Christian Testimony compiled by Rev. E. Anderson

April 25, 2008 at 9:39 pm (Christian Conversions)

Rev. E. Anderson

A REFORMED ADDICT

 

A Reformed addict once spent £400 a week on booze is seeing his dream of helping others come true.

 

Irishman Campbell Best started drinking when he was 14, and by 17 was a menace In Portadown, Northern Ireland, due to his drug-taking exploits.

 

But his life turned around in his 20s, when a Christian pal was diagnosed with cancer. His mate, Mark, told Campbell about God, and urged him to convert to Christianity

 

But Campbell admitted that he initially told Mark he found God simply to keep his dying friend happy.

 

Campbell eventually found faith In God for himself and has dreamed of helping others since then.

 

He said, ‘Mark had been one of the lads and he used to come drinking with us, but he returned to God before he died. He took me to a church meeting one day and I said I would be a Christian, but to be honest, I did it more for him rather than for God.

 

‘After his death, I felt like he had died with a lie in our relationship, as I’d had my “salvation experience” for him, rather than God. He was under the pretence that I was a genuine Christian, when in fact I’d only done it because I knew it would make him happy.

 

‘But God continued to work in my heart. Mark had left me some scriptures behind, and those words really encour­aged me to keep oh in my faith.

 

‘Mark’s testimony really changed my life and I eventually got the revelation that there was a hole in my life and that God would fill it.’  Ever since his real conver­sion, Campbell and wife Gail had a desire to help others, a dream that is now being fulfilled at Portadown Elim church, where the couple head up the Y-Zone project.

 

The scheme, launched in 2000, touches hundreds of teenagers each week through social clubs and Bible-based life courses.

 

And Campbell’s tough start in life will serve as a great reminder to the young people who go to the club, as he is able to give first-hand advice about the dangers of drinking and drugs.

 

Campbell 41, told New Life, ‘We had 25 kids stood outside on the first night and even though we only had a pool table, a second-hand TV, two old Play-stations and an old sofa, the kids loved it.’

 

As the numbers began to increase; Campbell and his volunteers knew that the Y-Zone had to expand They added pastoral care room and computer suite and have since built a 100-seater section alongside a multi-media room.

 

The club opens three times a week during the day, and on Friday and Satur­day evenings. Users include those age 12-25 from a variety of backgrounds and nationalities.

 

Campbell added, ‘The vast majority of the kids know nothing about Christ or church when they first come, but they soon hear about the love of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ

 

‘Coming from my background to do­ing work for the Lord is just amazing. I would have classed myself as a worthless individual. I dropped out of school and came out with no qualifications’.

 

 

 

 

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Leadership Factors adapted by Rev. E. Anderson

April 24, 2008 at 10:05 pm (Leadership Factors)

Rev. E. Anderson

TURNING DEFEAT INTO DIVIDENDS

Taken from John Maxwell – Leadership Bible

 

Jeremiah  20: 1-18

 

Every leader experiences good and bad days. Even God’s greatest leaders become discouraged.

 

Jeremiah 20 allows us to see into the heart of a great leader. Jeremiah complains to God in the first ten verses.  He praises God for his victories in the next four verses. And in the next five verses he curses the day he was born.

 

The key question on your bad day is: Are you going to give up and get up? And how can you get up?

 

  1. RISE ABOVE SELF-PITY  

      Failure is an attitude, not just an outcome.

 

  1. THINK POSITIVELY  

     Success comes by going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.

 

  1.  LEARN FROM YOUR EXPERIENCES

      Failure isn’t failure unless you learn nothing from it.

 

  1. SEEK ALTERNATIVES

            All successful leaders vary their approaches.

 

  1. DEVELOP A SENSE OF HUMOUR 

      Laughter is the shortest distance between two people and the fastest way to get perspective.

 

  1. BE REALISTIC

            The fist job of a leader is to define reality.

 

  1. ESTABLISH NEW GOALS

            Failure is an opportunity to begin again, but more intelligently.

 

  1. DEVELOP A PASSION

            Your own resolution to succeed counts for more than anything else.

