-but didn’t do it. There were no rivers to cross, no mountains to climb, and no price to be paid. The gates of Hebron were open; all he had to do was go in and stay there. Imagine being given a gospel tract with these words on the cover: ‘What must I do to be lost?’ Then opening it and finding that page is-blank. You don’t have to do anything to be lost! But you must do something to be saved: ‘…Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved…’ (Acts 16:31). When Mary brought the newborn Christ to the temple, an old priest named Simeon held Him in his arms and said: ‘Now I’m ready to die, because I have seen the Saviour of the world…’ (Luke 2:25-32). In order to die right you must meet Christ, embrace Him, and acknowledge Him as your Lord and Saviour. Why don’t you do it today?

 

People today, as in days of old, refuse to turn to God. Their minds have become corrupt and they follow after falsehood and lies. They worship other gods, which are not gods at all and forget the creator who is God. Believing that all they need to do is be ‘good’ and that will be enough. Believing that their ways are best, rejecting what God actually says and expecting Him to ignore it. They will have no excuse, they will have no-one to intercede on their behalf because they reject the only one who can, Jesus! The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, get wise before it is too late.

Shirley Anne

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Itching ears

Posted by Shirley Anne on May 11, 2012

A woman spying on a pair of male lovers. China...

A woman spying on a pair of male lovers. China, Qing dynasty. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

How often I read about people condemning those of the faith for being outspoken, for standing up for Jesus, for upholding the truth that is contained in The Bible, for adhering to God‘s word. They are ridiculed and mocked whenever they open their mouths. Recently, and many times in the past too, I read an article whereby a Christian was being mocked for speaking out against homosexuality, that is the practice of it rather than the condition itself. God tells us in several places in His word that He abhors homosexuality but it falls on deaf ears for some. It isn’t just homosexuality either, it is many things that people do against the will of God. Rather than admit to God’s truth being right they will either simply deny His existence and thus nullify whatever is written in Scripture or they will try to twist the truth to suit themselves. They wish only to hear what they want to hear and disregard everything else. It is to be expected for it says as much in Scripture that people will act this way. They will read this passage too yet it will fail to register with them because there is a veil over their eyes preventing them from seeing the truth of Gods word…..here is a passage from Scripture describing this very attitude. Remember, The Bible is a prophetic collection of writings too……….

2 Timothy 4:2-4

New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)

2 Preach   the Word;   be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke   and encourage —with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine.   Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

People turn to other faiths and religions because these religions often present them with no challenges. They turn to speaking in the name of love but that love is of the human kind, it isn’t the love for and of God. If it were they would be obedient to His will. ‘Let there be peace on earth and goodwill toward all men, let us live together in harmony, let us tolerate the behaviour of others’ is a recipe for coming against the wrath of God. Do your own thing, deny your Maker, make up your own rules, believe in falsehood and lies for God has even given you that choice but it is to Him that you will have to answer. Do you really want to be facing God’s wrath? It is of no use trying to put your own interpretation to Scripture or accuse anyone who knows God’s word to be the truth to be doing so. What you need to be doing is getting into God’s word yourself, turning away from all that is unrighteous and inviting Jesus into your heart. Then you will be able to see, the veil will be lifted from you eyes and those itching ears will no longer need scratching!

Shirley Anne

Follow me to http://wwwminkyweaselsmusings.blogspot.co.uk/

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They just don’t get it

Posted by Shirley Anne on May 7, 2012

free love

free love (Photo credit: london_ally)

Many years ago we had what was called the summer of love when, supposedly, the younger generations subscribed to demonstrating love toward everyone they met and to ‘free love‘. ‘Free love’ however, was simply an excuse  to engage in promiscuous sexual intercourse for many. The idea of love, love, love did not last and the movement eventually faded into insignificance. Most people would advocate the promotion of love but in real terms find it hard to demonstrate it in their own lives. Many religious leaders teach us to love each other and many philosophies encourage the same to the extent of attracting followers to such ideologies and religions. There is nothing wrong in that but the question I have is why don’t people place their faith and trust in the originator of love rather than some religion or philosophy that advocates it? People will believe anything else rather than have a belief in God. God commands us to love Him first and foremost and then to love our fellow-man but man wants to elevate himself and disregard God. Mankind makes the false assumption that we can achieve peace on earth and goodwill toward all men through our own efforts but in fact we fail at every turn. It is one thing having a belief in some philosophical ideology or to follow the teachings of ‘a good man’ whoever he may be but an entirely different thing to place your hope in God. God came amongst us in the flesh. Jesus Christ is our only real hope, no-one else comes anywhere near, no matter how ‘good’ they may be. Salvation is but through one name and that is Jesus Christ. Why? Because Jesus has paid the price for all of our sins and turning away from God. Which would you rather have, a nice human philosophy, a religion, an ideology, another human being to follow, faith in our own capabilities or some other thing or would you rather know your creator God and know the real love He has for you demonstrated in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ? Why place your hope in anything else? When you die your spirit will be in the presence of God, nowhere else. You don’t reincarnate and occupy another body, you don’t magically jump to another level having earned the right whilst here on earth, no, you face the God who created you. Be prepared, accept His gift of everlasting life by accepting Jesus Christ as your saviour. Repent of all your superstitious beliefs and faith in anything or anyone else because your future in eternity depends upon it! Real free love is found in no other place.

