Barnabas Ministries UK

May 31st – 2015
Rev. E. Anderson
WELCOME TO THIS CHRISTIAN WEBSITE

Welcome to this Christian Website which has now been going for a number of years. Over 128,000 people have visited it since 2006. On the left hand side of the introductory page is a host of subjects and material that have been placed during this time and is there for your interest, study and perusal.

I feel it is time and right to change the format and to present day by day something a little simpler and trust will benefit and bless those who visit it. It will consist of a Prophetic Word for Today, A Golden Promise from the Scriptures, Just a Thought by Aaron Linford. Choice Quotationsand a miniature message from the Psalms that can be developed more fully by you. I trust you will find such refreshing and helpful

A PROPHETIC WORD FOR YOU

There are no substitutes of any worth or power that can make up for the presence of Christ, His Word and the Holy Spirit in your life and service. Heaven has provided all you need in the existence and release of such for the blessedness, usefulness and success in your daily living. You do not have to look elsewhere because they are more than sufficient to inspire you with love, faith, dynamic, graces and abilities to deal with all that comes across your pathway. When they are present and active they will charge with all the values and virtues of heaven and enable to live the heavenly life on earth. You will not envy anything of an earthly nature but those around you will envy you because of your estate and will desire to be switched on to in the same manner and measure. So draw and live off these blessed forces today!

A GOLDEN PROMISE
Matthew 5:8 (WEB)
”Blessed are the pure in heart,for they shall see God”.

In the Old Testament, a person could not look on the face of God and live to tell about it. Even Moses, who was one of God’s closest friends, couldn’t look at the Lord’s face and live. Yet in this passage from the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us that those who are pure in heart will see God face to face.

The reason that we will be able to see God and not be consumed is because of Jesus and the price that He paid so that His life would become our life. Because of His death and resurrection, His righteousness has now become our righteousness. The Bible says that we are hid with Christ in God right now! (Colossians 3:1-3) Jesus’ holiness has now become our holiness and Jesus’ Father has now become our Father (John 20:17).

JUST A THOUGHT by Aaron Linford
“ONE STEP AT A TIME”

Isaiah said a remarkable thing: ‘They that wait upon the Lord . . . shall walk and not faint” (Isa 40:31). After the “flying” and the “running” it seems like an anticlimax to “walk”.

It is it? May it not be that a consistent progress in the Christian life is the most imWilliam Carey, father of modern missions, was once asked how he had achieved so much. “I can plod,” he replied, “I can persevere in any definite pursuit. To this I owe everything.” He is the patron-saint of holy plodders. Grace with them.

“To walk humbly with thy God” (Micah 6:8) is a great experience. A walk requires BALANCE, spiritual equilibrium; PACE, not lagging behind or running before, but “keep in step with the Spirit” (Gal 5:25 NIV); DIRECTION, going God’s way to the destiny prepared by Him; and a firm DETERMINATION to press on the Pilgrim Way. Walking calls for effort, but only thus can we make progress in the Christian life.

CHOICE QUOTATIONS

“Happiness adds and multiplies as we divide it with others” – Nielen

“The highest wisdom and the highest genius have been invariably accompanied with cheerfulness. We have sufficient proofs on record that Shakespeare and Socrates were the most festive companions” – Peacock

“A happy man or woman is a radiant focus of good will, and their entrance into a room is as though another candle had been lighted” – Robert Louis Stevenson

FOCUS – SOMETHING TO REALLY THINK ABOUT
T.Addington
TALK WITH CAUTION

“Do not he quick with your mouth, do not he hasty in your heart to utter any-thing before God” – Ecclesiastes 5:2

According to the psalmist, we are to number our days (Psalm 90:12). According to Solomon, we are to number our words. There is a connection between our hearts and our mouths. A quick mouth indicates a hasty heart, while a careful mouth indicates a thoughtful heart.

When we enter a God zone, quality is far better than quantity. We might not normally associate spending time in prayer with being a fool, but according to Solomon, the more words we use when talking to God, the greater the chance we have of being unwise in the communication exchange. In fact, in Ecclesiastes 6:11,

Solomon comes right out and says it: “The more the words, the less the meaning.”
In other words, the more careful you are when you talk to God, the better. What are you really asking for? Have you really searched your heart for wrongdoing? Do you know of things in your life that need to be changed, things that you have been unwilling to confront? What are the obvious next steps you need to take toward maturity? Are you doing what you know you should be doing in this season of your life?

It is amazing how probing questions bring focus to our conversations with God. The words might be few, but the intensity is great and the results are clear.
We spend a tremendous amount of time and energy making sure that our words are crisp and precise when we’re Writing a strategic plan or composing a memo that goes out to the organization. We carefully cut out extra and ambiguous language. We make sure our thinking is clear. Solomon suggests that we do the same in conversation with God. An off-the-cuff communication style with the Almighty is probably not the strategy we want to pursue. After all, Solomon calls that the “speech of a fool” (Ecclesiastes 5:3).

How careful are you with your words when you talk to God?

May 30th – 2015
Rev. E. Anderson
WELCOME TO THIS CHRISTIAN WEBSITE

Welcome to this Christian Website which has now been going for a number of years. Over 128,000 people have visited it since 2006. On the left hand side of the introductory page is a host of subjects and material that have been placed during this time and is there for your interest, study and perusal.

I feel it is time and right to change the format and to present day by day something a little simpler and trust will benefit and bless those who visit it. It will consist of a Prophetic Word for Today, A Golden Promise from the Scriptures, Just a Thought by Aaron Linford. Choice Quotationsand a miniature message from the Psalms that can be developed more fully by you. I trust you will find such refreshing and helpful

A PROPHETIC WORD FOR YOU

The Lord who has called has also equipped and commissioned you to fulfil a vital mission and ministry for Him. You are responsible and owe it to Him to see that you do not fail in that which He has summoned you to. Be encouraged, He who has ever been calling bestowing and using men and women of quality character, through His grace, has placed His hand on you to achieve a worthwhile role. As there is no lack or weakness in Him, so He requires the same for and from you. Your deficiency will be met by His all-sufficiency so that you will sense by faith that you are up to the demands that are before you. He who enabled Noah, Moses, Esther, Daniel etc., to succeed against great challenges will do the same for you. You are here today to make and write history for Him!