 

  1. BROADEN YOUR BASE OF SUPPLY

            No single venture should support your entire emotional life

 

 

 

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Wisdom’s Ways presented by the late Rev. A Linford

April 24, 2008 at 9:52 pm (Wisdom's Ways)

 

Rev. A Linford, before his decease, was recognized as a good, great and interesting Bible teacher in the Assemblies of God Fellowship for many years. He was a well-loved Bible College lecturer and writer that bequeathed a tremendous amount of Biblical material in his generation. What a legacy he has left to be researched and brought forth to refresh our day! We shall be using such on this site: His writings from the book of Proverbs and also his Editorials that he wrote for the Redemption Tidings when he was its editor. I trust you will enjoy and appreciate his inspired teaching.

 

BUTTERFLY BEAUTY

By the later Rev. A. Linford

 

My young friends and I visited the local Natural History Museum. There was an exhibition of butterflies. What an array of loveliness! Red Admiral, Camberwell Beauty, Painted Lady, Brown Fritillary, Peacock – it seemed as if nature had exploited the rainbow to extract such varied and striking hues.

 

“Merely functional!” exclaims the entomologist, “This is their camouflage. In their natural habitat they would merge into their background.” Functional! But this implies purpose, and purpose indicates intelligence, and intelli­gence assumes reason. “But butterflies don’t have brains!” you say. But some super-intelligence must have master­minded the colours and contours of these beautiful creatures. If not the butterflies themselves, what then? Even if you accept the theory of evolution, you must admit that such contrivance is too far up the evolutionary scale to be ascribed to butterfly mentality.

 

We can only conclude that behind this functional beauty there is mind, Infinite Mind, God.

 

But why such exquisite loveliness? Here is something beyond functional utility, here is aesthetic appeal. The Mind responsible for those butterflies’ wings delighted in His work. “A thing of beauty is a joy for ever,” wrote Keats. What artist’s brush could imitate those delicate tints, those glistening shades, those living tones! God must love His works to make them so lovely; and He must love us to so fill His world with beauty. God is more than Infinite intelligence, He is Eternal Goodness, Everlasting Love.

 

Have you ever noticed John’s threefold definition of God? “God is light… God is love… God is life” (1 John 1:5; 4:8, 16; 5:20). These three terms show God as being Awareness, Affection, Activity. As life He creates us, as love He sustains us, as light He directs us: God knows, God cares, God moves.

 

Butterfly wings! With such beauty before me I find it hard to believe that nature is “an accidental and fortuitous concurrence of atoms”. Darwinian evolution raises in my mind more questions than it answers. Such a theory may account for function, but not for beauty. Even function pre-supposes mind, but beauty proclaims joyful activity, aesthetic delight. I find it much easier to believe that a personal God made all things “for his pleasure” (Rev. 4:11). And it is certainly more assuring to think of a personal superintendence of creation than to regard all things as the offspring of chance and change.

 

DELIVERANCE FROM EVIL MEN

 

“To deliver thee from the way of the evil man” – Proverbs 2: 10-15

 

The world is full of wicked men, “the whole world lieth in wickedness” (1 John 5:19). In such an atmosphere how can a just man live? By wisdom: for in its acceptance it imparts knowledge of truth, discretion of action and discernment of evil. Divine wisdom is not only a citadel of defence against the powers of darkness it is also an arsenal of spiritual weapons to wage a successful warfare against sin, enabling us to “fight the good fight of faith”.

