Word for the Week provide by Rev. E. Anderson

January 31, 2007 at 7:19 pm (Word for the Week)

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Rev. E. Anderson

FULFILL


The word fulfill is quite a choice word and carries within it an encouraging meaning. It suggests the idea of bringing about the completion of desire, promise and design. Comparable words are, to accomplish and achieve. To carry out to a satisfactory conclusion, complying to a set purpose and programme until it has been wholly completed.

 

Looking at the New Testament in relation to the life and work of Jesus Christ, especially in Matthew’s Gospel, the word occurs quite frequently. It is used in connection with Christ in carrying out in detail the actual prophecies of the Old Testament concerning Himself. Certain things were said and done that were in direct accord with what the prophets of former centuries had spoken. An oft repeated line is – ‘That it might be fulfilled which was spoken’ – Matthew 4: 14. It seems that Christ was born and lived and worked according to a divine plan and schedule.

As He concluded His life and mission this one word could be written over Him – ‘fulfilment.’ He had made certain that all that He said and did had been truly and perfectly wrought out. In fact in His final breath He cried out: ‘It is finished’, and in one word, ‘Accomplished.’

It appears to me that this is the way that God has desired and ordained that all should live in this world. Throughout the whole of human existence He desires that all should know a sense and pleasure of real accomplishment. This only can be when God is known and His plan and purpose for life is readily accepted and adhered to. In no way does He want anyone to be a failure and to mess up the opportunity that is afforded of being and living a good and great meaningful life.

One of the reasons why the Bible has been given is in order to give all a blueprint for living the kind of existence that produces this great sense of fulfillment. If the Old Testament was sufficient to guide Christ unerringly and bring about such significant achievement, how much more, with the added blessing of the New Testament, can all be brought to the place of constant and ultimate success.

In reviewing many of the characters of the Bible, both of men and women, it is to be observed that many things of a divine order were wrought in their experiences so that they could affirm that their life and mission was one of fulfillment. As they shared and partnered with God it could be said that many choice things were brought to pass. All were different and had diverse ministries and missions yet they knew what it was to accomplish some outstanding things.

Noah did the impossible and built an ark that was salvation for his household and the human race. Looking back he must have been amazed at his feat in God. Moses was a unique deliverer and leader and he, too, could see before his days were brought to an end what had been brought to pass. Thinking of Nehemiah and the word and work that came to him, he too saw the impossible fulfilled.

As you face this week with major mission and responsibility, know this, God desires that you do well and achieve. You were not made for failure but to accomplish great things.

‘Whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well’ – Chesterfield

PRAYER

It is your blessed will O Lord that I know and experience a divine sense of fulfillment all the days of my life. Will you cause this to be brought about so that in all I will bring glory and honour to you.

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Powerful Quotes supplied by Rev. L.Goodwin

January 30, 2007 at 6:39 pm (Quotes)

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Rev. L. Goodwin

GREAT THOUGHTS ABOUT CHRIST

How was it that, even in the common tasks of an ordinary life, Jesus drew the praise of heaven? At the core of His being, He only did those things which pleased the Father. In everything, He stayed true, heartbeat to heartbeat, with the Father’s desires. Jesus lived for God alone; God was enough for Him. Thus, even in its simplicity and moment-to-moment faithfulness, Christ’s life was an unending fragrance, a perfect offering of incomparable love to God. –Francis Frangipane

Jesus Christ: The meeting place of eternity and time, the blending of deity and humanity, the junction of heaven and earth – Anonymous

You cannot go outside of A and Z in the realm of literature; likewise Christ Jesus is First and Last of God’s new creation, and all that is in between; you cannot get outside of that. –T. Austin Sparks

It is as if God the Father is saying to us: “Since I have told you everything in My Word, Who is My Son, I have no other words that can at present say anything or reveal anything to you beyond this. Fix your eyes on Him alone, for in Him I have told you all, revealed all, and in Him you will find more than you desire or ask. If you fix your eyes on Him, you will find everything, for He is My whole word and My reply, He is My whole vision and My whole revelation. –Anthony M. Coniaris

