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It’s not for me they say

Posted by Shirley Anne on March 20, 2013

A picture of Pisgah Baptist Church in Four Oak...

A picture of Pisgah Baptist Church in Four Oaks, North Carolina, USA.

There are many things in this life that hold no interest for me and this is the same for everyone on the planet. We can’t all like the same things or have the same interests right across the board. I hear people talking about their hobbies and interests and sometimes those things coincide with mine but not always. For so long in my life I couldn’t understand why people went to church on a Sunday and I felt it was more to do with their traditional habits than their belief in God. Of course at that time I had no interest in God so going to church meant nothing to me. When I actually started going to church on a regular basis it was a ritual for me, it meant nothing spiritually and it was more to do with my children. For reasons not known to me at that time I felt pushed to take them along but wasn’t quite sure why. The children enjoyed going, which helped and I felt happy that they were learning the traditions of men, not realising they were learning about God and Jesus Christ too! As I sat in the pews my experience was one of listening but not understanding. It was simply what I did on a Sunday morning. Before too long we moved away to where we live now and I found another church to attend on a Sunday. Both of these two churches were Methodist. It was during my first year at the second church that I began to take an interest in God and I read the Bible from the beginning to the end for the first time. This ultimately lead to me conversion and I had a ‘born again’ experience. I also began to attend a Pentecostal church about this time. These events are listed in my pages above for those who wish to know more so I won’t elaborate here. My life was changed completely for the better once I became a Christian believer and my sole wish was to tell others about this pearl of information I had discovered so they too might benefit by coming to God as I had done. This desire to ‘preach the Gospel‘ has stuck with me ever since and really it should be the desire of every born again believer! So I witness to people given every opportunity. You might ask why we Christians want others, complete strangers to know about God and salvation but there is a new driving force within us called the Holy Spirit empowering us and there is a new love in our hearts for those who don’t know. Writing about God in a Blog is a very easy thing to do, far easier than speaking with people face to face but I enjoy doing both. I expect a lot of rejection for my efforts for many say in their own way, ‘It’s not for me’, as if it were a hobby or a pastime for me, something I just do as a hobby or because I have an interest in Christianity. Christianity isn’t anything like Islam or Buddhism, Hinduism or any other ‘religions’ for it is the only one with the promise of eternal life.  Believing in a deity, is difficult to accept for many people so they dismiss it out of hand. It is only by openly pursuing God that He will be found though. We have to make the effort and earnestly seek Him. Saying that God doesn’t exist doesn’t mean He doesn’t but people will say the opposite,’believing in God doesn’t mean He exists either’. Well I didn’t know avocados existed before I saw one! The difference is that I can take avocados or not as I please without any consequences but this isn’t the same for God. If I don’t take hold of His free gift of life everlasting in Jesus Christ I will pay the consequences and these consequences will last an eternity! There will not be a second chance so why take that chance? Why gamble with your destiny? No, Christianity isn’t just a hobby or an interest, it isn’t all about going to a church or following the traditions of men as many do. It is about salvation, ETERNAL SALVATION. Pooh-pooh the idea if you think that isn’t true and I know many of you will do exactly that. It won’t stop me trying to get through to you though because I know the gift is very much worth accepting.

Click here for some eye-openers

http://www.finalfrontier.org.uk/

Shirley Anne

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Posted in Bible, Christianity, Church, God, Gods love, Gods love through Jesus, Heaven, Hell, Interests, Jesus, Jesus Christ and The Holy Spirit, Religion, Salvation | Tagged: , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

What do you have?

Posted by Shirley Anne on March 11, 2013

English: Satan Going Forth from the Presence o...

English: Satan Going Forth from the Presence of the Lord, by William Blake.

Well there you are sitting pretty in  your little house or apartment. A nice car stands on the driveway or tucked away inside your garage. There’s money in the bank, though you’d probably like some more. You have a decent job and a family around you or you have retired and are living the good life. Maybe you are single and can do your own thing. Your diary is filled with social engagements and you have many friends to call upon. You make a point in dining out as often as you can. Life is one long holiday but even so you like to go off somewhere once or twice a year as funds will allow. The wine cellar is full and so is the refrigerator. You own the latest television set and computer, mobile phone and tablet and you have many hobbies to keep you occupied. Your garden is well-kept with its immaculate lawn and borders. Fruit trees grow in abundance and tomatoes grow in your large greenhouse. Life is good. It couldn’t be better. All your needs are met and you want for nothing. Suddenly it is all taken away from you.  Without your possessions and lifestyle you have become nothing. What would you do? Well this is what one man did when he found himself in a similar situation..

Job 1

New International Version – UK

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, 3 and 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 hold feasts in their homes on their birthdays, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would make arrangements for them to be 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.

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

Satan answered the Lord, ‘From roaming throughout the earth, going to and fro on it.’

8 Then 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. 11 But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.’

12 The Lord said to Satan, ‘Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, 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 eldest brother’s house, 14 a messenger came to Job and said, ‘The oxen were ploughing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, 15 and the Sabeans attacked and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!’

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

17 While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, ‘The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and made off with them. 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 eldest brother’s house, 19 when 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 21 and said:

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

22 In 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 Hebrew satan means adversary.
  3. Job 1:21 Or shall return there

Think about your life and how that one day it will be taken from you. What will you do when you realise you are in the presence of God facing judgement?

Shirley Anne

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Heaven and hell

Posted by Shirley Anne on February 24, 2013

 

To watch the full version of the video and to watch another similar one click on here……….

http://www.freechristianteaching.org/modules/tinyd0/index.php?id=4#axzz2LTtZ4t8q

 

I hope it opens your heart….

Shirley Anne

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Why do I not worry?