 

Seven things are said about the evil man. First, he treads a deadlv path; his ways are devious, he follows a downward track, a path that leads to hell and destruction. Secondly, he has a poisonous tongue. “He speaks froward things”, literally, he turns things upside down. He makes evil seem good, turns falsehood into plausible doctrine, argues that black is white, subverts the course of truth. Thirdly, he has wavward feet. He desserts the path of virtue and treads a shady path. He loves darkness rather than light because his deeds are evil. Fourthly, he relishes in: wallowing in wickedness like a sow in the mire. He willfully turns his back on God’s ways to pursue a mirage of happiness. Fifthly, he delights in the wicked wavs of others, and encourages them in their defiance of all that is good. Sixthly, his ways are crooked. He is bent. He cannot measure up to the laws of God or of man. He is more than a law-breaker, he is a law-despiser, a rebel, an anarchist, an abomination to God. Seventhly, his wav is perverse. His whole course of life is a deviation from good. From early acts of evil he has developed habits of lust and ambition that now bind him with unbreakable fetters. What a picture of a man who has thrust God out of his life! He is a menace to society, a miscreant, a destroyer of himself, for such a man who cuts himself off from God commits eternal suicide.

 

But to accept God’s wisdom, that is, His holy rule for our life, is to be armed against the influence of such unholy characters. Nay, more, it is to be a means of counter-acting their impact on society. As salt is both preservative and detergent, so a good man acts with saving grace in the social scene. Ten righteous men would have saved Sodom (Gen 18:32) – godly persons are still the salvation of society.

 

PRAYER:               Make me wise, 0 Lord, to resist evil and promote good today.

 

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Illustrations of Note provided by Rev. E. Anderson

April 24, 2008 at 9:48 pm (Illustrations)

 Rev. E. Anderson

GARDEN

 

One of the things that an Englishman generally loves is a choice garden. Of course, there are some folk that are not altogether bothered and are quite happy to be situated in a dwelling place that does not possess such. It does mean that they will not have to toil and labour in it to make it a beautiful and meaningful venue where much takes place of interest and value.

 

We are blessed because we have two small gardens at the front and rear of our home that makes it more attractive and beyond our front is a very large playing field that at the time being ensures that we have a great view of the world around. Both my wife love to work and operate in it together. When we first arrived almost twenty years ago the gardens were not very smart and eye-catching. Today, after much thought, time and energy they have been transformed and add something significant to our situation and possibly value to the property and which we enjoy very much.

 

It is interesting to note that our first parents were called to be gardeners, Adam and Eve. There vocation was to tend, care and live in the most idyllic surroundings of all, Eden. This name has been symbolic of a place of bliss and perfect happiness. One could rightly imply that God loves gardens because that is why He gave them this quality kind of home and liked to visit it on a daily basis. The book of Solomon makes reference to a garden and it states: ‘A garden inclosed is my sister, my sister, my spouse; a spring shut up, a fountain sealed . . . . I will come into my garden , my sister, my spouse: I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have eaten my honeycomb with my  honey, I have drunk my wine with my milk; eat , O friends’ –4: 412-16;  5: 1.

 

Our lives before the Lord, under His watch care and ministry, have to become attractive gardens that take on special worth and significance. He deliberately seeks to work within our characters to sow and plant things that will bring something of real value into our existence. He wills that His graces and virtues will be propagated and developed to their full potential so that when people view and consider our lives and service they will see that something divine has been created and cultivated.

 

There are certainly valuable thoughts and lessons to be pondered on in relation to our lives being the garden of the Lord. There are at least four things that a garden illustrates. You may like to think of more.

 

·          A garden is to be a place of rest and meditation.

 

It is nice to have a place to retreat to where all the noise and bustle seems to cease and one can virtually switch off from all seeming toil and tension. The garden can be a place of solitude and solace where the mind and heart enters into a state of ease and where it is free to quietly and calmly meditate upon the deeper things of life. It is where the natural can turn off and where the spiritual moves into its rightful position and so enables a person to muse upon God and allow Him to come and input life with His fullness and freshness. The person, like a contrast and contradiction, appears to move into a lower gear but in actual fact enters into a higher gear and realm! Our lives must be a place of divine contemplation and deliberation.

 

·          A garden is to be a situation of life and growth and variety.

 

A true garden is renowned for all these three qualities. When such is well watered, sown and tended, all kinds of things come into view. Life is evidently springing up in all the various parts and manifesting itself in diversity and distinctiveness. Each day sees further growth and blossoming that is curious and maintains tremendous interest. The garden of our lives can be saved and secured from being a wilderness and monotony because divine life, development and mixture are much in evidence. Something fresh is always putting in an appearance. We discover that the birds love to come and visit our garden and give an extra dynamic to it.