A GOLDEN PROMISE

1 Corinthians 2:9 (WEB)
But as it is written,
“Things which an eye didn’t see, and an ear didn’t hear, which didn’t enter into the heart of man, these God has prepared for those who love him.”

When my wife and I host a birthday party or special event for our loved ones, there is a lot of preparation that goes into planning before hand. The meal, the decorations, the dessert and the gift are all given careful consideration because we want everything to be perfect. There is always a sense of excitement and anticipation as the big day approaches and we countdown to the celebration. I wonder if this is how God feels when He is preparing for us?

1 Corinthians 2:9 says that even in our wildest imagination we can’t possibly fathom the amazing things that God has prepared for us. Verse 10 goes on to say that even though we can’t grasp these amazing things in our own ability, God has chosen to reveal them to us by His Spirit.

Ephesians 3:20-21
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (NIV)

JUST A THOUGHT by Aaron Linford
VISION THAT COUNTS

Where there is no vision, the people perish” (or “go to pieces’) Prov 29:18
But there are various aspects of vision. First, there is perceptive vision enshrined in God’s Word for all of us, for all time. Our text implies this, “but he that keepeth the law, happy is he”.

There is also perceptive vision, where with eyes open to truth we adjust our lives. With regard to the past, we learn from history; with regard to the present, we discriminate good from evil, embracing the former and eschewing the latter; with regard to the future, we anticipate what is to come by regulating our lives by the will of God.

There is certainly personal vision by which we seek to embrace God’s plan for our lives. Destiny often hangs on our choice to look ahead, and be directed by ultimates rather than immediates.

And this applies to nations as well as individuals. The words inscribed on the monument to mark the completion of the Zuider Zee dam profoundly illustrate this: “A nation that lives, builds for its future”. To have a worthwhile aim in view is a spur to present activity. Vision can make the difference between sterility and progress.

CHOICE QUOTATIONS

“There is no danger of developing eyestrain from looking on the bright side of things” – Anonymous

“Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves” – Barrie

“People are always good company when they are doing what they really enjoy” – Butler

“You find yourself refreshed by the presence of cheerful people. Why not make earnest effort to confer that pleasure on others” – Child

FOCUS – SOMETHING TO REALLY THINK ABOUT
WALK WITH CAUTION

Thomas Addington

“Guard your steps when you go to the house of God” – Ecclesiastes 5:1

One of the evidences of wisdom is the ability to think in broad conceptual terms as well as in daily practical realities. A wise individual can traffic in the ideas of theology and philosophy, but he also can answer the constant follow-up question: How does tbat philosophy or theology affect the things I do today?

Wisdom affects our thinking and behaviour simultaneously. In Ecclesiastes 5:1, Solomon gets very practical: “Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.”

When we enter any kind of worship context, there are some things we should do. We need to be constantly aware that we have entered a “God zone.” We have walked into a place that is about God, not about us. Solomon seems to know us well enough to understand that we spend most of our busy lives thinking about our situations, our agendas, our to-do lists, our problems, and the myriad details that surround our life. But when we go into a God zone, our responsibility is to focus our minds in a different direction.

If it is true that there is a time and a place for everything, then entering a place of worship is time to focus on God. A mind preoccupied with personal and work issues is inappropriate and out of bounds. Our job is to focus on Him. A time of worship gives us an opportunity to allow all the aspects of life to fall into place by focusing on God, not on ourselves or our situations.

Our job also is to listen. We draw near to God so that we can hear Him speak. We are prepared to hear and accept God speaking into our lives. Unless we listen, we might never know what we are doing wrong. It’s amazing what we learn about the life. God wants us to live when we stop long enough to pause and hear His voice.
When was the last time you paused to draw near to God and hear His voice? Do it today!

May 29th – 2015
Rev. E. Anderson
WELCOME TO THIS CHRISTIAN WEBSITE

Welcome to this Christian Website which has now been going for a number of years. Over 128,000 people have visited it since 2006. On the left hand side of the introductory page is a host of subjects and material that have been placed during this time and is there for your interest, study and perusal.

I feel it is time and right to change the format and to present day by day something a little simpler and trust will benefit and bless those who visit it. It will consist of a Prophetic Word for Today, A Golden Promise from the Scriptures, Just a Thought by Aaron Linford. Choice Quotationsand a miniature message from the Psalms that can be developed more fully by you. I trust you will find such refreshing and helpful

A PROPHETIC WORD FOR YOU

Remind yourself today where the Lord has spiritually situated you. Paul clearly states that you have been raised with Christ and are now seated with Him ‘in heavenly places’ – Ephesians 2: 6. This means you now view life and circumstances from a new position and through His eyes and mind. Instead of allowing the world to mould your thoughts, determine your desires and actions, your fresh position enables you to act in accordance with heaven’s understanding and assurance. You are able to put the wisest and best construction on matters and determine your affairs on earth in a better and more fulfilled manner. Your spiritual responsibility is to see that you remain seated in that seat won for you by Christ and allow heaven to inspire and govern your thinking and living on earth. Today will be a great day as you do this. If you have lost sight of this and your position, get back into place!

A GOLDEN PROMISE
Matthew 13:11 (WEB)
He answered them, “To you it is given to know  the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but it is not given to them”.

In today’s passage of Scripture, Jesus tells His disciples that it was His Father’s plan for them to know the mysteries of the kingdom. Jesus had just finished telling the crowds the parable of the sower and the seed and then He took the time to explain to His beloved friends the meaning of this story.

Jesus did this because it wasn’t His intention to keep His disciples in the dark. His desire (and His Father’s desire) is always to deepen our level of revelation of the vastness of the kingdom in which we are called to live in. He doesn’t want us to be left in the dark because we are called to be children of light!

It gives our Father great pleasure to give us His kingdom. (Luke 12:32) In John 5:19-20, Jesus made this statement… 19 Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed. (NIV)

JUST A THOUGHT by Aaron Linford
ACID RAIN

Air pollutants from factory chimneys and car exhausts are deposited (often very far from their source) by what is termed “acid rain”. It is destructive of tree life and forests in Norway and Sweden are being devastated by this poisonous deposit originating in Britain.

