155. LEARN AND GROW. Ecclesiastes 2:13.

The most important skill you can acquire in life is Learning to learn. Gifted people can act as though they know it all, which makes it hard for them to keep growing, teachability is not so much about competence and one’s mental capacity as it is about attitude, it’s an innate hunger to know and grow. It’s a willingness to learn, unlearn and relearn. The world famous foot ball coach John Wooden said, “It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.” It’s only as you remain teachable will you keep growing and continue to make an impact on the world. Lifelong learning is a lifelong ongoing daily pursuit which will ultimately lead you to wisdom. The Roman scholar Plato, started studying Greek at the age of 80, when asked why he was taking on such a difficult task at his age, he replied, ” It’s the earliest age I have left” Many people regard learning as an event, not a lifelong process. It’s estimated that only one third of adults read an entire book after leaving school. Why? Because they view education as a period in life, not a way of life, science confirms that while your physical body may atrophy, your mind retains much of its capacity for continued growth. Every stage of life presents lessons to be learned. You and I can choose to be teachable and keep on learning, or close our minds and stop growing. Try this simple experiment for a week; Ask others for advice… While deliberately withholding the advice you would normally give and at the end of each day write down what you have learned by being attentive. You will be amazed. To keep learning and growing, you need to recognise that; 1. Successful people view learning differently from unsuccessful people. Joshua learned from Moses,Timothy learned from Paul. Who have you chosen to learn from? Author Sydney J. Harris wrote; “A winner knows how much he still has to learn, even when he is considered an expert by others. A loser wants to be considered an expert by others before he has learned enough to know how little he knows.” You see, it’s all a matter of attitude. It’s remarkable how much a person has to learn before He/She realises just how little they really know. 2. Nothing is interesting if you are not interested. In “Quality Is free” Phillip B Crosby wrote; There is a theory of human behaviour that says some people subconsciously retard their own intellectual growth. they come to rely on cliches and habits. Once they reach the age of personal comfort with the world, they stop learning and their mind runs on idle for the rest of their days. They may progress organisationally, they may be ambitious and eager, and even work night and day but they don’t learn any more. However, It should work this way particularly for a Christian. If you are comfortable where you are, you are in the wrong place; If you are not making a difference for Christ in at least one person’s life, what are you doing there? We as Christians have been told (not asked) to “Go and make disciples.” If you and I are not doing that, we are sinning by our disobedience. A life for Jesus was never meant to be comfortable or easy, Jesus’ life was never that way and as followers of Him we should expect no less. Just look at all that Jesus has done for you and me, Not only the Cross and the forgiveness that entailed which is so much more than we deserve, but, that Death, that Resurrection and that Assension facilitated the coming of The Holy Spirit who embarks every area of our lives (if we allow Him to) with His gifts of wisdom, knowledge and understanding not only in Spiritual matters and situations, but also in our natural world. His is the little voice we hear saying in our minds “Don’t say that, Don”t do that, Don’t go there” etc. He is the One that speaks God’s Word in our hearts. That is what Jesus meant when He said on many occasions “If you have ears to hear, listen to what The Spirit says.” So, are you listening to what The Spirit Says? n (Luke 2:52) The Bible says “Jesus increased in wisdom and stature.” He didn’t just grow physically, He grew spiritually, mentally and emotionally as well. It’s a tragedy when someone gets in to a rut and never climbs out of it; They miss out on the best God has to offer. By contrast, teachable people are completely engaged in life. They are enthusiastic about things. They are interested in discovering, discussing applying and increasing in all areas of life. So never stop learning and growing. In Scripture, we are constantly encouraged to “Know God”, Of course we will never get to know God completely in this life; because He is Spirit and manifests Himself to us primarily by faith than any other way. But, the more we learn about God, His absolute wisdom, unique power and unrivalled authority, the stronger and deeper our faith becomes. The word of God is the only true record of authority we have, it is the only true source from beginning to end of God’s intentions and Will for every living creature on earth including Human beings which He chose to make in His own image and likeness. He put those intentions in to action as recorded in the book of Genesis, and as we thumb through the pages of The Bible we are able to see how those same intentions came to fruition by just the word of His mouth. And so with Jesus,The only begotten (Unique) Son of God did exactly the same when He began His Ministry here on earth. He spoke to the people in Parables of realistic times and events that took place right there at that time, so they could understand exactly what He was talking about. He never missed an opportunity to relate these parables or stories to the everyday lives of His audience who were sheep farmers, vine dressers and gardeners, tax collectors, teachers of the law, fisherman or whoever. and addressed them to their own particular environments and occupations, thus each person could have a picture in their own head and envisage their own surroundings applying the lessons they learned to themselves. That is how one can learn through self application of the subject. We say to ourselves “Does this story apply to me? in what way? What can I do about it? And how do I do it? “ All these questions are addressed in each of Jesus’ Parables, look,learn and apply them to your life and you will soon realise you are following Jesus and His teachings. Do you really want to be more like Jesus? Then read John’s gospels slowly, quietly, daily and see the changes Jesus will make in your life. We all want to live a long life, and to do that we must learn to keep up with technology and as many of life’s changes as possible, let me tell you from my standpoint of ninety years that is very difficult when your body is telling you “You are too old and ought to stop” I have to reply “Stop and do what.” I figure, if I stop thinking, learning and using my brain, it will keep slowing down until it comes to a standstill and that in my book is called Brain-dead. Don’t let that happen to you, keep those marbles rolling for Jesus, and you wont be brain dead when you meet Him. Thank you for reading this word on learning and growing, it will keep you spiritually, mentally and emotionally alert eager and holy for Jesus and you will enjoy the rest of your life.’ God Bless Phaline. --------------------------