 

·          A garden is to be venue of beauty and splendour and fragrance.

 

A very ordinary piece of ground that seem to hold no value or worth can be changed and as a consequence people are made to stop, view and admire. What was very mundane and lacked in lustre is somehow made to look most admirable and compelling to gaze at! It is impossible to by-pass especially when there is a fragrance pouring forth from roses and lavender etc.  God wants our lives up to this kind of standard where other people cannot avoid us because of our contribution to life of a wholesome nature.

 

·          A garden is to be a place of fellowship.

 

In our garden we have a garden set of table and chairs where visitors can come and eat and enjoy relationship with us in a beautiful setting. On a nice, sunny day and evening it is choice to meet in it and have food and chat with people that share spiritual things and so life takes on further value. It in such a hallowed place, where alone with God, He likes to be principal visitor and enter into heavenly accord with us.

 

May the garden of your life turn out to be such a situation where all these things burgeon and turn out to be the most delightful place on God’s earth?

 

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News an Views edited by Rev. E. Anderson

April 23, 2008 at 9:33 pm (_Uncategorized)

 Marion Cooper

THE IMMIGRATION ISSUE

 

THIS MONTH, I WANT TO WRITE about the highly contentious issue of foreigners within our shores.

 

I am incensed when I read that crime in some areas has risen by 35 per cent, and that chief police officers attribute it to immigrants. I am deeply troubled to hear that so many now live on UK benefits, even receiving Family Allowance for children still residing in their own coun­try, when our own pensioners who have contributed taxes all their lives receive so little. I am angered by people of other nations inciting violence and terrorism on the one hand, while seeking asylum from their own troubled, corrupt and oppres­sive nations on the other.

 

I am saddened to know that among Oxford’s Christian spires, the Islamic call to pray three times a day may soon be heard. And probably, most disturbing of all is the understanding that because of the world in which we live, where politi­cal correctness rules, none of us dares speak out for fear of being labelled racist. Our Government is afraid to enforce boundaries, to the detriment of our own people.

 

There is no doubt that the media fuels these feelings of fear and helplessness, and as a result I have made a conscious decision to limit how much I read. Above all else, I choose to be a woman of God. When I became a Christian, Jesus and his word began to shape who I am, how I behave and what I believe I ~ to let the tabloid press form my opinion Who of us could say, hand on heart, that if we had been born in a violent, impoverished and corrupt nation, we wouldn’t have sought better for ourselves and our children?

 

What does the Bible say about the stranger within our land? ‘When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him… treat him as one of your native born…’ (Leviticus 19:33); ‘Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so do­ing some people have entertained angels without knowing it’ – Hebrews 13:2; ‘Do not oppress foreigners in any way’ – Exodus 22:21.

 

I love living in a nation with such diversity. I would hate to live in all-white, all English-speaking country. I love the foreign languages, the exciting food, the stunningly beautiful different skin colours. Our Church is enriched and enlivened by Christians from nations all over the world. They are instrumental in our recent growth; they influence our prayer and our worship. They are men and women of God, who we deeply respect. They are educated, work hard and raise their children with moral principles. I am proud to belong to a nation that shelters the oppressed, but I would urge our Government to put in place and enforce immigration laws for all our sakes, including the immigrant.

 

If I could, I would write a letter to every immigrant, asylum seeker or foreigner entering our nation saying, ‘Welcome to this great and ancient land. We pray that while you are with us, our God will bless and prosper you and your loved ones. We pray that you will live in safety, have a good life and make many new friends.

 

But for you to make the most of this experience, please try to learn a little of our language to help you to communicate with us.  Work hard and contribute to this nation that has given you shelter, and should you fall on hard times, make use of our welfare state until you are back on your feet. “Until” is a key word. Most of us despise even our own people who see benefits as a chosen way of life.