In moral circles there is a more sinister deposit that destroys reputation, mars relationships and discolours fellowship. It is gossip, particularly that gossip that carries mischievous innuendoes, questionable rumours or denigrating spite. The Lord said to lsrael: “Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among Thy people” (Lev 19:16). A scandal-monger, a peddler of confidences Prov 20:19), a petty detractor can do much harm. Like acid rain”, it can pollute minds, spoil good repute and poison friendships.

But gossip may be redeemed by making it a vehicle of God’s message to needy humans. We can, in the words of late missionary, “gossip the Gospel”. If we feel it necessary to criticise, let it be open, fair and constructive. But we are all human, and sometimes slip on the banana-skin of gossip.

CHOICE QUOTATIONS

“The whole world is sustained by God’s charity”– The Talmud

“Loving-kindness is greater than laws; and the charities of life are more than all ceremonies” – The Talmud

“I do not give lectures or a little charity, when I give I give myself” -Whitman

FOCUS – SOMETHING TO REALLY THINK ABOUT
T.Addington
POOR AND WISE OR RICH AND FOOLISH?

“Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take warning.” – Ecclesiastes 4:13

There is almost nothing more discouraging than working around people who don’t listen, who are stubborn even when confronted with data, and who are generally unteachable. They already know all the answers. Their minds are made up. Good argument to the contrary means nothing. Even their polite nods mask a steel resolve to go their own direction.

About people like that, Solomon weighs in with strong opinion: “Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to take warning” (Ecclesiastes 4:13).

No matter where these unreachable individuals reside in the corporate hierarchy, they are obstacles to be reckoned with. Anyone could fall into this category—the big boss, the building engineer, the head of the mail room, or the travel agent. But at all costs, don’t let it be you.

How do you take suggestions? What do you do with evaluation and feedback?
Where is your response on the defensiveness meter? When was the last time you thanked someone for giving you negative feedback? When someone comes to you with an opinion different from your own, how would they describe your response? Would they use the words love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, or self-control (Galatians 5:22 23)? As Solomon reminds us, it is better to end up poor and wise than rich and foolish. ‘

What is worse than being wrong? Being wrong and not knowing or admitting it.

May 28th – 2015
Rev. E. Anderson
WELCOME TO THIS CHRISTIAN WEBSITE

Welcome to this Christian Website which has now been going for a number of years. Over 128,000 people have visited it since 2006. On the left hand side of the introductory page is a host of subjects and material that have been placed during this time and is there for your interest, study and perusal.

I feel it is time and right to change the format and to present day by day something a little simpler and trust will benefit and bless those who visit it. It will consist of a Prophetic Word for Today, A Golden Promise from the Scriptures, Just a Thought by Aaron Linford. Choice Quotationsand a miniature message from the Psalms that can be developed more fully by you. I trust you will find such refreshing and helpful

A PROPHETIC WORD FOR YOU

Be constantly open in your mind and heart towards the Lord and His Word and He will not fail to give you the information and instruction you require daily to guide and bless in everything. He has eternally had your being and welfare at heart and only thinks and works to bring about the best in and through you so that you have great cause of thanksgiving and into a growing knowledge of Him. He will re-dress the situation and lovingly bring you back on track when you wander and do so without bitterness. So trust Him to outwork all the details and He will surely bring to fruition all those factors that will enhance your person and advance your usefulness. In wholesome partnership with Him you will be blessed and see things of a beautiful quality brought to pass. He is your GUIDE today!

A GOLDEN PROMISE

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness,
for they shall be filled” – Matthew 5:6 (WEB)
When a person is hungry or thirsty in the natural, they are aware that they have an emptiness that needs to be filled and they will look for opportunities to meet that need. For example…Nothing tastes better than a tall glass of chilled water when you are thirsty, or a roasted turkey dinner when you are famished. However, if you try to offer a person an all-you-can-eat buffet after they have just finished eating, then they will probably politely decline.

I think it works the same way in our spiritual life. When we are thirsty for the things of God, all our spiritual senses are open to pursue the things that will quench our thirst. I know in our ministry travels, my wife and I meet a lot of spiritually hungry people. I believe that this hunger stirs up people’s expectations which creates at atmosphere of faith in the room. I enjoy speaking in these types of meetings the best!

However, being hungry can feel frustrating at times. Instead of feeling the satisfaction of being full, a person is left in a place where they are still longing for more. The longer a person is in that place, the more frustrated they can feel. After all, no one likes to be hungry for long periods of time.

JUST A THOUGHT by Aaron Linfrd
THE BODY OF CHRIST

We must draw a distinction between “the days of His flesh” (Heb 5:7) when Christ lived on earth, and the days of His heavenly session. In His earthly body He travelled far, laboured much and suffered intensely – and all for us.
Now He has a spiritual body, the Church (Eph 1:23) into.which and through which He pours His fullness. What He “began both to do and teach” (Acts 1:1) He continues, and will continue through His people to the end of time.

St. Teresa of Avila (AD 1515-82) puts it well thus: “Christ has no body now on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours; yours are the eyes through which is to look out Christ’s compassion to the would, yours are the feet with which He is to go about doing good, and yours are the hands with which He is to bless us now.”

Is this what Paul had in mind when he exhorts us to “present your bodies a living sacrifice . . . unto God”? (Rom 12:1) Why present our bodies and not our souls? The body is the active agent by which God’s will may be done, the living vehicle by which He may fulfil His wishes toward men, the vessel of clay that may bear the water of life to the world.

