tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88874944590885279002024-03-14T01:12:51.399-07:00MitchMitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06030262341726291356noreply@blogger.comBlogger68125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8887494459088527900.post-36352923037540544762022-02-24T07:38:00.006-08:002022-02-24T08:24:00.166-08:00Are the Russians invading Ukraine in Jesus’ name? <div><br /></div><div><h2 style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Are the Russians invading Ukraine in Jesus’ name?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></h2><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh0587Hp1NPD1wgKlWKl5u8KiPemq2jGhqbiV8ywrzWXbCelHHtg0FSsxZgFO1jUQGwOnCP1comLHn2zLYf94YhHgbivz47GRKGWXMVQzvIQm3ZZFR-YSpyfq3t_rERk52NjzLgry97lwsUSi83g7HTDluxVfllmaJKS9cjx30oZBcy8hr8H1SY1zruUw=s400" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="260" data-original-width="400" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh0587Hp1NPD1wgKlWKl5u8KiPemq2jGhqbiV8ywrzWXbCelHHtg0FSsxZgFO1jUQGwOnCP1comLHn2zLYf94YhHgbivz47GRKGWXMVQzvIQm3ZZFR-YSpyfq3t_rERk52NjzLgry97lwsUSi83g7HTDluxVfllmaJKS9cjx30oZBcy8hr8H1SY1zruUw=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh6-4E8pnY3aavlDPmepII2MCuXG_RuwXb9vafmaq89eiMuBpY8wz8q5bNGSKbQR_peZ64FeRylohRT2iwqSt0IeDhabPM9_HKSW_EfsOaOanJQCLvGOLuudhMK_8-S1ZrZXz-EMLlMAs6So_J-3_zFbwHlOZE92qhoixKMOihyhtAlZhG805dBm0M_QQ=s512" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="512" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh6-4E8pnY3aavlDPmepII2MCuXG_RuwXb9vafmaq89eiMuBpY8wz8q5bNGSKbQR_peZ64FeRylohRT2iwqSt0IeDhabPM9_HKSW_EfsOaOanJQCLvGOLuudhMK_8-S1ZrZXz-EMLlMAs6So_J-3_zFbwHlOZE92qhoixKMOihyhtAlZhG805dBm0M_QQ=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span class="Apple-converted-space"><br /></span><p></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Today’s news of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is heartbreaking. I’ve taken a little time to try and understand what is going on in the background without simply trusting the headlines of Western news outlets. </p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Thanks to Giles Fraser's article for much of the research content mentioned below. </p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b>A Religious war?</b></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Here in the West the harsh reality is that established church is in decline, but in the East it is thriving! Back in 2019, Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, boasted that they were building three churches a day. Last year they opened a Cathedral to the Armed Forces an hour outside Moscow where religious imagery merges with military glorification. War medals are set in stained glass, reminding visitors of Russian martyrdom.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">The relationship between the state and the church is much deeper in Russia than we imagine and the consequences of such relationships can be a disaster.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Growing up in Northern Ireland, the ‘<i>For and God and Ulster</i>’ slogan of the Troubles brought a formidable tension that got very messy indeed.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>In America, the current debate on the relationship between state and church is red hot right now. Gregory A.Boyd writes in his book <i>The Myth of a Christian Nation,</i> “If a pastor suggests “America is not now and never was a Christian nation, that God is not necessarily on America’s side, and that the Kingdom of God we are called to advance is not about ‘taking America back for God’”- well for some, thats tantamount to going AWOL.”</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">I can already sense some of you shifting in your seats to defend your position on these statements, but now is not the place to debate N.Ireland or U.S.A but to shine a light on the situation in Russia and the tragic conflict that is unfolding today.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">In Russia, Christianity merges with the love of the Motherland to create a powerful brew of nationalism and spirituality.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Tony Campolo once said, "Mixing religion and State (or politics) is like mixing ice cream and manure. It doesn't do much to the manure but it sure does mess up the ice cream”. It creates a toxic brew as we are seeing once again. Make no mistake, there is much more to understand about this conflict than the one-sided rhetoric turned out by the BBC etc. You need to dig deeper. At the heart of this post-Soviet revival of Christianity is Vladimir Putin. Many people don’t appreciate the extent to which the invasion of Ukraine is a spiritual quest for him.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b>A wee bit of history:</b></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">The baptism of Rus, (in Kiev in 988) is the founding event in the formation of the Russian Orthodox church. This is why Putin is not much interested in a few Russian-leaning districts to the East of Ukraine. His goal, terrifyingly, is Kiev itself.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">He was born in Leningrad, a city that has reclaimed its original Saint’s name, to a devout Christian mother and atheist father. His mother baptised him in secret and he still wears his baptismal cross. Since he became President <b>Putin has cast himself as the true defender of Christians throughout the world, the leader of the Third Rome. One reporter on todays BBC lunch time news spoke of his almost ‘Messianic’ convictions.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b>So why is it all kicking off?</b></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Had it not been for Covid I suspect this would have started 2 years ago:</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Here is the messy Church politics bit:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Yes, there are big issues with Ukraine applying to join NATO, and for Russia they have a reason to object, but underneath this is a religious intensity and some very angry church politics. In 2019 the Ukrainian arm of the family of Orthodox churches declared its independence from the Russian Orthodox Church, supported by the nominal head of the Orthodox family, Bartholomew I of Constantinople. This was seen as spitting in the face of 90 million Russian Orthodox Christians, not only in Russia but around the world (especially in Africa). At the time the Ukrainian president, Petro Poroshenko, described this as “a great victory for the devout Ukrainian nation over the Moscow demons, a victory of good over evil, light over darkness”.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><i></i><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><i></i><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><b><i></i></b><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b>Cue: Red flag to a Russian bull<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Strong words! And Putin’s response, writing only last year, “In the words of Oleg the Prophet about Kiev, ‘let it be the mother of all Russian cities’.”</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">It’s heating up…this all led to an historic split within the Orthodox family with the Russian church rejecting the primacy of Bartholomew, and declaring that they were no longer in communion with the rest of the Orthodox family. Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, denounced Bartholomew as “<i>an American stooge”</i> as people took to the streets<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>cheering “Thank you, Putin! Thank you, Patriarch Kirill!”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">(Patriarch Kirill or Cyril is a Russian Orthodox bishop. He has called Putin “a miracle of God”).</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b>Mad, innit!?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">So here is the tragedy and reality: A bunch of sanctions isn’t going to make a blind bit of difference. “Ukraine is an inalienable part of our own history, culture and spiritual space” Putin said. That’s what this is all about, “spiritual space”, a terrifying phrase steeped in over a thousand years of Russian religious history.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Tragically, history repeats itself. Selfish power over people tries to shoe-horn God into their agenda, but the key message of Christianity sadly continues to fall on deaf ears around the world:</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Mark 12:30-31</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.’</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Luke 1 makes it very clear who our neighbour is: everyone God put in front of you and I today.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b>For the church to be a community that does not need war in order to give itself purpose and virtue puts the church at odds with nations.... The battle is one we fight with the gospel weapons of witness and love, not violence and coercion.</b></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b>HAUERWAS AND WILLIMON</b></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><b></b><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><b></b><br /></p><p class="p3" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 18px; text-align: justify;"><b></b><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b>So how do we respond:</b></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">To clarify, I’m not saying the conflict doesn’t have political motivation,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>nor am I saying Christians should stay out of politics, but there is a deeper narrative to consider. I’m just shining a little more light on the situation so that we can all examine ourselves as well as the issues between Russia and Ukraine.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">As Christians we must remember to keep the Kingdom of God radically distinct from all versions of the kingdom of the world, and we need to pray this Kingdom down <b>everywhere</b>. A Kingdom that calls us to ‘Love our enemies, do good to those that hate you, bless those that curse you, pray for those who abuse you.’ Luke 6:27-29</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Finally, a reminder to those who want to use this article as leverage to blame God for a religious war and ‘throw stones’ at Christianity around the world, you are missing the point!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The God of Christianity is a God of peace. It is the evil within a man that starts war and the same evil that stores up weapons and uses God’s name for their own pathetic agenda.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Are the Russians invading Ukraine in Jesus’ name? Maybe but NOT with His blessing thats for sure!</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Every war ... with all its ordinary consequences ... the murder with the justifications of its necessity and justice, the exaltation and glorification of military exploits, the worship of the flag, the patriotic sentiments ... and so on, does more in one year to pervert men's minds than thousands of robberies, murders, and arsons perpetrated during hundreds of years by individual men under the influence of passion.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">LEO TOLSTOY’</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Let’s keep praying, keep learning, keep loving and remember nothing takes Jesus by surprise. A brief read of Bible end times prophesy highlights much of what we see before our eyes each day in world events;<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>but also reminds us: JESUS WINS</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Onwards!</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Mitch<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p></div>Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06030262341726291356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8887494459088527900.post-18831204849265599762022-02-01T14:07:00.000-08:002022-02-01T14:07:27.698-08:00Happy Lunar New Year?? <p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">‘Happy Lunar New Year!’</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">This is the title to David Beckham’s Instagram post today which currently has 2.6 million likes. </p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">What do we do with this? Celebrate it? Ignore it? Scroll past it? Mock it? Or is there something more going on…</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Maybe you have seen David Beckham’s post or Holly Willoughby’s launch of her new lifestyle brand ‘Wylde Moon’ built around the eight phases of the moon including crystal healing and make-up tips.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgy8IGrrEd_LE4uCoehP0iOptp48nat3IGeCGTzCLQeBBnLh04wag3HlCooo3EMCe1YiAN2dv2c3GyqrU9O6iR2e4yK2assKHliGAl2exK28csEizgZJtF066qLAC0lhivsTSEsG7kJ6Nz5JBYtplI_b_m6_hiWaeUshuF-Gkfe4c_p8w4GABEQADW3tg=s300" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgy8IGrrEd_LE4uCoehP0iOptp48nat3IGeCGTzCLQeBBnLh04wag3HlCooo3EMCe1YiAN2dv2c3GyqrU9O6iR2e4yK2assKHliGAl2exK28csEizgZJtF066qLAC0lhivsTSEsG7kJ6Nz5JBYtplI_b_m6_hiWaeUshuF-Gkfe4c_p8w4GABEQADW3tg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">This blog is my journey to the moon and back:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Christmas shopping in Belfast is a tradition for me. I go alone and aim to have everything finished by mid afternoon. It always starts in the same place, Waterstone’s Book Store where I treat myself to a book and a coffee. That’s my happy place.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">This year at the top of the steps to the first floor there was a display book case strategically placed for all to see. The title of the book case was <b>‘God is in the details’</b>. The book case was dedicated to Witchcraft, Tarot Card reading, Crystal healing, humanism, Astronomy and moon ‘worship’. As a Christian my first reaction was ‘what a load of guff’! I sought out a bible in the store (they had four hidden away in the corner next to books on philosophy and world religions) and planted it right on top of the book case and took a pic, feeling rather proud of my endeavours.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>But as i took a moment to observe, I was shocked at the number of people who were buying this stuff! Middle age couples and teens picked them up and either purchased or took a pic on their phone, probably to add to the Christmas list. I was intrigued and grabbed a copy of <b>LUNA</b> ‘<i>Harness the Power of the Moon to Live your Best Life’. </i>I’d just seen two people pick that one out and I read the back cover.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i>Bored of feeling stuck and repeating the same situations, again and again? Luna is your definitive guide to finally making the changes in your life that you've been waiting for: the mystical way.</i></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i>You can expect a combination of Moon teachings, astrology, rituals, crystals, meditations and Tarot, that you can use to align with the Moon's cycles. Tamara will guide you through Waning Moon Rituals to help you move on from your ex and let go of what's been holding you back. New Moon Rituals to activate some game-changing intentions to make your version of success and happiness reality.</i></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i>Waxing Moon Rituals to support you to feel more energised and motivated. Full Moon Rituals to help you get a long-awaited pay rise and a love spell for when you need a boost in your romantic</i></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i>life. You'll learn ways to amplify your intuition to make your life easier and feel confident about your decisions.</i></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i>Gain a deeper connection with the Moon and ultimately, yourself.</i></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i>Luna is here to illuminate, heal and transform every aspect of your life with the Moon's power.</i></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><i></i><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i>It's time to step into your highest potential.</i></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">I’ll be totally up front, as I read this, it felt dark, demonic. I prayed ‘Lord what do I do with this stuff?’ I need to know the tactics and dangers of these books and try to understand the culture behind it. . . I took it with me into the Grounds Coffee Shop in-store. Unsure if I should buy it or not I began to read the first few pages. It really unsettled me. I sent a few text messages to people to cover me in prayer and 30 mins later i purchased the book.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Those who know me know I read widely; Bill Gates, The Pope, Gerry Adams, Richard Dawkins, to name but a few, it’s all part of my learning and trying to get a balanced view on things.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>But this book is different. True to say, it would be the most demonic book I have ever read. It’s not intentionally evil, it doesn’t have pictures of the devil, Bible passages backward or curse Jesus publicly. But that’s what makes it so dangerous. The devil doesn’t walk into peoples lives with horns and a pitch fork! Who’s into horns and a pitch forks? No he comes as an ‘angel of light.’ (2 Cor 11:14)<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Now my intention here is not a full synopsis or critique of the book. I’m not out to attack the author but to expose the trap of what seems like harmless ways to rest, breath and live a better, kinder life.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">The book is a clever piece of writing, it starts with a story of two girls charging their crystals into the moons, creating smoke rituals ‘<i>to make sure that ghosts of the last year stayed in the past’, </i>they used Goddess Oracle cards<i>, </i>journaling, making lists and guess what… <i>‘everything on the list become a reality’.</i></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><i></i><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">From the first chapter the author makes it clear: this book is for everyone, irrespective of your faith, gender, etc. If you are struggling with self-worth, feel lonely, anxious, just recovering from a broken relationship, feeling vulnerable … this book is for you and ‘Mama Moon’ can help you find your true self.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><i></i><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i>‘Communicating with the moon is an opportunity to ask for that you want… the moon is always there to listen’<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></i></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><i></i><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i>‘Your moon magic, or witchy abilities, is not determined by gender, sexuality, race religion or cultural background. It is open to all.