Posted by Shirley Anne on February 21, 2013

The Human Use of Human Beings

The Human Use of Human Beings

I have said this many times in the past but I don’t worry about anything these days, I put my hope and faith in God who takes away my cares. Ok I know some of you will disagree with that but nevertheless it is true for me, He really does take away my cares. Personal problems I may have do not compare to the problems that face so many in the world. If you click on the link to the right ‘Vine of life news’ or here instead, http://vineoflife.net  you will see the column to the far right of its home page items of news from around the world which will open your eyes to what is really going on, some items of news you never hear about from the media or main television news reports. The world is in a terrible state, people facing danger, starvation, military and religious oppression of all kinds and we should be concerned. I know I am concerned but I’m not worried about it all, these things we are told will happen before the end time. As sure as God has a plan they will, He knows things before they happen, it is all in prophecy. Mankind is heading for its own destruction unless there is an intervention, and there will be as sure as there is a tomorrow. I do not worry about these things for it is all in God’s hands. I am not surprised to read about many of the things we human beings get up to all in the name of religion, greed, power and such things. Man’s inhumanity toward his fellow being at times beggars belief and to what end? I remember how much my father was upset about such things and he would often say so whenever he learned of another way mankind had  behaved toward his fellow-man. People tell me that we as human beings are gradually improving in our relationships with each other and that the world is becoming a better place but from where I stand and what I can see going on all around me that suggestion is a difficult one to accept. We have had many generations come and go to get it right but I don’t think we are even close or ever likely to be but as I said, I am not worried, God takes that away from me for I place everything into His hands.

1 Peter 5:6-7

6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Shirley Anne

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Yet a further step away

Posted by Shirley Anne on February 13, 2013

Takva: A Man's Fear of God

Takva: A Man’s Fear of God (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Once upon a time this country was called a Christian country and God-fearing. The laws of God, His precepts were strictly adhered to for fear of God’s wrath. Probably many folk were more frightened of the Church because of the way the Church preached the Word but nevertheless the message was received and accepted. Religion has always been a problem in preaching God’s Word. Would God or does God recognise His Church in these last days? Much of the Church has lost its way and struggles with doctrine, often miss-interpreting Scripture along the way or allowing secular thoughts to influence in decision-making. God gave us His Word in writing showing us the covenants He made with us and laying down His laws and precepts for us to obey. Those laws and precepts remain true even to this day and will remain so forever. When we choose to disobey those rules (laws and precepts) we place ourselves in danger for He gave them to us for a good reason. However, many have turned away from God and choose to do their own thing and live their lives as they please but to be sure God isn’t pleased with them, though some who believe in Him would maintain that He does! Each defiant step we take away from His laws, away from His precepts takes us further away from Him. God loves us all but in no way loves the sins we commit before Him. Sins are what keeps mankind separated from God. This country, this nation, apart from those who love God and obey Him,  has moved far away from God and is getting further away from Him every day. Under the umbrella of the ‘Human Rights‘ advocates God’s laws are being disregarded and ignored, issues concerning homosexuality, same gender marriage, abortions, all go against God’s law. God is not pleased and will pass judgement in due course. The saying by many that this country of ours has ‘gone to the dogs’ is not far from the truth and we will most certainly reap the rewards for our evil ways one day. Our once great kingdom will no longer be great and is already part-way down that road. We, as a nation, need to repent of our ways and get back to God. It is then and only then will we prosper.

Jeremiah 18

5 Then the word of the Lord came to me. 6 He said, ‘Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?’ declares the Lord. ‘Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel. 7 If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, 8 and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned. 9 And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up and planted, 10 and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it.

2 Chronicles 7

14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Shirley Anne

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A final warning and invitation

Posted by Shirley Anne on February 3, 2013

Many of the people I know have no belief in God despite how many times they are witnessed to. A brick wall surrounds them, their eyes are open but they cannot see, their ever-open ears hear nothing, their lives are all they see. They are born, they live and then they die as if for no reason whatsoever. According to their hearts they are all here by accident, by chance, by some fluke of nature and are simply a product of a universe they know nothing about or where it came from. The universe with all it’s galaxies came from somewhere, it was created. In the same way we were created too. God declares He is the creator of all things and He did it all through Jesus Christ and by His Spirit. God spoke and it happened. God speaks today and things happen. Those who know God will know these things but for those who don’t, they remain in ignorance. God however loves all His creation and would have none of us perish or be outside of His love. Unfortunately many do not accept this and place themselves in great danger, not in this life but in the next. We are all sinners and as such deserve nothing from God but in His mercy we may obtain forgiveness and everlasting, yes EVERLASTING LIFE if we repent and accept the one He sent, Jesus, as our Saviour. Without Jesus we are doomed to eternal punishment, Throughout The Bible we are told about this message, this Gospel, this good news but it is up to us to respond. In the final page of Revelation, the last book in the Bible, God calls out to those who have yet to come to Him through Jesus. A final warning and a final invitation. Why? Because He loves you!

Detail - Glory of the New Born Christ in prese...

Revelation 22

Epilogue: invitation and warning

12 ‘Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

14 ‘Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs, those who practise magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practises falsehood.

16 ‘I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.’

17 The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come!’ Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.

18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: if anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. 19 And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.

20 He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon.’

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.

 

Shirley Anne

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Open your eyes

Posted by Shirley Anne on January 27, 2013

The distribution of the predominant Islamic ma...

The distribution of the predominant Islamic madhhab (school of law) followed in majority-Muslim countries and regions (English) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

What does it take to get through to you? In a recent report there was a man in the UK being harassed in the street by Muslim men driving slowly alongside and telling him to leave the area as it was a Muslim area! They also shouted abuse accusing him of ‘looking gay’. I thought this country was ours, I thought this country was Christian but no, there is freedom for everyone to do as they please it seems, some to the good and some not. Do we want to live in a country that is run by Sharia law, becoming Islamic in the process? Be warned, it will happen if we do nothing about it. Click on the link to see what is happening in Europe…

http://vineoflife.net/2013/01/27/european-no-go-zones-for-non-muslims-proliferating-occupation-without-tanks-or-soldiers/

Shirley Anne

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A must see video

Posted by Shirley Anne on January 2, 2013

This is quite a long video but it is very interesting. Have the patience to watch it all, even if a part at a time. You will be amazed at its content and information.