Shirley Anne

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Well treated

Posted by Shirley Anne on April 22, 2012

me and my friend

me and my friend (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A couple of years ago my ex. and I met for the first time with a person I had only previously known via the Internet. Initially we were treated very well but as the time we shared together passed by I could sense some friction between us. It is hard to live with some people even for a short time and I guess she saw us, that is E and myself as being difficult at times. I also sensed it was more to do with E than it was to do with me. When we visited with her she had only two bedrooms and only two beds. This made the sleeping arrangements rather difficult as E and I could not share a bed and E needed the spare bed more than I did. That meant I either had to share the other bed with our host or sleep on the sofa. I chose the sofa. I could not share a bed with my host no matter how innocent the invitation, it just didn’t feel right. I was left therefore to fend for myself. Not very good hosting on the part of my friend I thought however I managed to find some blankets and settled down on the sofa. I spent three nights on that sofa and each night I was disturbed by the cat who wanted to share my sleeping arrangements. E required to eat something in order to take some of her medication which did make it awkward sometimes. I felt my friend found it difficult to accommodate E’s needs at times and it showed in her reactions. My friend, our host, slept in until almost lunchtime each day leaving us to fend for ourselves with nothing to do to wile away the hours. I found an old guitar, tuned it and sat on the veranda playing quietly to kill the time but was scolded later by my friend for disturbing her sleep-in. Some host! It is fair to say that we had some great times together despite all of this. Our visit only lasted three days and my friend had to return to work whilst we continued our holiday from the hotel we had booked. My friend brought us back to the city but not to our hotel, she decided to drop us off on the opposite side of the square from where the hotel was situated which meant that we had to struggle a little with getting back to the hotel with our luggage. I knew from that moment that our friendship had ended but I still love her and she will always be my friend. I still think about her and I do not hold anything against her, in fact she figures in my prayers every day along with all others I know who are not Christians. She ranks amongst those, especially some of my friends and acquaintances, who won’t or don’t accept Christ as their saviour preferring as they do to trust in their own understanding of who God is or believing in some strange philosophy that has nothing to do with God. What they fail to understand is that God says differently for there is no other name under heaven by which we can be reconciled to God other than  through Jesus. It is so simple and yet people cannot see it. It isn’t surprising though as these things are recorded in the Bible but we pray nevertheless. God acts when we pray in accordance with His wishes. My hope is that all those I pray for will eventually realise their need in Christ and turn to him one day.

Shirley Anne

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How blind they are

Posted by Shirley Anne on April 8, 2012

Kingdom

Kingdom (Photo credit: Realistic Imaginations)

The message of the cross is simple but many people are simply blind to it, preferring as they do their version of what it is all about. When Jesus walked this earth he spoke about the coming Kingdom of God, that which is to come. He talked about sin repentance of it for salvation, he talked about baptism. He also talked about love and many people major on this last topic forgetting all the others. Yes, we are told to love one another, to love our neighbour (everyone else) as ourselves but that is not the way to salvation, observing the commandments in themselves isn’t the way to salvation either, neither is doing good works (Ephesians 2 v 8). God told us that we are to have no other gods (set our hearts on anything else) before Him, He alone is to be worshipped. This is the prime directive and from this comes everything else. God loves us and He expects us to love Him. He demonstrated His love in this, that whilst we were still sinners (and everyone is), Christ died for us (Romans 5 v 8). You see, God wants us to have a relationship with Him but our sins get in the way. Even believing in God doesn’t save us from condemnation, for even Satan believes in God, though he is against Him. There is but only one way, one way only, and that is through Jesus Christ. You see, God loves us so much that He doesn’t want any of us to perish and knowing that we are helpless to do anything about it (although many think they can by their own efforts and beliefs) He made it possible. Jesus paid the price for our sins so that he can present us before God as pure and sinless. That is the promise and that was achieved by Jesus’ death and most importantly, his resurrection from death. However we must take hold of that promise before we can be saved, the gift is not ours until we take hold of it. Accepting that Jesus has done it for us is the first step, inviting him into our lives as Saviour is the second step, repenting of our sins and being baptised follow this as we cast off falsehood, false religion, false beliefs, false gospels and only seek the truth in HIS name. God has shown the way. If we want to know God personally we have to come to Jesus. Believing that God is ‘A great Spirit‘ that cannot be known is false. We can know God and that is His desire but we have to do it His way and not through our own imaginings. Let the veil be lifted from your eyes and see the simplicity of the message that Jesus brought, it isn’t complicated, it isn’t just for everyone else, it is for YOU too.

Jesus is risen, praise God.

Shirley Anne

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What proof do you have?

Posted by Shirley Anne on April 3, 2012

The title page to the 1611 first edition of th...

The title page to the 1611 first edition of the Authorized Version Bible. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

When I am asked about the reasons I believe in God I am also asked what proof do I have that He exists. A reasonable question but it wasn’t the one I asked myself when I converted from atheism. Basically I was searching for God, even though at the time I didn’t believe He existed. God says in Scripture (Jeremiah 29:13) ‘And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart’. I was seeking Him with all my heart and the more I sought Him the more He revealed himself to me. At that time, had I been asked the same question what proof do I have, I would most probably have not been able to give a definitive answer although that isn’t really an excuse for it also says in Scripture

Romans 1:19-21

King James Version (KJV)

19Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.

