Posts Tagged ‘Christian’
Posted by Shirley Anne on June 1, 2012
There is a war going on in the ranks of human beings and especially those who are Christians. The greatest problems we face as Christians in trying to witness to the unbeliever are generated by ourselves………….
The offices of The Gazette newspaper on Saint Catherine Street, Montreal, Canada. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
“But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children— with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.” Psalm 103:17-18 NIV1984
Christianity in Transition and Karma (an article written in The Montreal Gazette recently by a friend of mine…..I pray for her daily)
With more than 1,000 people protesting in a demonstration on Sunday against a North Carolina pastor who made anti-gay comments last week, some of his 100 or so congregants applauded him in church, according to a report on msnbc.com. Apparently, though, leaders of other churches are trying to distance themselves from him, feeling that his outrageous statements will hurt their more moderate anti-gay efforts.
Sigh . . . When will all these folks understand that not everybody believes their Bible is the inspired work of a god and that their interpretations of it are relevant or realistic? Really, where do these folks get off thinking that they can impose their superstitious belief system on everybody else? Of course they have a right to believe what they want, but they simply should not have a right to use their beliefs to spread hate and discrimination. It’s obvious to me that much of Western society is in transition (there’s that word again). Many people have moved on from the superstitious belief system expounded by people like the North Carolina pastor who preaches fire and brimstone if you don’t believe what he does. But some haven’t moved on. Still, fundamentalists are not united on these issues — some are far more liberal than others. Those with extreme views are becoming more and more isolated, which is probably why their extreme comments go viral sometimes. Which is not to say the essential message of Christianity is lost or irrelevant. The bottom line has always been to love thy neighbours, regardless of who they might be. It’s the bottom line in most spiritual schools of thought — and those religious institutions that lose sight of it ultimately lose followers. Which explains why only 100 people are showing up in that North Carolina church while more than 1,000 were protesting against the pastor outside the Justice Center . . . Sounds like karmic justice to me.
Jillian
The great lost chord of modern civilization is forgetfulness of the fact in nature of universal brotherhood, which means not merely a sentimental or political brotherhood; it means that we are all of one common cosmic or spiritual origin, and that what affects one affects all . . . – G. de Purucker (end of article)
Whilst in some respects I understand what Jillian is saying I feel she is missing the point somewhat. Many of us will have heard about the North Carolina pastor who voiced such an unloving sermon and as a result will now thinking his opinions are those of the true Christian Church. They are most emphatically not! In her article Jillian agrees that and indicates that the main anti-gay movement within the Church has been harmed by what this pastor has said and I agree with her on that point. However the Christian message has never been one of hate thy neighbour, whether gay or not. Many Christians think that just because Scripture shows us that homosexuality is a sinful way of life that it gives them the right to judge and condemn participants. It doesn’t! Neither is it appropriate to marginalize people for believing in other things or making a stand against their rights to behave as they wish. A true Christian does not do these things. A true Christian reaches out in love whilst being a faithful witness for Christ Jesus. This means pointing people to what God is saying and what God is commanding from us all. Decisions on lifestyle and belief always should rest with the individual. Being a witness does not mean pushing the faith down the throats of unbelievers but it is a duty and a commandment to explain and deliver the Gospel message to non-believers. From a Christians point of view it should be as an encouragement for sinners to repent, not something to turn them further away!
Jillian mentions (quite correctly) that not everyone believes that The Bible is the inspired Word of God but what she should have said is that non-believers in God think that way. Christians believe it is, or SHOULD do. I read Jillian’s posts quite frequently and I have found her to be very caustic sometimes when writing some of her articles. Firstly, in this article, she appears to accuse all Christians of being ‘fundamentalists’ as if being a fundamentalist was wrong. It isn’t wrong for Christians cannot turn away from the fundamental teachings encompassed in Scripture, they either have to believe it is God’s Word or not. Some conflicts do arise in interpretation sometimes but the tenet of content is unaffected. Remember, fundamentalism isn’t an invitation nor a free ticket to stir up hatred and discord with non-believers. Secondly, Jillian renders Scripture and belief in the Faith as all superstitious nonsense. This is a personal and direct attack on the Christian faith and ultimately God. Personal opinions should be kept out of good journalism. Present the facts and let the people choose one way or the other. This should be the case in presenting The Gospel too and it would be wiser for all those ‘fundamentalists’ to consider that fact.