Powerful Quotes 

“Everything comes to him who hustles while he waits.”
– Thomas Edison

“A professional is a person who can do his best at a time when he doesn’t particularly feel like it.”
– Alistair Cooke

“If something comes to life in others because of us,
then we have made an approach to immortality.”
– Norman Cousins

“Your current conditions do not reflect your ultimate potential, but rather the size and quality of goals upon which you are currently focusing”
– Unknown

“Make big plans; Aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will not die.”
– Daniel Burnham

“I feel the great thing in this world is not so much where we stand as in what direction we are moving.”
– Oliver Wendell Holmes

“The saddest summary of a life contains three descriptions: could have, might have, and should have.”
– Louis E. Boone

“All human progress is preceded by new questions.”
– Anthony Robbins

“Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing.”
– Abraham Lincoln

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Messages for the Moment collated by Rev. E. Anderson

January 29, 2007 at 10:42 am (Messages of the Moment)

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Rev. E. Anderson

THE MANAGEMENT OF CHANGE   by Rev. D. ShearmanT

he management of change is one of life’s great secrets. Do it well and you find enjoyment and fulfillment. Do it badly and you find frustration and often failure.

It is also true and obvious that change is a permanent feature of life and so cannot be avoided. Growing up or ‘growing out’, all spell change.

My father often says “God never changes but He is always on the move”. My dear old friend Alfred Missen used to say, “Constant change is here to stay”. Balancing these truths will help us negotiate the path of life with dignity, determination and delight.

Jesus, always challenging and demanding said “Unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 18:3). So change is a must for successful living.

A friend of mine heard Bill Gates of Microsoft say that 99% of business is less successful than it should be because it does not master the obvious. Let me state some obvious things.

1. God Never Changes. “God is not a man that He should lie, nor the son of man, that He should change His mind” (Num 23:19). Many scriptures carry this truth, among them 1 Sam 15:29, Ps 110:4, Mal 3:6 – “I the Lord do not change” and James 1:17 – “the Father… does not change like shifting shadows.”

2. Blessing Cannot Be Reversed. Numbers 23:20. Don’t let anyone rob you of your God given inheritance.

3. God Can Change Us. 1 Sam 10:9, 1 Cor 15:51-52. Thank God for this truth it carries miraculous possibilities.

4. Sin Changes Us. Rom 1:18-32. This stark context chronicles the downward path of sin.

5. We Must Change to Succeed. Matt 18:3. We must always remember the unchanging character of God and the reliability of His promises, for these truths will provide an anchor and a fixed point of reference when everything else around us seems to be on the move.

We can find consolation that God changed Saul’s heart (1 Sam 10:9) and pray that God will change us or others around us. Life, however, has taught me that God only seems to act when we have done all that is expected of us and changed what we can change ourselves.

However long you have been a Christian, never lose your understanding of the horrible consequences of sin, un-dealt with it seriously damages every part of our life and health. We are extremely unwise if we make any compromise with sin or our attitude to it.

What makes us change? Pain, Pressure or Perspective is Rick Warren’s answer.

What should we change? If we think of the obvious again, the major components of our life include:-

• Our Career – the work/life balance. What I do and how I do it.
• Our Character – who I am and what I am becoming.
• Our Relationships – who I love and how I love them. We must avoid all use, misuse and abuse of anyone and everyone.
• Our Finances – why I spend, what I spend and how I manage.
• Our Spiritual Life – Who and what I worship and how I live.

If in any or all of these areas the Holy Spirit, the comment of our loved ones and friends or our own inner voice tells us that change is necessary, please heed the warning and however painful, change.

How Should I change?

The ABC of change* is easily remembered but harder to implement:-

* Assume responsibility for your life
* Believe you can change
* Clarify what you really ‘want’

“Don’t wait, stop saying later, when things settle down or one of these days. The time is now. Remember, the opportunity of a lifetime must be taken in the lifetime of opportunity”.**

It is time to make a decision. I believe that if you change what you can change, God will then change you. What an exciting possibility. Be sensible; don’t try to change everything immediately. What one or two things should you address this week? Make a start, you will never regret it.

Maybe the lessons of managing change also have application for our churches. If so, let us also make a start, millions of people could benefit!!

