Tag: pray

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A Definition of Heaven and Hell

Have you ever had one of those conversations with someone who isn’t a beliver when the topic of heaven and hell comes up?

It kind of goes, I’m going to hell where there’s going to be a great party with lots of fun. You can have heaven to yourself, floating on your clouds and playing your harps.

It generally leaves me thinking, you haven’t got a clue.
Hell is a place of pain and suffering!
There’s not going to be any fun in hell!

To try and challenge this idea I try to offer a better picture of heaven and hell. It’s listed below.

Think of the best time in your life. A time when you thought this is the best. I want to remain here for as long as I can.
Heaven is going to be sooo much better than that.

Now think of a time which was the worst time in your life. A time when you thought this is the worst and you would do anything to get away from that moment.
Hell is going to be sooo much worse than that.

Now which one would you like to be heading to, bearing in mind when you reach your destination you won’t be able to change where you are.

Using this picture, generally, changes the dynamics of the conversation.

For me it’s the only way I can have any real picture of what heaven and hell are really like.

I have made the choice to accept Jesus as Lord and Savour and as such I have a hope that I shall see him in Heaven one day instead of the pain and suffering which will occur in the other place.

If you haven’t already already asked Jesus into your life then you can do so now if you would like to ensure that you will be heading to the better location.

You might say that you don’t believe in either place and as such it just doesn’t matter, but what if you are wrong?
Are you willing to gamble with your eternal resting place? (These are big stakes.)

I would like to challenge all who do not follow Jesus to at least look into these issues so that you can make an informed choice and as such, then play an active role in the decisions you make for your final destination.

Father,
I thank you that you are real.
I thank you that you are my Lord and Saviour,
I am sorry that I do get things wrong at times and I thank you that you do forgive me as I bring my failings to you and try to do better.
Thank you that we can all know You.
Thank you that when we ask you into our lives, then you do say yes to us.
Help us all to say yes to you each and every day.
Amen

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We are only meant to bring the loaves and fishes.

If you have been watching The Chosen then you might already know what I’m going to be posting this week.

In the live streams and a number of interviews Dallas has spoken about this.

He has stated several times that it’s not our place to make the miracle happen, we only need to bring the loaves and fishes.

It’s so true when you think about it.

We are not able to make any kind of miracle happen. It’s just not in us, regardless of what we might think.

The disciples were only asked to bring what they had, which turned out to be the loaves and fishes. They didn’t have to produce the miracle, that part was left to Jesus. But they were part of the miracle by bringing what they could, the loaves and fishes.

The same is still true for us today. We only need to do our part and leave the miracle to God.

The question is, will we do our bit?
Will we bring the loaves and fishes, or will we make our excuses?

If we do want to see God move in a greater way, then we need to be willing to bring the loaves and fishes.
Father wants to include us in his work and hence he asks us to bring what we can, the loaves and fishes.

Dallas also talks about, just because we bring the loaves and fishes, it doesn’t mean that the miracle will happen.

This can be a tough point for us.
After we have gone through the effort of bringing the loves and fishes, then we can tend to have this expectation that something will happen, after all, we’ve done what you asked for… didn’t we Father.

Sometimes we will feel as though, we have fallen flat onto our face, being left with the thought of, “What have I just done???”

If we have followed Fathers prompting, then we have done just what we need to. We might get to see what it was all about at a later date, or we might not, it’s all in Fathers hands.

Do we have a heart that wants to say yes to Father, just like the lady who danced in the park (one of my earlier posts)
The Lady who Danced

If we can all come to that place where we are all willing to bring our loaves and fishes, regardless of what happens, then how much more will we be helping Father to see his purpose fulfilled, not only in our lives but also in our wider communities.

Can you imagine a church were everyone is willing to bring their loaves and fishes to Father, regardless of what happens?

Wouldn’t that be a miracle all on it’s own?
Everyone doing what they are meant to be doing, when they were meant to be doing it.

That almost sounds like it could be the start of something so much bigger. Revival perhaps?