 

‘Don’t contribute to our crime, violence, immorality and vice. We have enough of it already, and it is destroying us. Instead, bring your strong morals, fam­ily values and a desire to live better lives. Practise your own faith, without fear and in safety. You should know many of us respect you for your firmly held beliefs. You may see the UK as a secular society, and there is some truth in that. But you will find that at our heart, and shaping much of our greatness, is our God and his Son, Jesus Christ. Today, in our nation, hundreds of thousands continue be his ardent followers. Our prayer is that this Jesus, our God, will bless you and reveal himself to you, because to know Him will bring the biggest life change of all.  It is he who says, “I am come that they might have life and have it to the full” – John10: 10.

 

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In Hindsight subscribed by Rev. David Hind

April 23, 2008 at 9:27 pm (In Hindsight)

THE RUNNING THING

By Rev. David Hind

 

David is now the minister of Trinity Church Leicester and his articles have been greatly appreciated.

 

My son Tom found a website where you can create your own logo on a t-shirt. In a moment of enthusiasm I asked him to design me something to wear at the gym that would talk about my faith. When it arrived, it said on the back of the shirt in large black letters, following Jesus, who are you following?” The next day, as I stood in the changing room at the gym, I had a crisis of confidence. What would people say? Why did I have this idea? How could I face my son if I never wore the t-shirt? I put the shirt on, felt compelled to walk to the front running machine, and ran for thirty minutes, realising that maybe fifty people behind could read the directly worded message.

 

Completely self-conscious, I wore the shirt for many visits, and although I never had a conversation directly because of it, I was deeply challenged by it. When the shirt was ruined due to an unfortunate “accident” with paint I was, to be honest, delighted.

 

I love running and aim to jog 4-5 times a week.

We all run in life.

What do you run after?

 

Things?

 

We all need a home and we all need food and clothing. Whether rich or poor, we all must be wise stewards of what God gives to us. Material things aren’t wrong but to run after them is.

 

Money?

 

Bank statements reveal our passions and priorities. Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” – Matthew 6:21. Money is not wrong – to run after it is.

 

Pleasure?

 

We live in a pleasure seeking generation where people demand their ‘rights”, strive for “me time” and where fast-food and every kind of entertainment abound. Pause and ask yourself, “Do I need a pleasure moment’ to find happiness? Am I restless unless I am doing something or going somewhere? Am I content?” Pleasure is not wrong – to run after it is.

 

Success?

 

John Ruskin said, “‘When a man is wrapped up in himself he makes a pretty small package.” To have little can be hard to cope with, but to have abundance can be even harder. Success is a drug that can lead to self-dependence and disaster if our character does not keep pace with our achievement. Jesus said, “He who is least among you all – he is the greatest” (Luke 9:48). Success is not wrong – to run after it is.

 

The race

 

Paul the apostle, near the end of his life, said, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith”- 2 Timothy 4:7. Jesus has a race for each of us to run and to run His race is the purpose of our lives.

 

Live for a higher goal, God’s “well done” and refuse to b distracted by a temporary crown or pleasure.

 

                                                You have one life – run for Him.

 

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Childrens Page compiled by Rev. E. Anderson

April 23, 2008 at 9:21 pm (Kids Stories)

Rev. E. Anderson

The story is taken from a book compiled by the late Rev. Gerald Chamberlain, a great children’s story teller and a person who inspired and influenced many young people. With kind permission from his son.

   

BABY ANTELOPE

 

Text :”Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them, I will liken him unto a  wise man, which built his house upon rock.’   Matthew 7.24.

 

                                                        

Mr. & Mrs. Antelope had a wonderful Baby one day. It was the prettiest baby Antelope that had ever been born. Bright eyes, graceful limbs, beautiful coat, spindly legs . . . Baby ante1ope was the pride of the Home..

 

Mrs. Antelope said to Baby, ‘Now, Baby Antelope, you must never go down the Mountain and across the stream and up the Danger Mountain across the Valley. There in Danger Mountain lives King Lion and he is very, very ferocious.’