Jillian redeemed herself in her concluding remarks though recognising that what has been voiced by an over-zealous pastor is not what the Christian message is all about nor is it the same opinion of all people of the faith or anyone with an inkling of common sense and humanity. Love thy neighbour even if he has six heads four arms and is green-skinned!
The war is not between human beings. It is a spiritual war being waged out of our sight and it is a war for souls, lost souls who need redemption.
“But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children— with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.” Psalm 103: 17-18 (NIV 1984). I just wish Christians would remember to obey his precepts and do all things in love as He commands, maybe then the unbeliever will respond to the Gospel.
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Christianity, God, Gods love, Gods love through Jesus, Jesus, Jesus Christ and The Holy Spirit, Lifestyle, Religion, Wisdom, Writing | Tagged: Bible, Christian, Christian Church, Christianity, God, Jesus, Love, North Carolina | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Shirley Anne on May 11, 2012
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 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
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Posted in Behaviour, Christianity, God, Jesus Christ and The Holy Spirit, Religion | Tagged: Bible, Christian, God, Homosexuality, Itching ears, Jesus, Second Epistle to Timothy, Sin | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Shirley Anne on May 3, 2012
The sunlight shining through these clouds in England is an example of sunbreak. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
For a few weeks now we have had dull skies and rain save for some days of bright sunshine and cloudless skies. Generally it has been typical April weather but on this last day of April, when I write this, it is warm and sunny, a precursor to brighter and warmer days ahead. Over the previous week I hadn’t been feeling too good as I explained in an earlier post but now I feel good and the sunshine certainly makes a huge difference. I like sunshine but I like it more when I am feeling down because it is therapeutic I feel. Even so, when it isn’t sunny, when it isn’t cosy and warm, I still have sunshine in my heart. Many years ago I didn’t feel this way but now I do. It isn’t a frame of mind though some would say it is but I have found throughout my life that maintaining a happy disposition was always a difficult thing to do, bad weather always made me feel lousy and miserable. People too had a similar effect upon me sometimes. My job, my family, my health would all have me feeling depressed at times as I am sure is the case for many people. I could put my new-found attitude to life down to personal thought training but I know that isn’t true, I simply wouldn’t last the course! There is a reason for my sense of well-being which isn’t dependent on any outside influences but is dependent on my live-in helper. Have I gone mad? No way. I am of sound mind as they say but it is something within me that gives me the feeling of sunshine in my heart. I laugh at misfortune, I laugh at bad weather and annoying people, nothing seems to get me upset these days as they once did. I put it all down to that live-in helper who is The Holy Spirit. As Christians we are told that The Holy Spirit will be with us once we put our faith and hope in Jesus but many Christians never really experience His presence at all and never thought it possible to receive. Being a Christian does not bring with it a troubled-free life, we still have to face the problems common to all people on this planet but being a Christian should help us to be able to handle them better. The presence of The Holy Spirit in our hearts puts us in the right frame of mind and life’s little problems simply cease to be problems at all. So I can safely say that the sun shines in my heart every day whether it is raining, blowing a gale or whatever. I feel better for it too.