Father,
Please start with me.
Help me to be willing to bring to You my loaves and fishes.
Help me to think more of You and less about everything else.
Help me to know and trust You that much more so that I want to say yes to You that much more quickly.
Thank you that you do accept me where I am, but please continue to lead and guide me.
Amen

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How do you react when you are having a bad day?

Lets face it, we all have bad days from time to time.
We all can have days that leave you crying out AAARRRHHH!!!!!!!!

So how do you act or react when a bad day comes your way?

Do you scream out at anyone near you? (unfortunately those closest to us can bear the brunt of this.)
Do you go and hit something? (hopefully not breaking whatever it is your hitting, and most definitely hopefully not a person or pet.)

Or do you just crawl off to a quiet place to hide and wait for the day to end singing, The sun will come out tomorrow, bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow, will be OK. (Just like the little girl with red cotton candy curls sings in a film.)

None of the above options really help us that much.
They may be a small release, but is there a better option?

I believe there is a better option.
Like all better options it’s not an easy one to put into practice but it can bring a release that goes to another level.
One that can bring in a victory.

So what is it I hear you say?

Seek the Lord your God and call on him to help you!

Simple really, isn’t it…???

Maybe not so simple when all you want to do is all of the above.
So How can you do it?

You could try the, singing a song idea.
No not the song mentioned above but a different one.

Incidentally, do you know who the true author of that song, “The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow” is …???
I’m not talking about who wrote it but the one who inspired it…???

I believe it is the enemy himself, the deceiver, the father of lies.
Before you go off and call me whatever it is that’s in your mind right now, please, just give me a chance and I’ll explain.

What is the message of that song….???
Give up on today! Today is done! You have been beaten today, so just give up and try again tomorrow. (It sounds all the more convincing if you say the above with a bit of a growl in your tone of voice.)

The problem with singing that song today is that tomorrow still has troubles of its own to deal with, which will try to lead you to singing the same song over and over again.
A song of eternal defeat.

This is why I believe this song is a song from the enemy!

There is a different song you can try to sing in its place.

This is the day, this is the day that the Lord has made, that the Lord has made.
I WILL rejoice, I WILL rejoice and be glad in it!, and be glad in it.
This is the day that the Lord has made.
I WILL rejoice and be glad in it!
This is the day, this is the day that the Lord has made.

As I have said it can be a hard thing to put into practise, but it can bring about a victory. (Even if it is only in your heart and mind but this is where the victory has to come first).

There is an incidence in the bible where we can see this principle in action. Can you guess which part I’m thinking of….?

Well, I’m thinking of Paul and Silas when they were locked up in the inner cell of the prison, with feet fastened into stocks. And this was after having been stripped, beaten and flogged. Acts 16 vs 16-40

Well, they were having a VERY BAD day!
They were Roman Citizens and should not have been treated in such a way.

We may think we have human rights but they had Roman Rights!
They should have been protected by Rome!
We can see how they should have been protected in Acts 22 vs 25 when on another occasion when Paul was about to be flogged he asked
“Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasn’t been found guilty?”
On that occasion Paul wasn’t flogged because of his Roman Citizen Rights.
But back in chapter 16 he had his rights abused.

He had every right to complain!
He could have said “I am a Roman Citizen, How Dare you treat me this way!”
But he didn’t. instead he (and Silas) looked to their citizenship in GOD!
He looked to a higher power.
Father in Heaven.

How did they look to their Father in heaven?
Well they were both were singing, even though they were beaten, battered and bruised.
They were singing even though they had had such a very bad day.

When I first read this passage I had a bit of a romantic view that God must have enabled Paul and Silas to worship after having such a bad day. After all, how else could they have done it? Surely God must have inspired them with power from on high…???

I now think that the reality is some what less dramatic. I now think that they were singing because they needed to. You see, I think they knew they needed to draw close to God and singing was the method they were using to do this.

This turned my thinking on it’s head.
They were singing because they needed to, not because they were inspired to by a power from on high. (How ordinary.)

What happened after they had been singing for a while?

They not only saw the victory in there hearts and minds but also in the reality of their situation.

