Recently, I have found that I have a lot of free
time, due to circumstances, although I have been spending time with some
amazing and special friends both locally here in Southport and when I have been
travelling over the other side of the
Pennies.
Due
to the amount of free time, I have been reading some significant Christian
books by Tim Chester, Michael Frost and Neil Cole, I have developed a system of time management
which does to a certain degree works out well.
I decided to spend some time seeking God’s face, will and direction for
my life and have spent some time reading and praying.
I
haven’t spent much time writing my blog recently, although I have re-posted
some old blog posts, I haven’t spent
much time on things like Facebook
because of a new relationship. I have
tried to write some new posts and nothing has seemed to flow, you could call
writer’s block but I’m unsure what was the cause of the lack of the progress in
writing.
I
read with interest today on the Daily Mail website, of a Gentleman who has
decided for some reason to convert his house back to what it would have looked
like in the 1940’s and he has chosen to live his life in that period of time
see the 1940's
house. Some time ago I visited
the St Fagan’s National History Museum near
Cardiff and I saw the Ironworker's Terrace Houses, where the houses were
converted to what they would have looked like at various times in History. Last night I watched an episode of the
British World War 2 Detective series, Foyle’s War. I enjoyed watching Foyle’s
War last night, but it showed a story
from a historical point of view. It’s
very easy of us to have a sense of nostalgia for days that have past, or even
feel a sense of safety in those days
that have passed, I felt a sense of sadness for the gentleman living in the 1940’s
house, none of us, I hope would choose to live our lives
in a 1940’s house, but we can see something in the past, and rather taking that
something into our present or future, we
can see the ideal of that truth and leave it in the past.
One
of my favourite Television shows is Homes Under the Hammer, where people buy houses that have seen better
days at auction, and by investing a lot
of money and time, transform these houses either to sell on/rent out or to live in.
I
have been a Christian, a number of years
now, and was converted in a
Children’s Meeting, Easter 1981 although I was raised in a Christian
Family, I have developed a love of
Scripture , the Church and the Kingdom of God, and for my fellow believers, and
those not yet Christians , and I have
wondered like many of us, where we fit
in in the grand scheme of things, and what part I do play or I’m called to
play. I have had struggles,
disappointments and many times have felt disillusionment . I have
felt for some time, that one season or
chapter is ending, and I’m about to enter a new season or chapter.
“ A great deal more failure is the result of an
excess of caution that bold experimentation with new ideas. The frontiers of the Kingdom of God were never advanced by men
and women of caution.” Oswald Chambers
“ Don’t ask
yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you alive , and then
go and do that , because what the world needs is people who are alive.” Howard Thurman
It’s
easier to read our Bibles and Christian books, and to pray and to seek God’s
face and will for our lives, however it
becomes a life of day dreams and virtual reality Christianity. Like the Apostle
Peter says, it’s time for action, we have spent years in preparation, and no
preparation is wasted, but now is the
time for action.
Called
to Be Holy 1 Peter 1:13-14 Esv
13
Therefore, preparing your minds for action,[a] and being sober-minded, set your
hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus
Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your
former ignorance,
John
4:35-38
35 Do you not say,
‘There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you,
lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest. 36
Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life
eternal; so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. 37 For in
this case the saying is true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to
reap that for which you have not laboured; others have laboured and you have
entered into their labour.”
C T Studd
Too long have we been waiting for one another to begin! The time of
waiting is past! The hour of God has struck! War is declared! In God's Holy
Name let us arise and build! 'The God of Heaven, He will fight for us', as we
for Him. We will not build on the sand, but on the bedrock of the sayings of
Christ, and the gates and minions of hell shall not prevail against us. Should
such men as we fear? Before the world, aye, before the sleepy, lukewarm,
faithless, namby-pamby Christian world, we will dare to trust our God, we will
venture our all for Him, we will live and we will die for Him, and we will do
it with His joy unspeakable singing aloud in our hearts. We will a thousand
times sooner die trusting only our God, than live trusting in man. And when we
come to this position the battle is already won, and the end of the glorious
campaign in sight. We will have the real Holiness of God, not the sickly stuff
of talk and dainty words and pretty thoughts; we will have a Masculine
Holiness, one of daring faith and works for Jesus Christ.
Matthew
9:35-38 New American Standard Bible.
35 Jesus
was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their
synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of
disease and every kind of sickness 36 Seeing
the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and
dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then He *said to His
disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 38
Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”
