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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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Is it really the fault of religion?

Posted by Shirley Anne on May 1, 2012

Opposing views

Opposing views (Photo credit: Wolfram Burner)

I came across an article on the Internet asking why church attendance these days has dropped off dramatically. Among the comment contributers were several people who stated that ‘religion’ is the source and cause of war and unrest in the world  and being atheists themselves set arguments against it, without proof I might add. I made a few comments to the contrary myself as I was reminded of an article I once read on the web site listed below. I have to admit that my eyes were opened when I first saw the article for I knew from history many conflicts brought about through religious fervour but the facts speak for themselves and although some wars have been started in the name of one religion or another, they are indeed in the minority. Take a look …….

Below is an extract taken from a site compiled and produced by Rich Deam called Evidence for God. http://www.godandscience.org/apologetics/atrocities.html All credit acknowledged and directed to the author.

TABLE 3.1 Selected Pre-20th Century Democide and Totals1
Cases Years2 Democide3 Religious?
China 221 B.C.-19 C. 33,519,0004 No
Mongols 14 C-15 C 29,927,000 No
Slavery of Africans 1451-1870 17,267,000 No
Amer-Indians 16 C-19 C 13,778,000 No
Thirty Years War 1618-1648 5,750,000 No
In India 13 C-1 9 C 4,511,0005 No
In Iran 5 C-19 C 2,000,0004,5 No
Ottoman Empire 12 C-19 C 2,000,0005 No
In Japan 1570-19 C 1,500,0005 No
In Russia 10 C-19 C 1,007,0005 No
Christian Crusades 1095-1272 1,000,000 Yes
Aztecs Centuries 1,000,0006 Yes
Spanish Inquisition 16 C-18 C 350,000 Yes
French Revolution 1793-1794 263,000 No
Albigensian Crusade 1208-1249 200,000 Yes
Witch Hunts 15 C-17 C 100,000 Yes
Total For All Cases pre-20 C 133,147,000 2,650,000
Hypothetical Total 30 C B.C.-19 C A.D. 625,716,0007
International war-related dead 30 C B.C.-19 C A.D. 40,457,0008
Plague dead (Black Death) 541 A.D.-1912 102,070,0009
  1. Adopted from STATISTICS OF DEMOCIDE.
  2. Unless otherwise noted, years and centuries are A.D.
  3. Unless otherwise noted, these are a best guess estimate in a low to high range.
  4. Excludes democide in China by Mongols.
  5. An absolute low.
  6. A very speculative absolute low.
  7. From STATISTICS OF DEMOCIDE.. Calculated from the 20th century democide rate and the population for each century since 30 B.C.
  8. From table STATISTICS OF DEMOCIDE. Total undoubtedly inflated by democide.
  9. A minimum: includes plague dead in circa 541-542 A.D.; 1346-1771 in Europe; 1771 in Moscow; 1894 in Hong Kong; and 1898-1912 in India. From Duplaix (1988, p. 677-678).

What percentage of these killings were due to religious democide? It is less than 3% of the totals. The surprising thing is that these killings occurred during a period of time when virtually all the peoples of the world were involved in some sort of religion. Here is the data for the 20th century:

TABLE 1.2 20th Century Democide1
REGIMES YEARS DEMOCIDE2 Atheist?
U.S.S.R. 1917-87 61,911,000 Yes
China (PRC) 1949-87 35,236,000 Yes
Germany 1933-45 20,946,000 No
China (KMT) 1928-49 10,075,000 No
Japan 1936-45 5,964,000 No
China (Mao Soviets)3 1923-49 3,466,000 Yes
Cambodia 1975-79 2,035,000 Yes
Turkey (Armenian Genocide) 1909-18 1,883,000 No
Vietnam 1945-87 1,670,000 Yes
Poland 1945-48 1,585,000 Yes
Pakistan 1958-87 1,503,000 No
Yugoslavia (Tito) 1944-87 1,072,000 Yes
North Korea 1948-87 1,663,000 Yes
Mexico 1900-20 1,417,000 No
Russia 1900-17 1,066,000 Yes
China (Warlords) 1917-49 910,000 No
Turkey (Ataturk) 1919-23 878,000 No
United Kingdom 1900-87 816,000 No
Portugal (Dictatorship) 1926-82 741,000 No
Indonesia 1965-87 729,000 No
LESSER MURDERERS 1900-87 2,792,000 ?
WORLD TOTAL 1900-87 169,202,000 107,047,000
  1. From STATISTICS OF DEMOCIDE.
  2. Includes genocide, politicide, and mass murder; excludes war-dead. These are probable mid-estimates in low to high ranges. Figures may not sum due to round off.
  3. Guerrilla period.