There was an earthquake, the doors were opened and even the jailer and his house hold came to salvation. (You need to read Acts 16 vs 16-40 to get the whole account.)

This all happened because they made the decision to sing rather than complain.

The miracle happened after worshiping.

So can we do likewise?
When things don’t go our way instead of doing all the wrong things can we instead turn to God, using whatever method works for you to enter into his presence?
Can we try to seek His face, His help and His assistance?

It is the better option.

Father.
Help us to always look to you.
When times are good and also when times are not so good.
Help us to seek and trust you always.
Amen.

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How Do You Pray when you feel you just can’t do anything?

Have you ever found yourself in a place where doing anything seems impossible, where even the simple tasks are a major chore to do?
If you have, then how do you pray when in such a place?

When doing anything seems impossible then praying can seem like the last thing you want to do.
It’s in these times that it could be the most important thing to do!

So how can you do it?

If you can, then using the Lords prayer can be a good starting place.

If I’m struggling, then using The Lords Prayer gives me a model of how to pray.
I take each line, one at a time and dwell on what it means for me in the here and now.
I’ll demonstrate with the first line.

Our Father in heaven – Yes you are my Father, my Daddy. The one I can go to. You are there for me, thank you that you are there for me.

I might dwell on that one line for longer or that might be all I think of for that time before moving onto the next line and repeating the process again.

If you can put this idea into practise then great, please try to do that.

It Will Bless YOU!

But what if you can’t even do that.
What if even that seems impossible.

There is still hope!

You are not so lost that you can’t be brought back!

When I in the past have reached the point where I can’t even say the prayer in that manner,  then I will just recite the Lords prayer.
Parrot fashion if I must but I still do it because even doing that has a power to it.

But what if you can’t even do that?
When I have been there in the past, then I have had another fall back option on prayer.

It’s one of the most basic prayers I have called out.
It’s only six words long.

Praise you.
Help me.
Thank you.

The order the words are used in can be different each time but I try to Praise Him, ask Him for help and also try to remain thankful for what I do have.

That last one can seem difficult to do when you think you have nothing but we all have something to be thankful for, if we look hard enough.

We have air in our lungs to be thankful  for. If we have a roof over our heads and food on the table then we have something to be thankful for.

It can be hard to say thank you, when everything else seems to be wrong, but we always have something to be thankful for.
If we can only open our eyes enough to look for it.
It can be a very hard thing to do but it is the right thing to do.

When I have said the six word prayer in the past I have tried to use the same method spoken about above. Trying to put some meat on the bones, as you say.

There have been times in the past when all I could do is say the six word prayer.

In them times I could only let my heart groan and cry out to Father with the words I didn’t know how to form with my mind.

I can say to you that Today in the Here and Now, I am soooo much Better!!

It can seem so hard if all you can do is call out the six word prayer, but PLEASE, DON’T GIVE UP!!

Father is there for you, and rooting for you.

You can overcome ALL things with Christ who strengthens us.

There is this power from God which IS available to us if we seek him, even if it is with only six little words.

I would like to offer a prayer to anyone who is in need.

Our Father, who is in Heaven.
Thank you that you care for us ALL.
We are ALL special to you.
You gave your son Jesus for us ALL.
Thank you.
Help us all to KNOW that we ARE LOVED BY YOU!
Bring a healing touch to ALL who are hurting.
Help them.
Bring a Help to them that WILL bring a release.
Enable those who are struggling to carry on in YOU.
Thank you that you ARE REAL.
The one True Living GOD who cares and LOVES US.
Help us all to remain in you.
Please guide our steps and lead us to an abundance in YOU.
Amen

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Tired of making Sparks?

I wasn’t planning on making this post but a picture came to me as I was going to work today, so I thought to just go with it.
I will return to our meetings in the park soon.

Anyhow, Tired of making Sparks?

Do you sometimes feel that you have these ideas that you try out, just to find that they seem to lead anywhere?
It’s like your trying desperately to start a fire, but all you see are the sparks of an idea.
You give it your all, but sparks are all that you see.
Then you reach the point where you can think enough is enough, and then it’s time to move on.