20For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

21Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

The unbelievers heart is darkened to the truth, even many eminent scientists supporting evolution over creation. Not all scientists believe we came about by chance, in fact the more they learn about the nature of life the more they become convinced in the involvement of an intelligent creator. I have been reading several articles from different sources which debate this very issue, if we can call it an issue but for some it is just that. It is more than that though, it is the difference between knowing God and understanding His creation or following after an ideology that claims we are irrelevant and only exist through pure chance. One such article is here (but there are many more),  http://www.ucg.org/science/do-science-and-bible-conflict/ where the evidence is presented for each case. For me, I don’t have a problem. I do not have to prove that God exists, He has done that Himself but it takes the veil to be lifted from the unbeliever’s eye for them to see it too. The proof is there if you want to see it. When asked these days what proof do I have I turn the question around and ask what proof is there for there not being a god. Most people cannot give a convincing answer, mostly because they understand very little about the nature of things. On the same web site is another article which challenges us to prove that evolution is false without having to refer to The Bible  http://www.ucg.org/science/prove-evolution-false-even-without-bible-0/ . If we don’t have evolution it is hard to claim that we came about by chance.

Shirley Anne

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It’s an ongoing thing!

Posted by Shirley Anne on March 30, 2012

Sunday

Ever since I became a Christian and obviously even before I finally did turn to God I have studied the Scriptures and with each reading I learned more things. In addition to doing this I read what other churches and Christian groups consider to be correct doctrine and practices but in all things I am guided by The Holy Spirit. Being a Christian isn’t just about repentance and salvation, although they are prime reasons in coming to and forming a relationship with God and Jesus Christ. God is to be worshipped and we must do that in the right way. He demands much from us but none of what He asks is burdensome. We try our best to live up to His standards and requirements but we fail miserably, for none of us can claim to have reached that perfection, nevertheless we must pursue the avenues of righteousness. Being a Christian is a learning curve you might say. We are ever striving for perfection through seeking His will in our lives and aiming to do what is right. In all aspects of our faith we must strive to be better and learning about our faith helps us to develop as true Christian believers. Over the last year or so, perhaps a little longer, I turned away from observing Sunday as the day of rest, a sabbath and turned to trying to observe what I considered to be the true sabbath, that is Saturday. I ask God for wisdom in my prayers and He never fails to point me in the right direction, a chance reading (not really chance though is it?), a chance encounter (again not really chance) puts me in the position to hear what God is saying to me. Sometimes He speaks directly to my heart and other times He uses different methods. I firmly believe that God ‘allows’ us to follow certain paths, when we consider them to be correct but reserves the right to show us our error when the time is right. In other words He allows us to make mistakes so that when we are presented with the truth we learn and are built-up. When I considered Saturday as the sabbath I was basing that on just a couple of facts which although remain true do not complete the whole picture. Having since been shown the reasons behind Sunday being the day we, as Christians, come together in praise and worship, I now understand the truth concerning the sabbath day, the fourth commandment of God and what Jesus accomplished on the cross. The sabbath was made for mankind, not the other way round. Indeed I have been shown that we do not observe the old sabbath with all its rituals under the Law but we follow Christ in His victory and fulfillment of the Law. It was Jesus who began the practice of gathering together on the first day of the week, a day we now call Sunday. We are not under the Law, we are under a new covenant with Christ. There are many other things in my understanding which come under scrutiny when I read my Bible, when I read arguments concerning doctrine and practices within the Church and my mind is slowly being shown which is truth and which is error. Being a Christian means being truthful to one’s self as much as being a follower of Christ but it is in Him that we have our being, it is through Him we gain salvation, it is through Him that we can have a relationship with God (there is no other way) and we, as Christians, owe it to ourselves to earnestly seek the truth in all things.

Shirley Anne

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Life’s Good

Posted by Shirley Anne on March 25, 2012

Fred Neher's Life's Like That

Fred Neher's Life's Like That (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

As I sit here writing this on Thursday afternoon the sun is streaming in through the windows and it is pleasantly warm outside on this second day of the new season. I have nothing to do so I am fixed on enjoying the moment. Still we have had little rain and I hope this won’t continue much longer. It’s not that I prefer rain to sunshine but we simply need the rain to water the land and fill the lakes and reservoirs. The coming month has been traditionally linked to an abundance of the wet stuff and maybe this year this will be the norm. Many things in life make me feel good and make life bearable but as ever I am never content with just physical comforts and delights, I need to be spiritually content too. Life itself, that is the living of it, is different and yet in many ways the same for each of us, we all need food, shelter, relationship, companionship, friendship, something to do and everything that is necessary in making life in today’s societies possible. Many are content with these things, some want more and more and are never satisfied, others are happy with just the minimum. Everything it seems centres on the practical side of life and many forget they need a spiritual side too or they don’t consider that to be true. We are all spirit, all enclosed in our mobile homes but many don’t think on such things, their thoughts firmly stuck in the everyday hustle and bustle of life. It is when we can find time to relax and actually have nothing to do that our thoughts can be free to dwell on things, make sense of what is going on around us. Too many of us use this time just to make plans for the ongoing lifestyles we lead but when I have the time, and that is quite often these days, I think about my faith, I think about my creator, about salvation, about how inadequate and undeserving I am in the eyes of Him who made me. Then I realise how fortunate I am in the knowledge of a love that goes far beyond my thinking, far beyond my deserving, a love that deals with and forgets my mistakes, a love that paid the price for me so that I could be free from my chains, this is the love I dwell in. This love is all I need, it enables me to face life with all its problems and remain happy and content no matter what is going on around me. I don’t really care if it rains or shines for I have something of more value, something I cannot get from just living this life as if everything in it was satisfying. I could have all the riches in the world and remain empty inside but I would rather be filled with a contentment that is not sourced in the physical realm. The love my God has for me is more than enough for me to be content. His sacrifice through Jesus Christ is sufficient. Life is certainly good when Jesus is in your heart.