</i></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><i>Come as you are, you don’t need an invitation. You belong to this coven’</i></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><i></i><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">From here the book reminds us <i>‘we are all witches in progress. Let’s keep raising each other up!’</i> It intrigues you to learning the moon phases, moon signs, lunar goddesses, using crystals, moon rituals, making alters, how to use Tarot cards, your psychic senses, visiting Clairvoyance etc. and all very cleverly wrapped in some tips on journalling (some of these tips are actually pretty good!), girls managing mensural cycles etc., and some nice quotes from people like Beyonce which are taken completely out of context. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">This book is clever at luring people, especially young people, into a dark world. Now some may say: its harmless… but like Halloween and many other things, you must ask yourself a question: do you believe in a spiritual realm? If yes, are there good and evil spirits? If yes, then what kind do you think you attract from having a coffin in your front garden and skeletons in your window at halloween? Or from standing in the darkness ‘bathing’ in the moon light, meditating on a tarot card chanting ‘Om’ to free your mind and open a ceremony of moon worship.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">Luna / moon worship is for everyone, it’s inclusive, not judgmental, its peaceful, loving, spiritual, fosters community, and wellbeing.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b>In fact, everything that Christianity should be!</b> It’s a classic counterfeit, but what is most challenging for me is that as Christians we need to ask ourselves why people are attracted to this more than Jesus?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">With a growing celebrity fan base its market is growing. David Beckham’s instagram post at the time of writing has almost 2,000,000 likes.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">So how should the christian world respond to moon celebration/ worship<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;"><b>Five things<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">1, Know this is demonic. Don’t be under any allusions and try to butter it up as harmless. ‘Your Daughter burning incense in her room, crystals in the window sill and pulling Tarot cards is NOT harmless. And think twice about ‘emptying your mind’ in yoga at the gym.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">2, Be encouraged and see the opportunity, people are more open to spirituality in the post-modern culture than we realise. Ask people ‘are you spiritual?’ What does this mean to them? Do they believe in good and evil spirits? Have conversations about spirituality and pray for them. Remember have a greater Spirit. The Holy Spirit who offers abundant life in Jesus name.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">3, For those who are involved in moon practices / worship, educate yourself a little with the culture and rather that an aggressive attack, lovingly point them toward the God who made the moon.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">4, We need to find a better way to let the world see that Jesus is the way the truth and the life (John 14:6) and that Jesus is the Lord and King of the supernatural.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">5, Pray. Pray for our children that they will not get lured into a spirituality that is not Jesus centred. Stand in the gap and pray for our children.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p>Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06030262341726291356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8887494459088527900.post-47397099410118427972021-06-29T12:37:00.001-07:002021-06-29T12:37:21.002-07:00Why Jesus didn’t say amen<p> When Jesus didn’t say Amen.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmuUJBlRLUr_C88IBuCLX1DO5_VP5oLmlibM_sdJ3HQD6hVQ16c_hgmgsxe9d5UXBYIfMxxa2XdKknA-gXzSS9-qu4Ilz71h3mHU0Kc7IHKtQABB7ouKxBSnnTbGyJG7QGMQqqrg_AW4V-/s1193/C64FB459-A7ED-4B74-8269-223EB7710155.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1193" data-original-width="1193" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmuUJBlRLUr_C88IBuCLX1DO5_VP5oLmlibM_sdJ3HQD6hVQ16c_hgmgsxe9d5UXBYIfMxxa2XdKknA-gXzSS9-qu4Ilz71h3mHU0Kc7IHKtQABB7ouKxBSnnTbGyJG7QGMQqqrg_AW4V-/s320/C64FB459-A7ED-4B74-8269-223EB7710155.jpeg" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Recently in my praying I’ve tried to use my imagination to meditate more and keep me focused.</p><p><br /></p><p>‘Imagination and meditation’ might set alarm bells off in your head but pause and ask why?</p><p><br /></p><p>The Bible is filled with references to meditation and as for imagination; that’s what parables are for! ‘The kingdom of heaven is like...’ </p><p><br /></p><p>So today I was praying for little Zion, and I asked Jesus to join me, to ‘sit in’ on my prayers. I wanted Jesus in the room, I wanted to hear in my spirit His amens.</p><p><br /></p><p>There was a silence that unhinged me. I knew that Jesus wanted him healed and well. That’s not up for debate. But why was my praying not feeling like they were ‘effective’?</p><p><br /></p><p>Did I lack faith? </p><p><br /></p><p>‘No’ I sensed the Jesus saying, ‘you lack compassion.’</p><p><br /></p><p>‘You need to put yourself in that ward, in Zion’s shoes, so to speak. You need to feel the heat and humidity in the room, the ulcers in your mouth the tubes in your nose, sickness, vomiting, lack of energy and pain.’</p><p><br /></p><p>I closed my eyes, trying to imagine; I began to weep...</p><p><br /></p><p>‘Now, you need to put yourself in his mummy and daddy’s shoes.’ </p><p><br /></p><p>It became almost too much to bear and before I knew it, I was praying in the spirit... I could hear the amens of Jesus and all of heaven.</p><p><br /></p><p>Often our lack isn’t faith it’s compassion. Jesus was constantly moved with compassion for lost and sick people.</p><p><br /></p><p>Will you join me today in praying for Zion?</p><p>Faith-filled, compassion fuelled prayers. </p><p><br /></p><p>Mitch</p><p><br /></p><p>P.S</p><p><br /></p><p>Little Zion, you taught me more about prayer today than a 1,000 sermons and books. </p><p><br /></p><p>I’m cheering you on kiddo and so is all of Heaven.</p><p><br /></p><p>#cancerkid #neuroblastoma #celebratethewins #thankful #Godisfaithful #raiseahallelujah #zionthebrave #PrayforZion #PrayerWorks #Healing #Prayer</p>Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06030262341726291356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8887494459088527900.post-91532224108095007142021-05-06T09:19:00.003-07:002021-05-06T09:23:28.654-07:00Why is depression and anxiety are so common among children and adolescents? <div class="kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsPjHJRysHj8hutox_7SAOE1vhvXPkh8-G9F8RVSYAqZRNjKhurKtF8B4MxSRw-DC-XfLgEf8LUOdSH5yu6qAGrkEaK2dmhfWrN8WxP1EQs0nKi7_HH3GTYhDozd5oV7ERk4CKyG_V7qe/s800/Childrens-mental-health.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHsPjHJRysHj8hutox_7SAOE1vhvXPkh8-G9F8RVSYAqZRNjKhurKtF8B4MxSRw-DC-XfLgEf8LUOdSH5yu6qAGrkEaK2dmhfWrN8WxP1EQs0nKi7_HH3GTYhDozd5oV7ERk4CKyG_V7qe/s320/Childrens-mental-health.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Lie to your kids.</div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Long post but worth reading: </div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Erica Komisar, A psychologist recently published an article in The Wall Street Journal about how to help children overcome anxiety and depression.</div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">I found it really challenging how she has emphasised the role faith can play in helping our children and probably adults too. Note: anything in [ ] is mine. </div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"> “As a therapist,” she began, “I’m often asked to explain why depression and anxiety are so common among children and adolescents. One of the most important explanations—and perhaps the most neglected—is declining interest in religion.” This cultural shift already has proved disastrous for millions of vulnerable young people. </div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">A 2018 study in the American Journal of Epidemiology examined how being raised in a family with religious or spiritual beliefs affects mental health. Harvard researchers had examined religious involvement within a longitudinal data set of approximately 5,000 people, with controls for socio-demographic characteristics and maternal health.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">The result? Children or teens who reported attending a religious service at least once per week scored higher on psychological well-being measurements and had lower risks of mental illness. Weekly attendance was associated with higher rates of volunteering, a sense of mission, forgiveness, and lower probabilities of drug use and early sexual initiation. [let’s hold this picture in our heads and reflect on the decline in church attendance in the UK and Ireland over the last 30 years and increase in mental health matters. Let’s also ask ourselves why, on average the church spends just 3% of its total budget on children and youth ministry in the U.K. Or why most youth and children’s workers ended up in furlough for many months during the pandemic?]<span class="pq6dq46d tbxw36s4 knj5qynh kvgmc6g5 ditlmg2l oygrvhab nvdbi5me sf5mxxl7 gl3lb2sf hhz5lgdu" style="display: inline-flex; font-family: inherit; height: 16px; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle; width: 16px;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Read on....</div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">She goes on to document that decline and its negative effects on children. “Nihilism [ the rejection of all religious and moral principles, in the belief that life is meaningless.] is fertilizer for anxiety and depression, and being ‘realistic’ is overrated. [wow]</div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">The belief in God—in a protective and guiding figure to rely on when times are tough—is one of the best kinds of support for kids in an increasingly pessimistic world.” But what if parents don’t believe in God? “I am often asked by parents, ‘How do I talk to my child about death if I don’t believe in God or heaven?’ My answer is always the same: ‘Lie.’ The idea that you simply die and turn to dust may work for some adults, but it doesn’t help children.” She goes on to prescribe offering children images of heaven—even if you have to lie!—to counter the bad images all around us in our broken world.</div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">[In an age of broken families, distracted parents, global pandemics, school violence, knife crime, and nightmarish global-warming predictions the church plays a big part in children’s ability to cope.</div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Now at this point I offer a better solution than lying to your kids or even yourself.</div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Explore the truth of Jesus Christ. </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">He’s the rescuer, the one who frees us from guilt, pays for our sins, makes us new, gives us a future, the promise of eternal life and welcome everyone... EVERYONE.. with open arms.</div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">If I can help you on that journey just ask. <span class="pq6dq46d tbxw36s4 knj5qynh kvgmc6g5 ditlmg2l oygrvhab nvdbi5me sf5mxxl7 gl3lb2sf hhz5lgdu" style="display: inline-flex; font-family: inherit; height: 16px; margin: 0px 1px; vertical-align: middle; width: 16px;"><img alt="❤️" height="16" referrerpolicy="origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/ted/2/16/2764.png" style="border: 0px;" width="16" /></span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">I’m convinced the church has a key role in society today and following Jesus Christ is essential to living a full life]</div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Mitch</div></div>Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06030262341726291356noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8887494459088527900.post-43114279686351790252020-11-23T10:52:00.000-08:002020-11-23T10:52:11.992-08:00The “average” Christian in the world<div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The “average” Christian in the world is not male but female, not white but black, third world, not first world, far more Pentecostal than Presbyterian. </span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The “average” Christian in the world today is a 22-year old black female. She has not been to our events or conferences, she has not read C.S. Lewis or John Scott; she has not read our Facebook posts or blogs and does not go to Starbucks or care one bit about alternative endings to Game of Thrones or if the latest lyrics from Bethel or Hillsong agrees with our confessional standards. </span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">She is also the likely the vessel God will use to prophesy to the next generation. She’s not afraid of suffering either: Over 215 million Christians are persecuted with intimidation, prison, and even death for their faith in Jesus Christ across the world. </span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">What can she teach us today? Nothing.</span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Absolutely nothing. Why? because we would not listen! Some would have issues with a female teaching, others her youthfulness and others still her accent or cultural dress etc. Maybe for some it would even be skin colour. </span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">So today she will lean into the power of prayer, the presence of God's Holy Spirit and the joy of the Gospel. She will endure hardship, embrace suffering, read the scriptures in small groups, sing in tongues and speak faith over fear. All of this while working long hours, no furlough, no political support, she will raise a young family and faithfully attending her church / small groups. </span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I have so much to learn! </span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Forgive me Lord when my form of Christianity is pathetically narrow and doesn’t not accommodate the global voices of these women and many others who are not like me. Forgive me when my view of the church is so self orientated. Help me to see beyond my borders. </span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Join me today in praying for such women and open our eyes and ears to the global church. </span></div></div><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">* 42% of the world’s population is under 25, half in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.</span></div></div><p></p><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"></div><p></p><div class="o9v6fnle cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; orphans: 2; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: medium;">* The median age of the global population is 28.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmgJQ3V_phyphenhyphenwCQMguaDFsLNefxNFfbtDi4WNJsCtrRLjYb_fPrjEl20kkbPF983SwA9dVPAz6t5jX0GHZx20rjlOQxbmUEO7HVicQtNm87FTnbiUY8arwsZ6QDJCt104nn0DMR_xcs1-D_/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="604" data-original-width="526" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmgJQ3V_phyphenhyphenwCQMguaDFsLNefxNFfbtDi4WNJsCtrRLjYb_fPrjEl20kkbPF983SwA9dVPAz6t5jX0GHZx20rjlOQxbmUEO7HVicQtNm87FTnbiUY8arwsZ6QDJCt104nn0DMR_xcs1-D_/" width="209" /></a></div><br /><br /></span></div></div>Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06030262341726291356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8887494459088527900.post-49000149230163241512020-04-26T00:58:00.004-07:002020-11-18T04:25:52.523-08:00Some thoughts on Sunday no6 away from the buildings and larger community of church. #Lockdown<span style="font-family: inherit;">📬<br />
<span>Thought for the day on Sunday number 6️⃣ away from the buildings and larger community of church.</span><br />
<span>👇</span><br />
<span><br /></span>
<span>Dear church,</span><br />
<span>Pray for your pastor. This is the 6th Sunday since lockdown and they are tired, and they need your support. They need more than a like on a Facebook page or some technical wizardry doing the rounds on social media. They need loved and listed to and support and the word of God and revelation and something authentic. ❤️</span><br />
<span><br /></span>
<span>Pray for your pastors. Treat them like real people not just a virtual entity. This isn’t an easy time, they are hurting, lift the phone, send a text, pastor your pastor and don’t hide when the 🎥 isn’t rolling. </span><br />
<span><br /></span>
<span>Church you need to open up your bible in locked down homes and let the Holy Spirit out. People need Jesus not gimmicks. People will remember who stood with them when it got tough. Come on! Let’s do this Church! 👊👊</span><br />
<span><br /></span>
<span>Dear Pastors,</span><br />
<span>Pray for your people. This is the 6th Sunday since lockdown and they are tired, and they need your support. They need more than a like on their Facebook page or some technical wizardry doing the rounds on social media. They need loved and listed to and support and the word of God and revelation and something authentic. ❤️</span><br />
<span><br /></span>
<span>Pray for your people. Treat them as individuals not just a virtual crowd. This isn’t an easy time, they are hurting, lift the phone, send a text, pastor your people and don’t hide when the 🎥 isn’t rolling. </span><br />
<span><br /></span>
<span>Pastor you need to open up your bible in locked down homes and let the Holy Spirit out. People need Jesus not gimmicks. People will remember who stood with them when it got tough. Come on! Let’s do this Pastor! 👊👊</span><br />
<span><br /></span>
<span>We are in this together. </span><br />
<span><br /></span>
<span>🙌’Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.’🙌</span><br />
<span>Ephesians 3:20-21</span></span>Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06030262341726291356noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8887494459088527900.post-45594351291468443082019-10-04T05:16:00.006-07:002019-10-05T03:00:51.788-07:00Five big life lessons I learned over four weeks: <h2>