The picture I had was of one such person.

There were many sparks, but no fires.

The problem with many sparks but no fires is it can become very disheartening.
You can start to think,
What am I doing?
Why am I bothering?

In the picture, this was happening to the individual who was doing their best for God.

Father saw this and wanted to give some encouragement.
I believe the words Father wanted to say are as follows:

Well done good and faithful servant.
You’ve had all these sparks and have given them away freely.
You haven’t tried to keep them to yourself.
I am well pleased with you.
Do not worry about the fires that you haven’t seen.
It’s not yet time to see the fires that will come from the sparks that you send out. Some of the fires may be small but others will be bigger in due course. You will see the results one day.
Some of the sparks are starting sparks, some are feeding sparks but others could end up being igniting sparks!
You may or may not see the igniting sparks at the time, but you will in the end.
I Love you and am well pleased with you, so just carry on doing all that you are doing for me.
I am Well Pleased with you and one day we shall see all the results of your labours together.

I do hope that the above words are truly from Father and not just me.
But just imagine him saying them words to you, well done good and faithful servant.
When all is said and done, isn’t that going to be one of the greatest things he could say to us?

Father help us all to see what you want us to do.
Help us not to be too concerned about the results but just to be happy to play our part.
Seeing the results of something we have played a part in is always going to help us.
But even if we don’t see the results just yet, then please help us to not get disheartened.
Instead help us to know you are pleased with us, and continue to lead and guide us.
Please give us eyes and ears to see and hear you more clearly and a heart to follow you.
Amen

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To Conform or Not to Conform, that is the question?

This was written as I was questioning whether we should even be trying to meet up in the park in order to have some fellowship.
So below is…

To Conform or Not to Conform, that is the question?

Well, with a title like that have I now got all the non conformist’s interested yet?

So what do I mean by the above?
In the church aren’t we meant to be kind, caring, helpful and above all loving?

Hopefully the answer is yes to all the above, especially the Love bit.

So why would I even ask the question of “Should we conform or not?”

From knowing that we hopefully aspire to be loving and all the rest then surely the answer is to conform?
So why should we ever not conform?

I think that where I am trying to go with this is that sometimes we can fall into the trap of not wanting to upset anyone as far as is possible.
Not a bad thing in itself but, can we really avoid upsetting everyone all the time and more importantly should we?

If we see that something is wrong, should we just ignore it and conform to what people are asking of us just because we don’t want to upset them?

This is not one of those yes or no questions where you can say for sure the the answer is …..well, yes or no.

There are times when it is right to conform and times when we should not conform.
The real question becomes why are you acting the way you are acting?
What is at the heart of the matter?

If by conforming you are just trying not to cause a fuss and keep everyone happy, then are you doing the right thing?

If you are trying not to conform just in order go and cause a fuss, then you are most probably in the wrong place.
Hopefully this is a place we try not to visit.

How helpful is non conforming for the sake of non conforming going to be for anybody?

So, is there a time to be the fly in the ointment?

If it is needed, then the answer could possibly be yes.

It needs to come from the correct heart though. One that is looking to improve a situation.
I do think that this is the only time to be the fly in the ointment. When you are trying to improve, correct or build up something that needs to be done, even when it appears that it isn’t wanted.

Be warned, if you do need to be the fly in the ointment then don’t expect to make any friends in the process.
It can very much so be the lonely road.
After all,  who will want to come close to you if you become the trouble maker?

If you do manage to gain a following then please try to make sure you haven’t just formed a band of trouble makers, just out to cause as much mayhem as you can all in the name of your cause.

It is better to seek an open and honest dialogue with all the people involved in order to seek understanding on everyone’s part.
You need to understand others point of view as much as you may feel that they need to understand you.

The enemy seeks to destroy. He will use anything he can to do this.

Misunderstanding is one of his greatest weapons.

If we are in a place of feeling frustrated or annoyed with someone then we need to see where these feeling’s are coming from.