CHOICE QUOTATIONS

“There can be no greater argument to a man of his own power than to find himself able not only to accomplish his own desires, but also to assist other men in theirs; and this is that conception wherein consisteth charity” -Hobbes

“As the purse is emptied the heart is filled” – Hugo

“We have made the slogan “Charity begins at home” a part of our religion-although it . . . is directly contrary to the story of the Good Samaritan. Charity begins where the need is greatest and the crisis is most dangerous” -Laubach

FOCUS – SOMETHING TO REALLY THINK ABOUT
T.Addington
JOINT VENTURE (PART TWO)

If one falls down, his friiend can help him up” – Ecclesiastes 4:10
Partnership is a great idea-—unless it doesn’t work. Then it seems like a terrible idea. If you want a partner—someone to genuinely share the workload—then you can’t engineer the relationship to look like two sole proprietors working in tandem. It can’t be the kind of arrangement in which, despite the fact that “partnership” is the title on the front door, the individuals inside are working for themselves and simply sharing overhead.

Partnership means you have to give up certain perks of being a lone ranger in order to gain the benefits of joint synergy. Synergy is not something that comes naturally or easily. Synergy means that you share the decision-making as well as the spotlight. Partnership means that you keep your ego under control. A joint venture means that you give credit where it is due and take blame where necessary. A great working definition of a productive partnership is when all involved feel as if a burden is being jointly carried.

You know you are involved in a bad partnership when you feel as if you are doing much or all of the work, while the others involved are getting a free ride on your shoulders. A good partnership is something that you will never trade in. As Solomon says, “Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:12).
Would you like a little help with the part of work that causes stress and sweat? Investigate the power of partnership.

May 27th – 2015
Rev. E. Anderson
WELCOME TO THIS CHRISTIAN WEBSITE

Welcome to this Christian Website which has now been going for a number of years. Over 128,000 people have visited it since 2006. On the left hand side of the introductory page is a host of subjects and material that have been placed during this time and is there for your interest, study and perusal.

I feel it is time and right to change the format and to present day by day something a little simpler and trust will benefit and bless those who visit it. It will consist of a Prophetic Word for Today, A Golden Promise from the Scriptures, Just a Thought by Aaron Linford. Choice Quotationsand a miniature message from the Psalms that can be developed more fully by you. I trust you will find such refreshing and helpful

A PROPHETIC WORD FOR YOU

Be assured, as the Lord has promised, He that hath begun a good work in you will also finish it to perfection. Having started, He has every reason to bring to a successful conclusion. You may be disappointed at times at the rate of progress but the Lord has the patience and commitment to keep steadily working in and on you until He realises His ultimate objectives. There is every reason for you to be hopeful and happy at the final result. Having graciously and generously inputted your life and supplied the essential gifts and graces to make it attractive and effective, He will see to it that you are suited to serve in a greater fashion in His eternal kingdom. It may be a surprise to you in that eternal day and revelation but you will be pleased that He has not laboured in vain. You will heave much to be grateful for!

A GOLDEN PROMISE

“For his anger is but for a moment. His favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may stay for the night, but joy comes in the morning.

I can remember times when our children were young, they would sometimes do things that required my discipline. Even in the most serious of situations, my displeasure with them only lasted but a moment. Any loving father or mother knows that little kids will inevitably make some mistakes along the way and there is loads of grace for that.

If we in our humanness feel this way towards our children, how much more does our Heavenly Father feel this way towards us! That is why King David says in today’s promise that God’s displeasure only lasts for a moment, but His favour is ours for life!

May the love of God dismantle every wrong belief that we have of the character and nature of our Heavenly Father. He loves to love us at every turn! He can’t help but love because He is the epitome of love itself! May you feel His favour shining upon you today and for the rest of your life!

JUST A THOUGHT by Aaron Linford
ADAM ’S RIB

The first ever surgical operation on a human body was performed by God. With Adam under divine anaesthesia, the Lord extracted “a rib”, and expertly sutured the wound. But the amazing sequel to this act was that of that piece of “bone and flesh” the Lord God made a woman, a “help meet” for the first man. It was the origin of marriage, “they shall become one flesh” (Gen 2:18, 21-24).
Our Lord laid this down as the divine pattern and purpose of marriage, for all time “from the beginning” (Matt 19:3-9). The life-long union of one woman to one man is God’s standard. To depart from it leads to personal, domestic and social disaster – a message for our times. Marriage, as decreed by God, embraces three basic principles:

First, companionship, for man was not meant to be alone: he needs a mate. Secondly, co-habitation, for the intended issue of “male and female” is the procreation of children. Family is the “building-block” of society. Thirdly, co-operation, marriage is a joint-venture. It is as husband and wife work together that domestic harmony and service prevails.
Adam was never complete without Eve. Only she could fill up the vacancy.

CHOICE QUOTATIONS

“Charity is a virtue of the heart and not of the hands” – Addison

“Every charitable act is a stepping stone toward heaven”- Beecher

“No sound ought to be heard in the church but the healing voice of Christian charity” – Burke

“Better to expose ourselves to ingratitude than fail in assisting the unfortunate” – Du Coeur

FOCUS – SOMETHING TO REALLY THINK ABOUT
T.Addington
JOINT VENTURE (PART ONE)

“Two are better than one, because they have a good return or their work” – Ecclesiastes 4:9

Partnership is such a great idea. A life at work is full of all kinds of ups and downs that are difficult to face alone. Work was God’s idea all the way back in Genesis 1, but the Fall in Genesis 3 made that good idea much harder to achieve: Adam was forrced to work “by the sweat of [his] brow” (Genesis 3:19).

None of us has ever met anybody at the end of a career who told us that the mire experience was like eating a great piece of cake—that it was all easy and fun, that stress was never part of the equation, and that he loved every minute of it. Give us a break! Finding someone to share the load is inherently appealing. Who wants carry the burden alone?

Solomon interrupts his logical train of thought in this chapter to recommend a joint approach to work. He suggests that it is better to have someone who can share the load and help carry the burden, someone (or perhaps more than just one individual) who can be a sounding board in developing strategy, making difficult phone calls, getting the business, and defending against the competition.

Partnership can take on many different forms: a fifty-fifty ownership split in a business, colleagues on a work team, two friends at work who work through difficult issues together, or prayer partners who are willing to wrestle corporate issues to the mat in God’s presence.

Do you have someone who shoulders the burden of work with you, someone who will be there to help you up when you fall down? According to Solomon, a life at work with someone else looks much different than a life at work by yourself.