 

Baby Ant e1ope listened to Mother1 his nose twitching and his ears flicking and knew that Mother really loved him and this was sound common-sense.  But one day, his inquisitive spirit got the better of him, and leaving his playmates, he tripped down the mountain, jumped the narrow stream, and began very, very quietly to creep up the Danger Mountain, dodging from bush to bush until, he got right close to the King’s den.

 

Baby Antelope suddenly began trembling like an aspen leaf, for the King had come out of his den.  His huge mane looked tremendous and Baby Antelope thought he had a voice like a thousand thunders. King Lion sniffed, and sniffed and then began to make his way to the Bush, where was hidden in the foliage Baby Antelope. Suddenly, the little Antelope, realising that the King had got his scent, made a dash for safety . . . .

 

But it was too late….

 

With a powerful leap the King’s huge paw crashed on to the little Baby Antelope, and within seconds, the

cutest little creature to be born in Africa was dead . . . . .

 

The King had just had a good breakfast so he summoned, young Master Rabbit, and said, “Look after Baby Antelope for me, if you let any one touch him, I’ll have you for my breakfast tomorrow.”

 

Young Master Rabbit, readily agreed  . . . . . .

No one ever argued with King Lion . . . . . Later that morning; M. Weasel happened by.

 

“What have you got there Master Rabbit?”, said Mr. Weasel. “It’s the King’s breakfast for tomorrow morning and I’ve got to make sure that no one touches Baby Antelope” said the guard.

 

“I was just wondering if would let me have his ears”, said Mr. Weasel, “I just 1ove a breakfast of Antelope with a few fresh picked mushrooms.”

 

“So sorry, Willie, but I daren’t, let you touch Baby Antelope for the King would kill me.”

 

“But he won’t notice those teeny weeny ears, and I’ve my weasel scissors with me, and you could    join me for breakfast.”

 

Master’ Rabbit fell for temptation and before long Mr. ‘Weasel was on his way home with Antelope’s’ ears in his lunch basket.

 

Later on in the day the King returned from a wonderful day’s hunting and called on Master Rabbit to see if he’d done his duty.

 

“I see you’ve kept Baby Antelope safe for me Master Rabbit.”

 

“Yes, your Highness,” said Master Rabbit, “I’m sure you’ll have a gorgeous meal at breakfast tomorrow.”

 

“Hello”, said the King, “Where are Baby Antelope’s ears?””

‘”0h., your Highness, Baby Antelopes do not have ears,”

“Fool,  fool, ‘fool”, said King Lion, “Of course they have ears.”

 

“But this one didn1t. have ears,” lied Master Rabbit.

 

“I’ll soon find out” roared the King and went off to the top of Danger Mountain and across the Huge Valley and the King ‘began to roar to Mother Ante1ope . . . . . “Can you hear rne  Mother Antelope, did your Baby have any ears???. . . . . He waited, as his great voice echoed across the valley.

 

All he could hear ~was the sobbing of ‘the distraught, mourning Mother Antelope.

 

“Did your Baby have’ any ears,” roared the King . . . . .

Another long, long wait and then a broken hearted voice sounded from Antelope Mountain across the ‘Valley and on Danger Mountain Master Rabbit and King Lion heard the voice of a Mother whose sayings had been ignored . . . . “NO, MY BABY DIDN’’T HAVF ANY EARS.”

 

(From Congo missionaries’

who told me the story.)

 

 

 

 

 

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Top Ten afforded by Rev. David Gilpin

April 23, 2008 at 8:36 am (Top Ten)

 Rev. David Gilpin

Senior Minister of Hope Church, Sheffield

 

Behind everything you see is something you don’t see. This book is designed to outline nuggets of wisdom that often remain invisible behind thriving churches and ministries. Mixed with a touch of humour. Top 10 of Everything looks into the Private Word and the Practical World, the Handy Hints World and the Wide World of Knowledge. It gives advice on many subjects that may prove invaluable to established and up-and-coming leaders. Read it all at once or read it one Top Ten at a time. This book can also provide new preachers with an opportunity to ‘borrow’ some of the Tom 10 outlines to create lively and dynamic sermons.