Vox Day, in The  Irrational Atheist, lists 22 atheistic regimes that committed  153,368,610 murders in the 20th century alone:

Murders by Atheists (20th Century)
Country Dates Murders
Afghanistan 1978-1992 1,750,000
Albania 1944-1985 100,000
Angola 1975-2002 125,000
Bulgaria 1944-1989 222,000
China/PRC 1923-2007 76,702,000
Cuba 1959-1992 73,000
Czechoslovakia 1948-1968 65,000
Ethiopia 1974-1991 1,343,610
France 1793-1794 40,000
Greece 1946-1949 20,000
Hungary 1948-1989 27,000
Kampuchea/Cambodia 1973-1991 2,627,000
Laos 1975-2007 93,000
Mongolia 1926-2007 100,000
Mozambique 1975-1990 118,000
North Korea 1948-2007 3,163,000
Poland 1945-1948 1,607,000
Romania 1948-1987 438,000
Spain (Republic) 1936-1939 102,000
U.S.S.R. 1917-1987 61,911,000
Vietnam 1945-2007 1,670,000
Yugoslavia 1944-1980 1,072,000

What percentage of this democide was due to religious conflict? It turns out that religious democide doesn’t even make the top 20 (although I am sure there is some in the “lesser murderers” category. Still, the total religious killings is less than 2%. In fact, the top two killers were specifically atheistic states (which had never existed before in human history). Should atheism be blamed for more than 50% of the atrocities committed during the 20th century? The answer of course is No! If one examines the nature of the regimes that committed these atrocities (even the religious ones), the key factor is absolute power (see Figure 1, right). According to Professor R.J. Rummel, in the 1816-2005 period there were 205 wars between non-democracies, 166 wars between non-democracies and democracies, and 0 wars between democracies. Lord Acton’s warning that “power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely” seems to be more than just a trite saying.

What about Christians who commit evil?

Jesus Himself addressed the issue of “Christians,” performing evil deeds in a rather chilling prophecy:

“Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’” (Matthew 7:22-23)

One should note that Jesus said that “many” people who think they are His followers will be rejected by Jesus when at the judgment when they attempt to claim that they are His disciples. Not all who claim the name of Jesus are actually His disciples. My guess is that in even the best of Christian churches only about half of the people have been truly born again (see John  chapter 3).1 Christianity should be judged on the basis of what Jesus said and did, not on the basis of the actions of people who merely claim to be Christians. Foxe’s      Book of Martyrs details the deaths of Christians who were killed because of their faith in Christ, in many cases by people claiming to be Christians.

So you see it isn’t all about religion is it? Man is born into sin. It is in his nature. Jesus Christ said ..’no-one is good, not even one’

Shirley Anne

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Is this you?

Posted by Shirley Anne on April 27, 2012

Devoid

Devoid (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I’m too busy right now to see you,

I’ve too much to do today,

If only each day had more hours,

I might have some time left to play.

How is it that each precious moment

Is filled with our own selfish things

Not wishing to spend time with others,

Pursuing our own empty dreams?

For what is a life that is lonely

Bereft of companions and friends?

A schedule whose pages are empty,

Devoid of all meaning, it ends.

So make time and space for each other,

Defer things that stand in your way,

Live life to the fullest and savour,

Those friendships before it’s too late!

Copyright Shirley Anne 4 Dec 2002 Poem listed in My Poems 5 above

It isn’t my attitude to life but it does seem to be for others I know. Living in a community, amongst family and friends, if we have any, can be difficult at times. Everyone has an agenda or an excuse. Sometimes we don’t see the need others might have for us or maybe we think they get in the way of our plans. I mean what plans are so important that we don’t have time for others? Scripture tells us and we are told only too often by others that we should love our neighbour. That doesn’t just mean those living next-door but everyone else on this planet is our neighbour, anyone we come across in life is our neighbour. If we have no time for anyone else what are we living for? There are matters to which we must attend to obviously but they don’t take up our complete life do they? Take time for one another, bear each other’s burdens if we can. I speak as a Christian but the truth of the matter remains the same for everyone.