 

Shirley Anne

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Don’t think it can’t or won’t happen

Posted by Shirley Anne on December 9, 2012

It Can Happen Here^ Unless We Keep 'Em Firing^...

It Can Happen Here

This Can't Happen Here

This Can’t Happen Here

When I was young my father would tell me certain things at the end of which he would add, ‘Just mark my words’. He wasn’t often wrong for many of the things he said came true. Wisdom is the reserve of those older and more experienced than ourselves but when young we often do not appreciate that fact. The younger generation think they know all the answers and it is only as they grow and gain experience in life do they begin to see things in a more informed way. Many though do not heed the words of the wise and become or remain uninformed on many of life’s issues. They grow old, steadfast and unswerving because of their refusal to listen and take note. On 1 December I posted an article and video about the advancement of radical Islam in the USA, here in the UK and probably in many other countries around the world too. An attitude of indifference mostly caused by the fact that many people today do not believe in God or follow a religion at all. For many years now I have followed closely the affairs of the world with respect to the prophecies written in The Bible. I am a firm believer in prophecy, I can see where this world is headed and how the events that happen are laying the foundation to troubled times ahead, events which will happen despite any human effort to alleviate the inevitability. Being forewarned is being forearmed and ready. As a Bible believing Christian I am only too aware of the danger humankind is going to be faced with in the years ahead. I may be fortunate to escape the coming wrath, I do not know, no-one does. Much of prophecy is centred around The Holy Land, modern-day Israel and those who have eyes to see and ears to hear must surely be well aware of what is happening there. The worst is yet to come though. Ever since the nation of Israel was reformed in 1948 there has been unrest in the area and it was just the same thousands of years ago. The greatest threat to Israel today is the advancement of Islam but Islam is a conquering faith as well as a religion. The sole aim of Islam is to take the world by force, not by love or persuasion for those outside Islam are considered infidels and deserve death unless they convert. What kind of god promotes this attitude? To that end the proponents of Islam emigrate to foreign lands and begin to live there slowly growing in number and when there are enough of them begin to make their voices heard. Soon they have infiltrated local authorities and governments to become upstanding members of society who fight for the rights and privileges of their Muslim brethren. Many towns in the UK are overflowing with Muslims, so much so that many other ethnic groups leave to live somewhere else. Eventually our Muslim friends become the majority in our land and then our own rights will come under threat. Further down-line the country becomes an Islamic state with all it entails. I heard on the news a couple of days ago that proposals have been submitted to the East London authorities to erect a huge mosque in the area. Now this country once had no mosques but now they are numerous. Some church buildings have been taken over and used as mosques because the local people seemingly were not interested in going to church. Need I say more? This new mosque, if built, would be four times larger than St Paul’s Cathedral. That fact alone should speak volumes. I would hate to be the one to say, ‘I told you so’ but as my old dad used to say ‘Just mark my words’.

Shirley Anne

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Well, well, well

Posted by Shirley Anne on December 7, 2012

English: Pic taken at 12th WIEF
One Of The Best Arguments I have ever read

Don’t miss even a single word…. It’s too good………….

An atheist professor of philosophy speaks to his class on the problem science has with God, The Almighty.
He asks one of his new students to stand and…..

Prof: So you believe in God?

Student: Absolutely, sir.

Prof: Is God good?

Student: Sure.

Prof: Is God all-powerful?

Student: Yes..

Prof: My brother died of cancer even though he prayed to God to heal him. Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But God didn’t. How is this God good then? Hmm?
(Student is silent.)

Prof: You can’t answer, can you? Let’s start again, young fella. Is God good?

Student: Yes.

Prof: Is Satan good?

Student: No.

Prof: Where does Satan come from?

Student: From….God…

Prof: That’s right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world?

Student: Yes.

Prof: Evil is everywhere, isn’t it? And God did make everything. Correct?

Student: Yes.

Prof: So who created evil?
(Student does not answer.)

Prof: Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things exist in the world, don’t they?

Student: Yes, sir.

Prof: So, who created them?
(Student has no answer.)

Prof: Science says you have 5 senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Tell me, son…Have you ever seen God?

Student: No, sir.

Prof: Tell us if you have ever heard your God?

Student: No, sir.

Prof: Have you ever felt your God, tasted your God, smelt your God? Have you ever had any sensory perception of God for that matter?

Student: No, sir. I’m afraid I haven’t.

Prof: Yet you still believe in Him?

Student: Yes.

Prof: According to empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your GOD doesn’t exist.
What do you say to that, son?

Student: Nothing. I only have my faith.

Prof: Yes. Faith. And that is the problem science has.

Student: Professor, is there such a thing as heat?

Prof: Yes.

Student: And is there such a thing as cold?

Prof: Yes.

Student: No sir. There isn’t.
(The lecture thereafter becomes very quiet with this turn of events.)

Student: Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, super heat, mega heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat..
But we don’t have anything called cold. We can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no heat, but we can’t go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold. Cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat is energy Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it .
(There is pin-drop silence in the lecture theatre.)

Student: What about darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as darkness?

Prof: Yes. What is night if there isn’t darkness?

Student : You’re wrong again, sir. Darkness is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light…..But if you have no light constantly, you have nothing and it’s called darkness, isn’t it? In reality, darkness isn’t. If it were you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn’t you?

Prof: So what is the point you are making, young man?

Student: Sir, my point is your philosophical premise is flawed.

Prof: Flawed? Can you explain how?

Student: Sir, you are working on the premise of duality. You argue there is life and then there is death, a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can’t even explain a thought.. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life: just the absence of it.
Now tell me, Professor.Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?

Prof: If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, yes, of course, I do.

Student: Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?
(The Professor shakes his head with a smile, beginning to realize where the argument is going.)

Student: Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a scientist but a preacher? (The class is in uproar.)

Student: Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor’s brain?
(The class breaks out into laughter.)

Student : Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor’s brain, felt it, touched or smelt it? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, sir. With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your lectures, sir?
(The room is silent. The professor stares at the student, his face unfathomable.)

Prof: I guess you’ll have to take them on faith, son.