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Extracts from my Life by Rev. E. Anderson

January 29, 2007 at 10:26 am (Extracts From Life)

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Rev. & Mrs. E. Anderson

A MEMORABLE INCIDENT

Over the course of years many things happen that in looking back one remembers some memorable moments and experiences. Well do I recall something of real note that is forever etched on my memory and I am grateful to God for what occurred on that occasion.

It took place when I was eighteen years of age and the incident has served as a tremendous encouragement to my faith. The day may have started somewhat ordinarily but what took place transformed the day in a remarkable manner. It was something least expected but was a tremendous testimony to God before a group of people that did not seem to have any knowledge or experience of Him.

At that time I worked on the land serving my time there as a conscientious objector. We started work then at 7-30 a.m. and as usual before I went to my task I had my daily devotions with the Lord. Riding to the farm that morning I felt in a good, spiritual and healthy mind and mood. How glad I was that I belonged to Christ and that He was investing His life and power in me so that I could serve Him more effectively. Little did I know what was to ensue in the outworking of the day?

A group of us were assigned by the farm foreman to go and work in a field and trim the large thorn-hedges that surrounded it. There were about six of us delegated to do the job, to cut and trim and to burn the branches and twigs and make all look nice and tidy. It was a nice morning and so all became busily engaged in the work.

John, a friend and colleague of mine, who was also a Christian, was in the group. He zealously set about the task with a hedge knife and was cutting energetically at the hedge. All of a sudden he cried out in pain because a big, black thorn had flown into and penetrated the white of his eye and lodged there. All the work stopped as all endeavoured to assist him with his immediate problem. The women that were present tried to extract it with a clean handkerchief but it refused to budge because it was firmly fixed.

As this was taking place the farm foremen arrived in his vehicle and at first sight thought we were all lazing around and not bothered about the job in hand. However, he was soon made aware of the real situation and looking at John’s eye he sensed it was a job for the doctor to perform. He asked me to escort him there and so we went to gather our jackets.

Whilst picking mine up I was immediately persuaded that I should pray over this matter. I realised that the Lord was quite capable of attending to this need that had arisen. When I mentioned this to John he was quite prepared that I should do this. It was such a pleasure to pray in that open field by the trailer and ask the Lord to perform instant surgery. After prayer, as John opened his eye, the thorn was hanging out and all I had to do was take it away with an handkerchief.

How thrilled we were that the Lord had stepped in and acted so promptly! What a witness it was to those folk because they had done their best and knew the reality of the problem. John suffered no adverse effect and was able to work the rest of the day quite comfortably.

Know that the Lord is always around and is only a prayer away. He is interested in what takes place every day in our affairs and waits to prove His great capabilities on your behalf.
 

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Contemporary Considerations by Rev. E. Anderson

January 28, 2007 at 9:00 am (Contemporary Considerations)

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Rev. E. Anderson

Five Good Reasons Young People should Follow Christ

It is well worth noting that the majority of people that came to believe in Christ and became His disciples and followers did so when they were young. This is an important statistic. One of the conclusions to be drawn from the factor is that Jesus Christ has the dynamic power to attract and engage the young in a wholesome and worthwhile existence.

In His life and ministry He had the ability to lay hold of young men and inspire and train them to become His powerful leaders to establish His kingdom. They were willing to dedicate themselves entirely to Him and His cause and so the Christian Church was birthed with immense success. Within the course of His life and communication a young man came to Him to ask a question of crucial importance on the matter of possessing eternal life. Christ challenged him to give up all to follow him but being very rich he found it to be too much. Riches took priority. In looking back on this, one has to say, what a lot he missed as a consequence. It does also mention the fact that Christ ‘loved him.’ Christ does love the young and desires to move in on them at the most vital stage in life. It is good for them to know why they should follow Christ at such a time and the following are sufficient grounds for a total commitment and devotion to Him.

  • BECAUSE CHRIST HAS A VESTED INTEREST IN THEM AND DESIRES TO BE THEIR BEST FRIEND

What young people require as early as possible is the knowledge and experience of a true and genuine friend who has their welfare at heart. No one is best suited to occupy that role than Christ because He has already unquestionably proved himself on this count. He possesses all the love, wisdom and power to be of supreme and major assistance and worth at such a vital period in life. No young person can afford to turn down His friendship.