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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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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My duty

Posted by Shirley Anne on March 17, 2012

English: The parsonage of First Methodist Chur...

Image via Wikipedia

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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So just what do you believe?

Posted by Shirley Anne on February 19, 2012

Christian symbol: This symbol was used primari...

Image via Wikipedia

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

Meetings are sometimes held around conference ...

Image via Wikipedia

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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The end of it all?

Posted by Shirley Anne on February 7, 2012

There have been many predictions concerning the end of the age or the end of the world. Even 2012 has been depicted at some point to be the end of the world. Every prophecy given by various people have failed to predict this event of course for we are still here! Many point to the ancient Mayan predictions or those of Nostradamus looking for the truth of the matter. A few years ago the world was teetering on the brink of self-anihilation because of the threat of a massive nuclear war between the then two major world powers but as it happened we were spared such a demise. The same threat still exists with the rise of the nuclear capabilities of some countries new to the scene of nuclear bomb manufacture. Some of these countries are considered unstable in their political views and war seems inevitable because of this at some time in the future. People are worried that the whole world will become so unstable that another world-wide war will be the outcome and will mark the beginning of the end. According to Scripture the world will not come to an end this way, it will not be destroyed at all. It isn’t the end of the world we should be concerned about but the end of the sinful age of man. This is what Scripture says on the matter…

Matthew 24

Signs of the end of the age

1 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. “I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”

3As 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 Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors 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. 8All 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 he who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14And 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 roof of his house go down to take anything out of the house. 18 Let no one in the field go back to get his 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, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now—and never to be equaled 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 Christ!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible. 25See, I have told you ahead of time.

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. 28Wherever 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.’[c]

30 “At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. 31And 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 get 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 I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 35Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

The Day and Hour Unknown

36 “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, 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. 41Two 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. 44So 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 I tell you the truth, 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. 51He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Not exactly a nice senario is it? Unless of course you are a believer………

Shirley Anne

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Forgiven and loved

Posted by Shirley Anne on January 18, 2012

English: David's Joy Over Forgiveness; as in P...

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Psalm 32

Of David. A maskil.[a]

1 Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.

2Blessed is the one whose sin the LORD does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit.

3 When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.

4 For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.[b]

5Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin.

6 Therefore let all the faithful pray to you while you may be found; surely the rising of the mighty waters will not reach them.

7You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.

8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.

9 Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you.

10Many are the woes of the wicked, but the LORD’s unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him.

11 Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous;  sing, all you who are upright in heart!

Footnotes:
  1. Psalm 32:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  2. Psalm 32:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 5 and 7.

How great it is to be loved by the Lord my God, to know that my sins have been forgiven, even paid for. Without such a love and compassion I would be doomed. It is better to be a child of God and to be loved and forgiven by Him than to be outside of His forgiveness because of unbelief. Acts 4:12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” That name is Jesus Christ.

Shirley Anne

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Harsh words

Posted by Shirley Anne on December 31, 2011

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I have never believed that homosexuality (and lesbianism) was right and I have always objected to the association given between the homosexual community and specifically the transsexual community. The two are incongruous. These beliefs are based upon my faith as a Christian and what the teachings are on the subject as far as Scripture is concerned. God clearly states in several places in His word that these things are wrong but the gay community either chooses to ignore it or doesn’t believe it or tries to twist the truth in order to justify the lifestyle. Of course they may not believe in God in which case in their eyes there isn’t a problem. It amuses me when non-believers quote Scripture to defend themselves when they don’t believe in God or when they try to justify what they do by the use of Scripture as if it mattered to them. I do not have a problem with homosexual or lesbian people in the least but I do, as a Christian, have problems with their sexual behaviour which for Christians (and perhaps others) is unacceptable because it is in conflict with what Scripture says on the matter. What is objectionable is the fact that some quarters insist that the Christian Church accepts this behaviour as normal and allows acceptance of individuals into their midst without question. Christians are taught and it comes naturally to them to love their fellow-man but that does not mean accepting their sexuality and lifestyle. How can a Christian believer reject God’s word on the matter? It isn’t a question of love in the way that is often demanded of a Christian either. We get told that we should love those who are different as it is the Christian thing to do. Well it is the right behaviour to expect from a true Christian. However, loving someone doesn’t mean accepting their behaviour.

1 Corinthians 6

Lawsuits Among Believers

1 If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord’s people? 2 Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? 3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! 4 Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, do you ask for a ruling from those whose way of life is scorned in the church? 5 I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? 6But instead, one brother takes another to court—and this in front of unbelievers!