Student: That is it sir… The link between man & God is FAITH . That is all that keeps things moving & alive.

I believe you have enjoyed the conversation…and if so…you’ll probably want your friends/colleagues to enjoy the same…won’t you?….this is a true story, and the student was none other than …….
APJ Abdul Kalam, the former President of India

Shirley Anne

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Open your eyes people!

Posted by Shirley Anne on December 1, 2012

How much will it take to convince you about the danger we face in our society? Society has fallen away from God, fallen away from Christian principles and values. Secularism is rife and the result will be devastating. The freedom that people think they will enjoy will be taken away from them and they will become subservient to another god who is no god at all. Think I am making all this up to win converts? I pray The Lord will turn hearts back to Him of course but people are unaware of a more insidious evil in our midst and are blind to it. Ever heard the story about the Trojans who hid inside a wooden horse in order to gain access to a city and to conquer it? Similar ‘trojans’ attack our computers but they are nothing compared to the threat which faces our society and all that we hold to be of value. Our country is under attack and we are letting it happen by choosing to ignore the warning signs. Why? Because we as a nation no longer hold to the Christian faith and follow God. This has left us open to the enemy. Satan has gotten a foothold and he will be hard to eject. Below is a video which lasts for almost 50 minutes. It is a presentation to a church in the USA and the speaker talks about the danger the US faces from the inside eating away at its constitution and how people there have let it happen. It can only get worse unless something is done about it. The same forces of darkness are eating away the constitution of the United Kingdom too and we are facing the same danger. When God made the nations of this world He made them for a reason. We must not let the enemy get a firmer grip by doing nothing about it. If we rest on our laurels then that is exactly what he wants. You may laugh and you may scoff just as they did when Enoch Powell made that speech many years ago. No-one took him seriously and look what has happened as a result. I am not advocating hatred, bigotry or racism here but a threat to our very existence a free nation under God. I encourage you to watch the video through to the end. It will certainly open your eyes to what is going on all around you.

Ephesians 6:12
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Please watch the video

Shirley Anne

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The more I see the more I am sure

Posted by Shirley Anne on November 27, 2012

Probably all my readers will be aware by now that I am a Christian but I do not fill this site with religious content, that is reserved for my other site at Minkyweasels Musings but from time to time I do post here on religious themes. I am fascinated with Bible prophecy, well I am fascinated with all of God‘s Word of course and I am always delving into Scripture. I know I have read the entire Bible from cover to cover at least 28 times and learn something new each time I read. I am currently reading through the Bible yet again. A large proportion of the Bible is dedicated to prophecy, probably one-third so it is a subject that should be taken very seriously, especially as much of what is prophesied has actually happened. As a Christian believer I know that all prophecy will be fulfilled, God’s will be done. The reason all prophecy hasn’t been fulfilled is that some of it is reserved for the future and what God has already planned will happen. Many of the prophets in the Old Testament foretold of future events which were fulfilled but some of those future events refer to things even in our own future. When John  was being held captive on the island of Patmos in the Mediterranean Sea he saw a vision from God and was inspired to write down all he saw. This resulted in the entire prophetic Book of Revelation,
Revelation 1
New International Version – UK (NIVUK)
Prologue

1 The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2 who testifies to everything he saw – that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.

The time is near. This is making reference to the ‘end times’ as prophesied in the Book of Daniel and elsewhere in Scripture, a time in the future, their future. We are living two thousand years after John’s prophetic vision and much speculation has been given as to whether the ‘end times’ refer to the present day or a few years hence from now. Descriptions of those end times seem close to what is now going on in the world and indeed can only be referring to modern times when we analyse what is written.
Daniel 12 (NIVUK)

The end times

12 ‘At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people – everyone whose name is found written in the book – will be delivered. 2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. 4 But you, Daniel, roll up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge.’

‘Many will go here and there to increase knowledge’. Think about the Internet. The Book of Daniel was written almost 2600 years ago. In Matthew’s Gospel, written a little less than 2000 years ago a better description, the words spoken directly by Jesus is given…

Matthew 24

New International Version – UK (NIVUK)

The destruction of the temple and signs of the end times

24 Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. 2 ‘Do you see all these things?’ he asked. ‘Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.’

3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. ‘Tell us,’ they said, ‘when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?’

4 Jesus answered: ‘Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, “I am the Messiah,” and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumours of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth-pains.

9 ‘Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

15 ‘So when you see standing in the holy place “the abomination that causes desolation,” spoken of through the prophet Daniel – let the reader understand – 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let no one on the housetop go down to take anything out of the house. 18 Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. 19 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 20 Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath.21 For then there will be great distress, unequalled from the beginning of the world until now – and never to be equalled again.

22 ‘If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.23 At that time if anyone says to you, “Look, here is the Messiah!” or, “There he is!” do not believe it. 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you in advance.

26 ‘So if anyone tells you, “There he is, out in the desert,” do not go out; or, “Here he is, in the inner rooms,” do not believe it. 27 For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.28 Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.

29 ‘Immediately after the distress of those days

‘“the sun will be darkened,
    and the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from the sky,
    and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.”

30 ‘Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. 31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

32 ‘Now learn this lesson from the fig-tree: as soon as its twigs become tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 33 Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. 34 Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

The day and hour unknown

36 ‘But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,[f] but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand-mill; one will be taken and the other left.

42 ‘Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: if the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

45 ‘Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.47 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48 But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, “My master is staying away a long time,” 49 and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. 50 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of.51 He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

I have highlighted some of the passage just to point out some key things but all of what is written and spoken by Jesus will come about. There will be no excuse for not taking heed  to the words of prophecy for they are a warning to unbelievers to repent and turn to God. Imagine being in a building that is on fire and refusing to use the emergency exit because you think there is a better route. Well there isn’t, there is only one way out and that is through Jesus who is holding open the door for you waiting for you to walk through it! Below is a short video worth watching. Several videos automatically follow this one, should you wish to watch them leave it running. May God open your eyes and your heart to His truth.