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Jesus Christ and The Holy Spirit, Wisdom | Tagged: Christ, Christian, Christianity, God, HolySpirit, Jesus | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Shirley Anne on April 22, 2012
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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Posted in God, Jesus, Religion | Tagged: Bible, Christ, Christian, Couch, Friendship, God, Jesus, Religion and Spirituality | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Shirley Anne on March 30, 2012
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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Posted in God, Jesus Christ and The Holy Spirit, Religion | Tagged: Christ, Christian, God, HolySpirit, Jesus, Religious text, Sabbath, Sunday | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Shirley Anne on March 17, 2012
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I was such an atheist when I was younger it was unbelievable, excuse the pun. What I mean is that I was so vehemently against God but somehow that all changed in an instant and I became the opposite. The strange thing is, well not to me now that I understand, was that during my life as an atheist I didn’t broadcast that fact. The reason for that was I had nothing to shout about, in fact I just wanted to be left alone. I didn’t want preaching to, I didn’t wish to know even if there was a possibility of there being a god. Once I converted or rather became a Christian, things changed dramatically and I wanted to tell everyone so that they too could turn into believers. This is in the heart of true Christians, to see others come to Christ. In my early years as a Christian I was so on fire and wanted to be involved in any kind out outreach. I did a little bit of door to door work (which I now believe to be too intrusive) and then street work were I was, with others, involved in inviting people to chat with me about God or about what they believed in. Some were open to talk and some wanted to know the message I was relaying. It was often hard work for what seemed like a poor return for the effort I put in but God doesn’t work in the ways we expect. Essentially I was sowing seed, God would look after the rest and no doubt He did. As I matured in the faith and learned more myself I became less involved in organised outreach and more interested in personal witnessing. I meet many people in my life, mostly through my work and this fact gives me plenty of opportunity for witnessing. I have many a good witnessing experience whilst at work. As the subject of my conversations turned to religion, often by accident, though I do believe God has a hand in it all, I would ask the other person about their belief system first of all and then I would relate my own story and experiences. I would then be asked many questions showing they were taking a genuine interest. Mostly my witnessing was and is by invitation. I find it very easy to talk about my faith and easy to witness to most people but the people I have greatest difficulty are not those of other faiths or even those who are atheists but in fact it is those who are Catholics. I would ask the question, ‘Are you a Christian too’? I would get the reply, ‘No, I am a Catholic’! I would reply in turn, ‘I didn’t ask what denomination you were’ but that seemed to fall on deaf ears. Now until fairly recently I knew only a little about the Catholic faith. I knew of several areas in their beliefs that contradicted with what my Bible told me. In fact they have a different bible to the one most Christians possess, it contains other books not considered part of the Bible and not Scriptural. The reasons for that I cannot elaborate upon here, it would take too long. More recently I have come across more information regarding Catholic beliefs and the reasons why. Now I have nothing against Catholics, that is they who have been brought up in that faith for I believe that they have been and are still being kept from the truth. I came across a web site produced by a small church in Monroe, Wisconsin in the USA and whilst I was browsing the site I came across an article about the Anti-Christ, the one mentioned about and described in several places in The Bible. Now many folk might consider atheists to be the Anti-Christ or people of other faiths to be so but in fact the evidence (and proof) shows something else. The article is actually sixteen seminars or sermons, each about or around an hour in length which go into great depth to reveal who or what is the Anti-Christ and why those claims are true. So far I have listened to ten of the sixteen sermons and I am convinced myself that what is being preached is the truth as I cross-reference the information with Scripture. I will listen to the remaining sermons in the next few days and I expect my eyes to be even further opened. I have a duty to learn about my faith as much as I have to witness to others and the more I learn the more I am convinced that I need to witness to those who don’t know. Here is the link to that site http://www.pccmonroe.org/antichrist.htm If you really want to know then take the time to listen……………
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Christianity, God, Jesus, Jesus Christ and The Holy Spirit, Religion | Tagged: Antichrist, Bible, Catholic, Catholic Church, Christ, Christian, God, United States | 2 Comments »
Posted by Shirley Anne on February 19, 2012
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I make no excuses for declaring that I am a Christian, a follower of Jesus the Son of God and sometimes in this blog you will see reference to this in the form of a post of some description. I use this platform occasionally to act as a witness for God but I do have another blog dedicated solely for this purpose. As Christians we are commanded, not asked, to spread the Good News, the Word of God, the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world, which means you dear reader. It isn’t meant to be an exercise for hammering home or trying to force anyone into belief for we as Christians do not have that authority. Only God can transform people and only the Holy Spirit can bring people under conviction. What is needed for any recipient is an open heart. All we can do is present the facts. It is true that there are many religions in the world, many belief systems, many ideologies, some almost as old as mankind, some modern. Only Christianity proclaims salvation through a Saviour and He, the Son of God, Jesus. The Bible teaches that there is no other name by which we can be saved (salvation) and that name is Jesus. This means that there is no way to be at one with God unless it is through Jesus but still many will not accept that, those who believe in God that is. Many simply don’t believe in God but prefer either what their own hearts tell them or place their belief elsewhere. I came across this very interesting site some time ago but it is only recently that I began to explore what it had to say about the various belief systems around today. This is the address http://www.allaboutspirituality.org/ (There is also a link on the right under ‘Religion’). On the front page you will see a short list which describes various themes. At the bottom of that list there is a link to ‘New Age‘. On the New Age page you will see in the column on the right a sub heading called ‘What do you believe’? At the bottom of that list there is another link to ‘Additional content to explore’. Here is a comprehensive list of belief systems held in today’s world. The short link directly to this list is here… http://www.allaboutspirituality.org/what-do-you-believe-aasp-8669.htm See if your belief system is present and see what is said about it. Compare what is said to what the Bible says. Perhaps it will get you thinking about changing or perhaps it won’t. That’s up to you.