</h2>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Four weeks ago today and a visit to the doctors ended up with a trip in an ambulance to the Royal Hospital. Reason? </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Potential heart attack.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">It started three days earlier in Heathrow Airport at 7:15am. After a few busy days and an early start I was looking forward to catching up with friends at an annual retreat when I began to feel a tight pain in my chest, dull heavy ache in my left arm and needing to take occasional deep breaths. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">No fun.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">I got some water and Aspirin from Boots and sat myself down in the airport thinking; <i>This is gonna kick off! I might be having one!!</i></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The pain didn’t get any worse than a 3/10 but I just didn’t feel right. I made a decision, (right or wrong) that if it gets to 5/10 I’m calling 999.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Over the next few hours the pain would come and go but never went above 3/10. I was in good company and I gave the lads a heads up that I was feeling a ‘bit fragile’. Wednesday and Thursday was much the same and feeling tired. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Now back home, on Friday morning I went to the doctors. They wired me up to the ECG. They were not happy. Something didn’t look right on the ECG.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">I wasn’t expecting to end up in an ambulance but off I went. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Thankfully the reports were all good. Blood pressure, 3 blood tests, lungs x-ray etc. clean as a whistle. At 5 pm I was sent home. What did they see at the doc’s? No idea; possibly a faulty reading on the ECG or maybe an answer to prayer enroute to hospital. </span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVPTC0qWQrqjuJU4IGG4W3zYwqBAO7_1Wac0uqXL8UXFRP_jRCZB3mSAO0texh4x1DfTbg8ysFJ89Si7irThI1rtx6pGpQwgetKglzH9nfXpOwltG497ooiRcB1Hoe7m1LP9DDv2j_09IO/s1600/mitch+crown+jesus+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="625" data-original-width="1000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVPTC0qWQrqjuJU4IGG4W3zYwqBAO7_1Wac0uqXL8UXFRP_jRCZB3mSAO0texh4x1DfTbg8ysFJ89Si7irThI1rtx6pGpQwgetKglzH9nfXpOwltG497ooiRcB1Hoe7m1LP9DDv2j_09IO/s320/mitch+crown+jesus+.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>So what was it / is it??</b></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Inconclusive, possibly viral and/or a little bit of exhaustion/ stress related. (I think both). I didn’t go home healthy. I was still getting the pains in my chest, arm and tiredness.. until yesterday my first pain free day. I have still a few heart tests lined up at hospital but I now feel I’m finally on the mend. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">So the last 4 weeks i’ve had to take my foot of the gas, rest, listen to my body and make some lifestyle changes. I haven’t been off ‘sick’ I’ve just prioritised my world and I am deeply thankful for the Crown Jesus team, my family and close friends who have been a tremendous support.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Yesterdays was the first day I have had no chest pain. This morning a went for a gentle jog. My first exercise in 4 weeks. I haven’t posted about it on social media etc. I wasn’t going to either but then this morning I sensed in my spirit that it was important to share with others the lessons I have learned and the context of those lessons.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<h3>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b> 5 lessons </b></span></h3>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<h4>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>1, I was believing the lies everyone else says about me: ‘I am a machine.'</b></span></h4>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">I have a reputation of going 110miles an hour, spinning lots of plates and pushing myself to the max.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Over time I started to believe the lies everyone else says about me; even my doctor. ‘<i>You’re a machine</i>’ heart rate 38 bpm at rest, run marathons with 8 weeks training, long cycles with little or no training, staying up to midnight, up at 6am doesn’t eat until 3pm most days but drinks 4 coffee’s. Out 4 night’s per week doing ministry and only taking 1/2 day per week. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">It’s sheer madness. I’m forever telling, even preaching to others to rest but I think I don’t need it. I was a hypocrite! I’ve been believing the lie and thinking: <i>‘i’m not like others.’ I’ve got this.’ </i>True: I do have a fierce capacity to work at another level. But <b>I’m not a machine. </b></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">When you are in Heathrow Airport and you think you might be having a heart attack… you suddenly realise. I’m human. </span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Oh the frailty of life!</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<h4>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>2, I have an unhealthy work ethic. </b></span></h4>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">No one forces it on me, I don’t do it to get approval from others. It’s not bad theology, it’s not bad leadership models or things I have inherited from parents. Its not that I think Crown Jesus needs me etc. It just me… I need to change my thinking on this. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Here is an example:</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Some years ago I heard Dr Dave Smith give a lecture on ‘The life of George Whitfield.’ It was brilliant! Dave’s last slide said this <i>‘George Whitfiled died at age of 56 having worn himself out in the Lord’s service!’</i> Everyone in the room was saying <i>‘wow! I don’t want to die at 56 worn out’</i>… everyone except me! I was thinking ‘awesome! What a way to go!!’ You see what I mean? Unhealthy work ethic. Iv’e got to simple switch off more, including social media. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<h4>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>3, My quiet times became a to-do list. </b></span></h4>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">I enjoy reading, praying, studying, reflecting and these encompass what may quiet time looks like; or at least should. However the last 18 months unhealthy habits have creeped in. As a result my 6am became a to-do list:</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Finish the book</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Prep for the sermon </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Plan, plan, plan.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Over 18 months my quiet time had been 1 or 2 degree of course and over a long period of time I am off course. I was still praying but distracted by lists.</span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">I now</span> need to recalibrate by quiet times.</div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Over the last few weeks God has been teaching me about Sabbath prayer. <b><i>‘Be still…Rest…Shalom.’</i> </b>(you can read more on Sabbath prayer in Roger Foster’s brilliant book simply called ‘Prayer.’ P98)</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<h4>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>4, My diet and exercise has been shot to pieces. </b></span></h4>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Three year ago I was at the gym regularly, cycling twice per week, jogging weekly and in the mountains once per month. This year: I cancelled my gym membership (too expensive) I’ve cycled maybe 10 times. I’m still ‘fit’ in comparison to others but it’s not just the physical it’s also the mental benefits.<b> I need to look after the three of me: body, mind and spirit.</b> I need to get that back. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<h4>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>5, Embrace suffering.</b></span></h4>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><i>‘The fact of suffering undoubtedly constitutes the single greatest challenge to the Christian faith and it has been in every generation’ </i>John Stott. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Why God puts us through stuff is complex but there can be no doubt for me that the greatest lessons I have learned in life have not been in the mountain tops but in the valleys. God seems to use suffering to break our legs and make us lie down in green pastures. For that I am deeply thankful. I’m learning to embrace suffering. It has a purpose. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<h3>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Action plan for me: </b></span></h3>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Rework my diary. I will now be off every Friday (if you are reading this help me out by protecting my Fridays). </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Eat breakfast.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Say NO more. If I say no please don’t be offended.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Get to bed earlier a few nights per week.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Sabbath prayer every morning.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">One coffee per day, the rest decaf.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Accessibility: One of my biggest problems for me is being too accessible. e-mail, text, What’s App, Facebook Messenger, Insta Messages, Twitter private messages the list goes on. There will now be fixed periods in my day when I access these and times I will be off the radar. <b>If you want any ministry related stuff it MUST go via the Crown Jesus office.</b> I won’t be saying yes on a text etc. Louise is my P.A. she picks up all e-mails and manages my world.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Exercise five days per week, cut back on the junk food and drink more water. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Finally: find a little bit more time for me. I’m gonna learn to be a little bit selfish without feeling guilty. </span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Hope this little blog helps some others. </span><br />
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Please look after yourself. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06030262341726291356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8887494459088527900.post-8145188483138914752019-07-09T13:33:00.004-07:002020-11-18T04:26:11.432-08:00I am a former Foetus (fetus)<div style="font-family: PTSerif-Regular; font-size: 15px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="p2" style="font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1" style="font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">I am a former Presbyterian. Even saying that feels weird because it is so close to my heart. I'm deeply thankful for that period of my life. I wouldn't be what I am today if it wasn't for that moment in life. There is a very natural close bond and deep-rooted connection. As a consequence; I am quick to defend them and ask people to think twice before cutting them to pieces. I understand everyone's experiences is different, I'm not judging anyone… <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I simply want to take a moment to celebrate my past and I want the world to know I'm cheering them on! I'm proud to be a former Presbyterian.</span></div>
<div class="p1" style="font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p2" style="font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span><span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1" style="font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">I am a former Firefighter. Even saying that feels weird because it is so close to my heart. I'm deeply thankful for that period of my life. I wouldn't be what I am today if it wasn't for that moment in life. There is a very natural close bond and deep-rooted connection. As a consequence; I am quick to defend them and ask people to think twice before cutting them to pieces. I understand everyone's experiences is different, I'm not judging anyone… <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I simply want to take a moment to celebrate my past and I want the world to know I'm cheering them on! I'm proud to be a former Firefighter.</span></div>
<div class="p2" style="font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span><span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1" style="font-family: ".sf ui text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;">I am a former Foetus (fetus). Even saying that feels weird because it is so close to my heart. I'm deeply thankful for that period of my life. I wouldn't be what I am today if it wasn't for that moment in life. There is a very natural close bond and deep-rooted connection. As a consequence; I am quick to defend them and ask people to think twice before cutting them to pieces. I understand everyone's experiences is different, I'm not judging anyone… <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I simply want to take a moment to celebrate my past and I want the world to know I'm cheering them on! I'm proud to be a former Foetus.</span></div>
<div class="p1" style="font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1" style="font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ3LG-7_Q5agnwJNQ9QKBOuJVm4K2g73EFC2Hw0GTQAUcb_leWHqR6icMtccb1fAQXDdxpe0FnPPb4NQal6W5xXI4C_ermC7emiakjeAs9FTp1wwwHz2ZbxqE4EtCFXmOChbF2VuoD1rD5/s1600/33bf39f28ad14d159630b7336ef08f04.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="410" data-original-width="625" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ3LG-7_Q5agnwJNQ9QKBOuJVm4K2g73EFC2Hw0GTQAUcb_leWHqR6icMtccb1fAQXDdxpe0FnPPb4NQal6W5xXI4C_ermC7emiakjeAs9FTp1wwwHz2ZbxqE4EtCFXmOChbF2VuoD1rD5/s320/33bf39f28ad14d159630b7336ef08f04.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div class="p1" style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 17px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span class="s1" style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 17pt;"><br /></span></div>
Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06030262341726291356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8887494459088527900.post-79326352747851737462019-06-01T03:09:00.001-07:002019-06-01T03:19:46.453-07:00MY SON IS NOT LIKE ME! #DADCAMP<h2>
HE IS NOT LIKE ME</h2>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPljZVxYjvLwuv4nyffvr6nNmD4isqgsuwGwYOL9WmPo9EHlM_sYACHtP81QZvUjfYwMXf5lWF5Whav-TToK5xJCPE0HI-kuIy7ADawOOd1_cKDEAaurR3xjs4garqFsdGMmhvHP7xWpnP/s1600/MitchandNoahDADCAMP.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPljZVxYjvLwuv4nyffvr6nNmD4isqgsuwGwYOL9WmPo9EHlM_sYACHtP81QZvUjfYwMXf5lWF5Whav-TToK5xJCPE0HI-kuIy7ADawOOd1_cKDEAaurR3xjs4garqFsdGMmhvHP7xWpnP/s320/MitchandNoahDADCAMP.JPEG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
I was not what you would call a ‘baby person’. I wouldn’t jump up and down with excitement at the sight of a new baby, neither would I ask their weight or what time they were born at and I wouldn’t huff if I didn’t get a cuddle. Babies all looked the same to me and behaved the same; they ate, sleep, cry, wind and pooed. If a friend or family member had <span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;">a baby I would do well to remember the sex and name, to be honest all the hype was just wasted on me I’m afraid.<br /><br />When my wife became pregnant with our first son, all that began to change as something slowly began to awaken in me. I’ll call it my paternal instincts as I am not sure what else to call it but it was a nice warm feeling mixed with responsibility and duty. I would ride my motorcycle and all of a sudden feel like my family could suffer if I had an accident, I felt vulnerable. I began to watch baby programmes on T.V and even read books on fatherhood. I asked Pastors and church leaders for advice on managing my time between family and ministry. I liked the changes that were happening but I was however a little anxious, how would I cope with sleepless nights and nappies. My dad, so I am told, never changed a nappy once on his three sons. How times have changed; now a man is expected to fulfil all the duties of a women with the exception of breast feeding (thank God!) Apart from a baby in Romania (on a mission trip) I had never changed a nappy and that was just a wet one; what would I do with a stinker? There was every chance I would vomit over the baby.<br /><br />The Ultra sound scan at 14 weeks blew me away. Some people told me I would see the baby’s head and body, others said I may not see much at all just a grey blob. Marcus Berkmann writes in his book entitled ‘Fatherhood’ that ‘this looks like a photocopy of a photocopy of an artist’s impression of a stoat’. So I didn’t go with any great expectations. All I wanted was a doctor to say that mother and baby are doing fine. But baby Noah decided to put on a show for mummy and daddy; we could see his hands, arms, legs the outline of a face and he wriggled and moved when we wanted him to and posed for a photo at the right times. Now all that was very cute but seeing the heart beat left me in awe, the beauty and wonder of human life. To be honest sometimes the doctor would point at the screen and say, “that’s the baby’s leg” and I would look and give a nod of agreement when I couldn’t make out anything, but other times when he would pause the screen I was mesmerised as I watched and saw the shape of our tiny baby. But the picture of the heart; seeing it beating on the screen, knowing that the baby was alive and well, that just made me want to throw a party.<br /><br />Fast forward 13 years and he’s all grown up. He’s a best mate, but he’s not like me: He is good at maths, I only used maths to count from 501 down and end on a double 16. He can read a big book in one week with ease. I struggled to read a bi-weekly edition of the Beano in two weeks. He is good at long distance running, I was a sprinter. He is patient, me!? Lol. His temperament is not the same as mine.</span><br />
<h3>
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;">He is not like me.</span></h3>
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;"><br />Last night in the prayer event for <a class="_58cn" data-ft="{"type":104,"tn":"*N"}" href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/justonebelfast?epa=HASHTAG" style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; text-decoration: none;">#JustOneBelfast</a> at C.S Lewis Square I watched Noah. At the opposite side from me I could see him join hands with strangers and pray over our city… My heart skipped a beat as I heard a whisper in my soul: ‘He is just like me.’ ‘He’s made in my image, I put my Spirit within him. He’s just like me.’ After the prayer event I watched Noah and his sister laugh and jump around under the statue of Aslan and again I hear that whisper: ‘He’s just like me.’<br /><br />Dad’s: let’s be carful we don’t make comparisons. To try and make our children fit our mould. They are your kids but they are not here to fulfil your unfulfilled dreams… and let’s never say ‘why can’t you be a ….. like your dad.’ Study your kids. The greatest gift you can give them and yourself is not riches, but revealing to them the love of God and releasing them to form into His likeness.<br /><br />Thank God he is not like me. </span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;"><br /><br />Mitch</span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