May 26th – 2015
Rev. E. Anderson
WELCOME TO THIS CHRISTIAN WEBSITE

Welcome to this Christian Website which has now been going for a number of years. Over 128,000 people have visited it since 2006. On the left hand side of the introductory page is a host of subjects and material that have been placed during this time and is there for your interest, study and perusal.

I feel it is time and right to change the format and to present day by day something a little simpler and trust will benefit and bless those who visit it. It will consist of a Prophetic Word for Today, A Golden Promise from the Scriptures, Just a Thought by Aaron Linford. Choice Quotations and a miniature message from the Psalms that can be developed more fully by you. I trust you will find such refreshing and helpful

A PROPHETIC WORD FOR YOU

There may be many things ahead of you that will cause a sense of disappointment and seek to bring a spirit of depression in your being. The wind sometimes ceases to blow and there is no movement of inspiration for the better. Learn to do what David did when he was really up against it. Even his people were none too pleased and were thinking of stoning him. Things looked bad! What did he do amidst it? He encouraged himself in the LORD and looked to Him for an answer to the major crisis. He was not let down because the LORD provided the absolute solution that saved and solved the situation. He will surely do the same for you, so do not lose faith or face but know the answer is already on its way. That which seeks to bring you down will become the grounds for a testimony to the LORD’S answer and intervention.

A GOLDEN PROMISE
2 Peter 2:9 (WEB)
”The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation
and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment”.

There are plenty of troubles that come in the package of fallen humanity. This is not how our God and Father first intended it to be. Our Heavenly Dad’s intent was that Adam and Eve would not have sinned and would have lived forever in the safety and security of the garden of Eden.

Living in a place of unconditional love and protection, they wouldn’t have even had a frame of reference for the word ‘trouble’. And of course, that would have meant that every generation since them would have enjoyed the same benefits.

We do not have the time or space to unpack the consequences of their decision back in the garden, but it is important for each one of us to know that God’s intent for us has never changed. His heart has always been that we would all live with Him in a place of safety and security (Psalm 91), living in the secret place of the Most High.

Just before Jesus went to the cross, He spoke these words to His disciples in John 16:33… “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (NIV)

Troubles do come whether we like it or not. Be comforted in knowing that our Elder Brother and Saviour has overcome the world and our Heavenly Father has promised to rescue us from all our troubles. May the reality of this promise go deep into each one of our hearts today.

JUST A THOUGHT by Aaron Linford
THE CHALLENGE OF CHANGE

“The old is better” quoted Jesus (Luke 5:39); and in many cases this is true. The peaks of perfection in Ancient Greece in sculpture, philosophy and politics are still held in admiration. And what modern sounds can equal the music of Beethoven, or art the paintings of the medieval masters?

But change must come, for life can never be static. But how to keep balance between old and new is a challenge to all of us. The older generation usually resists change; the younger generally insist on change – but who is right?
A well-known saying offers help. lt is an appeal to God, who alone can solve this dilemma: “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference”, is the usual form. But item two is a misquotation. It should read, “courage to change the things that can and should be changed”.
This makes all the difference. Not all things call for change. Tradition and custom are not all bad. The angry young man would abolish well-tried ways. He often ends up with Elijah’s complaint: “I am no better than my fathers”. Let us maintain what is best of old and new. Why should we squander our treasured culture or refuse newer ideals?

CHOICE QUOTATIONS

“You can tell the character of every man when you see how he receives praise” – Seneca

“Not education but character is man’s greatest need and man’s greatest safeguard” – Spencer

FOCUS – SOMETHING TO REALLY THINK ABOUT
T.Addington
GOING SOLO Taken from Focus

“There was a man all alone; . . . ‘For whom am I toiling.’” he asked, ‘and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment? ” Ecclesiastes 4:8

Some people work alone because they just don’t have anyone to work with. Others work by themselves because they have a “leave-me-alone” orientation to their work. But whether by circumstance or choice, Solomon offers three possible consequences of doing life solo.

The first consequence is that you might become ‘a workaholic. Why? Because no one else is around to share the load. You have to do it all yourself. It’s tough to take a vacation. You can’t seem to take Sundays completely olf You travel more than you should. Basically, you work too hard.

The second possible consequence is that you might fall into the trap of always wanting more. One of the upsides of working for yourself is the connection between effort and income. If you just get another contract, if you only work an extra day, if you are able to secure that one last meeting, then you will have that extra bump of income that will get you what you want. But the benefit being able to earn extra cash can quickly become a liability if what you are craving always costs just a little bit more than what you have. Or if you become fixed on what your work will buy instead of what your work is accomplishing. Or if you live in a state of perpetual discontent because you want too much.

The third consequence is that you might become bitter. Someday you might Wake up only to realize that you have spent a lifetime working hard and accumulating possessions only to amass a fortune that will be handed off to someone else. In fact, you have worked so hard that you have never taken time to enjoy the result of all your efforts. What’s wrong with that picture? Solomon’s conclusion, which comes repeatedly in Ecclesiastes, is to reconsider the priorities of life so that you can enjoy both your work and the result of your work. What a concept!

May 25th – 2015
Rev. E. Anderson
WELCOME TO THIS CHRISTIAN WEBSITE

Welcome to this Christian Website which has now been going for a number of years. Over 128,000 people have visited it since 2006. On the left hand side of the introductory page is a host of subjects and material that have been placed during this time and is there for your interest, study and perusal.

I feel it is time and right to change the format and to present day by day something a little simpler and trust will benefit and bless those who visit it. It will consist of a Prophetic Word for Today, A Golden Promise from the Scriptures, Just a Thought by Aaron Linford. Choice Quotationsand a miniature message from the Psalms that can be developed more fully by you. I trust you will find such refreshing and helpful

A PROPHETIC WORD FOR YOU

Now is the moment for you to sit still and to wait on the LORD in order to hear His voice and to receive further directions for your life and work. Do not ceaselessly carry on in what you are doing without giving special heed to hear His up-to-date word in your being either assuring what you are engaged in or be open to some new task and ministry that will advance His kingdom and enrich your life and service. All that has been before is preparation for much more to be known and exploited. Because you have proved in many ways in the past the reality of His presence and instructions, you will be emboldened for what is now to be made manifest. Your Lord never runs short of knowledge and the wherewithal to equip His servants, so you can rest in the fact that He will be to your requirements ahead.