Shirley Anne
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Posted in God, Jesus, Jesus Christ and The Holy Spirit, Religion | Tagged: Christian, Christianity, God, Good News, HolySpirit, Jesus Christ, Son of God | 2 Comments »
Posted by Shirley Anne on February 11, 2012
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It was declared yesterday that it is now illegal to pray in council meetings. Traditionally at the start of council meetings in Bideford in the UK and presumably in many other council meetings around the country it was customary to pray at the start of a meeting. This tradition was presumably to ask for guidance from God in order that righteous and proper decisions would subsequently be made. Of course this tradition assumes that those who are in leadership actually believe in God but this isn’t the case these days. Ever since this country generally turned away from God there has been a resistance to accept anything to do with religious practices in whatever form that takes. Speaking as a Christian I have no problem with this trend. As far as I am concerned I don’t think the Church should raise objections to atheists and secularists who reject the imposed tradition of acknowledging God in meetings which are intrinsically to do with secular law. As a Christian of course I would love it that everyone should acknowledge God as their Maker and supreme authority in our lives but I appreciate that isn’t the case and may never be. We cannot impose our own beliefs on everyone else but all we can do is to witness for God in the hope that those who don’t believe may turn to Him one day. As a once time atheist myself I fully understand the objections and if I was indeed still an atheist I would probably feel the same way as they do about religion. I can only say that I was once as they were. I don’t see it as a victory for atheism though, it is a loss for salvation for as a Christian I think atheists are rejecting salvation but don’t know it. There is no reason however that those who still wish to pray before a council meeting should not be able to do so in chambers, away from the secularists and atheists so as not to offend them and then meet up afterwards for the council meeting. This way everyone is accommodated and any friction is avoided. This is common sense though isn’t it? I’ll wager that no-one will think of this but rather try to argue instead. How stupid is that?
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Community, God, Government, Religion, Tradition | Tagged: Atheism, Bideford, Christian, Church, God, National Secular Society, Religion | 3 Comments »
Posted by Shirley Anne on December 28, 2011
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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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Posted in Christianity, God, Jesus, Jesus Christ and The Holy Spirit, Religion | Tagged: Amazing Grace, Belief, Christian, Christianity, God, Jesus, Lord, Yahweh | Leave a Comment »
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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Posted in Celebration, Christianity, God, Jesus, Religion, Tradition, Wisdom | Tagged: Bible, Catholic Church, Christ, Christian, Christianity, Christmas, God, Jesus, Nativity of Jesus | Leave a Comment »
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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Posted in Celebration, Christianity, God, Jesus, Religion, Tradition | Tagged: Bible, Celebration, Christ, Christian, Christianity, Christmas, God, Jesus, Religion | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Shirley Anne on November 1, 2011
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The other day I received an email from a local supermarket encouraging me to shop early for Christmas and showing me what was on offer in their stores. I have no problem with promotions like this when I can simply move them to the trash can, which is where they end up anyway with me. This time I opened the email and saw the amount of goods they had on offer, not because I wanted to see them but because I wasn’t sure what the content of the email was. Either way it got binned. Having seen what the message was about made me think of all the years previously I had worried myself silly wondering what to buy family and friends for Christmas. Now I no longer have that problem as I ceased celebrating Christmas in that fashion last year. In fact I don’t celebrate it at all in any way now. It is my own choice based on what I believe to be consistent with my faith. I