  • BECAUSE CHRIST DESIRES ABOVE ALL TO SECURE THEM FROM A LIFE CORRUPTED BY EVIL

Never before have young people been exposed to so much evil seduction and temptation as in the present days. Never have so many young folk fallen foul of such wicked factors and have lost their lives early and ended in a premature grave. It is a sad thing to behold the young ravaged and savaged by iniquitous forces that destroy them in their earliest years. When Christ is in charge and control He gives the power to resist the allurements of evil and to choose what is right and good and there is untold pleasure in this direction of being and behaviour. He has the ability to produce young people of outstanding moral and spiritual quality and worth and so save them from a wasted existence.

  • BECAUSE CHRIST HAS THE POWER TO RELEASE THE FULL POTENTIAL WITHIN AND TO MAKE LIFE MOST FULFILLING

The main purpose for getting hold of the young is in order that they will maximize on their time on earth and make it meaningful and profitable to the utmost degree. He lifts a person out of the ordinary and to make them extraordinary and to fill them with a real sense of significance. He knows what each is capable of and encourages to a total exploitation of every day and every gift they possess. The young can expect a good deal with and from Him so that life is filled with delightful fulfilment. He is the One that the youth need to reach complete achievement.

  • BECAUSE CHRIST AIMS AT MAKING PEOPLE INTO CHOICE EXAMPLES AND TO HAVE A DRAMATIC IMPACT ON THEIR GENERATION

Two things are essential in the spending of life on this planet: one, the need to produce an example that others can be pleased with and emulate and to contribute in a positive manner to the good of society. How refreshing to witness the young setting a standard by creed and conduct and of being a pattern for others to copy! Each generation needs to be challenged and changed by the Christian Gospel and the young can play a major role in this. Timothy, a colleague of Paul, who was a young man was charged by the apostle in these terms: ‘Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you teach , in the way you live, in your love, your faith and your purity’ – 1 Timothy 4:12.

  • BECAUSE AT THE CONCLUSION OF HUMAN EXISTENCE THERE WILL BE NO REGRETS OR REMORSE

The ultimate result of having loved and served Christ one hundred per cent, there will be no cause for sorrow or sadness. As a consequence of having lived to the best and fullest advantage, at the end of the day there will be consummate pleasure on having succeeded in living life to the full and for the credit and praise of Jesus Christ. Eternity will be faced with great satisfaction because of the life well spent on planet earth.

CONCLUSION

Each young person must get life into true perspective and seize hold of the opportunity to devote themselves to the greatest person and Master and discover the fact that Christ is the truest Friend, that He saves from a wasted existence, releases all the prospective gifts and abilities latent within and causes one to be a worthy example to others, besides influencing the generation in a dynamic fashion. The final point is that at the climax there are no apologies for having missed life’s real purpose.

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News and View supplied by Rev. A. Hocking

January 27, 2007 at 8:51 am (News and Views)

Stealing from God

“Will a man rob God?” asks Micah in the well known chapter about tithing.   But it is not only by withholding tithes that we can rob God.

Recently there has apparently been an increase in the number of cases of theft from Churches.   Not just thieves who break open the donations box in an empty church but by those who take the offering – and then take some of it home!

A recent survey by a university in USA discovered that an amazing 85% of Roman Catholic churches had suffered losses over the past 5 years.  Some 11% had lost as much as $500,000!

Of course this couldn’t happen in Pentecostal churches could it?  Yet I know of one Pentecostal church that lost £20,000 when the treasurer decided to dip into church funds.  How often does it happen?  Who knows?   In one church I pastored, we discovered that a member of the congregation was regularly putting her hand into the offering bag and instead of putting in was taking the odd £5 or £10 note out!

Even in church, temptation and opportunity can lead to shocking levels of sin.

The study added that because churches have small accounting departments, their employees often have little supervision by a qualified financial manager. “A fundamental tenet of internal accounting controls,” says the report, “is to keep the financial record-keeping duties separate from those individuals that have access to assets, especially cash.”