Love ya Noah Mitchell for who you are.<br />
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />
<div id="fbPhotoSnowliftChainingPhotoHScroll" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(28, 30, 33); color: #1c1e21; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<div class="fbPhotoProductTags" id="fbPhotoSnowliftProductTags" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(28, 30, 33); color: #1c1e21; display: inline-block; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; width: 328px; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
<div class="fbCommerceProductMiniListHscroll" id="fbPhotoSnowliftProductMiniListHscroll" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(28, 30, 33); color: #1c1e21; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
</div>
Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06030262341726291356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8887494459088527900.post-7801739169651200872018-12-31T03:17:00.002-08:002020-12-31T01:55:26.199-08:00Anointed Impulsiveness: 2019, its time to go to the roof! (Mark 2: 1:12)<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">2019: It’s time to go to the roof! (Mark 2: 1-12)</span></b></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><b></b></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Anointed impulsiveness</span></b></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_r83JKuOlXZLjMIe54pTWjNCUeC-LLdCTGiFT-AC9R6i7S4fPnqvu4qNeGL1et6HSkwF0VScUM9dWEZc39oVF_eSrGq-e-Z-wiPFDwUdwP0ozyfxUiGNx1q3p0xD7kDggGGLXjaMNBByP/s1600/anointed+impusivness+.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="677" data-original-width="550" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_r83JKuOlXZLjMIe54pTWjNCUeC-LLdCTGiFT-AC9R6i7S4fPnqvu4qNeGL1et6HSkwF0VScUM9dWEZc39oVF_eSrGq-e-Z-wiPFDwUdwP0ozyfxUiGNx1q3p0xD7kDggGGLXjaMNBByP/s400/anointed+impusivness+.jpg" width="323" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">The word 'impulsive' refers to actions done or commitments made quickly with very little thought or planning behind them. In such cases there is almost no time gap between when an idea occurs and the point at which you carry it out.</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">Most people learn as they mature that their first impressions are not always right, their strongest instincts cannot always be trusted, and their deepest passions must not always be followed. It’s a kind of healthy self-distrust. <b>However we must never allow our maturity and self-assessment to make us dull or mundane and remove the racial wonder and action of anointed impulsiveness. </b></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">Haste is generally bad practice. When you always have to act immediately, you reveal an illusion that everything depends upon you. "If I don't act soon, my whole life will fall apart. If I don't move now, I lose everything.” This is often faith in yourself and your ideas not in God’s ability to deliver. </span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">The opposite of impulsiveness is to consider: To consider is defined as: 'to think carefully about something, typically before making a decision.’ Jesus said, "What king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?" (Luke 14:31). This is good advice!</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">The most important lessons from my M.A. studies was (and i’ll use the fancy term): <b>Critical Theological Reflection</b>. In other words, don’t be reckless and hasty but rather consider, reflect, speak with others…just wait out for a wee bit. Let some time pass. Don’t act immediately. In Crown Jesus Ministries when an important decision is to be made I will often say, let’s sleep on it…give it 24 hours. </span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Now I’ve put those paragraphs in place at the start so that my thoughts for 2019 will not be understood as poor advice. </b></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">As I read through stories of revival, miracles, supernatural works of God and multitudes coming to faith in Christ, I see people who are deeply connected with the Holy Spirit and willing to be more than predictable. They are not prepared to wait any longer for the committee to pass the request to another committee. <b>They are not reckless, they simply have an anointed impulsiveness and they know it is time to go beyond the walls of buildings and beyond the walls of our thinking and go to the roof!</b></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">When the four men brought their disabled friend to Jesus the house was full but they were not satisfied to simply take him to a meeting, they wanted to bring him to Jesus. They had an unction and an urgency that said ‘This is our time, this is our season’ and the Holy Spirit quickened them into anointed impulsiveness. When Jesus saw their impulsiveness he considered it an act of faith and from it flowed forgiveness, healing and a supernatural witness.</span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue";"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">For 2019 may God give us all wisdom, great courage and the ability to move into action. To move from un-anointed impassiveness to anointed impulsiveness.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: large;">Note:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: large;">So how can you know when to move and when to wait? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: large;">That is inexplicably linked to your intimacy with the Holy Spirit thought prayer, fellowship, bible study, accountability and your daily public witness. check that list before you climb. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: large;">Bible Text:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: large;">Mark 2 New International Version (NIV)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: large;">Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralyzed Man</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: large;">2 A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. 2 They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. 3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: large;">6 Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 7 “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: large;">8 Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? 9 Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? 10 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, 11 “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(44, 44, 44); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; background-color: white; color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Georgia; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06030262341726291356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8887494459088527900.post-74980695768469851842018-12-30T08:22:00.001-08:002020-06-04T02:35:40.947-07:00Gods Chosen Vessel: A prophetic picture of hope in times of brokenness. Smithereens.<h2 style="text-align: center;">The smithereens prayer. (God's Chosen Vessel)</h2>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">
A picture and word placed upon my heart for 2019/20</span></h3>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 23px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">I was praying, when I sensed the Lord give me a picture: </span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 23px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">It was a stunning glass vase at the centre of a living room, light went into it in one direction and sprayed out from it, illuminating the whole room.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 23px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">The glass vessel was crimson red with a mix of deep blue: it looked like Italian Murano glass. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 23px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">As I looked closer I could see that it was made up from tiny bits of glass that had been put back together like a mosaic. Around the floor where other broken pieces in different coloured glass. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 23px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">In my vision I asked the Lord what is that made of?</span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 23px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">And I heard these words</span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 23px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><i>‘</i><b><i>Smithereens</i></b><i>: Our best pieces are made of smithereens. Before light can shine though them, these vessels must first be smashed to smithereens. It is a painful moment and a slow process to rebuild them but it is the way of the cross, the way we choose for our light to be carried into the darkness. </i></span><i><span style="font-size: large;">The glue, the crimson and blue colours; they represent us.’</span></i></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 23px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 23px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">That is all I heard. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 23px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">I spent weeks marinating in these words, thoughts, the picture and what it means:</span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 23px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">With limited editing skills I tried to recreate the picture for everyone to get the idea. But my</span><span style="font-size: large;"> picture doesn’t do it justice. the light was shining out was much brighter </span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmI7mFIt-TrNMtdhOKsJt2YJrY_7OWYyrzDUcIuvf_9R6S9JdE50TBuGqphDEAVGjKPF00U85PFPw-AIlKHyCccMp6Hp49eDEDCk4Gb5PA8Mdjq5evdQU3z6qKXiU6R66cMaxoXdAb6icd/s1600/96DB265B-1620-45E2-9E22-07CF69B95239.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmI7mFIt-TrNMtdhOKsJt2YJrY_7OWYyrzDUcIuvf_9R6S9JdE50TBuGqphDEAVGjKPF00U85PFPw-AIlKHyCccMp6Hp49eDEDCk4Gb5PA8Mdjq5evdQU3z6qKXiU6R66cMaxoXdAb6icd/s320/96DB265B-1620-45E2-9E22-07CF69B95239.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><b>This is what I understand from the words and picture:</b></span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 23px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">Here is a great mystery; our mistakes, suffering, chaos and pain can all be used for His glory and purpose. Nothing is wasted, like the fragments of bread gathered into baskets after the feeding of the 5,000, Jesus is illustrating that he wastes nothing. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 23px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">We are free to live as broken pieces on the floor, damaged with guilt, sorrow, fear, deep heavy burdens, the unknown, our minds playing over and over the things we could have done differently, the things we wish we had never said, the relationship we could have handled better, the moments we failed… or we can give them over to Father God, invite his healing and chose to see those broken moments as an opportunity to learn, to grow, to recover, and to evolve into something that radiates Christ. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 23px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">We are broken, we hurt, we cry, we bleed, we suffer but in doing so God creates endless possibilities for us to shine for him. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 23px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">What are you walking through?</span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">Bereavement</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Fear</span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">Pain</span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">Sickness</span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">Failure</span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">Shame</span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 23px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 23px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">In these moments you must give the broken pieces to Jesus. He can not only heal but shape and transform and bring his light to the world.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 23px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 23px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">Truth: </span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">You are never gonna look like yesterday again. You must choose:</span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 23px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">You can either stay broken on the floor or be rebuilt</span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">You can either shut down or let Jesus in</span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">You can remain a shattered dream or become a vessel of light and hope for others. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 23px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 23px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">As I look at those who have had the greatest influence on my life they are made of the same thing: It’s not steel but tiny little fragments of broken glass that have been masterfully shaped by God.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 23px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">The finest vessels in the world are merely smithereens placed in the Father's hands. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 23px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">My prayer:</span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<div style="font-family: optima;">
<span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: large;">That this will make some sense to you and that you will be encouraged and healed. May the light of Christ shine thought you today.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima;">
<span style="font-kerning: none; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: optima; font-size: large;">Charles Spurgeon once said, “Whenever God means to make a man great, He always breaks him in pieces first.”</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: optima; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: optima; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Mitch </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: optima; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 23px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: optima; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 23px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: optima; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Some words from the apostle Paul to consider:</span></div>
<div style="font-family: optima; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 23px; text-align: justify;">
<div style="font-size: 20px;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
2 Cor 11: </div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. <b>24 </b>Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. <b>25 </b>Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, <b>26 </b>I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. <b>27 </b>I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. <b>28 </b>Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. <b>29 </b>Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?</div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<b>30 </b>If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. <b>31 </b>The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever.</div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
Phil 3: </div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<b>7 </b>But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. <b>8 </b>What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ <b>9 </b>and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in[a] Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. <b>10 </b>I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, <b>11 </b>and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.</div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<b>12 </b>Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. <b>13 </b>Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, <b>14 </b>I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.</div>
</div>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: optima; font-size: 20px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 23px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06030262341726291356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8887494459088527900.post-58712539428682249672018-12-23T05:31:00.004-08:002018-12-30T08:28:52.753-08:00Christmas lessons on grief and suffering from my mum. <div class="_5pbx userContent _3576" data-ad-preview="message" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}" id="js_2" style="color: #1d2129; line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 6px;">