Shirley Anne

Posted in God, Gods love, Gods love through Jesus, Jesus, Jesus Christ and The Holy Spirit, Knowledge, Religion, Tribulation, War and conflict, Wisdom | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments »

Same old roundabout

Posted by Shirley Anne on November 11, 2012

The Examination and Trial of Father Christmas,...

The Examination and Trial of Father Christmas, (1686), published shortly after Christmas was reinstated as a holy day in England. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Well we are in that time of year once again, the run-up to Christmas. It starts tentatively in September and by the time we get into December it is an all out war, a battle of advertising, promotions, incentives, ideas and all to encourage a mad spending spree. For what? I smile at it all these days because I now look upon the whole affair as an outsider, one who got off the silly ride a couple of years ago and refuses to take part in it all. Let’s get one thing straight at the outset though, I am a Christian, I am a believer in God and in the salvation wrought through Jesus Christ but I realised that the celebration of the man-made festival we call Christmas is not really what God desires of us and there is no precedent for it in Scripture. There is nothing wrong in enjoying and celebrating with family and friends just for the sake of it but to infer that it has anything to do with Christ is wrong especially if those celebrations do not really honour God. In truth Christmas is merely an excuse to overdo things, get drunk, eat too much and just have a hedonistic time. Most people these days do not believe in God or in salvation through Jesus Christ or at best they give lip service to Him. If there were any real sincerity it might be different but even so it isn’t what God wishes. Getting back to the secular side of things and the annual goings on I am glad I no longer a part of it. I see no point in spending money on presents just to receive presents in return. I see no point in drinking more alcohol and partying just because everyone else does it. I see no point in spending vast amounts of money on the traditional fayre of Christmas food just for one day knowing that it isn’t going to be eaten in just one day or probably even one week! Christmas is a time to tell children lies instead of telling them the truth that is in Jesus. No it is a time to tell them about a fictional character who has flying reindeer and who is able to climb down the millions of chimneys dotted about the planet all in one night! How he quite manages that, especially considering his girth, never seems to matter. How is a child supposed to trust you if you start their lives by telling them lies? Christmas is a time for unbelievers to make a mockery of the birth of Christ by filling the time with sinful ways. Christmas, if it ever was truly supposed to be a celebration for Christians has long since been hijacked but in fact it was originally celebrated in an effort to turn pagans and others to God. Well it failed miserably! Christmas is now a time for unbelievers! The same old roundabout revolves with the same old excuses by those riding on it. When Jesus returns as he says he will there will be no reason to celebrate Christmas but will all those unbelievers recognise that fact? Will they see the truth and realise their error? Time will tell but it will be too late for some.

Shirley Anne

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Promises

Posted by Shirley Anne on October 6, 2012

English: ELIYAH VISITS KING AHAB AND THE BA'AL...

English: ELIYAH VISITS KING AHAB AND THE BA’AL PROPHETS 1 MELAKIM 21 KINGS (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Deuteronomy 4:7

What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him?

God is only a prayer away for those who believe in Him.There is but one God, one Creator, one deliverer, one salvation. He is the only God, there are none beside Him. Other nations have their ‘gods’ but no other god answers prayer, no other god is the Creator of all mankind, of all Creation. All other ‘gods’ are false, mere idols and can do nothing. Which other god can perform miracles, can give us the promise of salvation and eternal life? What benefit is there in a false god? What benefit is there in false religion, religion that promises nothing? There is a heaven to gain and a hell to shun and to one of them you will go. Pray to your false god and see if you get a response.

Elijah on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18)

16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him, and Ahab went to meet Elijah. 17 When he saw Elijah, he said to him, ‘Is that you, you troubler of Israel?’

18 ‘I have not made trouble for Israel,’ Elijah replied. ‘But you and your father’s family have. You have abandoned the Lord’s commands and have followed the Baals. 19 Now summon the people from all over Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel. And bring the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.’

20 So Ahab sent word throughout all Israel and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel. 21 Elijah went before the people and said, ‘How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.’

But the people said nothing.

22 Then Elijah said to them, ‘I am the only one of the Lord’s prophets left, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets.23 Get two bulls for us. Let Baal’s prophets choose one for themselves, and let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. 24 Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord. The god who answers by fire – he is God.’

Then all the people said, ‘What you say is good.’

25 Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, ‘Choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire.’ 26 So they took the bull that was given to them and prepared it.

Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. ‘Baal, answer us!’ they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made.

27 At noon Elijah began to taunt them. ‘Shout louder!’ he said. ‘Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or travelling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.’ 28 So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed. 29 Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention.

30 Then Elijah said to all the people, ‘Come here to me.’ They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the Lord, which had been torn down. 31 Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, ‘Your name shall be Israel.’ 32 With the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord, and he dug a trench round it large enough to hold two seahs[a] of seed. 33 He arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the wood. Then he said to them, ‘Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood.’

34 ‘Do it again,’ he said, and they did it again.

‘Do it a third time,’ he ordered, and they did it the third time. 35 The water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench.

36 At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: ‘Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. 37 Answer me, Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.’

38 Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.

39 When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, ‘The Lord – he is God! The Lord – he is God!’

40 Then Elijah commanded them, ‘Seize the prophets of Baal. Don’t let anyone get away!’ They seized them, and Elijah had them brought down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered there.

No other God answers, no other god exists that’s why! But in spite of what God does, in spite of what He says, people will still reject Him, they will still persist believing in falsehood.

The Lord is God

32 Ask now about the former days, long before your time, from the day God created human beings on the earth; ask from one end of the heavens to the other. Has anything so great as this ever happened, or has anything like it ever been heard of? 33 Has any other people heard the voice of God speaking out of fire, as you have, and lived? 34 Has any god ever tried to take for himself one nation out of another nation, by testings, by signs and wonders, by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, or by great and awesome deeds, like all the things the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your very eyes?

35 You were shown these things so that you might know that the Lord is God; besides him there is no other. 36 From heaven he made you hear his voice to discipline you. On earth he showed you his great fire, and you heard his words from out of the fire. 37 Because he loved your ancestors and chose their descendants after them, he brought you out of Egypt by his Presence and his great strength, 38 to drive out before you nations greater and stronger than you and to bring you into their land to give it to you for your inheritance, as it is today.