Churches “put too much faith and trust that people will do the right thing and don’t believe they will do the common thing,” said Charles Zech, co author of the report, who added that churches that allow parishioners to handle money need to put safeguards in place without worrying about offending those workers. “It’s not that you don’t trust them,” he said, “you must protect yourself.”

“To my knowledge, with any denomination the underlying problem is the same – too trusting,” said Zech. “No one thinks that a minister or priest will embezzle. No one thinks a volunteer will embezzle.”

But they will, as the Archdiocese Of Baltimore and other church organizations have discovered.

Simple procedures can prevent theft and embezzlement. Those procedures include using rotating auditors, assigning at least two money counters for each church and barring the same two people from counting funds for more than three consecutive weeks.

Interestingly, a Hebrew congregation say they have no problems in this area – they simply don’t take up collections and rarely takes cash.  95% of their donations are by cheque through the post. 

Although it has long been a dictum in Pentecostal circles that you don’t let your left hand know what your right is doing when it comes to giving, most of us are now prepared to let the treasurer know how much we give so that the church can benefit from the refund of tax by the government.   Perhaps it is time for us to get a little more professional in our accounting systems to ensure that temptation and opportunity for theft are removed completely and that all the money given to God is used for His Kingdom?

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Questions answered by Rev. K. Munday

January 26, 2007 at 11:02 am (Questions)

What about Suffering?

This question was prompted when the tragedy of Aberfan was being discussed. A coal slag heap moved on to a Welsh village was but one of many deaths including 116 school children. That was but one of many tragedies that happen every day.

Sometimes we hear of a seemingly healthy person suddenly struck down with an incurable diseases, or a sportsman suffering an irrecoverable injury at the height of his career. And constantly our help is solicited to relieve the hungry millions of the world.

What has Christianity to say about these things, and perhaps more important, what has it to say to those who suffer them. Or to the mourners who are left behind?

Before we try to blame God for the mismanagement of the world, we must first see that we bear responsibility for some of our calamities. Can we blame God if a child is knocked over by a drunken driver? If a building collapses because of faulty workmanship, whose responsibility is that? And when we think of hungry millions, what about the beef mountains in Europe? Some years ago I heard of wheat being thrown into the sea because it did not fetch the required price. Whose mismanagement of affairs was that? Did God build the concentration camps? Did He trigger off the hundreds of wars that have taken place during the twentieth century? We must face the fact that men has it in his own power  to make the world a happier place.

We do recognise however that some tragedies are quite beyond human control, when for instance a little dies from cancer. Such cases are inexplicable, and we realise that they happen to all kind of people, the rich, the poor, the religious and the irreligious. And after a careful reading of the Bible one must admit that it does not give us the complete answer to the mysteries of life, but it does offer some clues that will help us to at least partly understand.

First: There is a sinister evil power in our world, working against the interests of the human race. It is not God who sends cancers, neither does He break up homes, send our loved ones to mental homes, nor ruin marriages. Living as we do in an imperfect and sinful world, these things are bound to happen, and while we close our lives to God they will continue to happen. They never happened before man walked out on God.

Second: We should not ignore what I would call the secondary result of suffering. It can cause us to think deeply about the world and our place in it. It can also strengthen character. Have you noticed how cheerful a blind person can be? And there are some people who have lost hands, but learned to paint with their feet! What triumphs these are for the human spirit. Neither must we forget the compassion that suffering arouses in others. A sickness can draw a family together, and if I was involved in an accident on my way from this studio tonight, London’s traffic would move over for the ambulance to reach me. Nurses on night duty would stand by to receive me, and if necessary the surgeon would sweat his way through the night on an operation to save me. Then loved ones would come and visit me. Even misfortunes can be opportunities for good.

The best bit of news in the Bible is that one day we shall get the answers to life’s mysteries, and if we are still thinking about suffering, remember. man has not borne it all. There is a hymn:

‘There is a green hill far away – Outside the city wall
Where the dear lord was crucified – Who died to save us all.’

Christ knows what suffering is, and undeserved suffering too, yet He bore it that you and I might know forgiveness and He’s still offering it…..if you will receive it.