Shirley Anne

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My duty

Posted by Shirley Anne on March 17, 2012

English: The parsonage of First Methodist Chur...

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I was such an atheist when I was younger it was unbelievable, excuse the pun. What I mean is that I was so vehemently against God but somehow that all changed in an instant and I became the opposite. The strange thing is, well not to me now that I understand, was that during my life as an atheist I didn’t broadcast that fact. The reason for that was I had nothing to shout about, in fact I just wanted to be left alone. I didn’t want preaching to, I didn’t wish to know even if there was a possibility of there being a god. Once I converted or rather became a Christian, things changed dramatically and I wanted to tell everyone so that they too could turn into believers. This is in the heart of true Christians, to see others come to Christ. In my early years as a Christian I was so on fire and wanted to be involved in any kind out outreach. I did a little bit of door to door work (which I now believe to be too intrusive) and then street work were I was, with others, involved in inviting people to chat with me about God or about what they believed in. Some were open to talk and some wanted to know the message I was relaying. It was often hard work for what seemed like a poor return for the effort I put in but God doesn’t work in the ways we expect. Essentially I was sowing seed, God would look after the rest and no doubt He did. As I matured in the faith and learned more myself I became less involved in organised outreach and more interested in personal witnessing. I meet many people in my life, mostly through my work and this fact gives me plenty of opportunity for witnessing. I have many a good witnessing experience whilst at work. As the subject of my conversations turned to religion, often by accident, though I do believe God has a hand in it all, I would ask the other person about their belief system first of all and then I would relate my own story and experiences. I would then be asked many questions showing they were taking a genuine interest. Mostly my witnessing was and is by invitation. I find it very easy to talk about my faith and easy to witness to most people but the people I have greatest difficulty are not those of other faiths or even those who are atheists but in fact it is those who are Catholics. I would ask the question, ‘Are you a Christian too’? I would get the reply, ‘No, I am a Catholic’! I would reply in turn, ‘I didn’t ask what denomination you were’ but that seemed to fall on deaf ears. Now until fairly recently I knew only a little about the Catholic faith. I knew of several areas in their beliefs that contradicted with what my Bible told me. In fact they have a different bible to the one most Christians possess, it contains other books not considered part of the Bible and not Scriptural. The reasons for that I cannot elaborate upon here, it would take too long. More recently I have come across more information regarding Catholic beliefs and the reasons why. Now I have nothing against Catholics, that is they who have been brought up in that faith for I believe that they have been and are still being kept from the truth. I came across a web site produced by a small church in Monroe, Wisconsin in the USA and whilst I was browsing the site I came across an article about the Anti-Christ, the one mentioned about and described in several places in The Bible. Now many folk might consider atheists to be the Anti-Christ or people of other faiths to be so but in fact the evidence (and proof) shows something else. The article is actually sixteen seminars or sermons, each about or around an hour in length which go into great depth to reveal who or what is the Anti-Christ and why those claims are true. So far I have listened to ten of the sixteen sermons and I am convinced myself that what is being preached is the truth as I cross-reference the information with Scripture. I will listen to the remaining sermons in the next few days and I expect my eyes to be even further opened. I have a duty to learn about my faith as much as I have to witness to others and the more I learn the more I am convinced that I need to witness to those who don’t know. Here is the link to that site http://www.pccmonroe.org/antichrist.htm If you really want to know then take the time to listen……………

Shirley Anne

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Simple question

Posted by Shirley Anne on March 10, 2012

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The following text is copied in its entirety. It needs no further comment from myself. All credit belongs to the author Marilyn Adamson. Copyright Every Student.com

Does God exist? Here are six straight-forward reasons to believe that God is really there.

By Marilyn Adamson

Just once wouldn’t you love for someone to simply show you the evidence for God‘s existence? No arm-twisting. No statements of, “You just have to believe.” Well, here is an attempt to candidly offer some of the reasons which suggest that God exists.

But first consider this. If a person opposes even the possibility of there being a God, then any evidence can be rationalized or explained away. It is like if someone refuses to believe that people have walked on the moon, then no amount of information is going to change their thinking. Photographs of astronauts walking on the moon, interviews with the astronauts, moon rocks…all the evidence would be worthless, because the person has already concluded that people cannot go to the moon.

When it comes to the possibility of God’s existence, the Bible says that there are people who have seen sufficient evidence, but they have suppressed the truth about God.1 On the other hand, for those who want to know God if he is there, he says, “You will seek me and find me; when you seek me with all your heart, I will be found by you.”2 Before you look at the facts surrounding God’s existence, ask yourself, If God does exist, would I want to know him? Here then, are some reasons to consider…

1. Does God exist? The complexity of our planet points to a deliberate Designer who not only created our universe, but sustains it today.