7 The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? 8 Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters. 9 Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men[a] 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Sexual Immorality

12 “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. 13 You say, “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both.” The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! 16 Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.”[b] 17 But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.[c]

18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. 19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

Footnotes:
  1. 1 Corinthians 6:9 The words men who have sex with men translate two Greek words that refer to the passive and active participants in homosexual acts.
  2. 1 Corinthians 6:16 Gen. 2:24
  3. 1 Corinthians 6:17 Or in the Spirit 
    New International Version (NIV)Copyright ©  1973, 1978, 1984, 2011  by Biblica

Shirley Anne

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I must do what I have to do

Posted by Shirley Anne on December 28, 2011

English: Page 53 in Olney Hymns, the verses th...

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Many, if not all of my readers will know by now that I am a Christian. Many will think I am daft and beyond saving but that is because they think I should have the same beliefs as they do. In regard to everyday life in fact I do have all the same beliefs as they do but not in spiritual things. I was watching the news the other day and all those people who couldn’t wait to get to the annual sales, each looking for a bargain, This show me where their priorities lie. They are captivated by the material world, their idols are their possessions. It would have been better to them to spend their money and pay the normal price. In that way they would have been helping the economy but people are selfish and don’t consider what they do is selfish. They do not consider spiritual things either. The Bible has much to say on such things, Jesus said, ‘What shall it profit a man if he gains the world and loses his soul?’ (paraphrased). Once I went along with the flow, once I was an atheist but now I am a Christian. Now that is a transformation! If anyone knew me as an atheist they would most certainly not be able to understand my transition to Christianity. Everything I once stood for just flew out of the window and something new and revealing flew inward to my heart. Some would call that unbelievable but I know different, I call it amazing grace. My transformation was really something that had to be seen to be believed. Once, totally against religion, totally against the idea of there being a God, totally against everything, against people,  against everything and yet at the flick of a switch, the toss of a coin, in a complete turnaround, I became a new person, a believer and one who puts her whole faith and trust in her maker, the one and only God, creator of all things, Yahweh. From that memorable day I have tried my utmost to be a faithful witness to God and the salvation He offers free of charge. How amazing is that? That He should give me a way out of my separation from Him is remarkable. None of us deserve such love but nevertheless it is there for all who would open their hearts to that fact. It is hard to change one’s beliefs and way of thinking and to be fair it does require a touch from God for anything to happen but for that to happen requires an openness to the fact that He exists and a willingness to invite Him in. God does not act unless invited for a special reason, He requires his creation to worship Him because they want to, not because they have to. So He leaves us with the choice. There are so many things to know, so many things that will be revealed, so many things to understand that will only be known by those who are willing to turn to Him. Once I was lost but now I am saved, once I knew nothing but now I know true love and have been given an understanding of God’s creation, His love and His purpose for all that He has made, which includes you my reader. I can do nothing to persuade you of this gem of truth. Of myself I am nothing but in God’s spirit I am everything for it is through God’s spirit that I reach out to you in the hope that you will consider His love. God sent His only begotten son as a sacrifice for your sins. Believe in Him and in the one He sent, Jesus, and you shall be saved. My hope for this coming year is that you will turn to God and see a better future, one far better than that you have now if you do not believe in Him. May the Lord guide you and teach you what you need to know. Let this year be a turning point in your life and see the difference it will make. Turn away from idolatry and turn to the One who can change your life for the better.

What is the purpose of your life? Why are you here? Click on this link for a video message http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yZstH3iQ0Q

Shirley Anne

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The run up, the excitement?