A GOLDEN PROMISE

Isaiah 61; 1 (Web) “The Spirit of the Lord (Yahweh is on me because Yahweh has anointed me to preach good news to the humble. He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to those who are bound”.

Isaiah 61 was a prophetic declaration of the ministry that Jesus would usher in when He started His public ministry. God’s heart has always been to proclaim good news for everyone who needs to hear it. He opens up every prison door and He sets every captive free! Hallelujah for a Saviour who is so committed to our personal freedom!”

His proclamation of freedom is as relevant today as it was the day that Isaiah penned these words. God wants us to be completely free because where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty! (2 Corinthians 3:17) My prayer today is that every prison door that still holds us captive would be consumed by the love of God so that we could live a really free life. It is for the very love of freedom that Jesus has set you and I free! (Galatians 5:1)

May each one of us experience a deeper level of God’s freedom today than we have experienced before. May every weight be lifted off our shoulders and may the joy of the Lord be our strength. He never created us to be captive.

JUST A THOUGHT by Aaron Linford
THE CHALLENGE OF CHANGE

“The old is better” quoted Jesus (Luke 5:39); and in many cases this is true. The peaks of perfection in Ancient Greece in sculpture, philosophy and politics are still held in admiration. And what modern sounds can equal the music of Beethoven, or art the paintings of the medieval masters?

But change must come, for life can never be static. But how to keep balance between old and new is a challenge to all of us. The older generation usually resists change; the younger generally insist on change – but who is right?
A well-known saying offers help. lt is an appeal to God, who alone can solve this dilemma: “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference”, is the usual form. But item two is a misquotation. It should read, “courage to change the things that can and should be changed”.

This makes all the difference. Not all things call for change. Tradition and custom are not all bad. The angry young man would abolish well-tried ways. He often ends up with Elijah’s complaint: “I am no better than my fathers”. Let us maintain what is best of old and new. Why should we squander our treasured culture or refuse newer ideals?

CHOICE QUOTATIONS

“The measure of a man’s real character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.” – Macaulay

“Character building begins in our infancy and continues until death” -Eleanor Roosevelt

FOCUS – SOMETHING TO REALLY THINK ABOUT
T. Addington
GREEN WITH ENVY

“All labour and all achievement spring from man’s envy of his neighbour” Ecclesiastes 4:4

Keeping up with the Joneses is depressing. In fact, Solomon contends that it is. A meaningless and chasing after the wind. There is no redeeming quality about it.
But it’s a common issue: “All labour and all achievement spring from man’s envy of his neighbour” (Ecclesiastes 4:4). While it’s true that Solomon is sometimes given to hyperbole, that is still a strong statement. In fact, its power keeps us from immediately deciding it does not apply to us. We must consider if it does apply, and if so, how.

The implication is clear that if we are able to disconnect our strivings from what our neighbours have, then our lives will be much healthier and happier. What criteria do we use to evaluate whether our lives are chained to theirs? Income, house size, vacations, friends, cars, status in the community, clothes, furniture, health, a second home – all the usual things.

To what extent are your life goals and priorities connected with what your neighbours have-or at least what they seem to have? When you make financial decisions, how strong is the “neighbour factor”? Does it affect your recommendation about where your children apply to college? Does it affect how much you’re willing to spend on a car? The list goes on, but you get the picture.

It is interesting to note that Solomon’s solution doesn’t involve moving to a place with no neighbours at all. I-Ie doesn’t recommend that we live in some sort of hermetically sealed bubble, or that we take up residence at a cabin in the woods with no other houses in sight and no families with whom to compare ourselves. (In fact, later in Ecclesiastes he makes it very clear that friendship is one of God’s most valuable gifts.)
No, Solomon’s solution is to live with other people but not be chained to them when it comes to our own material priorities. What is your plan for separating what is important to you from what is important to them? Or, to use imagery from Ecclesiastes 4:4, how do you beat the envy beast back?

May 24th – 2015
Rev. E. Anderson
WELCOME TO THIS CHRISTIAN WEBSITE

Welcome to this Christian Website which has now been going for a number of years. Over 128,000 people have visited it since 2006. On the left hand side of the introductory page is a host of subjects and material that have been placed during this time and is there for your interest, study and perusal.

I feel it is time and right to change the format and to present day by day something a little simpler and trust will benefit and bless those who visit it. It will consist of a Prophetic Word for Today, A Golden Promise from the Scriptures, Just a Thought by Aaron Linford. Choice Quotationsand a miniature message from the Psalms that can be developed more fully by you. I trust you will find such refreshing and helpful

A PROPHETIC WORD FOR YOU

Ever remember that the LORD has called you into the Highlands to be with Himself so that He might make Himself known to you in a greater way: as Christ led Peter, James and John up the mount for a special disclosure of Himself, so with you, too. There is a need to hear His voice and summons and respond positively, for this will make a dynamic impact on your understanding and relationship with Him that will become more sure and fruitful. The lesser Hwill honour your faith and action. You will become listed with those who pressed through to know Him on a greater level and contribute enormously for Him in the generation you serve.

A GOLDEN PROMISE

Matthew 6:8 (WEB)
”Therefore don’t be like them,
for your Father knows what things you need,
before you ask him.
In Matthew 6, Jesus is instructing the listeners on how to pray to their heavenly Father. We don’t have to stand on street corners shouting prayers out loud so everyone can hear us and we don’t have to spend endless hours in repetitive babble thinking that somehow that will influence God. God is a good Father and He is simply looking for His kids to talk to Him.

Jesus tells us in this passage of Scripture that our God and Father is so attentive to our needs that He actually knows what we need before we even ask Him for it! We don’t have to shout to get His attention! We don’t have to spend hours in vain repetition to convince Him to listen! He is already listening… even before we pray a single word!

What an awesome Father we have! He is loving, He is good and He is kind. He knows what you need before you even ask! That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t ask though. He loves when we take time in our own prayer closet just to talk to Him. Anytime… night or day!