Many examples showing God’s design could be given, possibly with no end. But here are a few:

The Earth…its size is perfect. The Earth’s size and corresponding gravity holds a thin layer of mostly nitrogen and oxygen gases, only extending about 50 miles above the Earth’s surface. If Earth were smaller, an atmosphere would be impossible, like the planet Mercury. If Earth were larger, its atmosphere would contain free hydrogen, like Jupiter.3 Earth is the only known planet equipped with an atmosphere of the right mixture of gases to sustain plant, animal and human life.

The Earth is located the right distance from the sun. Consider the temperature swings we encounter, roughly -30 degrees to +120 degrees. If the Earth were any further away from the sun, we would all freeze. Any closer and we would burn up. Even a fractional variance in the Earth’s position to the sun would make life on Earth impossible. The Earth remains this perfect distance from the sun while it rotates around the sun at a speed of nearly 67,000 mph. It is also rotating on its axis, allowing the entire surface of the Earth to be properly warmed and cooled every day.

And our moon is the perfect size and distance from the Earth for its gravitational pull. The moon creates important ocean tides and movement so ocean waters do not stagnate, and yet our massive oceans are restrained from spilling over across the continents.4

Water…colorless, odorless and without taste, and yet no living thing can survive without it. Plants, animals and human beings consist mostly of water (about two-thirds of the human body is water). You’ll see why the characteristics of water are uniquely suited to life:

It has an unusually high boiling point and freezing point. Water allows us to live in an environment of fluctuating temperature changes, while keeping our bodies a steady 98.6 degrees.

Water is a universal solvent. This property of water means that thousands of chemicals, minerals and nutrients can be carried throughout our bodies and into the smallest blood vessels.5

Water is also chemically neutral. Without affecting the makeup of the substances it carries, water enables food, medicines and minerals to be absorbed and used by the body.

Water has a unique surface tension. Water in plants can therefore flow upward against gravity, bringing life-giving water and nutrients to the top of even the tallest trees.

Water freezes from the top down and floats, so fish can live in the winter.

Ninety-seven percent of the Earth’s water is in the oceans. But on our Earth, there is a system designed which removes salt from the water and then distributes that water throughout the globe. Evaporation takes the ocean waters, leaving the salt, and forms clouds which are easily moved by the wind to disperse water over the land, for vegetation, animals and people. It is a system of purification and supply that sustains life on this planet, a system of recycled and reused water.6

The human brain…simultaneously processes an amazing amount of information. Your brain takes in all the colors and objects you see, the temperature around you, the pressure of your feet against the floor, the sounds around you, the dryness of your mouth, even the texture of your keyboard. Your brain holds and processes all your emotions, thoughts and memories. At the same time your brain keeps track of the ongoing functions of your body like your breathing pattern, eyelid movement, hunger and movement of the muscles in your hands.

The human brain processes more than a million messages a second.7 Your brain weighs the importance of all this data, filtering out the relatively unimportant. This screening function is what allows you to focus and operate effectively in your world. The brain functions differently than other organs. There is an intelligence to it, the ability to reason, to produce feelings, to dream and plan, to take action, and relate to other people.

The eye…can distinguish among seven million colors. It has automatic focusing and handles an astounding 1.5 million messages — simultaneously.8 Evolution focuses on mutations and changes from and within existing organisms. Yet evolution alone does not fully explain the initial source of the eye or the brain — the start of living organisms from nonliving matter.

2. Does God exist? The universe had a start – what caused it?

Scientists are convinced that our universe began with one enormous explosion of energy and light, which we now call the Big Bang. This was the singular start to everything that exists: the beginning of the universe, the start of space, and even the initial start of time itself.

Astrophysicist Robert Jastrow, a self-described agnostic, stated, “The seed of everything that has happened in the Universe was planted in that first instant; every star, every planet and every living creature in the Universe came into being as a result of events that were set in motion in the moment of the cosmic explosion…The Universe flashed into being, and we cannot find out what caused that to happen.”9

Steven Weinberg, a Nobel laureate in Physics, said at the moment of this explosion, “the universe was about a hundred thousands million degrees Centigrade…and the universe was filled with light.”10

The universe has not always existed. It had a start…what caused that? Scientists have no explanation for the sudden explosion of light and matter.

3. Does God exist? The universe operates by uniform laws of nature. Why does it?

Much of life may seem uncertain, but look at what we can count on day after day: gravity remains consistent, a hot cup of coffee left on a counter will get cold, the earth rotates in the same 24 hours, and the speed of light doesn’t change — on earth or in galaxies far from us.

How is it that we can identify laws of nature that never change? Why is the universe so orderly, so reliable?

“The greatest scientists have been struck by how strange this is. There is no logical necessity for a universe that obeys rules, let alone one that abides by the rules of mathematics. This astonishment springs from the recognition that the universe doesn’t have to behave this way. It is easy to imagine a universe in which conditions change unpredictably from instant to instant, or even a universe in which things pop in and out of existence.”11

Richard Feynman, a Nobel Prize winner for quantum electrodynamics, said, “Why nature is mathematical is a mystery…The fact that there are rules at all is a kind of miracle.”12

4. Does God exist? The DNA code informs, programs a cell’s behavior.

All instruction, all teaching, all training comes with intent. Someone who writes an instruction manual does so with purpose. Did you know that in every cell of our bodies there exists a very detailed instruction code, much like a miniature computer program? As you may know, a computer program is made up of ones and zeros, like this: 110010101011000. The way they are arranged tell the computer program what to do. The DNA code in each of our cells is very similar. It’s made up of four chemicals that scientists abbreviate as A, T, G, and C. These are arranged in the human cell like this: CGTGTGACTCGCTCCTGAT and so on. There are three billion of these letters in every human cell!!