rely upon Scripture, The Bible, for instruction and although I haven’t got it all right I am endeavouring to do my best. The main point of contention is the fact that the whole ‘Christmas’ thing is a man-made affair and has no foundation in the Christian faith and teachings. There are other festivals which I think should be celebrated as Jesus Himself did but we neglect them. Many people, including Christians, are not aware of this fact and prefer to do their own thing, especially non-believers. I used to be concerned that people didn’t celebrate Christmas as a festival commemorating the birth of Jesus (even though it wasn’t on 25 th December) but rather indulged themselves in a form of hedonism and forgot all about the message in the Christmas season. Christians celebrate the fact that their Saviour was born and He later paid for their sins. Others think it is the ‘season of goodwill to all men’ but really have no idea on what that means if anything at all. The idea of giving gifts at Christmas stems from the Biblical account of Christ‘s birth where the wise men (astrologers, mystics, kings of the Orient, whatever title you choose) gave gifts to the babe in the manger. In fact Jesus was a little older by the time He actually received any gifts. It was the custom to bear gifts to any new-born king and so a normal thing to do. Not everyone was given the same treatment but the practice has become the norm by the traditions of men. It is nice to receive gifts from anyone of course and at any time but to make it as being an essential part of what is in fact not a recognised festival nor recommendation in Scripture is a recipe for unnecessary hardship for some and a worry for others. Christ Himself would think it absurd to show love in this way, if love is the intended motive in the first place. A nice gift would be one given to someone in need, done anonymously and whenever that need arose, not because it was Christmas. I want to celebrate the birth of my Saviour so I do that every day of my life, giving thanks to God for His wonderful gift of life, the sacrifice of His Son Jesus for the forgiveness and payment for my sins. I have no need to stuff my face with rich food and wine, worry about buying presents and leave my purse lighter when I can use that cash for a more noble purpose. I expect people will wish me a merry Christmas but I shall not return the blessing. I shall probably give them a different message, more pertinent to the reason behind the birth instead. If I get any cards or emails wishing me the same I will not reply in kind. Yes, I am so glad I don’t need to worry about such things. As I write this the television is on and on the program they are discussing what they will be doing for Halloween. I worry about that!
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Celebration, Christianity, God, Jesus, Jesus Christ and The Holy Spirit, Religion | Tagged: Bible, Christ, Christian, Christianity, Christmas, God, Jesus, Orient | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Shirley Anne on October 31, 2011
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Yes it is Halloween time again when all who celebrate witches, ghouls, ghosts and all sorts of weird things come knocking on the door and then have the audacity to beg for treats! I feel so sorry for the children whose parents should know better than to teach them about such nonsense. Oh it’s only a bit of fun for the children I hear you say but in fact it is a mild form of dabbling with the occult. I cannot understand why people, many of whom would claim to be Christian, should want to dabble in something that goes against their faith. That is the whole problem though, many who call themselves Christians are not really Christians at all. Why do parents encourage their children to partake in these silly things, which at best stimulate a sense of fear and at worst expose them to the occult? Next they will begin to believe in spiritualism, mysticism, tarot cards, crystal balls, mediums and fortune tellers. Look at what God says about such things
Leviticus 19:31
“‘Do not turn to mediums or seek out spiritists, for you will be defiled by them. I am the LORD your God.
Leviticus 19:30-32 (in Context)
Leviticus 20:6
“‘I will set my face against anyone who turns to mediums and spiritists to prostitute themselves by following them, and I will cut them off from their people.
Leviticus 20:5-7 (in Context)
If you call yourselves believers in God then consider your actions………….
And don’t even think about knocking on my door, unless you want to learn about Jesus!