JUST A THOUGHT by Aaron Linford
“I DIE DAILY” – I Cor 15: 31

There are more deaths than one. There is physical death, the separation of the soul from the body; spiritual death, separation of the soul from God; worst of all, “the second death”, separation of the whole personality from the presence of the Almighty (see Revelation 20:14).

But there are minor deaths, indifference or ignorance to the worlds around us. A tone-deaf person is dead to the world of music; a bigoted sot to the world of decency; an ignoramus to the world of fame; an illiterate to the world of literature; a stick-in-the-mud to the world of adventure.

A consecrated Christian is “dead to the world and all its toys”; a sanctified believer is dead to the old life; a fervent servant of Christ is dead to self.
With Paul, to ‘die daily” meant three things. First the constant danger of opposition; secondly, his consecration to the point of complete surrender to God, ‘taking up his cross daily‘, (Luke 9:23), thirdly, his ever-readiness to give all to the service of Christ.

So may we learn to daily give ourselves to Christ that we may daily live to Him.

CHOICE QUOTATIONS

“Our character is but the stamp on our souls of the free choices of good and evil we have made through life” – Geikie

“Every man has three characters -that which he exhibits, that which he has, and that which he thinks he has.” – Karr

FOCUS – SOMETHING TO REALLY THINK ABOUT
T.Addington
THE REALITY OF MORTALITY

“Man’s fate is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both” – Ecclesiastes 3:19

When God created the world, He left behind clues everywhere about His identity as the Creator and our identity as the creation. Since time began, God has been concerned that we not get those identities confused. The Creator sets the agenda. The creation follows the agenda.

Man’s mortality is one of the most obvious signs he is creation rather than Creator. “As for men, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals. . . . As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath” (Ecclesiastes 3:18-19). We breathe, we die, and we go to dust—just like our pet dogs.

Why do we need to understand that? Because a life of fullness and joy is inextricably connected to an understanding that we come under God’s authority, agenda, and timing. It also matters because we ought to live in such a way that we, created beings, properly acknowledge our Creator. Our thinking, actions, and priorities should make it clear to anyone who observes that we are individuals under authority and that the large and small decisions of our lives are not for us to make on our own.

We might be confused about many things, but we should never be confused about the fact that we are not the Creator. Nor should we be confused about the fact that the Creator is an intelligent Being Who prefers an ordered existence. Even if we don’t know Scripture, what may be known about God ought to be plain to us. Why? Because God has made it plain: “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities——his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse” (Romans 1:20).

As His creation, we obey God, we love God, and we worship God, our Creator.

May 23rd – 2015
Rev. E. Anderson
WELCOME TO THIS CHRISTIAN WEBSITE

Welcome to this Christian Website which has now been going for a number of years. Over 128,000 people have visited it since 2006. On the left hand side of the introductory page is a host of subjects and material that have been placed during this time and is there for your interest, study and perusal.

I feel it is time and right to change the format and to present day by day something a little simpler and trust will benefit and bless those who visit it. It will consist of a Prophetic Word for Today, A Golden Promise from the Scriptures, Just a Thought by Aaron Linford. Choice Quotationsand a miniature message from the Psalms that can be developed more fully by you. I trust you will find such refreshing and helpful

A PROPHETIC WORD FOR YOU

The LORD desires to answer your prayers and to work wondrous things in and through you. This will be so as you pursue His will and be full of love, faith and be obedient to His directions in your life by precept and promise. You already have the testimony of many within the Scriptures that prove that the LORD can do good and great things when all is submitted to Him Be encouraged by the fact that you are at an important stage in human history and that you have a valid and vital contribution to make that will make a difference. Be reminded of the words of Mordecai to Esther: “Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” – 4: 14. You are not a mistake but an essential part of God’s providence for this late hour. So arise, today, and fulfil His expectations.

A GOLDEN PROMISE

Deuteronomy 28:2 (WEB)
”and all these blessings shall come on you, and overtake you, if you shall listen to the voice of Yahweh your God”.
Deuteronomy 28 is a chapter that starts with all of the promises of God to Israel if they simply listen to the voice of God and follow His ways. We read that there are a truckload of blessings that God wants to pour on all of us who simply say ‘yes’ to His plans and purposes. In today’s promise, we read that these blessings will actually overtake us as we live our daily lives.

When I think of God’s blessings overtaking us, I picture everyone running the race marked out for them that the writer of Hebrews mentions in chapter 12:1-2 and while we are running, God’s blessings catch up to us and overwhelm us!

I know it wouldn’t be fair to mention Deuteronomy 28 and all of the blessings that God desires to give without also acknowledging that this same chapter ends with all the curses that await those who disobey Him. I really don’t want to dwell on the last half of this chapter because I know that it is our Father’s heart to bless and not to curse.

The New Covenant is a covenant of blessings. We know from Galatians 3:13-14 that Christ became a curse for us so that the blessing that God blessed Abraham with would be ours in Christ. In Ephesians 1:3 we read that we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places because of Jesus. God’s heart is that His blessings would overtake you in every area of your life today.

JUST A THOUGHT by Aaron Linford
DIVINE ALCHEMY
The alchemists of the Middle Ages sought “the philosophers stone” that would turn base metal into gold. was a fatuous quest, for if gold became so common would lose its value.

But what these ancient philosophers failed to do, God has done and will do. He can trn base evil into blessed good. So Joseph said “Ye thought evil against me”, he reminded his brothers, “but God meant it unto good”, he triumphantly added (Gen 50:20).

There are things that seem to harm us which, by divine providence turn into everlasting joy. In fact, “All things work together for good to them that love God” (Rom 8:28) in whose lives a holy purpose discloses itself.

Look at Paul’s imprisonment at the end of his days. Is this the reward for a life of obedient and sacrificial service! It seemed hard. But Paul in prison led many to Christ, wrote letters that have blessed and edified the church for centuries and left an example of enduring faith. Your life seems but “lead” – heavy and base? The Lord can transmute it to gold. Trust Him.