<h2>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Two days ago I was at a funeral. Two days from now and it is Christmas day… and right now I’m feeling the tension of both. </span></b></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Yesterday I was with a lady who lost her son this year. She just wants to stay in bed on Christmas day and wake up in the new year when it's all over. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I get that, I feel her pain. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">My mum was a widow, in her late 40’s with three teenagers. I was 14 and facing my first Christmas without dad. That shouldn’t happen.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">For many Christmas is not a red sack of surprises and joy but an unstoppable black locomotive train. Hurtling down the track and loaded with a cargo filled with sorry, pain, grief, regret, fear, anxiety and despair.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">How did my mum manage? </span></b></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I was too young to appreciate it back then…but there are three things that stand out:</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">1, She celebrated what she had. </span></b></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Suffering has a way of altering the trajectory of our lives; gut wrenching, traumatic moments that rob us of tomorrows plans and force us to recalibrate what we have. Mum loved her boys and that first Christmas without dad she poured her life energy into the three of us. We opened our presents, went to church, she cooked the dinner, watched T.V and found some time to laugh and smile. She stood like a superhero against that locomotive and invested her day into her family. She fought the sadness… I remember her crying in the kitchen and I’m sure in private she cried a lot more but she would not allow grief to overcome her and more importantly her boys. She kept focus on us. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">2, She invested her life into helping others who also suffered. </span></b></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">This was her life-song. She would get the bus to visit someone in hospital, walking to a sick neighbour’s home, go shopping for an elderly relative. She would sit with broken people, listen and love them. Pain and suffering unite people in a unique way. Group meetings like <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2FGriefShare.org%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR0045goAp2R_8kfdvNNw54yxeydQUHjGovlChReyJWgMX92f0UzqPJ20LI&h=AT3YfeKZIr3hXgWoaMyC23EfLHnT0pi97AP8fDryYzC5kn1fzYGYhaD7Uc_s422UAT3V-62c6l9-iqbZQVjYortXpSkgeXFkLZDl8q9GNG85q3yjRyRS7n4wRGrGs10abPil26Eh7FaDcxHsiy2rh6xyJnRqFtOtrf25Fh5P4yp76q7y4w"><span style="color: #dca10d;">GriefShare.org</span></a> are special places where you are reminded that you are not alone. A room full of strangers and one word like ‘cancer’ galvanises people into deep communities that you only find through pain. There is always someone you can bless: your pain, your suffering is a curse but it can also be a kind of gift to others. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">3, She found God in the brokenness. </span></b></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Not immediately, but in time… God began to answer her prayers and she began to hear his voice and find His hand in hers. The locomotive never stopped pulling up at her station but she learned not to unload it and wallow in it. She suffered in many ways in her short life but in every circumstance she began to know his presence in ways I have yet to experience. Mum found God in a valley of grief and pain that makes my mountain top moments superficial in comparison. He is ‘God with us’ in every situation, every place and everyday including Christmas. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">C.S Lewis put it like this: <i>“Pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”</i></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">What is the picture? </span></b></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The picture is of a native American rug. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Traditionally the weaver leaves a blemish, a few strands lose at one corner. They do this because they believe that it is in the blemish that the spirit enters. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I like that thought. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">And so my prayer for you all this Christmas:</span></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Be thankful for what you have, find someone to bless and be open to The Holy Spirit invading your life through the blemish of pain and grief. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">‘Behold a virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call Him Immanuel.’ Which is translated ‘God with us’ Matt 1:23 </span></div>
<div style="font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Mitch</span></div>
</h2>
</div>
<div class="_3x-2" data-ft="{"tn":"H"}" style="color: #1d2129;">
<div data-ft="{"tn":"H"}" style="font-family: inherit;">
<div class="mtm" style="font-family: inherit; margin-top: 10px;">
<div style="font-family: inherit;">
<div style="font-family: inherit; position: relative;">
<div class="_5cq3 _1ktf" data-ft="{"tn":"E"}" style="font-family: inherit; margin-left: -12px; position: relative;">
<div class="uiScaledImageContainer _4-ep" id="u_0_10" style="font-family: inherit; height: 375px; overflow: hidden; position: relative; width: 500px;">
<a ajaxify="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10213391528519069&set=a.1047180016144&type=3&eid=ARA79k5-OHY4HH2rcFvhcTg4hjoZIcDKstQW8o0j2xS0apyGEbpF1xUaTzgu-6OBqQOjBT_VNxlajzN1&size=960%2C720&source=13&player_origin=story_view" class="_4-eo _2t9n" data-ploi="https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/48923817_10213391528559070_3048960935122173952_n.jpg?_nc_cat=107&_nc_ht=scontent-lhr3-1.xx&oh=a1013588f03332c6140a524149c31c7e&oe=5C9167B2" data-render-location="permalink" href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10213391528519069&set=a.1047180016144&type=3&eid=ARA79k5-OHY4HH2rcFvhcTg4hjoZIcDKstQW8o0j2xS0apyGEbpF1xUaTzgu-6OBqQOjBT_VNxlajzN1" rel="theater" style="box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0470588) 0px 1px 1px; color: #365899; cursor: pointer; display: block; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-decoration: none; width: 500px;"><img alt="No automatic alt text available." class="scaledImageFitWidth img" height="375" src="https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/48923817_10213391528559070_3048960935122173952_n.jpg?_nc_cat=107&_nc_ht=scontent-lhr3-1.xx&oh=a1013588f03332c6140a524149c31c7e&oe=5C9167B2" style="border: 0px; height: auto; position: relative; width: 500px;" width="500" /></a></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px;">
<a ajaxify="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10213391528519069&set=a.1047180016144&type=3&eid=ARA79k5-OHY4HH2rcFvhcTg4hjoZIcDKstQW8o0j2xS0apyGEbpF1xUaTzgu-6OBqQOjBT_VNxlajzN1&size=960%2C720&source=13&player_origin=story_view" class="_4-eo _2t9n" data-ploi="https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/48923817_10213391528559070_3048960935122173952_n.jpg?_nc_cat=107&_nc_ht=scontent-lhr3-1.xx&oh=a1013588f03332c6140a524149c31c7e&oe=5C9167B2" data-render-location="permalink" href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10213391528519069&set=a.1047180016144&type=3&eid=ARA79k5-OHY4HH2rcFvhcTg4hjoZIcDKstQW8o0j2xS0apyGEbpF1xUaTzgu-6OBqQOjBT_VNxlajzN1" rel="theater" style="box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0470588) 0px 1px 1px; color: #365899; cursor: pointer; display: block; font-family: inherit; position: relative; text-decoration: none; width: 500px;">
</a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06030262341726291356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8887494459088527900.post-91423868757162183022018-09-15T00:19:00.003-07:002018-09-15T00:19:40.926-07:00I am not a Christian <div>
I am not Christian</div>
<div>
🧐</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I am not a Christian because it makes my life easy; if you want easy stick to lazy Sunday’s and nights at home with the family. Christianity is NOT easy. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I am not a Christian because it works for me, it often doesn’t. I pray and nothing happens. I see innocent people suffer, have lost parents, have family with disabilities and suffer with constant tinnitus and hearing loss. Why does God not answer my prayer? </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I am not a Christian because I am weak. I can hold my own, if you know me you know that. I would be earning more money and have more time to work out, cycle and play golf if I wasn’t a Christian. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I am not a Christian because I need a safe place like church to hide in. Are you kidding me? lol. Church has a lot of wolves as well as sheep. I’ve experienced as much disappointment and conflict in the church as anywhere else. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I am not a Christian because I am unscientific, I have an HND related to the sciences a shelf full of National Geographic etc. Truth I LOVE science. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I am not a Christian because I am deluded, lacking logic and reason. I’ve spend 25 years studying Christianity and it’s opponents. I build my defence not on blind faith built on evidence that demands a verdict. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So why am I a Christian?</div>
<div>
I am a Christian because it is true.</div>
<div>
I want to live in a way that reflects truth. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I am absolutely convinced that:</div>
<div>
1, There is a creator</div>
<div>
2, Jesus is the son of God</div>
<div>
3, Jesus died on the cross</div>
<div>
4, He was resurrected from the dead </div>
<div>
5, That the Holy Spirit is active on the earth today bringing love, joy, hope, peace and purpose. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
If you have questions private message me. Also a good place to start can be The Alpha Course checkout details at a local church.</div>
Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06030262341726291356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8887494459088527900.post-62325996029664880352018-07-15T04:14:00.003-07:002018-07-15T04:14:52.089-07:00World Cup thought for the day: Servant leadership: Three cheers for Didier Deschamps and the ‘water carriers’<h2>
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>World Cup thought for the day: Servant leadership: </b></span></h2>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<h3>
<b><br /></b><span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Three cheers for Didier Deschamps and the ‘water carriers’</b></span></h3>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></b></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq2baZo15PPdrYwRN_0vILdjuEZPcd_oUdBDeT4vPeTLNnPMo5m0hdGlq-tMddikk0ACqwlO2EvvQHUYqjyIeKqaeLQ1qE5xwM4-g30kkjDoQCK5xZZ86T02HReee_otH_Nkp_wKKvoAFZ/s1600/Deschamps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq2baZo15PPdrYwRN_0vILdjuEZPcd_oUdBDeT4vPeTLNnPMo5m0hdGlq-tMddikk0ACqwlO2EvvQHUYqjyIeKqaeLQ1qE5xwM4-g30kkjDoQCK5xZZ86T02HReee_otH_Nkp_wKKvoAFZ/s320/Deschamps.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">It was a cold night when we arrived at Stamford bridge in November 1999 and I quickly picked up a commemorative scarf to keep the wind chill off my chest. That night Chelsea strolled past Hertha Berlin into the group stages of the Champions League. This was before the billionaire arrived and people are quick to forget we had a great team which already had remarkable international talent including Spanish right back Ferrer, the Italian wizard Zola and three world cup winning stars from 1998: Desailly, Leboeuf and Didier Deschamps. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Just 9 mins into the game, Deschamps wins the ball in midfield, takes a touch to push the ball to the right side of his body away from danger and from 25 yards, lets fly with a screamer that beats the keeper with pace, swerve and attitude. Standing on what is now the West Stand, we jumped and danced in celebration, not just at the quality of the goal or the occasion, but the scorer. Didier Deschamps was the original ‘<b>water carrier</b>’ who rarely put the ball in the net, wasn’t interested in the limelight but absolutely devoted himself to serving others and hard work.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">At 5ft 7inch Deschamps was a holding midfielder who rarely scored yet managed to captain Marseille to four straight French championships and a 1993 Champions League title before leading the French national team to world cup victory in 1998 and European Champions in 2000. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">If all goes well tonight, he will become only the third person ever to captain and manage his country to world cup success. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Back in September 1996 Deschamps was playing for Juventus who were hosting Manchester United in a Champions League game. The outspoken United genius Eric Cantona had just returned from an 8-month ban and was more than a little wounded that he was not selected for the French national team ahead of Deschamps. In the build up to the game <i>La Gazzetta</i> interviewed Cantona and asked about Deschamps. He told the reporter that players like this can be found ‘on every street corner’, he was a ‘limited’ footballer whose entire job was to feed the ball to better players. The best thing one might say about him was he was a porteur d’eau; A water carrier. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Juventus went on to win 1-0 and Deschamps had the opportunity before a crowded press room to humiliate Cantona; instead he chose to calmly responded to his comments saying ‘I don’t mind being called a water carrier.’ He was free to devote himself to working hard and serving others. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">On the French national team, Deschamps primary focus was to put the ball at the feet of Zinedine Zidane. “For every 10 balls I play I gave 9 to him”, Deschamps said. On the team he said, “you can’t only have architects, you also need bricklayers.” To Deschamps, carrying water was servant leadership, the sort most football fans don’t appreciate. Chelsea have had the privilege of having three of the best water carriers in world football who all happened to be French: Deschamps, MaKelele and Kante. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZY96iy9pk2BggHzL88sIW_vWqRsanAYIFi7Vq4EWX1VljCEyOQ3sYM8532wYOpNI4MIolJRC8N3-_JTw2b6-gz5M8gZk5Wf4VXQRVEEFlxBvBfMZOxj24xcIuYlXqBCUTS23Ufni158G4/s1600/Claude-Makelele.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="620" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZY96iy9pk2BggHzL88sIW_vWqRsanAYIFi7Vq4EWX1VljCEyOQ3sYM8532wYOpNI4MIolJRC8N3-_JTw2b6-gz5M8gZk5Wf4VXQRVEEFlxBvBfMZOxj24xcIuYlXqBCUTS23Ufni158G4/s320/Claude-Makelele.jpg" width="305" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Claude Makelele</b>, is now a footballing legend but when he arrived at Chelsea he was only known as another water carrier. It was under Mourinho’s 4-3-3 formation that saw a role on the pitch now named after him and he helped change English football’s traditional 4-4-2 mindset forever. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Makelele’s sale from Real Madrid to Chelsea had left the footballing world with two quotes that have been circulated since. Here is one from Florentino Perez after the sale of the Frenchman.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">“We will not miss Makélelé. His technique is average, he lacks the speed and skill to take the ball past opponents, and ninety percent of his distribution either goes backwards or sideways. He wasn't a header of the ball and he rarely passed the ball more than three metres. Younger players will arrive who will cause Makélelé to be forgotten.”</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">The next quote is Zinedine Zidane’s disagreement with the transfer. The playmaker referred to the signing of David Beckham whilst responding with a creative comment. “Why put another layer of gold paint on the Bentley when you are losing the entire engine?”</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">It was no surprise that the sale of Claude Makelele began the downfall of Real Madrid which led to a consecutive run of six years where the team failed to make it beyond the last 16 of the Champions League. </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">It also began the rise of Chelsea Football Club as a title contender, en route to winning their first domestic league title for 50 years.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU-u2SG67USAzD-53V-SunI9E-DS3p-zB1Acvp_TUpXuR00EK9rPPP7ojQg6E_2w2yDmLU2Sy6zZ4fNgZ86k218GwvfQOwWYwO9zVpH1kBgAFSE-LXOWrCsgSocISrOT_H6CveNT59aBPh/s1600/NGolo+Kante+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="189" data-original-width="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU-u2SG67USAzD-53V-SunI9E-DS3p-zB1Acvp_TUpXuR00EK9rPPP7ojQg6E_2w2yDmLU2Sy6zZ4fNgZ86k218GwvfQOwWYwO9zVpH1kBgAFSE-LXOWrCsgSocISrOT_H6CveNT59aBPh/s1600/NGolo+Kante+.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>N’Golo Kante</b> is the current ‘porteur d’eau’ extraordinaire. In 2012-13 season at age 21 he was playing 3rd Division French football. For many people he was too limited and too small to make it as a serious professional. Fast forward 6 years and he has two premier league winners medals with Leicester and Chelsea, PFA player of the year, nominated for the Ballon d’Or, player of the year award at Chelsea, is on the verge of a possible dream move to Barcelona (let’s hope not!) and tonight will play in the World Cup final under the watchful eye of the original water carrier. His work ethic and servant leadership on the pitch is phenomenal and helped him pick up the nick name ‘the man with the three lungs.’ </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Conclusion: </b></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">What kind of leader do you aspire to be in school, business, sport, church etc?</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Deschamps once said ‘I knew I couldn’t make a difference with a single move; but over the long run, through hundreds of small acts of service and management, I was able to balance things out.’ </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">What can you do today to be a water carrier?</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>The greatest leaders are often not the most talented and skilful. Indeed the best way to lead is to serve with an extreme level of doggedness leaving everyone in no doubt: they are giving everything they’ve got. </b></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Jesus said: ’Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, the servant of all.’ Mark 9:35 </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">That's pretty good advice!</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Work hard, serve hard, love what you do. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 17px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"></span><br /></div>
<br />
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Allez Les Bleus</span></div>
Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06030262341726291356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8887494459088527900.post-32565408425821097552018-03-29T22:57:00.002-07:002018-03-29T23:05:47.937-07:00It's Friday but Sundays coming <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCa9eFqmmw17L9pJm5HtVnuKLEYZEVMRxQ5awc8eTdjXDmPG2g7jG4uF5XBQaszphnC3pyE1L-5FlR3_UA9hg6lqgn7_do0xPFmz34dsETjdiGRRyuKxgVoimV8bedHK3lieHp4FCuDfWo/s1600/Friday+but+Sundays+comin.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1212" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCa9eFqmmw17L9pJm5HtVnuKLEYZEVMRxQ5awc8eTdjXDmPG2g7jG4uF5XBQaszphnC3pyE1L-5FlR3_UA9hg6lqgn7_do0xPFmz34dsETjdiGRRyuKxgVoimV8bedHK3lieHp4FCuDfWo/s320/Friday+but+Sundays+comin.PNG" width="242" /></a></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Times; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Times; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: times; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<h3>
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue"; font-stretch: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