They’re not from God. Feelings of frustration and anger are from the enemy.
If we find ourselves in situations of the like, then we need to try and remove the emotions from the situation.

Such an annoying phrase.

It’s like, I’m so wound up and annoyed at …. and your just telling me to ignore it???

No, not quite. What I’m trying to say is you need to leave the emotion at the door when dealing with difficult situations.
You still need to acknowledge the emotions. They are real after all,  but try to not let them rule you.
Be led by something else….Someone else….

Our Father, the Lord of Lords. The One who knows all and see’s all.
He is the one with the answers after all.
If we can all see our Fathers will then the question of “to conform or not to conform” should hopefully become redundant as we all seek to follow his will.

We all need them ears to hear with, and hearts to follow.

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Are we like the Church at Laodicea?

If you haven’t read the previous post “Are we too pleasant to each other (at times)” then please do go back and read that one before reading this one. It gives an indicator of where the heart is when writing this one, an introduction if you like 🙂

So, are we anything like the church at Laodicea? (Revelation 3 vs 14-22)
Our knee jerk reaction to that question is almost certainty no. After all who thinks that they are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked? (vs 17)
Not me we can all cry out together in one voice.

Well now we have that sorted out shall I just end this post here and say nothing more on the subject…
No. I do think there is a little bit more to look into and to be said about this.

I think that the first thing we need to look at is who were the Church at Laodicea?
What did they look like?

I believe that the short version is that they were wealthy, prosperous and self sufficient. After an earthquake they refused Rome’s offer of help to rebuild, insisting that they could take care of things themselves.

It sounds as if, by and large, that it was a good place to live.
Wealthy, prosperous and self sufficient to boot. Sure there might well have been a poor area but in general life was good for people.

Does that sound anything like how we live today??

Today in the modern society we are wealthy.
If you are reading this then you have the resources to do just that. You probably have a roof over your head (owned or rented) and probably have food available to eat. We are blessed.

We may well have a lot more in common with the church at Laodicea than we first thought we did. We could possibly even say that we are in a better position than the church at Laodicea, with modern technology and medicine to add to the mix.

So we are very much so blessed, just like the church of Laodicea.

So the next question is why did God bring such a tough message to a church which looked as if things were generally going OK?

You can almost hear the church of Laodicea’s knee jerk response to God’s message.
All the things you say we need, well God, we already have them…???  Don’t we ???

God looks deeper than we do though!

God knew they were wealthy and all that they were doing.

As they were wealthy they might even of had some measures they could point to and say, look at what we do to help others, what ever they may have been. 
God would have seen and known about it all.

So WHY does he bring the message that he does?
How can he say that they are  wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked

Did God get it wrong???   A resounding NO to that last one.

God see’s all and knows all. It still leaves the question of why did God bring the message that He did?

Perhaps we should try to see this from God’s side, if we can but try and obtain a glimpse of his point of view.

So what did God see when he looked at the church of Laodicea?

I believe that he saw a church who could do better!
I believe he saw a church who needed to be shaken up in order to be lifted up to a new high.

In short I believe that God saw the level that the church was at but also saw the level they could reach (which was much higher) and knew that they needed a tough message to reach it.

It could possibly be that they had become complacent, because of their success and we’re relying on themselves too much rather than on God.

Is this sounding like it could be more relevant to us than we would like it to be?

How much do we rely on ourselves rather than coming to our Father for his help and guidance?
Are their times when we follow our own instincts rather than following Father’s prompting and guidance?

Saul followed his own thinking in Samuel chapter 15 and it didn’t work out too we’ll for him. As I read it just recently I couldn’t help but think that he was blind to what God wanted. (Have a read of it and see if you think likewise.)

Do we suffer from that same blindness?

The problem with the message when I look at it in this way is that, I could think that it always applies to me.
You see no mater how good I can get to, there is always going to be the next level to reach for.
So is Father always saying to me that I’m “wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked”?

I don’t think that Father is constantly saying that to us like a broken record. He is our Loving Father after all.
He’s not just waiting for us to take our first steps just to push us down again, as my older brother used to do to me when I was learning to walk. (He is only a year older than me, so was very little at the time 🙂 )

The question then becomes are we blind to the possibility that he could be saying it to us on any level?