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Evil, God, Jesus Christ and The Holy Spirit | Tagged: Book of Leviticus, Christian, God, Halloween, Jesus, Mediumship, Occult, Tarot | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Shirley Anne on October 20, 2011
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I base truth on what is written in the Word of God, the inspired word of God, The Bible and in the revelation of truth as given by the Holy Spirit. What others believe is a matter for themselves to consider. Having made a statement like that I have to admit and accept that not everyone believes the same. For those however, who purport to be Christian, the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth as written in the holy Scripture should not be taken lightly. Mis-interpretation is to be avoided as far is possible and the assumption that something is truth because certain passages seem to indicate that as fact should be avoided at all costs. Never take Scriptural passages out of context in order to justify one’s beliefs. The whole tenet of Scripture is to be taken into consideration over an issue for many passages may give a different view. All must be considered and weighed before making any assumptions as to the truth of the matter. As an example it says in many instances in the Bible that God is love. People therefore will use that as an excuse for their behaviour assuming that because God sent His only begotten Son to make atonement for our sins, all our sins are forgiven. They are indeed forgiven if we repent of them. Our lifestyles can be a reflection of our relationship with God through Jesus Christ or they can be an insult. If we knowingly continue in sin, against the will of God, there is no further atonement for those sins and we condemn ourselves. God is a loving Father to all mankind but He is a God who judges too. I read about homosexuality, bi-sexuality, lesbianism and deviant sexual activity which are not accepted as being wrong in the eyes of those who consider themselves to be of that persuasion. They assume that because it wasn’t their fault that they were born that way, which is in itself a debatable subject, that God accepts them when they live that way. He accepts them but not the things they do. It is one thing to be sexually attracted to the same-sex but another to actively indulge. God loves the sinner but hates the sin. The Bible is often used as proof that it isn’t wrong to love another person of the same-sex and it isn’t wrong to love another person but not in a sexual way. There are several verses in Scripture which show that God detests homosexual behaviour. It isn’t just sexuality either, there are many things that God detests and they are all written in His Word. Idolatry, fornication, mediums (as in fortune tellers and such), man-made festivals (and there are a few in the calendar year) and many other things which people tend to gloss over and forget. If you want the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth then why settle for anything less? I am a sinner, I get things wrong, I do not deserve salvation from a loving Father but * by grace I have been saved, through faith and this not from myself, I couldn’t earn it, not by works or anything I have done lest I should boast about such things*. No, it is the gift of God and it says so in His word. It is all down to a willingness to walk as He expects us to walk and to beg forgiveness when we get it wrong. Not by the way we think we should be walking, not by a misguided interpretation of the truth but by the real thing.
*Ephesians 2 v 8-9*
Shirley Anne
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Posted in Behaviour, God, Jesus Christ and The Holy Spirit, Lifestyle, Religion | Tagged: Bible, Christian, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Religious text, Word of God | Leave a Comment »
Posted by Shirley Anne on September 29, 2011
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On Tuesday morning I had the cab of my van cleaned it took the guy a mere 40 minutes to make it looking brand-spankingly new. I was amazed at how good it looks and it smells better too! Just like a new one does. It looks new from the outside anyway but the outside gets far more attention than the inside, a little like human beings. We pay far too much attention to our outward appearance instead of what’s inside that facade. Once upon a time in my life I presented as an outwardly nice person but the inside was far from that. I was completely anti-social, a rebel (although in some respects I still am a rebel), a non-conformist and a person cut-off from mainstream life, lacking friends from choice. I had issues that I couldn’t deal with but didn’t know that I had a problem. One problem was my dysphoria which I didn’t resolve until much later in life. Another was the fear of people and being in a close relationship with anyone. I was secretive and isolated but eventually I climbed out of the pit and began to live my life. I still had problems with timidity and lack of self esteem and confidence due to my being bullied when younger. As I grew these things fell away and one of the most influencing reasons was my coming to know God through Jesus Christ. It was then that I began to blossom out and realise that there was more to life than what I had previously experienced. I now have an enormous family of brothers and sisters all believers in the same way. It was my faith in God which got me through many of life’s problems and eventually gave me peace of mind after my transition too. In the afternoon of Tuesday I went to visit two of those brothers and sisters, Barry and Mandy a married couple whom I had not seen for over six years. Ostensibly it was to assess some electrical work they want doing but most of the time I spent with them was discussing Christian matters. It is simply something that Christians do. I was happy to see them and learn how they were coping with life. The joy in their hearts precluded any evidence of the problems they revealed to me, it’s what God does for those He loves. Being a Christian doesn’t relieve us of life’ problems but it helps us to cope with it all, or should be doing if we allow God to take control. I will be seeing them again when I go to do their electrical work.
Shirley Anne
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