Well, just like you can program your phone to beep for specific reasons, DNA instructs the cell. DNA is a three-billion-lettered program telling the cell to act in a certain way. It is a full instruction manual.13

Why is this so amazing? One has to ask….how did this information program wind up in each human cell? These are not just chemicals. These are chemicals that instruct, that code in a very detailed way exactly how the person’s body should develop.

Natural, biological causes are completely lacking as an explanation when programmed information is involved. You cannot find instruction, precise information like this, without someone intentionally constructing it.

5. Does God exist? We know God exists because he pursues us. He is constantly initiating and seeking for us to come to him.

I was an atheist at one time. And like many atheists, the issue of people believing in God bothered me greatly. What is it about atheists that we would spend so much time, attention, and energy refuting something that we don’t believe even exists?! What causes us to do that? When I was an atheist, I attributed my intentions as caring for those poor, delusional people…to help them realize their hope was completely ill-founded. To be honest, I also had another motive. As I challenged those who believed in God, I was deeply curious to see if they could convince me otherwise. Part of my quest was to become free from the question of God. If I could conclusively prove to believers that they were wrong, then the issue is off the table, and I would be free to go about my life.

I didn’t realize that the reason the topic of God weighed so heavily on my mind, was because God was pressing the issue. I have come to find out that God wants to be known. He created us with the intention that we would know him. He has surrounded us with evidence of himself and he keeps the question of his existence squarely before us. It was as if I couldn’t escape thinking about the possibility of God. In fact, the day I chose to acknowledge God’s existence, my prayer began with, “Ok, you win…” It might be that the underlying reason atheists are bothered by people believing in God is because God is actively pursuing them.

I am not the only one who has experienced this. Malcolm Muggeridge, socialist and philosophical author, wrote, “I had a notion that somehow, besides questing, I was being pursued.” C.S. Lewis said he remembered, “…night after night, feeling whenever my mind lifted even for a second from my work, the steady, unrelenting approach of Him whom I so earnestly desired not to meet. I gave in, and admitted that God was God, and knelt and prayed: perhaps, that night, the most dejected and reluctant convert in all of England.”

Lewis went on to write a book titled, “Surprised by Joy” as a result of knowing God. I too had no expectations other than rightfully admitting God’s existence. Yet over the following several months, I became amazed by his love for me.

6. Does God exist? Unlike any other revelation of God, Jesus Christ is the clearest, most specific picture of God revealing himself to us.

Why Jesus? Look throughout the major world religions and you’ll find that Buddha, Muhammad, Confucius and Moses all identified themselves as teachers or prophets. None of them ever claimed to be equal to God. Surprisingly, Jesus did. That is what sets Jesus apart from all the others. He said God exists and you’re looking at him. Though he talked about his Father in heaven, it was not from the position of separation, but of very close union, unique to all humankind. Jesus said that anyone who had seen Him had seen the Father, anyone who believed in him, believed in the Father.

He said, “I am the light of the world, he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”14 He claimed attributes belonging only to God: to be able to forgive people of their sin, free them from habits of sin, give people a more abundant life and give them eternal life in heaven. Unlike other teachers who focused people on their words, Jesus pointed people to himself. He did not say, “follow my words and you will find truth.” He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father but through me.”15

What proof did Jesus give for claiming to be divine? He did what people can’t do. Jesus performed miracles. He healed people…blind, crippled, deaf, even raised a couple of people from the dead. He had power over objects…created food out of thin air, enough to feed crowds of several thousand people. He performed miracles over nature…walked on top of a lake, commanding a raging storm to stop for some friends. People everywhere followed Jesus, because he constantly met their needs, doing the miraculous. He said if you do not want to believe what I’m telling you, you should at least believe in me based on the miracles you’re seeing.16

Jesus Christ showed God to be gentle, loving, aware of our self-centeredness and shortcomings, yet deeply wanting a relationship with us. Jesus revealed that although God views us as sinners, worthy of his punishment, his love for us ruled and God came up with a different plan. God himself took on the form of man and accepted the punishment for our sin on our behalf. Sounds ludicrous? Perhaps, but many loving fathers would gladly trade places with their child in a cancer ward if they could. The Bible says that the reason we would love God is because he first loved us.

Jesus died in our place so we could be forgiven. Of all the religions known to humanity, only through Jesus will you see God reaching toward humanity, providing a way for us to have a relationship with him. Jesus proves a divine heart of love, meeting our needs, drawing us to himself. Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, he offers us a new life today. We can be forgiven, fully accepted by God and genuinely loved by God. He says, “I have loved you with an everlasting love, therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.”17 This is God, in action.

Does God exist? If you want to know, investigate Jesus Christ. We’re told that “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”18

God does not force us to believe in him, though he could. Instead, he has provided sufficient proof of his existence for us to willingly respond to him. The earth’s perfect distance from the sun, the unique chemical properties of water, the human brain, DNA, the number of people who attest to knowing God, the gnawing in our hearts and minds to determine if God is there, the willingness for God to be known through Jesus Christ. If you need to know more about Jesus and reasons to believe in him, please see: Beyond Blind Faith.