<b><span style="color: white; font-size: large;">It’s Friday but Sunday’s comin’<br />
It’s Friday, Jesus is arrested in the garden where He was praying. <br />
But Sunday’s comin’.<br />
It’s Friday, the disciples are hiding, Peter is denying, Judas is betraying. But Sunday’s comin’.<br />
It’s Friday, Jesus is standing before the high priest of Israel, silent as a lamb before the slaughter. <br />
But Sunday’s comin’.<br />
It’s Friday, those six trials by night have been a sham, and the king of Glory is tired and weary. <br />
But Sunday’s comin’.<br />
It’s Friday, Jesus is beaten, mocked, and spat upon. His beard is torn from his face. <br />
But Sunday’s comin’.<br />
It’s Friday, the Roman soldiers are flogging our Lord with a leather scourge that has bits of bones and glass and metal, tearing at his flesh. <br />
But Sunday’s comin’.<br />
It’s Friday, the Son of Gods stands firm as they press the crown of thorns down into his brow. A scarlet robe placed upon has torn back as they mock the King of King. <br />
But Sunday’s comin’.<br />
It’s Friday, see Him walking to Calvary, the blood dripping from His body. See the cross crashing down on His back as He stumbles beneath the load. It’s Friday.<br />
But Sunday’s comin’.<br />
It’s Friday, see those Roman soldiers driving the nails into the feet and wrists of my Lord. The agony is beyond words yet he cried out, “Father, forgive them.” It’s Friday.<br />
But Sunday’s comin’.<br />
It’s Friday, Jesus is hanging on the cross dying next to criminals. <br />
But Sunday’s comin’.<br />
It’s Friday, the sky grows dark, the earth begins to tremble, and He who knew no sin became sin for us. Holy God who will not abide with sin pours out His wrath on that perfect sacrificial lamb who cries out, “My God, My God. Why hast thou forsaken me?” What a horrible cry… <br />
But Sunday’s comin’.<br />
It’s Friday and at the moment of Jesus’ death, the veil of the Temple that separates sinful man from Holy God was torn from the top to the bottom because Sunday’s comin’.<br />
It’s Friday, Jesus is hanging on the cross, heaven is weeping and hell is partying. But that’s because it’s Friday, and they don’t know it…<br />
But Sunday’s a comin'<br />
It’s Friday, the earth trembles, the sky grows dark as Jesus absorbs the punishment for the sins of the world. <br />
But Sunday’s comin’.<br />
Jesus breathes his last and dies upon the cross…<br />
But Sundays comin’ <br />
It’s Friday, hope is lost, death has won and Satan’s just laughin’. <br />
But he doesn’t know…Sundays comin’<br />
It’s Friday, Jesus is buried in a tomb, the stone is rolled over the entrance and two soldiers stand guard. <br />
But Sunday’s comin’.<br />
The disciples are running the women are weeping the crowds are leaving, but its only Friday.<br />
It is only Friday. <br />
Sunday is a comin’!<br />
It’s Friday…<br />
But let me tell you something Sunday’s comin’<br />
Today is Friday and many people will go on with their busy lives, they will accept the holidays from work, the chocolate eggs and party invites yet they will pay little or no attention to Jesus death on the cross. They will shrug their shoulders at his death; perhaps it has no relevance to them, maybe they will accuse him of being a mythical figure, a delusional Jewish boy or merely a good man or prophet. Some will just avoid the truth that they know deep inside because they are afraid to face the reality that will demand a change; they might as well be made of the same chocolate they enjoy eating...<br />
What about you? Show some courage today. Just stop for a moment to read and reflect upon the most significant three days in the history of the world. No politician, army, nation or religious leader has affected the world like Jesus. The very date on your phone and newspaper points to his life, death burial and resurrection. Jesus is the son of God and you cannot ignore him any longer. He deserves more. </span></b><br />
<h2>
<b><span style="color: white; font-size: large;">
You will never understand the significance of Friday until you embrace the power of Sunday. If Jesus did not rise from the dead then our faith, our hope is lost. So let me remind you… Sunday’s comin’. Show up at a bible believing church and discover the peace, the joy, the glory, the liberty, the hope, the love, the power of Sunday.</span></b></h2>
</div>
</h3>
</div>
Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06030262341726291356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8887494459088527900.post-90648722802947307032018-03-18T06:51:00.001-07:002018-03-18T07:04:15.216-07:00The Evangelist who led me to Jesus: Roger Carswell<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVJ43LKfe6FjS51RQlnXLC3NNqCBBxayDpv2k-yuRUrOcMDBwlG6H-4id2Ftv2xqk1Ah9vNNcu66WEU5hLJDF2XocHprSvVNOYOe5ypzbocA90hwRGzIqfTy7ve8AEvE7jiP_D5Lye74T7/s1600/Evangelist+Mitch+and+Roger+Carswell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVJ43LKfe6FjS51RQlnXLC3NNqCBBxayDpv2k-yuRUrOcMDBwlG6H-4id2Ftv2xqk1Ah9vNNcu66WEU5hLJDF2XocHprSvVNOYOe5ypzbocA90hwRGzIqfTy7ve8AEvE7jiP_D5Lye74T7/s320/Evangelist+Mitch+and+Roger+Carswell.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: , , "blinkmacsystemfont" , ".sfnstext-regular" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: , , "blinkmacsystemfont" , ".sfnstext-regular" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><span id="goog_1078143903"></span><span id="goog_1078143904"></span><br /></span><br />
<br />
<br />
On the 5th October 1992, in Albertbridge Congregational Church, Phil Mitchell (my brother) and Steven Baxter shared their testimony. Evangelist Roger Carswell then preached a message: ‘You must be born again’. <br />
<br />
I was 19 years of age and sitting towards the back of the church. I knew what I needed to do...<br />
<br />
That night I took a little booklet entitled The Journey in Life by Norman Warren and prayed asimple prayer inviting Jesus to be my Saviour and Lord.<br />
My life was transformed.<br />
<br />
Today it was great to meet up again with Roger Carswell the evangelist who pointed me to Jesus. (I’m holding the poster used in 1992 to advertise the week long mission I attended.)<br />
<br />
Thank you Roger Carswell MBE<br />
(Mighty Bold Evangelist)<br />
<br />
Below is the text from the prayer I prayed that night.<br />
You could pray the same prayer now and invite Jesus to save you.<br />
Why? Because you must be born again.<br />
<br />
Lord Jesus Christ, I know I have sinned in my thoughts, words and actions.<br />
<br />
There are so many good things I have not done.<br />
There are so many sinful things I have done.<br />
<br />
I am sorry for my sins and turn from everything I know to be wrong.<br />
<br />
You gave your life upon the cross for me.<br />
Gratefully I give my life back to you.<br />
<br />
Now I ask you to come into my life.<br />
<br />
Come in as my Saviour to cleanse me.<br />
Come in as my Lord to control me.<br />
And I will serve you all the remaining years of my life in complete obedience.<br />
<br />
Amen.Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06030262341726291356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8887494459088527900.post-45260670454118886932018-03-17T00:03:00.001-07:002018-03-17T00:08:36.030-07:00Prayer of St Patrick ☘️Wishing you all a very happy and blessed #StPatricksDay ☘️<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFxa4VzdZ_1qi9Dm4B3UX_0AYzac0bs4xhGcBAg9RMiG6eur5ysTVW3X1aImX1J1Z69JJMVc-_Zl3rI8WdeJk1YMMHDcilt3YPkaBqQl490qwNvnhdxCFTtbtWr0xQ_kKi8ljtl2-MDGgi/s1600/St+Patrick.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFxa4VzdZ_1qi9Dm4B3UX_0AYzac0bs4xhGcBAg9RMiG6eur5ysTVW3X1aImX1J1Z69JJMVc-_Zl3rI8WdeJk1YMMHDcilt3YPkaBqQl490qwNvnhdxCFTtbtWr0xQ_kKi8ljtl2-MDGgi/s320/St+Patrick.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Prayer of #StPatrick<br />
I arise today<br />
Through the strength of heaven;<br />
Light of the sun,<br />
Splendor of fire,<br />
Speed of lightning,<br />
Swiftness of the wind,<br />
Depth of the sea,<br />
Stability of the earth,<br />
Firmness of the rock.<br />
<br />
I arise today<br />
Through God's strength to pilot me;<br />
God's might to uphold me,<br />
God's wisdom to guide me,<br />
God's eye to look before me,<br />
God's ear to hear me,<br />
God's word to speak for me,<br />
God's hand to guard me,<br />
God's way to lie before me,<br />
God's shield to protect me,<br />
God's hosts to save me<br />
Afar and anear,<br />
Alone or in a mulitude.<br />
<br />
Christ shield me today<br />
Against wounding<br />
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,<br />
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,<br />
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,<br />
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,<br />
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,<br />
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,<br />
Christ in the eye that sees me,<br />
Christ in the ear that hears me.<br />
<br />
I arise today<br />
Through the mighty strength<br />
Of the Lord of creation.Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06030262341726291356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8887494459088527900.post-90458896115334894692018-03-09T02:48:00.001-08:002018-03-09T09:54:08.065-08:00Evangelist Steve Hill and the birth of Crown Jesus Ministries<div class="">
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande";"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTzvd_ICSw7Winlp1XRFueidJdNClCe5UgQx-rqv9_UqSjNLXnPMXG0ERoj1At3wCHSwqyuNpUiIEFVUr8Mons9sM2rNDd8ad3XiMUeDsDqYcED2uHQJ4SdSM_0xOxDiFu4iyTUVnUP4n4/s1600/Evangelist+Steve+Hill.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1524" data-original-width="1476" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTzvd_ICSw7Winlp1XRFueidJdNClCe5UgQx-rqv9_UqSjNLXnPMXG0ERoj1At3wCHSwqyuNpUiIEFVUr8Mons9sM2rNDd8ad3XiMUeDsDqYcED2uHQJ4SdSM_0xOxDiFu4iyTUVnUP4n4/s320/Evangelist+Steve+Hill.png" width="309" /></a></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande";"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande";"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande";">I never get tired of telling the story of how Crown Jesus began and today on the <b class="">anniversary of Steve Hill’s death</b> it seems fitting to reflect and share it one more time.</span></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande";"><br class="" /></span></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande";">He has been one of the most influential preachers in my life.</span></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande"; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"></span><br class="" /></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande"; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">Maybe for some of you this will be the first time reading the story of how Crown Jesus began. M</span><span class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">y heart is that you will <b class="">catch the fire</b> of the story and vision that unfolded.</span><span class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande"; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"></span><br class="" /></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande";">In May 1999 I was in my 2nd year at Belfast Bible College studying part-time. Steven Thompson and Pip Kerr were in their first year as full-time students at the same college. </span></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande"; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"></span><br class="" /></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande";">We all had a heart for evangelism but at that time it looked like Steven would probably go on to be an Elim Pastor and Pip would follow in the footsteps of his mum and dad in overseas mission. </span></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande"; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"></span><br class="" /></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande";">I had been following the Brownsville Revival with much interest and often sat up late at night watching the Revival meetings led by Steve Hill on God TV (in truth I think in general most of what is on God TV is rubbish and a distortion of the Gospel but I must thank them for their broadcasts from Brownsville). </span></span><span style="font-family: "lucida grande"; font-size: 14px;">Steve was a former drug addict who came through the </span><b style="font-family: "lucida grande"; font-size: 14px;">Teen Challenge</b><span style="font-family: "lucida grande"; font-size: 14px;"> programme. He was the primary preacher and influencer in the Brownsville revival which witnessed hundreds of thousands come to faith in Jesus. </span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande"; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"></span><br class="" /></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande";">Steve Hill, along with Reinhard Bonnke, were the most influential preachers in my life at that time. Bonnke, a native of Germany witnessed millions of people come to Christ in Africa. In the 13 years from 1987 until the end of 1999, more than <b class="">42 million people attended CFAN’s Great Gospel Campaigns</b>. <b class="">Ten million of them made a decision for Jesus Christ.</b> </span></span><span style="font-family: "lucida grande"; font-size: 14px;">I had heard Bonnke preach in Birmingham, Kenya and Belfast and I recall him preaching and praying over me in the Spires Conference Centre, Belfast, during the minus to plus campaign.</span><span style="font-family: "lucida grande"; font-size: 14px;"> </span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande"; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"></span><br class="" /></span></div>
<div class="" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande";">A prayer letter came from CFAN (Reinard Bonnke’s ministry), highlighting a European Fire Conference taking place in Germany, and both Reinhard and Steve Hill would be speaking at it. </span></span><span style="font-family: "lucida grande";"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 14px;">I suggested to Steven and Pip we should attend and as I was the only one in full-time employment (then a </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 14px;">firefighter), I offered to cover the cost of the flights.</span></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande"; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"></span><br class="" /></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande";">On a sunny evening in Barcelona, as Manchester United achieved the impossible win over Bayern Munich in the Champions league final, we had just landed in Germany. I had a ticket to the game and gave it away for free to a United Supporter (Ian Crow)...a greater Miracle, however, was about to unfold in Germany.</span></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande"; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"></span><br class="" /></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande";">On the 28th May 1999 Steve Hill stood in a Leisure Complex in the town of Boblingen Germany and preached from <b class="">Revelations 3:11: ‘Hold fast to what you now have that no man may take your crown</b>.’ </span></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande"; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"></span><br class="" /></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande";">Whatever the anointing is…he had it. I have never heard preaching like it. I cried through much of the preach. They had to find another interpreter as he collapsed weeping on the stage. </span></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande"; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"></span><br class="" /></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande";">At the end Steve made an alter call and hundreds ran to the front to give their lives to Jesus. I almost gave my life Jesus again. Such was the holiness and fire mix I wondered if I was even saved at all before that meeting! </span></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande"; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"></span><br class="" /></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande";">That night Steven, Pip and I walked back to the hotel knowing God had lit a fuse within us. We stayed up late and talked, dreamed and prayed. </span></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande"; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"></span><br class="" /></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande";">The following night on 29th May, Reinhard preached and called upon people to get into groups representing their native country as he wanted to commission us and lay hands on us in the hope that God would use us to change our nations. There was a group and flag for the UK and there was one for Ireland. In o</span></span><span style="font-family: "lucida grande"; font-size: 14px;">ur hearts, minds and spirit <b>there was only one island and nation to align ourselves with, God didn’t see the border and so when they called out Ireland, three young men walked forward</b>. Although thousands of people had gathered from across Europe there was no one else representing Ireland. </span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande"; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"></span><br class="" /></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande";">That night at the back of the hall we huddled together and prayed. I cried like a baby knowing my life would never be the same again.</span></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande"; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"></span><br class="" /></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande";"><b class="">A vision was birthed</b> to reach Ireland, the whole island, with the Gospel. The next day we began to put some plans into action but we really didn’t know what we were doing. We had a vision and calling but God had not dowloaded a guidebook and maps.</span></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande";"><br class="" /></span></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande"; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"></span><br class="" /></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande";"><b class="">How did we end up with the name?</b> </span></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande"; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"></span><br class="" /></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande";">It was quite simple, Steven wanted to call the ministry Crown ministries or Crown Him ministries after Steve's preach. I wanted to call it ‘Jesus ministries’ as Reinhard had preached ‘Only Jesus’. And as Pip refereed the debate (he would often step in between us and do this) we agreed on a name: Crown Jesus Ministries. </span></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande"; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"></span><br class="" /></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande";">Back home we shared the vision with our pastors, leaders, friends, Bible College Principal etc and set the wheels in motion to appoint a board of directors. The first ten months we took four bookings; Finaghy youth Club and Bangor Elim (J Zone) being two of them. </span></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande"; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"></span><br class="" /></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande"; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"></span><br class="" /></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande";">The rest as they say is history…</span></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande"; font-size: 14px;"><br class="" /></span></div>