Posted by Shirley Anne on December 20, 2011

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This is the final working week before the holiday that is celebrated as Christmas. I say celebrated but in fact not everyone celebrates the day in accordance with its sentiments. When I was younger it was always the run-up to Christmas that was exciting, less so the day itself which always seemed to be a little of an anti-climax. Yes, the food, the presents, the giving and receiving, the family and friends were all good things to enjoy although the expectation had all but disappeared. I never was sure what that expectation was until much later in life. In those days I wasn’t a Christian and, like everyone who isn’t a Christian, my heart was set on other worldly things and having a good time. The message of Christmas never entered my thoughts. Christmas itself is a celebration that has hijacked a much older celebration or celebrations that were in existence long before. The early Church did not celebrate the birth of Christ for good reason, it wasn’t part of Scripture and therefore wasn’t a command of or from God. It was many years later that the early Catholic Church introduced the idea of celebrating Christ’s birth but to encourage people to join in the worship and subsequently become believers they introduced many of the artifacts and traditions of the pagan and mystic religions that people were drawn to at that time. So all the things which are now part of the modern celebration of Christmas have their roots in these non-Christian belief systems and really have no place in Christianity. Over the centuries these customs have become tradition and have become accepted as a right way to celebrate Christ’s birth. The early Church was warned to steer clear of the practices of ‘foreign’ religions by God Himself, not only in His word, The Bible (then the Old Testament) but also by His prophets. The New Testament follows in that same vein. The Church became corrupt when together with the celebrations instigated by the Catholic church, the ’festival of Christmas was declared to be celebrated as a normal practice by Emperor Constantine. Those who declared themselves to be Christians followed the practice through ignorance, mostly because the general population couldn’t read or write and relied upon the Church for instruction. It was only much later when people became more educated and were given the opportunity to read The Bible for themselves did they learn the true message it contains. However, old traditions were so ingrained that they remained and the celebration of Christmas went on unabated until today where it has taken on a whole new meaning, especially for the unbeliever. Notwithstanding, Christmas is not Scriptural and in fact goes against God’s will as a means to praise and worship Him for it is through Jesus Christ that we worship God. I look on in despair at the goings on in the Christian (so-called) world where believers still choose to ignore God in this instruction and think there is little harm in doing so. People may not think what they do is wrong and may even believe that it is perfectly alright to choose how they worship God but God says otherwise. Look at the mess that is the Christmas celebration. It has become hijacked itself being reclaimed as a pagan festival but is also now a totally commercial event coupled with old and new traditional values that have no root in God’s word or His will. What an obstinate and disobedient people we are. No, I do not like the run-up to Christmas as I once did and for reasons I once knew little about.

Shirley Anne

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Caught up in traditional ways

Posted by Shirley Anne on December 8, 2011

 

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It is the season to be jolly, goodwill to all men, presents, family get-together, food, drink, parties all in the name of Christ. Ooops, sorry, did I infer that Jesus was the reason for it all? Yes, it is all very nice to greet people with a smile, wish them a Merry Christmas and a Happy new year if it really is sincere and based upon Christ. The sad thing is few people include Jesus in their celebrations. That is one thing but did you ever consider that those you may be wishing these things may not support the festival maybe for personal reasons or for religious beliefs (such as myself). Not everyone is a Christian, some may be Muslims, some may be Jews, some may be Buddhists…..you get my drift…..but nevertheless people still insist on greeting others with this message. It is burnt into their memories, it is a traditional thing to do but it could be an insult to an unbeliever. Now I am a Christian, that is a follower of Jesus but over the last couple of years I have come to the conclusion that the way the mainstream Church celebrates Christ’s birth is unscriptural. Whilst it celebrates one thing it neglects others which are scriptural. The majority of people in this land would say they believe in God and Jesus and because their upbringing was based upon traditional things they assume it is the right thing to do. Tradition is very hard to break. It is like a bad habit that is hard to stop and the reason for that is because it is nice and gives us a sense of well-being. There is nothing wrong in having a good time of course, for those who enjoy it, like the majority of us, including me. A lady I did a job for recently, only a very small job, presented me with a Christmas card and wished me a happy Christmas. I had to tell her gently that I couldn’t accept the card and the reasons why I didn’t believe in the celebrating of Christ’s birth as it is celebrated in this country and elsewhere. Of course I celebrate His birth, I do it every day in prayer and the thought is with me all day long. I do not need to be told to have a happy Christmas, I do not need to have a card wishing me the same and sitting on the mantle for a couple of weeks only to be thrown into the waste bin afterwards. So please don’t wish me a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, I will not be able to reciprocate such a gesture in the same way. I want people to love each other under His banner of love. I want people to be nice to each other 24 hours of the day and 365/6 days of the year and not forget the reason they are supposed to be celebrating Christmas in the first place if in fact they believe anyway. It would be wonderful if we had a festival that wasn’t focused on Jesus. It would be filled with good things, food, drinks, parties, family and friends and all could wish each other well, but we already have one of those disguised as a religious festival. Then we could concentrate on Jesus all of the time, in the right way and for the right reasons. May God’s will be done.

Shirley Anne

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