39 Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the Lord is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other. 40 Keep his decrees and commands, which I am giving you today, so that it may go well with you and your children after you and that you may live long in the land the Lord your God gives you for all time.

These are the words written down in Scripture reminding the Israelites of their inheritance, what God had done for them and the promises he made to them and their descendants from generation to generation. These are the same promises for all those who put their trust and their faith in God. God is true to His word, He is a faithful God and His promises are true.  

Shirley Anne

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Standing up for Christ

Posted by Shirley Anne on September 2, 2012

Many times I have published my views on homosexuality/lesbianism or anything else that seems to contradict the secular lifestyle and have been criticized for doing so by the many secularists that read my posts. I am not ashamed of  The Gospel. I am not ashamed that I place my trust and my hope in Jesus Christ. I am well aware that I too am a sinner but praise be to God and the Lord Jesus Christ that my sins have been covered and dealt with. That doesn’t however mean that I should continue in my sins, I must make every effort to resist temptation else I am making a mockery of Christ’s suffering, that suffering he took upon himself for my sake and for all who will repent and turn to him for their salvation. It isn’t easy being a Christian, it is far easier to be a secularist for in being a secularist means that you can please yourself what you do. We all have that option, God does not force Himself upon anyone but He does tell us the consequences we face should we disregard His truth. The main problem is one of belief or non-belief , we either believe God’s Word, which is written down for us to see or we simply disregard the possibility that it is all true. Some will even try to distort that truth to make if fit in with their belief system or lifestyle and will come up with all sorts of reasons and excuses to justify themselves. God cannot be mocked. We cannot twist things around to suit ourselves. To be a true believer one must make every effort to follow the way of life that God has ordained for us but of course to do that we must repent of our sins and accept God’s free gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ. We must have the faith to believe in that message……

Ephesians 2:8-9

New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

In other words salvation cannot be earned! We need to continue the fight with temptation. If this means overcoming ungodly thoughts and feelings then that is our personal battle. For some things the battle is easily won but for other things it can prove much more difficult. In the area of sexuality there is often the temptation to give in to our feelings where these feelings and tendencies go against God’s will and we struggle to justify giving in to that temptation. If we truly love God and wish to give Him all the honour and respect as Christian people we really must take the battle seriously. Here is a short video that poses the question ‘Is it possible for a Christian to be homosexual’. The reply may surprise you.

Shirley Anne

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Let God be the Judge

Posted by Shirley Anne on August 28, 2012

I have been a Christian now for over 23 years. At first I soaked up all the information about my faith, God and Jesus Christ and what teachings there are in The Bible and it was a wonderful time of exploration in my life. Along the way I learned more and continued to seek knowledge and gain experience and remain doing this even now. I don’t think it is possible to know everything there is to know about God’s Kingdom during a human life-span. As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 12:1-13

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking,it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Many long-standing Christians sometimes go too far in the execution of their duty toward God. They are filled with knowledge and understanding right enough but many lack the love or rather do not show love especially to those not of the faith. One of the very basic teachings is to love one’s neighbour as one’s self yet the command is often lost whilst trying to reach out to others. There are many ways to please God and many more to displease Him. Mankind is born to sin, it is part of our nature and it is sin which separates us from God. For those of us who have accepted Jesus as their Saviour, those sins are paid for but that doesn’t mean sin should continue in our lives, we have to make every effort to stop sinning. We are in a constant battle to stay on-track with God. We forget sometimes that those we are trying to reach with The Good News, The Gospel, are just as we were before our conversion, without salvation, without Jesus and without their sins forgiven. God lays down the rules, He alone is the ultimate Judge. If as unbelievers we ignore God, ignore His rules and reject His love we stand condemned before Him and He will be our judge. It is human nature to judge others, to have an opinion about others, to criticise their lifestyles and behaviour but as Christians we must remember that we too were not perfect in the eyes of God, we are still not perfect and won’t be until we pass from this life. Christians have to stand up for what is right in God’s eyes, we must tell others about the consequences of their sinful behaviour by telling them about God’s love through Jesus Christ, the forgiveness of sins, everlasting life and salvation. This we need to do in love and with compassion for it is by God’s grace that we ourselves have been saved through our faith. God is a merciful and gracious God, a loving and a faithful God but He is also a righteous and holy God who must judge according to His own Law. When making a stand for the righteous Law of God we must however not make demands. We cannot judge what is done by others not of the faith when they come against God’s will by the sins in their life else we may be accused of bigotry and hatred, which is often the case these days. People feel they have the right to unbelief and they do have that right, they always have. Our duty as Christians is to point them to the Truth, to speak about The Good News, The Gospel and the coming Kingdom of God. We are not judges, yet, so let God be the judge and leave it all at His feet.

Shirley Anne

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Hard of heart and stubborn

Posted by Shirley Anne on August 15, 2012

Compassion (fragment)

Compassion (fragment) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Here is a lovely song written some years ago by Graham Kendrick the well-known Christian song writer..

Soften my heart Lord
Soften my heart
From all indifference
Set me apart
To feel Your compassion
To weep with Your tears
Come soften my heart O Lord
Soften my heart

Copyright Make Way Music, Graham Kendrick

When reading those words do you see in yourself a lack of compassion? Is your heart so hardened by the experiences in your life that you are a closed book? Do you find yourself to be completely indifferent to the suffering of others because you yourself are suffering? Perhaps you have enough problems of your own to consider the plight of others. Are you really so indifferent and cold of heart that you lack compassion? For A Christian having these tendencies places a serious doubt on their sincerity and walk with God. Perhaps the song was intended as an outreach to the unsaved, the unbelievers but perhaps it was more intended as a call to Christians to consider their personal relationship with God. Many church-going Christians merely fill the pews. Yes, they may have a belief in God and in Jesus Christ and may have repented and been baptised but somehow the fervour they once had for The Lord has somewhat diminished and their hearts have become hardened. We have to remember the love that was shown to us as sinners, the compassion The Father has for us, the compassion that was demonstrated on the cross through Jesus Christ and the grace by which we are rescued from the consequences of our sins. God wants us all to have a softened heart that is filled with compassion and love. Those who claim to be His need to remember these things. Soften my heart Lord, soften my heart.