CHOICE QUOTATIONS

“Srength of character may be acquired at work, but beauty of character is learned at home” — Henry Drummond

“You cannot dream yourself into a character; you must hammer and forge yourself one” – roude

FOCUS – SOMETHING TO REALLY THINK ABOUT
T.Addington
BEHAVIOR AND ACCOUNTABILITY

“God will bring to judgment both the righteous and the wicked” -Ecclesiastes 3: 17
The good news is that God sets the agenda and timing for all of life. The bad news is that people behave as if they can do whatever they want. Folks act as if God either does not exist or is blind. They walk all over other people and engage in activities that give them an unfair advantage—or are just plain wrong.

One of Solomon’s most attractive traits is that he does not sugar-coat the darker realities of life. In this case, he does not suggest that every person who does selfish things will have a conversion experience and begin living a reformed life. But he does contend that everything will turn out right in the end. “God will bring to judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time for every deed” (Ecclesiastes 3:17).

Men might be arrogant, but God is not ignorant. He knows, He sees, He evaluates, and He judges——both the good and the bad. People might behave today as if they can do whatever they want. But tomorrow is coming. One of the practical realities of that truth is that after we have done everything in our power to see that justice happens, we need to relax with the knowledge that God will take it from here.

We can only go so far. We can only do so much. But God certainly is capable of doing the rest. That truth helps answer the question of how. We can find satisfaction in life on a daily basis when there is so much obvious injustice and oppression within our line of sight. God has that on His screen; it’s on His list. Nobody escapes G0d’s notice, and He will one day bring justice to all men.

May 22nd – 2015
Rev. E. Anderson
WELCOME TO THIS CHRISTIAN WEBSITE

Welcome to this Christian Website which has now been going for a number of years. Over 128,000 people have visited it since 2006. On the left hand side of the introductory page is a host of subjects and material that have been placed during this time and is there for your interest, study and perusal.

I feel it is time and right to change the format and to present day by day something a little simpler and trust will benefit and bless those who visit it. It will consist of a Prophetic Word for Today, A Golden Promise from the Scriptures, Just a Thought by Aaron Linford. Choice Quotationsand a miniature message from the Psalms that can be developed more fully by you. I trust you will find such refreshing and helpful

A PROPHETIC WORD FOR YOU

Live in and with the spirit of grace and forgiveness in your heart and expression of faith. There are many people and things that occur to disturb your spirit and would make you resentful and reproachful. Avoid falling foul of an unforgiving attitude because it sows the seeds of personal destruction. As you have been freely forgiven of God, imbibe His nature and action and so safeguard your being from this menace. Count it pleasure and not a pain to cancel out all those negative and destructive feelings whatever the cause for them done by others. Keep your mind and heart clean. In so doing, you will be free before your heavenly Father and in a place where He can bestow His matchless favour continually on you.

A GOLDEN PROMISE
Proverbs 19:17 (WEB)
”He who has pity on the poor lends to Yahweh;
He will reward hi”.

In yesterday’s promise, we talked about how God says He won’t forget all the love you have shown Him by loving others. In today’s promise, King Solomon writes in Proverbs 19:17 that God promises to repay us when we give to the poor. This Scripture actually says that when we give to those who are needy we are actually lending to the Lord. I can’t think of a better person to have a business transaction with than our God and Father!

There is an old saying that says “We can never outgive God”. My prayer today is that each and every one of us would see the incredible blessing there is for us when we are merciful to others just like our heavenly Father is merciful to us. The whole point is not to give to others to get from the Lord, but it is such a wonderful thought that God sees our gifts to the poor as investments in Him and He promises to repay all that we sow in this life.

JUST A THOUGHT by Aaron Linford
DIVINE ALCHEMY

The alchemists of the Middle Ages sought “the philosophers stone” that would turn base metal into gold. was a fatuous quest, for if gold became so common would lose its value. But what these ancient philosophers failed to do, God has done and will do. He can trn base evil into blessed good. So Joseph said “Ye thought evil against me”, he reminded his brothers, “but God meant it unto good”, he triumphantly added (Gen 50:20).

There are things that seem to harm us which, by divine providence turn into everlasting joy. In fact, “All things work together for good to them that love God” (Rom 8:28) in whose lives a holy purpose discloses itself.

Look at Paul’s imprisonment at the end of his days. Is this the reward for a life of obedient and sacrificial service! It seemed hard. But Paul in prison led many to Christ, wrote letters that have blessed and edified the church for centuries and left an example of enduring faith. Your life seems but “lead” – heavy and base? The Lord can transmute it to gold. Trust Him.

CHOICE QUOTATIONS

“Character is like bells, which ring out sweet notes, and which, when touched-accidentally even-resound with sweet music” – Brooks

“Grandeur of character lies in force of soul-that is, in the force of thought, moral principles, and love; and this may be found in the humblest conditions of life” – Channing

“You must look into people as well as at them” – Chesterfield

“Strength of character may be acquired at work, but beauty of character is learned at home” — Henry Drummond

FOCUS – SOMETHING TO REALLY THINK ABOUT
T.Addington
MAKING AN ETERNAL IMPACT

“I know that everything God does will endure forever” – Ecclesiastes 3:14
Nearly everyone wants to live a life of significance. We want to make our time to count; we want our lives to be meaningful. We would like to engage in won that has some kind of lasting effect.

So how can you make sure that what you do today somehow reverberates all the way into eternity? Solomon provides the key: By keeping your life within God-ordained seasons and activities. The progression goes something like this: God sets out the framework of life (Ecclesiastes 3:l—8). “He has made everything beautiful in its time” (v. ll). “He has . . . set eternity in the hearts of men” (v. ll), and He wants everyone to find satisfaction in their work (v. 13). To what end? “Everything God does will endure forever.” (v. 14).

If you make sure that you are doing what you are supposed to be doing that is, if you continually align your life according to God’s agenda and timing, then you start the chain reaction that will end with eternal significance. So when you ask yourself Will my life count? you need to answer with another question: Am I doing what God wants me to do in this season of my life? If the answer to the latter is yes, then the answer to the former also is yes. If the answer to the latter is no, the answer to the former also is no.

How confident are you that what you’re doing now – the way your current season of life is being played out is precisely what God wants you to be doing? The answer to that question is the key to whether what you are doing today will have eternal impact.