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Christian prime Timers recorded by Rev. E. Anderson

January 25, 2007 at 10:59 am (Christian Prime Timers)

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Rev. E. Anderson

A VISION OF LATE LIFE

The psalmist presents a beautiful portrait of the later years of the people that are of righteous disposition and life in the end verses of Psalm 91. They are well to ponder on because they give an apt description of how God wants people to be when they come to the final run in of their later years. He evidently does not want anyone to finish up in a dried up condition but rather in a healthy and wealthy state by reason of the fact they have adopted and applied the divine principles throughout life.

It is noteworthy that these kinds of folk have been truly planted in the right place by the right person and as a consequence produce the right qualities and characteristics – v13. Having been sown and secured by the Lord within His house and also in relationship with Him, all that is good and best has been birthed and developed in them and so become a standing testimony to His care and providence.There are four features that appear and stand out in these wonderful people at such a vital stage in their existence. 

    1/.  A STATE OF FAITHFULNESS

The reason why they are in such a wholesome condition is due to the fact of the faithfulness of their Lord and the expression of faithfulness to Him. They are a portrayal of this twofold factor: they can boast the constancy, company and blessing of the Lord throughout the whole of their being and existence and the ultimate period will be a further manifestation of the same. In return there has been a clear demonstration of fidelity which He values and appreciates. When life is over they expect to receive the greatest of accolade from Him: “Well done thou faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord” – Matthew 25: 21, 23. In later life may you be more faithful than ever and finish strong on this count.

     2/.  A STATE OF FRUITFULNESS

The image that is revealed of the final years is that of a highly productive, mature and sweet situation. The comparison and illustration is that of a long-standing fruit tree that has been properly attended to throughout, with great care and pruning the tree is at its best in terms of productivity and quality. It is not that there is simply a lot of fruit but that it is attractive, luscious and required by many. Certainly it is line in with what Christ teaches in John 15, that those who abide and are faithful to and in Him will bring forth fruit until the ‘much fruit’ is arrived at and that surely includes late life. Do not finish up barren but blessed beyond measure.

     3/.  A STATE OF FRESHNESS

Later life can be renowned for this glorious condition of freshness and bloom. Neither they nor what they generate and manufacture is withered and dry but abounds with life and vitality especially of a spiritual order. As Psalm 1 points out the righteous are evergreen, no withering of leaves and constantly bringing forth fresh fruit in season. The reason for this is due to being planted by the river of life – v3.  They draw their inspiration and nourishment from a source that keeps them in a healthy state. It is still present in late life so as to keep this situation of freshness.

     4/.  A STATE OF FULLNESS

Fullness means there is an absence of nothing. The life is truly loaded by the Lord with all that is good so others can come, receive and enjoy the benefits being released by a person in late life. Instead of living and dying in poverty and penury there is the total releasing of all the potential that the Lord has created within the life so that countless numbers are helped and blessed. The psalmist’s prophetic word is: “they shall be fat and flourishing” – v14. All can see that the latter years are the most blessed and useful.

CONCLUSION

Everyone should aspire to knowing and enjoying later life in the way that the Lord has planned and purposed. This is the vision He places before the righteous.The surest way is by making sure that there is a real faith expressed in the Lord and that faithfulness is the prime characteristic. Out of such will grow great fruitfulness, constant freshness and untold fullness of life.

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Illustrations that Light up Spiritual Truth by Rev. E. Anderson

January 23, 2007 at 8:52 pm (Illustrations)

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Rev. E. Anderson

A DEEP-SEATED PROBLEM

Quite recently I had great difficulty with one of my computers because of a deep-seated problem that existed. I was desirous of putting the blueyonder PC Guard on it in order to prevent outside viruses invading and harming it, along with Firewall protection, stopping pop-ups and other factors. Unfortunately I was prevented from doing so because a present programme was existent that was denying the right for this to occur. Although efforts had been made to delete and remove it there were some lingering factors that seemingly refused to go.

The best option open to me was to contact the experts at blueyonder and they kindly arranged for one of their professional specialists to give me the counsel in order to deal with the problem. I admitted to him that I was no computer wizard but he assured me that the issue would be solved as I took notice of his guidance. It was a great feeling to be in the hands of someone who knew his job.

