The Farmer

A farmer was sitting at home one winters evening thinking over the words he had with his wife earlier. She had gone out to yet another one of her church meetings they were preparing she said for the Christmas celebrations and he had told her in no uncertain terms what he thought of her Christmas celebrations.

He was tired of arguing but then he realised that in fact it was him who argued she didn't argue really but just spoke very calmly and firmly about her believes when he brought it up. It had all started the previous year when she had been invited to the nativity and she just kept going to church then something changed she came home one day and said she had asked for God's forgiveness and for Jesus to come into her life. Thinking about it now he had humoured her at first but after awhile he just couldn't accept the things she was saying it all sounded to far fetched but the rub was that there was something about her these days, she had a inner peace and a joy that he had never had.

Of course it was all nonsense no way was he going to believe that God if there was a God had come to earth as a baby, ridiculous. His thoughts were taking him all over the place when he heard a strange thud, and then another, and another he decided to investigate, he put on his boots and coat and went outside he could hardly believe his eyes geese were dropping like flies out of the sky because of the snow storm, he needed to get them somewhere warm and dry until it blew over, the barn would be the best place and so he set to trying to round them up, goodness me what a terrible racket they would not go in the barn, he decided to fetch the dog, that didn't work it only made matters worse what on earth was a matter with these geese he only wanted to get them somewhere safe, if only he could make them see that they were in danger out here, but then he realised that they didn't trust him he wasn't one of them the only way he could ever get them safe was to become a goose himself.

There and then in the middle of the storm the farmer fell to his knees in the snow surrounded by geese and asked for forgiveness for his sins and asked Jesus to come into his life and then he knew that peace and joy that his wife had. When he looked up the geese had gone, God can and does speak to us in all kinds of ways and how He rejoices when we respond.
 
Is He talking to you now while you are reading this story? Christmas is all about God sending His Son Jesus to earth as a baby, He became like us in every way except He never sinned in order that we could be saved.  
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Will you respond?

The Storm

As I sat in my friend Margaret's room the heavens opened and I hoped and prayed that it would be over before I went for my bus, all I had with me was a shower mac there is no way it would be any good in a thunderstorm. When it was time to go, the rain had stopped and I got to the bus stop dry. However, the storm was going in the same direction as me! I was reminded that we must be prepared for storms, trials, tribulations, when we become followers of the Lord Jesus He does not promise a rosy ride, Jesus said:

John16:33 "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

“So even though we have these trails etc. we can be assured that we will not be dragged down or taken from the Lord because He is with us through every storm of life, upholding us, sustaining us, building us up and caring for us. As I continued my journey a gentleman at the back of the bus was on his phone to his friend, I had a moment by moment commentary on what the weather was doing, he could see from the sky where the storm was going and how bad it was going to be and all he had on was a summer t-shirt, I did feel for him, he insisted that they would wait in the bus station until the storm had passed. He was ill prepared for what was coming, even though he could see what was coming! Jesus said:

Matthew 16:1-3 Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven. He answered and said to them, "When it is evening you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red'; and in the morning, 'It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.' Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times." 

When I got home the heaven's opened 

and we had torrential rain and a thunderstorm 

I was so glad that I was safe at home,

When the storm clouds had gone, the sun came out, it was glorious. I was reminded that there is a terrible time coming upon the earth such that has never been seen before when God's wrath will be poured out upon an unbelieving, rejecting, rebellious people, many will believe but many will not and they will run for cover but there will be nowhere to hide. Not only is this time foretold in the book of Revelation in the Bible but also by the Old Testament prophets. The signs of the times are there for us to read, does this sound familiar? 

2 Timothy 3:1-7 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 

The signs are there for all to see and be warned, thank the Lord there is a way out through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ on the cross, all who repent of their sins and turn from their sins and receive Jesus as their Saviour and Lord of their life will be saved from sin, death, condemnation and this wrath to come.

After the storm came the sun, and after this terrible time the Son of God will come in all His glorious splendour to rule supreme over all the earth. We who are in Christ have a glorious future, if you don't have a personal relationship with Jesus, ask Him today, your life will be transformed and you will be new in Him. The world will no longer have any appeal for you and you will be His forever, hallelujah. Jesus said: 

John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

John 3:15-18 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God, did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Two Extremes in April 2012

Last week we were all basking in hot weather 

which is unusual for the time of year,

the daffodils and other flowers were flourishing,

the sheep and their young were frisking about the meadows,

ladybirds were in abundance, 

as was the blossom.

it was glorious

The sun cast shadows everywhere.

How quickly things have changed

in the past two weeks, we have had two extremes of weather

Revelation 3:14-22

¹⁴"And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write,' these things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God:

¹⁵I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 

¹⁶So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 

¹⁷Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing' and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked 

¹⁸I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 

¹⁹As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore, be zealous and repent. 

²⁰Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. 

²¹To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. 

²²He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." '

Genuine

There are times when it is hard to tell if something is genuine, when my daughter was a child she looked at a leather belt that said genuine leather and asked "where's genuine?"

Oft times we can get away without using the genuine article sometimes something that is compatible will do and probably be much cheaper and with something’s it doesn't matter. I recently purchased a Samsung laser printer and bought toner that was compatible, once the toner ran out and I replaced it the printer just wouldn't print right, there was no way it would accept these toners so I ordered Samsung toners and it worked fine.

It maybe doesn't matter so much with things but what about faith, religion, Christianity etc.? Does it matter what church I go to, what religion I belong to, don’t all have the same God it’s just different roads to heaven? I mean surely as long as I go to church and do good things and work hard to be good myself that’s all that really matters?

I would like to quote you something quite startling from the Bible that Jesus Himself said Matthew 7:21-23 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!

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So not everyone who thinks they are going to heaven are!!

How then can anyone get to heaven?

There is only one way, and that is through the Lord Jesus it has nothing to do with church attendance, it has nothing to do with how many committees you are on, it has nothing to do with good works, it has nothing to do with confessing to priests etc. etc. It has everything to do with God’s grace, if you want to be a genuine Christian. 

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God. 

Redemption is a gift from God and when we repent, believe then our sins are forgiven and we walk in God’s light, we are new creatures in Him which will produce good fruit, we will want then to please and serve Him.

There is only one genuine religion, there is only one genuine God, there is only one genuine way to be saved from sin, guilt, shame and the wrath to come and the only way to find out is by reading the word of God, the Holy Bible prayerfully asking for understanding and guidance from God the Holy Spirit.

Those that enter the kingdom of heaven will be those who do the will of the Father, 

Matthew 7:21  “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven, 

Acts 17:30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, 

so, this is the will of the Father that we repent, how?

Acts 2 :38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

There are a lot of counterfeits and they are not compatible, only one way.....JESUS.