If you want to begin a relationship with God now, you can.

This is your decision, no coercion here. But if you want to be forgiven by God and come into a relationship with him, you can do so right now by asking him to forgive you and come into your life. Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door [of your heart] and knock. He who hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him [or her].”19 If you want to do this, but aren’t sure how to put it into words, this may help: “Jesus, thank you for dying for my sins. You know my life and that I need to be forgiven. I ask you to forgive me right now and come into my life. I want to know you in a real way. Come into my life now. Thank you that you wanted a relationship with me. Amen.”

God views your relationship with him as permanent. Referring to all those who believe in him, Jesus Christ said of us, “I know them, and they follow me; and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand.”20

So, does God exist? Looking at all these facts, one can conclude that a loving God does exist and can be known in an intimate, personal way. If you need more information about Jesus’ claim to divinity, or about God’s existence, or if you have similar important questions, please email us.

I just asked Jesus into my life (some helpful information follows)…

I may want to ask Jesus into my life, please explain this more fully…

I have a question or comment…

About the Author: As a former atheist, Marilyn Adamson found it difficult to refute the continuously answered prayers and quality of life of a close friend. In challenging the beliefs of her friend, Marilyn was amazed to learn the wealth of objective evidence pointing to the existence of God. After about a year of persistent questioning, she responded to God’s offer to come into her life and has found faith in Him to be constantly substantiated and greatly rewarding.

(1) Romans 1:19-21 (2) Jeremiah 29:13-14 (3) R.E.D. Clark, Creation (London: Tyndale Press, 1946), p. 20 (4) The Wonders of God’s Creation, Moody Institute of Science (Chicago, IL) (5) Ibid. (6) Ibid. (7) Ibid. (8) Hugh Davson, Physiology of the Eye, 5th ed (New York: McGraw Hill, 1991) (9) Robert Jastrow; “Message from Professor Robert Jastrow”; LeaderU.com; 2002. (10) Steven Weinberg; The First Three Minutes: A Modern View of the Origin of the Universe; (Basic Books,1988); p 5.  (11) Dinesh D’Souza, What’s So Great about Christianity; (Regnery Publishing, Inc, 2007, chapter 11).  (12) Richard Feynman, The Meaning of It All: Thoughts of a Citizen-Scientist (New York: BasicBooks, 1998), 43.  (13) Francis S. Collins, director of the Human Genome Project, and author of The Language of God, (Free Press, New York, NY), 2006  (14) John 8:12 (15) John 14:6 (16) John 14:11 (17) Jeremiah 31:3 (18) John 3:16 (10) Revelation 3:20 (20) John 10:27-29

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© EveryStudent.com

Shirley Anne

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When things go wrong

Posted by Shirley Anne on March 3, 2012

English: Job's Sons and Daughters Overwhelmed ...

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Job 1

Prologue

1 In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. 2 He had seven sons and three daughters, 3and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.

4 His sons used to take turns holding feasts in their homes, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would send and have them purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom.

Job’s First Test

6 One day the angels[a] came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan[b] also came with them. 7The LORD said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”

Satan answered the LORD, “From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it.”

8Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.”

9 “Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. 10 “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. 11But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.”

12The LORD said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.”

Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.

13 One day when Job’s sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, 14 a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, 15and the Sabeans attacked and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

16While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The fire of God fell from the sky and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

17While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

18 While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, “Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, 19when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”

20 At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship 21and said:

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,    and naked I will depart.[c]The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;    may the name of the LORD be praised.”

22In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.

Footnotes:

  1. Job 1:6 Hebrew the sons of God
  2. Job 1:6 Satan means accuser.
  3. Job 1:21 Or will return there
  4. Bible (NIV1984

    When things go wrong in your life who do you blame? We strive to fill our lives with good things, we want to be happy and contented, we build a family around us and gain many possessions as the inclination takes us. What do we do when things go pear-shaped? Many blame God for their misfortunes, some not even believing He exists! We tend to place the blame for catastrophes on others or on bad luck sometimes but if we believe in luck then we should expect there to be both good and bad luck. We wish others ‘good luck’ when we want them to succeed and we hope that all will go well but when bad luck is our lot we moan about it. We are no more likely to have things go our way than for them not to. To think that all will go well all the time is foolishness for we know from experience it doesn’t. Expecting then that all will not go well all of the time we shouldn’t moan about it when it doesn’t. We arrived in the world with absolutely nothing and we shall depart in the same way, what happens in between has no effect upon that. Whilst we are here we hope our existence will be a happy one and there is nothing wrong in that but if we put our trust and hope in material things and in life itself we can expect calamities and misfortune occasionally. We often hear people ask ‘Why does God allow this (bad things) to happen’? The truth is He has a plan and it doesn’t involve giving in to our whims and fancies. We chose, as humans, to turn our backs on Him and so we suffer the consequences. God however is a loving Father who is ready and willing for us to turn back to Him and when we do He assures us of His love and He gives us life eternal. In the meantime He doesn’t take away our problems and misfortunes because by living through them we learn and become better for it. Ultimately we shall be perfect but not in this present age else we would be in heaven now. Job was a successful and wealthy man who lost everything but he was also an upright man who feared God. God allowed his misfortune and because he didn’t blame God he was given even more than he had previously. That shall be our lot when we return to God. Don’t moan when things go wrong but give praise to God who is the author and creator of all things.