 

Top ten THINGS TO AVOID WHEN SPEAKING PUBLICLY

avoid like the plague

 

Being a good speaker isn’t just about having something to say or about saying it in a really interesting way that leaves people both inspired and challenged. It’s also about not allowing little things to distract from thee main points that you’re trying to make.

 

1.    AVOID USING A LIST OF EXAMPLES FROM THE “BOOK OF ILLUSTRATIONS”

Personal stories are always the best.

 

    2.   AVOID USING EXAGGERATIONS

Be enthusiastic but stay truthful. How many were actually saved at that African mission?

 

3.   AVOID TAKING POT-SHOTS AT YOUR ANTAGONISTS

      Don’t preach at people – preach to them.

 

4.   AVOID SWEARING

Apart from the obvious, watch out for culture differences in the meaning of some words.

 

5.   AVOID TOO MUCH REPETITION STAND UP.

       Speak up. Shut up.

 

6.   AVOID USING THE EXPRESSIONS “HALLELUJAH”

and “Praise the Lord” to fill in the blanks while you think of what to say next. Religious jargon is a putter-offer.

 

 7.  AVOID SHARING STUFF OVER WHICH YOU HAVEN’T GOT THE VICTORY

Testimony is what you get when you’ve succeeded at the test.

 

     8.   AVOID SHARING SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR LOVED ONE

 that they just didn’t want revealing

.

9.   AVOID THE PEACOCK WALK

two steps forward, two steps back. Try standing on the same spot, even when excited

 

10.  AVOID ALL OTHER FUNNY MANNERISMS

Ask the youth to imitate you and you’ll notice the stuff you do that’s distracting from the message.

 

 

 

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Christain Prime Timers constituted by Rev. E. Anderson

April 23, 2008 at 8:32 am (Christian Prime Timers)

                                        Rev. E. Anderson

A PROVEN PRIME TIMER

READING    JOB 1

INTRODUCTION

Job can be considered as one of the most outstanding men that ever lived. He certainly had length of days and during his lifetime showed beyond question that he was an individual of sterling worth. This is why he is mentioned in the Bible and why he finds his way into history as a person to be noted. A whole book is devoted to a particular period of his life and it can be observed that he was a proven genuine man that passed his crucial examination.

There are particular things that should be realised concerning him that are worthy of close consideration and reproduction.

   1/. HE WAS A MAN WHO SET A GREAT STANDARD OF FAITH AND   CONDUCT  1: 1 

He is spoken of at the outset as a person who ‘was perfect and upright’ and this surely indicates that he knew what was required of him morally and spiritually and was dedicated to a tremendous creed and conduct that must have impacted and influenced others. He became inspired and motivated with a real reverence for God and this gave him a passion for righteousness and an abhorrence of sin.

   2/. HE WAS A MAN WHO OBTAINED THE ACCREDITATION OF GOD – 1: 8

How he lived was taken note of in the right quarters and by the greatest being of all, God, and all about his belief and behaviour was duly approved of. This is highest praise and commendation and really shows and proves he must have achieved a fantastic quality of life. At the end of the day, it is as Paul remarked, ‘It is whom the Lord commends’ that matters – 2 Corinthians 10: 18. Nothing can excel the praise of God!

3/. HE WAS MAN WHO MANAGED HIS HOUSEHOLD IN A WHOLESOME MANNER – 1: 2-5

He had quite a family to superintend, serve and sustain and he appears to have done it in a spiritual manner. There was a desire and jealousy in his heart that his offspring be taught and trained in the knowledge and fear of God and he did everything to press this factor home to them. They were not lacking in a godly father and parent but could see he was deeply committed to their faith and sanctity.

     4/. HE WAS A MAN WHO RESPONDED TO GRIEVOUS TRIAL IN AN AMAZING FASHION – 13- 2: 10

The proof of the quality and worth of any man is when they are suddenly thrust into a furnace of great affliction and this certainly happened to him. Nobody would envy him of this tragedy that occurred with the loss of his family and then his own health. Both incidents coming so quickly one after the other would have bowled most people over but he took a situation of calm restraint and simple and sure belief – see 1: 21; 2: 10.