Step by step over the telephone he directed me in sorting out where the offending factors existed and told me to eradicate them by adopting a procedure that would do precisely this. When this was occurring I sensed that somehow my computer was being deeply cleansed of this evil that was preventing the good that I desired to introduce. I got the conviction that this was going to work.

He then kindly talked me through in putting on the PC Guard and again I knew that it would register and become operational. I was not surprised when it took place. In the space of a half and hour this gracious and wise man had answered the deep-seated problem and since then I have benefited enormously from the introduction of this service that should keep computer clean and clear and in a state of usefulness.

Reflecting on the incident later I considered that this was not simply a natural incident but that it carried spiritual significance. I felt God showing me that this is characteristic of our lives and beings. God wants to place new and exciting programmes in and for our lives but so often is negated because of some deep-seated problem from the past. What needs to take place is a real spiritual purging that makes it possible for God to create something of greater worth and working value within life and service. Do not lose out on some greater development in your experience because of some evil that clings to you. Put yourself in the hands of the expert, the Lord, and let Him cleanse, renew and set you up for better things.

HIS HANDS

A church in Stuttgart had been damaged by allied bombing during the war. The congregation decided to repair the church and began clearing up the debris. They found a statue of Christ under a lot of debris from a damaged roof and windows which had surprisingly little damage and after cleaning was replaced in the repaired church, the only damage was that the statue had lost both hands and these were never found. Some time later an artist offered to make and fit a new set of hands but this offer was declined. The congregation had taken to heart the lesson that the work of Christ would only be done if their hands were made available.

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A Word for the Week presented by Rev. E. Anderson

January 22, 2007 at 3:57 pm (Word for the Week)

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Rev. E. Anderson

EXPECT OR EXPECTATION

These are closely connected words that in a good and positive sense contribute greatly to the pleasure of life. When such is present in person there is a healthy conviction that something good is on the way, therefore there is a wholesome anticipation of what is to be.

The word is defined in the dictionary as ‘to look forward to; to regard as certain or likely to happen, to require as due; prospect of possessing. Expectation is described as the ground of confident anticipation. The word is akin and linked with hope and belief.

It is a vital factor in life that an individual has birthed within them good hopes for today, tomorrow and the future, to know certain conviction that great and beautiful things are going to occur within their journey on earth. Whilst it is freely acknowledged, there will be occasions of sorrow and pain and difficult stages to be negotiated, nevertheless, there should be present and prevalent the anticipation of choice events and experiences that will make living meaningful and joyous.

To those who have a dynamic relationship with God they will know what it is have divine expectations placed within them by God – Psalm 62: 5. One cannot be closely associated with Him without having choice things implanted by Him within the mind and heart of a prophetic nature that He purposes to bring to pass. When His Holy Spirit dwells within and when His Word is read, received and believed, there will be the begetting of wonderful promises regarding this life and world that will surely come to pass. God desires that those who belong to Him become pregnant with great prospects here and now and to see them brought to fulfillment by His grace and power and in His time.

The Bible is a book that sees this particular feature very much to the fore in so many people. For instance, God came to a man by the name of Moses when he was seemingly an abysmal failure to originate in him hopes for His people and himself. When all was in a negative condition and evidently appearing to be in an impossible state, He assured him that he was to be Israel’s deliverer and that this nation would know a tremendous deliverance. In Exodus 3 one can read of the divine expectation that was birthed in this man in the midst of a desert. History affords us with the account how the expectation came to full realization.

An overall study of the Bible shows how this occurred again and again. A woman is barren for many years by the name of Hannah but she knew that God was able to do something about this empty estate, that he could cause her to be pregnant and fruitful and so prayed and believe until she got an answer. Before she began to expect physically she was pregnant spiritually and so brought forth her first child to be a person of renown.

When the Lord gives expectation it is never to disappoint. In Proverbs 23: 18 it states ‘Thine expectation shall not be cut off.’ Having placed such high hopes within you the Lord has no intention of letting you down with regard to such but of seeing them wrought out for His glory and your blessedness.

“May hope – expectation ever be a bright part of your life’s equipment” – Crowell

PRAYER

Let my relationship with you be so wholesome that you may be able to implant your expectations within me and aid me to live in their knowledge and inspiration.

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