    Shirley Anne

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Your love is all I need

Posted by Shirley Anne on February 24, 2012

Your love is all I need
To last my whole life through
For it to me is everything
And in my heart such joy it brings
That all I need is you.

Your love I treasure most
In each and every way
For it brings me such happiness
Like nothing else I must confess
And gets me through the day.

Your love is over all
Against it nought can stand
For it’s more mighty than the sword
And I ask you my dear sweet Lord
To spread it o’er this land.

Your love will conquer all
It is the purest kind
No other love compares to it
For your love is the ultimate
And there for all mankind.

Your love is who you are
The greatness that is you
There is nobody else beside
There is no place that we can hide
From such a love as You.

Copyright Shirley Anne 26 Feb 2004

Each morning I awake I get down on my knees and speak with my love. He is everything I need. He cares for me like no-one else does. Nothing I do surprises Him and He is very patient with me. When I make mistakes He is ready to forgive me. When I present Him with gifts of love He returns it in greater measure. Nothing is impossible for Him. Others let me down but He remains faithful and loving. Who else can compare to Him? No-one. He is the ‘I am’, He is and was and shall be forever the same. He is Almighty God. He is my Father and I am His child. He comforts me in times of sorrow and gladdens my heart in times of joy. Without Him I am nothing. His love for me goes beyond all measure. He gave to me His only Son as an atonement for my sins, the sins which kept us apart. He gave me Jesus. He is wonderful, He is kind, He is forgiving, He is approachable and He waits for those who don’t yet know Him. He never rejects those who earnestly seek Him. Gracious and wonderful God He is. He is my own true God.
Amen.

Shirley Anne

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So just what do you believe?

Posted by Shirley Anne on February 19, 2012

Christian symbol: This symbol was used primari...

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I make no excuses for declaring that I am a Christian, a follower of Jesus the Son of God and sometimes in this blog you will see reference to this in the form of a post of some description. I use this platform occasionally to act as a witness for God but I do have another blog dedicated solely for this purpose. As Christians we are commanded, not asked, to spread the Good News, the Word of God, the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world, which means you dear reader. It isn’t meant to be an exercise for hammering home or trying to force anyone into belief for we as Christians do not have that authority. Only God can transform people and only the Holy Spirit can bring people under conviction. What is needed for any recipient is an open heart. All we can do is present the facts. It is true that there are many religions in the world, many belief systems, many ideologies, some almost as old as mankind, some modern. Only Christianity proclaims salvation through a Saviour and He, the Son of God, Jesus. The Bible teaches that there is no other name by which we can be saved (salvation) and that name is Jesus. This means that there is no way to be at one with God unless it is through Jesus but still many will not accept that, those who believe in God that is. Many simply don’t believe in God but prefer either what their own hearts tell them or place their belief elsewhere. I came across this very interesting site some time ago but it is only recently that I began to explore what it had to say about the various belief systems around today. This is the address http://www.allaboutspirituality.org/ (There is also a link on the right under ‘Religion’). On the front page you will see a short list which describes various themes. At the bottom of that list there is a link to ‘New Age‘. On the New Age page you will see in the column on the right a sub heading called ‘What do you believe’? At the bottom of that list there is another link to ‘Additional content to explore’. Here is a comprehensive list of belief systems held in today’s world. The short link directly to this list is here…  http://www.allaboutspirituality.org/what-do-you-believe-aasp-8669.htm See if your belief system is present and see what is said about it. Compare what is said to what the Bible says. Perhaps it will get you thinking about changing or perhaps it won’t. That’s up to you.

Shirley Anne

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Illegal to pray in Council meetings

Posted by Shirley Anne on February 11, 2012

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It was declared yesterday that it is now illegal to pray in council meetings. Traditionally at the start of council meetings in Bideford in the UK and presumably in many other council meetings around the country it was customary to pray at the start of a meeting. This tradition was presumably to ask for guidance from God in order that righteous and proper decisions would subsequently be made. Of course this tradition assumes that those who are in leadership actually believe in God but this isn’t the case these days. Ever since this country generally turned away from God there has been a resistance to accept anything to do with religious practices in whatever form that takes. Speaking as a Christian I have no problem with this trend. As far as I am concerned I don’t think the Church should raise objections to atheists and secularists who reject the imposed tradition of acknowledging God in meetings which are intrinsically to do with secular law.  As a Christian of course I would love it that everyone should acknowledge God as their Maker and supreme authority in our lives but I appreciate that isn’t the case and may never be. We cannot impose our own beliefs on everyone else but all we can do is to witness for God in the hope that those who don’t believe may turn to Him one day. As a once time atheist myself I fully understand the objections and if I was indeed still an atheist I would probably feel the same way as they do about religion. I can only say that I was once as they were. I don’t see it as a victory for atheism though, it is a loss for salvation for as a Christian I think atheists are rejecting salvation but don’t know it. There is no reason however that those who still wish to pray before a council meeting should not be able to do so in chambers, away from the secularists and atheists so as not to offend them and then meet up afterwards for the council meeting. This way everyone is accommodated and any friction is avoided. This is common sense though isn’t it? I’ll wager that no-one will think of this but rather try to argue instead. How stupid is that?

Shirley Anne

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