<div class="" style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "lucida grande"; font-size: 14px;">Evan Roberts during the Welsh revival of 1905 prayed over George Jeffries. </span><span style="font-family: "lucida grande"; font-size: 14px;">George Jeffries prayed over Reinhard Bonnke, </span><span style="font-family: "lucida grande";"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 14px;">Reinard Bonnke prayer over me... now listen, i’m not arrogant </span><span style="font-size: 14px;">enough</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 14px;"> to </span><span style="font-size: 14px;">put</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 14px;"> my name </span><span style="font-size: 14px;">alongside</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 14px;"> these </span><span style="font-size: 14px;">Generals, I'm not </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 14px;">sure what theology you have on this (i’m not sure what theology I have on it!), but I live with a vision and a calling </span><span style="font-size: 14px;">birthed</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 14px;"> that </span><span style="font-size: 14px;">weekend</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 14px;"> in </span><span style="font-size: 14px;">Germany.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 14px;">… will you join me and our team? </span></span><b class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 14px;">‘To see the people of Ireland Crown Jesus Lord of their lives.’</b></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande";"><br class="" /></span></span></div>
<div class="" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande";"><span class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 14px;">Since 17th November 2017, (in less than four months) we have recorded 267 people responding to the Gospel through the ministry of Crown Jesus. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande"; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"></span><br class="" /></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande"; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"></span><br class="" /></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande"; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"></span>Thank you Steve Hill and Reinhard Bonnke for your faithfulness to the Gospel.</span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande"; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande"; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande";">Below is a link to Steve Hills preach, titled 'The Crown; You Cant Have It' (it was the same message he preached in Germany). I used to have the VHS cassette of the original Germany preach but I literally played it so many times I broke it. </span></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande";"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande";">I’d love you to find the time to watch it…we look forward to his wife Jeri coming to visit us in June for a week of ministry. I’m hoping she will bring the Crown with her. </span></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande";"><br class="" /></span></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande";"><br class="" /></span></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande"; font-size: 14px;">I give thanks today for the life and ministry of Steve Hill. </span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 16px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande"; font-size: 14px;"><span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"></span><br class="" /></span></div>
<div class="" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span class="" style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-size: 14px; text-decoration: underline;"><a class="" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYZan5wbKds"><span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande";">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYZan5wbKds</span></a></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">
<span class="" style="font-family: "lucida grande"; font-size: 14px;"><br class="" /></span></div>
Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06030262341726291356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8887494459088527900.post-50049162787498154032018-03-02T03:13:00.001-08:002021-05-01T03:12:14.274-07:00A prophetic picture for Ireland? The apple tree and the bees. 🐝<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(34, 35, 37); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; background-color: white; color: #222325; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOPPVQR-TCNyzDszFd4RBTnHFog8ZMsABtYy9oYQcobcLSczNMgnaZ0cHEV9sMS4qg2BM8TfDrLJZlDbOOoMpATFhKQxsM3oRTpK-ftD61cZ3iYRv6hD3V7jwr6FdZESHWmcB4PXaIUMHR/s1600/A+PROPHETIC+PICTURE+OF+IRELAND.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="450" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOPPVQR-TCNyzDszFd4RBTnHFog8ZMsABtYy9oYQcobcLSczNMgnaZ0cHEV9sMS4qg2BM8TfDrLJZlDbOOoMpATFhKQxsM3oRTpK-ftD61cZ3iYRv6hD3V7jwr6FdZESHWmcB4PXaIUMHR/s320/A+PROPHETIC+PICTURE+OF+IRELAND.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;">Three weeks ago I was driving across the border from the Republic of Ireland to Northern Ireland when I sensed the LORD speaking to me and giving me a picture of an apple tree and bees.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 22.8px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;">Now, it’s important that you note two things:</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;">Firstly the words ‘I felt the LORD speaking’. I didn’t hear an audible voice but an inward impression.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 22.8px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;">Secondly I am not someone who gets pictures and visions regularly but when it does happen I pray into it, test it by scripture and take time to consider what the LORD would have me to do with it. Hence the three week gap. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 22.8px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;">That evening we had a worship and prayer evening at Crown Jesus Ministries and the special guest felt he had a picture to share... a picture of an apple tree. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 22.8px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;">I asked him about it afterward, he NEVER had a picture of an apple tree before! You may call that coincidence but I do not. God was challenging me to reflect further. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 22.8px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;">Often the words and pictures I receive are for my own spiritual guidance or for a small group of people. This is the first time I have ever shared a picture on social media and blog but I am only seeking to be faithful to what God has impressed upon my heart. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;">It’s yours to discern... </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 22.8px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;">‘As I was driving across the boarder I sensed the LORD giving me the following revelation, I saw an apple tree blossom in a garden. Beyond the fences I could see other gardens had a single apple trees also. They were very pretty, yet some had no fruit, and others had very little fruit and the apples were small. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 22.8px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;">I enquired of the LORD what was the meaning?</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;">The reason for the lack of fruit was the lack of cross pollination. These trees all required a pollination partner, the partner has to be a </span><span face="".sfuitext-italic"" style="font-size: 19.08pt; font-style: italic;">different </span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;">variety of the </span><span face="".sfuitext-italic"" style="font-size: 19.08pt; font-style: italic;">same </span><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;">fruit species. Two trees of the same variety will not pollinate each other.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 22.8px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;">The Lord then impressed upon me these words: ‘In 2018 the bees are coming. I am sending swarms of bees to pollinate the trees, do not be afraid of the bees in your garden, do not be afraid to give away pollen, do not chase my bees from your flowers.’</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 22.8px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 22.8px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;">This is my interpretation of the picture and words:</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;">Churches and ministries across Ireland are the trees, in being over protective of our ministries, money and members we have chased the bees from our garden. We have been afraid of the very thing that will bring much fruit. We need to give away our pollen. The Lord is sending the bees, 2018/19 has the potential to be the most fruitful years ever if we will only take our eyes of our own tree, not be afraid of the bees and give to the Kingdom of God. (It was significant that I was crossing the boarder at the time I received the the picture being inclusive but not exclusive to cross-boarder projects.)</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 22.8px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 22.8px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;">In practice what will this look like? Some examples:</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 22.8px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;">1. Send your young people on mission trips across the border and let them experience the diversity.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 22.8px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;">2. Building relationships, sharing resources and finances with other church’s in your community will bring you much fruit.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 22.8px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;">3. Giving money away to mission local and across the island.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 22.8px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;">4. Make the most of para-church organisations such as Summer Madness, S.U, Y.F.C, Young Life, C.I.Y, Exodus, Crown Jesus etc. sharing skills and resources with local churches and with each other.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 22.8px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;">5. Investing in church planting across Ireland. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 22.8px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;">6. Pioneer more non-denominational prayer gatherings/ networks and outreach events. Allow the Holy Spirit to minister freely in power.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 22.8px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;">7. Releasing your congregation into ministry and mission in Ireland will bring much fruit.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 22.8px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 22.8px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 22.8px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 22.8px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;">A brief prayer:</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 22.8px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;"><b>Father God, give us the ability to see beyond our own fence, to take courage and invite your Holy Spirit to invade our garden. Freely we give our resources to the Mission of God in Ireland. Father God, bear your fruit in us that Jesus Christ your son might be gloried in our lives,</b></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 22.8px;">
<b><span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;"></span><br /></b></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;"><b>Amen</b></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 22.8px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 22.8px;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;"></span><br /></div>
<br />
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: ".SF UI Text"; font-size: 19.1px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;">Mitch,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: ".sfuitext"; font-size: 19.08pt;">Evangelist</span></div>
</div>
Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06030262341726291356noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8887494459088527900.post-48723113508424458542018-01-19T00:19:00.000-08:002018-01-19T00:32:26.718-08:00Revival in Indonesia 1964As we pray for Revival in Ireland I am inspired by both scripture and the history of the church.<br />
Lord send a revival.<br />
<br />
<br />
Colossians 1 : 8-12<br />
<br />
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text Col-1-8" id="en-NIV-29474" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">8 </span>and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29474E" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29474E" title="See cross-reference E">E</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text Col-1-9" id="en-NIV-29475" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">9 </span>For this reason, since the day we heard about you,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29475F" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29475F" title="See cross-reference F">F</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> we have not stopped praying for you.<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29475G" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29475G" title="See cross-reference G">G</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29475H" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29475H" title="See cross-reference H">H</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives,</span> <span class="text Col-1-10" id="en-NIV-29476" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">10 </span>so that you may live a life worthy<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29476J" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29476J" title="See cross-reference J">J</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> of the Lord and please him<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29476K" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29476K" title="See cross-reference K">K</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29476L" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29476L" title="See cross-reference L">L</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span></span> <span class="text Col-1-11" id="en-NIV-29477" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">11 </span>being strengthened with all power<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29477M" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29477M" title="See cross-reference M">M</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29477N" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29477N" title="See cross-reference N">N</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span></span> <span class="text Col-1-12" id="en-NIV-29478" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">12 </span>and giving joyful thanks to the Father,<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29478O" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29478O" title="See cross-reference O">O</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> who has qualified you<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span>to share in the inheritance<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29478P" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29478P" title="See cross-reference P">P</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> of his holy people in the kingdom of light.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text Col-1-12" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text Col-1-12" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">The church was in decline, so the people started to pray...and the Spirit moved. </span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span class="text Col-1-12" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;">The Presbytery in Timor examined the impact of revival on their nation in the first year; between 1964 and 1965, they found that:</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">80,000 people were converted to Christ; 40,000 were previously Communists and the rest were heathen</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Some 15,000 had been permanently healed</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Church attendance grew phenomenally, some churches which only had 30 people attending their Sunday service experienced the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and had congregational growth of up to 500</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">A wave of repentance and sanctification swept through the former waning church.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">More the 100,000 idols had been brought out by repentant people and destroyed.</span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">What a contrast to the previous year! In 1963 congregations complained when the Pastor/Minister preached for more than 2 hours. However during the revival, Christians did not allow some pastors to leave the pulpit until they preached for 7 or 8 hours in a stretch. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Christians in Revival lost all sense of time, hunger, and thirst, and the value of money. The first year of the revival saw the birth of 72 evangelism teams that a travelled throughout the area preaching the Gospel and equipping others in evangelism. Yet they received with little or no financial help. Class divisions faded. <b>At the end of the third year of revival, those who were converted had risen to over 200,000</b>. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Here's a wee story from the revival:</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><i>Another interesting conversion is that of a radical Muslim youth who participated in acts of terrorism. One day, he smashed the windows of a church as well as the windows of its minister’s house. When the minister did nothing to retaliate, the youth asked the minister why. The pastor answered, “God loves you and therefore we love you too. Christians don’t repay evil with evil!” 17 The youth was stunned by the response and, sometime afterwards, purchased a Bible. He wanted to be able to refute both the Bible and Christian faith. However, instead of refuting Christian faith, he converted to it. He changed his name to Timothy and began telling his friends about his new faith. He enrolled in the Bible College in East Java and, upon completion, left to do missionary work on the island of Sumatra.</i></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">God answered their prayers and brought a great victory in Jesus name.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">'Lord God of heaven and earth, send such a revival to Ireland.'</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "verdana" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06030262341726291356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8887494459088527900.post-33803260564447657602017-11-03T00:20:00.000-07:002017-11-03T00:20:15.001-07:00Jesus is the hope of the World. <div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Jesus is the hope of the world.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Not your church, not your denomination, not your tribe, not your strategy, not your home group and not your amazing way of getting everybody to follow you. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Jesus is the hope of the world. Get that wrong and you are stuffed! Put your hope in anything other than the resurrected Jesus Christ and you will be disappointed. People will let you down, church will let you down, denominations will let you down, but Jesus will never let you down. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Everything around us changes. People change, projects change, worship songs will change, that model of church will change but Jesus does not change.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Hope can be a dangerous thing when we pin it to the wrong things. Unexpected disappointments come, unfulfilled dreams and deep hurts rise because our hope was not anchored.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Now we can hope in a lot of things and sometimes those things will disappoint us but you and I can have a confident hope... indeed today we can rejoice in this confidence hope..</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.’ 1Pet 1:3</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the HOPE of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.’ Rom 5 1-5 </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Rom 15:13 </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="direction: ltr; font-size: 12pt; unicode-bidi: bidi-override;">Romans</span><span style="direction: ltr; font-size: 12pt; unicode-bidi: bidi-override;"> </span><span style="direction: ltr; font-size: 12pt; unicode-bidi: bidi-override;">12:12</span><span style="direction: ltr; font-size: 12pt; unicode-bidi: bidi-override;"> </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">So today make him your cornerstone nothing else.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">I don’t preach church, I preach Christ. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">HE IS THE HOPE OF THE WORLD.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">My hope is built on nothing less</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Than Jesus' blood and righteousness</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">I dare not trust the sweetest frame</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">But wholly trust in Jesus' name</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Christ alone; cornerstone</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Weak made strong; in the Saviour's love</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Through the storm, He is Lord</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Lord of all</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">When Darkness seems to hide His face</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">I rest on His unchanging grace</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">In every high and stormy gale</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">My anchor holds within the veil</span></div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">My anchor holds within the veil</span></div>
Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06030262341726291356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8887494459088527900.post-35643271945337133122017-10-31T02:13:00.001-07:002017-10-31T02:13:07.449-07:00A brief personal reflection on Reformation day<a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10210671660044057&set=a.4868935797650.1073741825.1124988481&type=3">https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10210671660044057&set=a.4868935797650.1073741825.1124988481&type=3</a><br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">#reformation500 #reformation #reformationday. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Today I will reflect upon my own personal reformation, celebrate the faith, mourn the divisions within Christianity and hope for a new reformation. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">The Reformation contributed significantly to the end of medieval Christendom and sparked reforms that are foundational to Protestant traditions and modern Catholicism. That we must all celebrate.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">I have a dream; that the church may be one. That all those who know and love the Lord can share communion together. Until that day we must mourn. ‘I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one.’ John 17:22. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">‘I think that the intentions of Martin Luther were not mistaken. He was a reformer... he made a medicine for the Church.’ #PopeFrancis </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">We would all do well to drink that medicine again. We should reflect upon and hammer that thesis upon our minds. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Finally, today I will hope for a day when His church #Catholic (Universal) is filled with both the word and Spirit.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">#maranatha </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">#solascriptura📖 #soladeogloria #solafide #solachristus #solagratia</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06030262341726291356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8887494459088527900.post-66614404209316638502017-10-10T01:03:00.001-07:002017-10-10T01:03:55.716-07:00Amazing Iceland for the World Cup! <div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span id="goog_2034794619"></span><span id="goog_2034794620"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Thought for the day:</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">For a moment forget the #GAWA</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Iceland became the smallest nation ever to progress to a World Cup after beating Kosovo to win their qualifying group for Russia 2018. They have a population the size of Belfast!</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Yip, about 335,000ppl.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">How does that happen?</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Let me give 5 reasons:</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">They show fierce loyalty to their country with T.V viewing figures watching the national team is one of the highest percentages in the world. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">They have the shortest football season in the world. Allowing players to rest and recover.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Over 110 Icelandic schools have artificial mini-fields , 7 having indoor pitches. (My sons primary school in Belfast didn’t even have grass to play on!)</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">From as young at 6 years of age the children are coached by qualified paid coaches.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">They don’t play football for fun so much as play to win. They are very competitive and passionate about sport.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Let sum that up:</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">loyalty, avoid burnout, provide excellent facilities, invest in their young people and passionate about what they do. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Flip! You could plant a church on those principles! </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Reflection: your church may be small numerically (so is Iceland) but imagine what you can do if you invest in what you have.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Well done #Iceland.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06030262341726291356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8887494459088527900.post-1830319306880531562017-09-23T23:27:00.000-07:002017-09-23T23:27:04.650-07:00Not thinking, not feeling, not doing; but being. <div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Many people believe that if they invest their years improving how they think, how they feel and what they do life will be better. For the christian however, it goes much deeper than this. It’s about who we are. Our thoughts, feelings and actions are important but they do not define us. We are defined by who we are...the reality that we are created in the image of God, broken yet reborn through amazing grace.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Once you begin new life with your identity found in Jesus Christ; perspectives change. It’s not so much about the number of years we live on the earth but how we live them in light of the death and resurrection of Jesus.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Most evenings as I drift off to sleep I pray a short simple prayer and give thanks for my family. I will then pray these words ‘Lord use me or take me home.’ Those 7 words are a frightening yet potent prayer. In truth some evenings I think, if I were God I’d just bring me home! There are better people for the task than me. I’m not doing a very good job... yet each morning as I awake my spine stiffens. The Lord has kept me alive for a reason. I’m alive in Him and this truth propels me forward in confidence to finish the mission and fulfil the upward call. The very creator of the universe has answers my prayer and chosen to keep me alive for a purpose.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Some years ago I decided to build my life around three purposes. They help me to focus on clear objectives each day:</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">1, To accelerate the mission of God.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">2, To give my family the best experience possible.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">3, To keep myself reasonably fit. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Today I will set these before me once again. Remembering that what I think, feel or do does not define me or measure my success; It’s about being. I am alive in Christ Jesus. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">My pray for each of you is that you will enter into the truth and knowledge of Jesus Christ and be found in him. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Psalm 139</span></div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">1 You have searched me, LORD, and you know me. 2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. 3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. 4 Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely. 5 You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. 7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? 8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. 9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, 10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. 11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” 12 even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. 13 For you</span></div>
Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06030262341726291356noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8887494459088527900.post-58074908481168269952017-09-10T06:20:00.003-07:002017-09-10T06:20:31.165-07:00The Christian Church in action<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">The Christian Church in action</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">If I had the money to fund and co-direct a movie it would be on this glorious topic. It would be an alarming contrast to the pathetic atheistic world-view that all religion is poisonous. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Truth: The Christian church is the unsung hero again, and again and again.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">This morning at 5am the first e-mail of the day arrives in my inbox. From Fire Fighters for Christ calling for a second emergency response team to Hurricane Harvey relief. These teams are formed from firefighters around the world who assist after earthquakes, hurricanes and other emergencies. By 8am I had further 2 e-mails giving updates on christian aid around the world. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Indeed if we took time to look at the response of the church and christian mission both historically and now we would be astonished at the immense difference it makes.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">The church (universal) is the biggest operation in the world. It has more ‘outlets’ that any other organisation and continues to be the major source of social services like schooling, medical care, disaster relief, food and water aid and moral and spiritual wellbeing.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">It is estimated that the Christian church gives $45 billion to oversees mission and aid each year, not to mention the local support in summer clubs, drop-in cafe’s etc. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">In the U.K even a brief look at the incredible impact and support of para-church organisations such as FOODBANK (who gave out over 1 million emergency food parcels last year) and CAP (who help over 20,000 people each year with free debt help, job clubs etc) lets us see what a remarkable community for good the church is. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">For those who feel the world would be a better place without the church: think again. The Church feeds more hungry people, cared for more orphans, frees more slaves, opens more water wells, visits more sick people than any organisation in the world.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Though chaplaincy support in prisons, universities, sport, military, schooling, emergency services etc the church offers support and wellbeing to billions; yes billions of people around the world.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Importantly we encourage, educate, mobilise and inspire a whole new generation of young people to help those in need. In our own ministry (Crown Jesus), we have inspired young people who responded by giving tens of thousands to feed the hungry, support anti-slavery, sponsor children in poverty, dig water wells, set up small business in the rural villages in India etc.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">How many young Christians from Northern Ireland served communities at home and around the world in the summer months? I would suggest 10,000 and more! </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Recent research (Wilson and Csikszentmihalyi) States that on average, religious believers are more social, feel better about themselves, use their time more constructively, engage in long term planning better that non-believers. On a moment by moment basis, they report to being more happy, active, sociable and involved. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">On a humorous note Christians tend to have more children than atheists (doesn't bode well for their evolutionary theory that the strongest survive).</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Additionally in his book ‘Is faith Delusional?’, Professor Andrew Sims states ‘The advantageous effects of religious belief is one of the best-kept secrets in psychiatry and medicine generally. If the findings of the huge volume of research on this topic had gone in the opposite direction and it had been found that religion damages your health, it would have been front page news in every newspaper in the land. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">The effects of the christian church is continually correlated with well-being, happiness, life-satisfaction, hope and optimism, purpose and meaning of life, higher self-esteem, better adaption to bereavement, greater social support, less loneliness, Lower rates of depression, faster recovery from depression, lower rates of suicide, less anxiety, less psychosis, lower raters of alcohol and drug use, less delinquency and criminal activity and greater marital stability. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">That doesn't sound like lazy, self indulging, manipulative trouble makers that would be better off in the history books? </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">In closing: </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Two points: </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">1, The church isn't perfect: It’s made up of imperfect people who have made terrible mistakes (I’ve mentioned this in a recent post) and there is no defence. But lets be clear: The Christian church when it follows the teaching of Jesus does an immense amount of good. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">2, I didn’t become as christian to join a social revolution. I become a christian because a believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who died on the cross for my sin and through believing in Him I can be born again finding meaning and purpose in life. Almost 25 years on I am more convinced than ever that Jesus is the son of God and immensely blessed to be part of His local church. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Truth: My faith in Jesus is not motivated by me getting from earth to heaven but bringing heaven to earth.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; min-height: 13.8px;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Jesus Christ calls the Church to action. Let’s finish the mission!</span></div>
Mitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06030262341726291356noreply@blogger.com0