Are we open he hear his voice to us regardless of where it will lead us?
Are we only open to hear the nice things Father has to say to us?
Or do we want to hear all that he has to say to us, not just only the pleasant things but also the tough messages?

As Father says in Revelation 3 vs 19 “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline.”

Do we want to be counted as among those of whom he Loves?

If yes (and I hope it is very much so a yes to that one) then are we willing to hear his voice even when he brings a more challenging word?

Father help us all to hear you more clearly, to know your voice that much better and have a heart that is willing to follow you wherever you lead us.

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Are we too Pleasant to each other? (At times)

Are we too Pleasant to each other? (At times)

That may seem like an odd question to ask, after all aren’t we meant to be Loving to each other???

Loving yes, but does that also mean pleasant, kind and nice.
Hopefully the answer in general is yes, but are there times when we need to be, not quite so ….nice?

What does the bible say?
Does it advocate for us all to be pleasant to each other all the time, having the feelings of others as the most important thing at all times?
I do believe that the answer to that question is no.

The bible does say things like, “Spare the rod spoil the child”. It also talks about discipline not being pleasant but bearing fruit.
The other one that comes to mind is “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline”, that last one is God talking to his Church at Laodicea.

When we think about the church at Laodicea, how often do we think, “I’m glad God isn’t saying that to me?
After all who wants to hear:
You say, “I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.” But you do not realise that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. Revelation 3 vs 17

These are Gods words!
Not very pleasant for the Church at Laodicea.
But he still said it.
The real question is why?

I have already given you the answer.
“Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline” Revelation 3 vs 19
He Loves Them.
He rebuke’s and disciplines those he loves.

He also gives the church at Laodicea the answer of how to do better.
I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so that you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so that you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so that you can see. Revelation 3 vs 18

God saw that the Church of Laodicea could do better than they were doing, but they couldn’t see it.
He needed to bring a harsh word in order to lift them up.
He brought a word that was tough, hard but necessary.
He was more concerned about there well being than their comfort.
After all he LOVES THEM.

He also Loves us.
Are we ready to hear a tough word when he brings one to us?
If he brings one it is only because he Loves us.
Are we ready to hear it though?

Are we ready to share a tough word with someone if God directs us to? (Important bit at the end there, if God directs us to.)

If we are given a tough word to share then hopefully he will give us the wisdom to do it in a loving manner.
We can always ask for help when it comes doing the hard things.
He is always there to help us, if we have a heart that is willing to be lead by him.
We just need to ask Him to guide and help us.

I quite often think that, we can be so much like the Church at Laodicea.
But I think that is a blog for another day.

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A Rescue Line

Below is something I came across online somewhere.
I don’t know who wrote it but I have added a little extra at the end, so it is something of someone else’s and something of mine.
I hope you enjoy it.

A Rescue Line

Author: Unknown

After a few of the usual Sunday evening hymns, the church’s pastor slowly stood up, walked over to the pulpit and, before he gave his sermon for the evening, briefly introduced a guest minister who was in the service that evening.

In the introduction, the pastor told the congregation that the guest minister was one of his dearest childhood friends and that he wanted him to have a few moments to greet the church and share whatever he felt would be appropriate for the service.

With that an elderly man stepped up to the pulpit and began to speak.

“A father, his son and a friend of his son were sailing off the Pacific Coast,” he began, “when a fast approaching storm blocked any attempt to get back to shore. The waves were so high, that even though the father was an experienced sailor, he could not keep the boat upright and the three were swept into the ocean as the boat capsized.”

The old man hesitated for a moment, making eye contact with two teenagers who were, for the first time since the service began, looking somewhat interested in his story.

The aged minister continued with his story, “Grabbing a rescue line, the father had to make the most excruciating decision of his life: to which boy he would throw the other end of the lifeline. He had seconds to make the decision. The father knew that his son was a christian and he also knew that his son’s friend was not. The agony of his decision could not be matched by the torrent of waves.”