    5/. HE WAS A MAN WHO HAD TO ENDURE WRONG ASSESSMENT AND JUDGMENT BY HIS FRIENDS – 2: 11 and onwards

One would have expected better treatment from people who had known his wholesome lifestyle and yet they placed a wrong construction on his calamities. Instead of coming and sustaining his faith and confidence they appear to undo him further and so intensify this dark and difficult stage of life. But he is prepared to answer them and debate the whole issue even though he was the one under the cosh. He endured not only the cursed affliction but also the bad treatment inflicted by words.

  6/.HE WAS A MAN WHO MADE SOME WONDERFUL, CHOICE STATEMENTS WORTHY OF MEDITATION AND BELIEF – 1: 21; 19: 25; 23: 10

Here are at least three declarations of inspired thought that have been a source of inspiration to countless people that came from this choice, prime timer lips: ‘the Lord gave , and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord’ – ‘ For I know that my Redeemer liveth  . . . .’ – ‘But He knoweth the way that I take . . . .’  It would seem that even passing through this grievous affliction he possesses a deep assurance and holds on to the Lord.

         7/. HE WAS A MAN WHO RECEIVED A TREMENDOUS FINAL DIVINE BENEDICTION – 42: 10-16

The conclusion of this man’s life could not be better because God justified him in a remarkable way before his so-called friends and others. God had His timing and was to prime this godly man again with a manifestation of His outstanding goodness. Having passed the test with honours he is to be rewarded in an incredible manner.

CONCLUSION

One is encouraged to draw strength and inspiration from the life and experience of this man so when we are allowed to be put through our paces by God, and when our principal enemy does his worst, by God’s grace and enabling, we are at our best.

 

 

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A Time to Laugh compiled Rev. E. Anderson

April 23, 2008 at 8:28 am (Time to Laugh)

Rev. E. Anderson

BEWARE OF THE FLATTERER

 

A pastor was leaving his area and was saying farewell to his congregation at the Church doors for the last time. He shook the hand of an elderly lady as she walked out. She said “Your successor won’t be as good as you.” “Nonsense”, said the pastor, in a flattered tone. “No, really”, said the old lady, “I’ve been here under five different ministers, and each new one has been worse than the last.”

 

 

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

 

A company director opens a new branch and wants international staff. He hires Fritz a German, Paddy an Irishman, and Wu a Chinese. “Fritz,” says the director, “I’m putting you in charge of production, Paddy, you will be in charge of personnel, and Wu,  I am putting you in charge of supplies.”

 

A couple of weeks later, the director is touring the business and finds Fritz and Paddy together. “Is everything going smoothly?” he asks. “Ja!” says Fritz. “Production has doubled.” “Everything is great,” says Paddy. “People are getting on really well together.” “How is Wu doing in supplies?” asks the director.

 

Neither of them has seen Wu since the first day. The director starts to get worried and looks all through the factory. As he is walking between some large stacks of boxes, suddenly out leaps Wu shouting, SUPLIZE!”

 

 

MATCHING TIE

 

 A patient went to his dentist with problems with his teeth  and asked, “Can you help me please, my teeth have become very yellow, – what can you suggest? The dentist replied, “Well you could wear a brown tie!”.

 

 

GIVEN THE BRUSH

 

A young graduate is stuck for a job so he gets a temporary job at a supermarket. On his first day at work, the manager greeted him with a warm handshake and a smile, gave him a brush and said, “Your first job will be to sweep the floor.” “But I’m a university graduate!” the young man replied indignantly. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know that,” said the manager. “Here, give me the brush, I’ll show you how!”

 

 

THAT SINKING FEELING

 

Two Eskimos sitting in a kayak were chilly. When they lit a fire in the craft, it sank, proving once and for all that you can’t have your kayak and heat it.

 

 

 

Rev. E. Anderson

 

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