Shirley Anne

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In a box

Posted by Shirley Anne on August 12, 2012

Adam and Eve by Rembrandt

Adam and Eve by Rembrandt (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In a box (Originally posted last year in my other blog http://www.minkyweaselsmusings.blogspot.co.uk )

As human beings we tend to want things all neat and tidy, everything in its place. We have these imaginative little boxes in which we place things, each box with its own label so that what is in the box is described by the label. Life however cannot be categorised in this way. Some things can be placed in definitive boxes but some just cannot. We live our lives in little boxes, our homes, our cars, sometimes the places in which we work. We categorise people in the same way, stamping imaginary labels on everyone we see. We even put God in a box! Now there is a thing! God cannot be placed into a box. We cannot put human limitations on the One who created us. If God doesn’t meet with our needs we accuse Him of not loving us. If something upsetting happens in our lives we blame God as if he had anything to do with it. Some people even blame God when they don’t even believe He exists! How stupid is that?. (http//www.godandscience.org/apologetics/natural_evil_theodicity.html) The truth is, many people just don’t know God. God does not interfere in our lives but allows things to happen because what happens in our lives in really down to us. We have no control over certain things, who dies, who lives, who becomes ill and who doesn’t. We have determined our own earthly fate by rejecting God in the first place. It’s the Adam and Eve effect if you will. God gives us a second chance to walk with Him, to trust in Him and to rely on His sovereignty and will. We must place ourselves at His mercy in order to please Him. Unfortunately many will not do that because by nature we are selfish and want our own way in things. God allows us to do as we wish but there is a penalty to pay, if not in this world (realm) then certainly in the next, for surely there is a next! I speak of spiritual things. God even gives us a way out, a way of paying our debt for the sins we commit and that is through Jesus Christ. It is by Gods grace through our faith in Him that we are saved from eternal punishment. Ephesians 2:8-9 ‘For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith— and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no-one can boast’. Don’t place God in a box, He has a purpose for everything that happens in your life, whether good things or bad.

Shirley Anne

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A note for the unbeliever

Posted by Shirley Anne on August 6, 2012

Now I am not preaching hate here. My aim in this post is to reach out to those who in their own wisdom do not consider themselves to be sinners, ignoring or disbelieving in God. We are all sinners and that is a fact. I am a sinner, so are you. My sins have been covered and dealt with by Jesus Christ, are yours? I reach out in love, I have no personal axe to grind with anyone’s lifestyle but I am concerned for those who may be going to eternal damnation simply because of their stubborn hearts. Hear the word of the Lord your God…..

I am pulling no punches but turn away if you don’t value you future. Oh yes, you do have a future when you depart this existence. The choice is yours, as it has always been. There are many verses in The Bible I could quote to those who turn their backs on God, to those who have false religions and philosophies, to those who have no belief at all, to those who believe in other gods which aren’t gods at all, to those who believe in karma and re-incarnation, the immoral, the sexual deviants, the liars and cheats and ….well the list is endless. You know who you are. The verses below (and all of Scripture) were directed at the Israelites who constantly turned their backs on The Lord but of course they are intended for all mankind. God used Israel as an example for all of His creation and  these are the words of the One and only, the Almighty, the only God, who was and is and shall be forever, the I AM……..

Deuteronomy 32:1-43

1 Listen, you heavens, and I will speak;
hear, you earth, the words of my mouth.
2 Let my teaching fall like rain
and my words descend like dew,
like showers on new grass,
like abundant rain on tender plants.

3 I will proclaim the name of the Lord.
    Oh, praise the greatness of our God!
4 He is the Rock, his works are perfect,
    and all his ways are just.
A faithful God who does no wrong,
    upright and just is he.

5 They are corrupt and not his children;
    to their shame they are a warped and crooked generation.
6 Is this the way you repay the Lord,
    you foolish and unwise people?
Is he not your Father, your Creator,
    who made you and formed you?

7 Remember the days of old;
consider the generations long past.
Ask your father and he will tell you,
your elders, and they will explain to you.
8 When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance,
when he divided all mankind,
he set up boundaries for the peoples
according to the number of the sons of Israel.
9 For the Lord’s portion is his people,
Jacob his allotted inheritance.

10 In a desert land he found him,
in a barren and howling waste.
He shielded him and cared for him;
he guarded him as the apple of his eye,
11 like an eagle that stirs up its nest
and hovers over its young,
that spreads its wings to catch them
and carries them on its pinions.
12 The Lord alone led him;
no foreign god was with him.

13 He made him ride on the heights of the land
and fed him with the fruit of the fields.
He nourished him with honey from the rock,
and with oil from the flinty crag,
14 with curds and milk from herd and flock
and with fattened lambs and goats,
with choice rams of Bashan
and the finest grains of wheat.
You drank the foaming blood of the grape.

15 Jeshurun grew fat and kicked;
filled with food, they became heavy and sleek.
They abandoned the God who made them
    and rejected the Rock their Saviour.
16 They made him jealous with their foreign gods
    and angered him with their detestable idols.
17 They sacrificed to false gods, which are not God –
 gods they had not known,
    gods that recently appeared,
    gods your ancestors did not fear.
18 You deserted the Rock, who fathered you;
you forgot the God who gave you birth.

19 The Lord saw this and rejected them
because he was angered by his sons and daughters.
20 ‘I will hide my face from them,’ he said,
‘and see what their end will be;
for they are a perverse generation,
children who are unfaithful.
21 They made me jealous by what is no god
and angered me with their worthless idols.
I will make them envious by those who are not a people;
I will make them angry by a nation that has no understanding.
22 For a fire will be kindled by my wrath,
one that burns down to the realm of the dead below.
It will devour the earth and its harvests
and set on fire the foundations of the mountains.