“As the father yelled out, “I love you son!” he threw out the lifeline to his son’s friend. By the time the father had pulled the friend back to the capsized boat, his son had disappeared beneath the raging swells into the black of night. His body was never recovered.”

By this time, the two teenagers were sitting up straight in the pew, anxiously waiting for the next words to come out of the old ministers mouth.”

“The father,” he continued, “knew his son would step into eternity with Jesus and he could not bear the thought of his son’s friend stepping into an eternity without Jesus…

Therefore, he sacrificed his son to save the son’s friend. How great is the love of God that he should do the same for us.

Our heavenly father sacrificed his only begotten son that we could be saved. I urge you to accept his offer to rescue you and take a hold of the lifeline he is throwing out to you in this service.”

With that, the old man turned and sat back down in his chair as silence filled the room. The pastor again walked slowly to the pulpit and delivered a brief sermon with an invitation at the end.

However, no one responded to the appeal. Within minutes after the service ended, the two teenagers were at the old mans side.

“That was a nice story,” politely stated one of the boys, “but I don’t think it was very realistic for a father to give up his only son’s life in the hopes that the other boy would become a christian.”

“Well, you’ve got a point there,” the old man replied, glancing down at his worn bible. A big smile broadened his narrow face, he once again looked at the boys and said, “It sure isn’t very realistic, is it? But I’m standing here today to tell you that story gives me a glimpse of what it must have been like for God to give up his son for me.

You see — I was that father and your pastor is my son’s friend.”

_________________________________________

The above is an account I came across. I don’t know if it is true or not, but as a christian I believe that it could be true. I’m also aware that people who are not christains could have difficulty in believing that the account could be true, as who would really sacrifice his own son to save his son’s friend? With this in mind I was given a picture which is listed below.

A father, his son and the son’s friend are standing on a platform at a train station. The son, and the son’s friend are both going onto a train but on opposite sides of the platform. Once the children are aboard the train, the train will depart and the child will not be seen again by the father. The son’s train is heading towards a holiday destination. It will be a great time. Fun, laughter and joy will be at this destination. The son’s friend’s train is heading in the opposite direction to a concentration camp. There will be pain torture and sorrow at this destination. The father is aware of where both children are going and he can stop only one from entering the train. Who will he stop?

As a christian I believe that the father in the above account, “A Rescue Line”, saw this reality in an instant and made his choice to save the son’s friend.

And there’s more…

I believe that the above picture is true for everyone. Let me explain the picture fully. The platform is life as we know it today. It is the here and now. The trains are death. Everyone is going to take one of the trains at some day. The holiday destination is heaven and the concentration camp is hell. The train we take from the platform depends on a choice we have to make. Those that choose to accept Jesus and ask him into their life are going to the holiday destination. Those that don’t are heading for the concentration camp. You may say that you haven’t made a choice to go on either train, but not having made a choice is a choice. It is the choice of in-action that leads to the concentration camp.
You can change which destination you are heading to by accepting Jesus now.

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I see a Vessel

This is a picture which, at the time, I believe was very much for me.
Hopefully I have now let God in that much more, it is the best option after all.

I see a Vessel

I see a vessel before me. On the outside it looks impressive, strong and altogether, but on the inside it’s cracked and broken, almost falling apart. It feels as if, if anything is poured into this vessel it will just fall apart, it will crack open.

God is wanting to pour his Holy Spirit on us.

The vessel feels that if God pours his Holy Spirit into it, it will break.

God does not come to destroy though!

No, he comes to build up. Where we have cracks He wants to come along and heal them. He doesn’t wish to see us destroyed. No, He wishes to renew us, rebuild us and make us like new.

The fact that we feel broken and not ready should not stop us from saying “Lord, come to me please and fill me.” No it means we need Him all the more.
He does not come to destroy but He comes to build up. But He can only do this if we let Him in.
So He waits patiently asking.

“Will you let me in. I wish to rebuild and renew you, to make you strong and whole, so will you please just let me in? Just let me in?”