23 ‘I will heap calamities on them
and expend my arrows against them.
24 I will send wasting famine against them,
consuming pestilence and deadly plague;
I will send against them the fangs of wild beasts,
the venom of vipers that glide in the dust.
25 In the street the sword will make them childless;
in their homes terror will reign.
The young men and young women will perish,
the infants and those with grey hair.
26 I said I would scatter them
and erase their name from human memory,
27 but I dreaded the taunt of the enemy,
lest the adversary misunderstand
and say, “Our hand has triumphed;
the Lord has not done all this.”’

28 They are a nation without sense,
there is no discernment in them.
29 If only they were wise and would understand this
and discern what their end will be!
30 How could one man chase a thousand,
or two put ten thousand to flight,
unless their Rock had sold them,
unless the Lord had given them up?
31 For their rock is not like our Rock,
as even our enemies concede.
32 Their vine comes from the vine of Sodom
and from the fields of Gomorrah.
Their grapes are filled with poison,
and their clusters with bitterness.
33 Their wine is the venom of serpents,
the deadly poison of cobras.

34 ‘Have I not kept this in reserve
and sealed it in my vaults?
35 It is mine to avenge; I will repay.
In due time their foot will slip;
their day of disaster is near
and their doom rushes upon them.’

36 The Lord will vindicate his people
and relent concerning his servants
when he sees their strength is gone
and no one is left, slave or free.
37 He will say: ‘Now where are their gods,
the rock they took refuge in,
38 the gods who ate the fat of their sacrifices
and drank the wine of their drink offerings?
Let them rise up to help you!
Let them give you shelter!

39 ‘See now that I myself am he!
 There is no god besides me.
I put to death and I bring to life,
    I have wounded and I will heal,
    and no one can deliver out of my hand.
40 I lift my hand to heaven and solemnly swear:
    as surely as I live for ever,
41 when I sharpen my flashing sword
    and my hand grasps it in judgment,
I will take vengeance on my adversaries
    and repay those who hate me.
42 I will make my arrows drunk with blood,
while my sword devours flesh:
the blood of the slain and the captives,
the heads of the enemy leaders.’

43 Rejoice, you nations, with his people,
for he will avenge the blood of his servants;
he will take vengeance on his enemies
and make atonement for his land and people.

Hear the words of the Lord YOUR God. Turn away from all the lies and falsehood that is your religion, all the things which will take you down on Judgement Day. Satan would have you believe in anything but the truth, that’s his job, that’s his nature and you don’t even realise it! Have a laugh, dismiss what I am saying, live your life the way you please but there WILL be a price to pay and you will not like it. REPENT before it is too late. Once you die it will be too late.

Here is a post on a site worth the visit http://lifeofafemalebiblewarrior.wordpress.com/2012/07/29/should-christians-evangelize-atheists/

Shirley Anne

 

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Liars and cheats

Posted by Shirley Anne on July 22, 2012

The Penance of David, Psalm 51

The Penance of David, Psalm 51 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Today’s world is full of liars and cheats or fraudsters seeking every opportunity to relieve us of our assets, usually money but it can be almost anything that leads to a profit for them and a loss for their victims. With the advent of the Internet opportunities to defraud have multiplied. We are constantly being reminded to remain on our guard in our dealings with others for we can never be sure of their motives. Most of us can proudly boast of having reliable family and friends although even amongst these some people have been caught out. We would all like to think that we are held in the highest esteem in the sight of others, upright citizens in every way but most of us if we were to be completely honest with ourselves have at some point fallen well short of such ideals. The world however is full of people who seemingly have no ethics or moral standards in their dealings with us and are quick to exploit any weaknesses we might reveal in ourselves. Mankind is inherently sinful in nature and it is this nature within ourselves that we struggle to overcome, that is if we wish to justify our dealings with those we meet and be held in esteem. In David‘s psalm we can see his declaration and promise to God to fight against the sinful nature

Psalm 101

Of David. A psalm.

1 I will sing of your love and justice;
to you, Lord, I will sing praise.
2 I will be careful to lead a blameless life —
when will you come to me?
I will conduct the affairs of my house
with a blameless heart.
3 I will not look with approval
on anything that is vile.
I hate what faithless people do;
I will have no part in it.
4 The perverse of heart shall be far from me;
I will have nothing to do with what is evil.
5 Whoever slanders their neighbor in secret,
I will put to silence;
whoever has haughty eyes and a proud heart,
I will not tolerate.
6 My eyes will be on the faithful in the land,
that they may dwell with me;
the one whose walk is blameless
will minister to me.
7 No one who practices deceit
will dwell in my house;
no one who speaks falsely
will stand in my presence.
8 Every morning I will put to silence
all the wicked in the land;
I will cut off every evildoer
from the city of the Lord.

David was well aware of his shortcomings for he himself had done wicked things in the sight of God and became distressed knowing that he had offended his Maker. This we see in his plea to God…….

Psalm 51

For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.

1 Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict
and justified when you judge.
5 Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
6 Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
you taught me wisdom in that secret place.

7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.

10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
so that sinners will turn back to you.
14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
you who are God my Saviour,
and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
15 Open my lips, Lord,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart
you, God, will not despise.

18 May it please you to prosper Zion,
to build up the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous,
in burnt offerings offered whole;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.

God forgave David for his sins when he saw how filled with remorse he was for the things he had done. In the same way God forgives us our sins but He does that through His Son, Jesus. It’s all about having the right attitude and fear of God. Not fear in the earthly sense but a reverence for God for perfect love, God’s love, casts out all fear. Many atheists and secularists would claim they too would be remorseful and ashamed to have done others wrong. It is admirable to hold fast to such righteousness but it is meaningless if we do it solely for the praise and esteem of men. God laid down the standards we are to live by and it is to Him that we ask forgiveness when we fail. In these latter days we have an intercessor before God our Father, one who speaks on our behalf, Jesus, if we place our trust in him.

Shirley Anne

 

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