154. THE BIBLE ON MONEY Psalm 62:10.

Let us settle this once and for all. If you are a committed Christian, you should know and understand that everything you have has come from God, Not as a gift that you can do whatever you like with, but as a loan from God to a trusted borrower to be used as He directs. These are gifts, or blessings and come with certain conditions Here are some of His directives. (2 Corinthians 9:6-11) –Paul says “Remember this, A farmer who plants only a few seeds will get only a small crop. But the one who plants generously, will get a generous crop’. Now, that’s pretty basic to understand, So what Paul is saying I believe is this; If God is trusting you with a small amount, He will only expect a small amount from you, this is our first testing ground; Will we give God any, out of the little we have or will we say ‘This is hardly enough for me let alone give some away’ Five small loves and a few fish were never going to be enough to feed five thousand people. But when they were offered up to God, He multiplied it. Two pennies from a destitute woman were not going to buy any oil for the temple lamps or feed the number of poor in Jerusalem, yet Jesus said of her “That widow woman has given more than anyone else.” We are not told, but we can be sure that when God saw she had given all she had He blessed her abundantly. Why? Because she knew God wouldn’t let her down. The Roman tax wasn’t going to be paid from Jesus’ empty pockets. No! It came out of the mouth of a fish at the word of God. Not until what we have gets into God’s hands can He multiply it. This is one of the first practical tests we must pass in our Christian walk. (Faith and Trust) To do business with God, He has to see your sincerity, words are not enough; actions prove your sincerity. You and I are the ones who have to get out of the boat, we have to be prepared to give our last dollar, before we see God at work. we Have to open our mouths and speak the words of Scripture so that The Holy Spirit will give us the words to say. It is for us to know God’s attitude regards money, clothes, food, houses and stuff which are only commodities they have no life or value in themselves, but in God’s hands and with Jesus’ prayer they become a blessing. When we give what we treasure to Him God uses it for His purposes. God doesn’t need our treasures or money and miracles are His forte so why all this fuss about money and stuff? Answer, Because it’s the number one thing that takes us away from God. Satan has convinced us that if we have enough of the good things of life, we wont need God. But I challenge you to find just one person who thinks they have enough of those good things. No! Satan uses money and stuff as a lure, or an enticement to get us away from God, by enticing us to imagine that if we have enough we wont have a need for our Creator God. But, he doesn’t tell us that we will never have enough Therefore striving to have “Whatever you absolutely must have” for your retirement for your children, for your satisfaction whatever it may be, becomes a must have Idol. While God is saying… “I have loved you with an everlasting love. Neither you nor your children have lacked in food, clothing, footwear or anything, yet you don’t trust me. Are we building “bigger barns”? If we are, we can expect the same words from The Lord “Thou Fool, this day…” Idolatry was the problem in the Old Testament and it’s no different today, Don’t think it wont happen to me or you, better people than us have fallen victim to Satan and his wilds. learn to practise trust in God and reap the reward. So Paul continues “You must each decide in your own heart how much to give., and don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure for God loves a person who gives cheerfully. And God will provide generously all you require. Then, you will have all you need and plenty left over to share with others as the scripture says ‘ they share freely and give generously to the poor and their good deeds will be remembered forever’ For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer. In the same way He will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. Yes you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous.” God will see what you can be trusted with, starting with small things, and slowly He will increase His blessings as He sees your trust in His increase. But these blessings come with certain conditions (Deuteronomy 8:17-19) Tells us, “Don’t try to claim the credit:-:- God told the Israelites,”You may say to yourself… ‘My hands have produced this wealth for me.’ But remember The Lord...For it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth.. If you ever forget...You will surely be destroyed.” (2 Don’t Forget others:- In (1Timothy 6:17-19) The Bible COMMANDS “Those who are rich in this present world… to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. COMMANDS (Not an option) them to do good, to be rich in good deeds...generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves.” (3) Don’t become arrogant :- Jeremiah admonishes us in ( Jeremiah 9:23-24) “Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong of their strength... or the rich… of their riches. But let the one who boasts, boast of this that they have the understanding to know me, that I am The Lord,” (4) Don’t allow any person place or thing to take God’s place in your life:- (Proverbs 30:8-9) “Give me neither poverty or riches, but give me only my daily bread, otherwise I may have too much and disown you and say ‘Who is the Lord.” Remember this, You don’t own anything (nothing) you are just an administrator of God’s estate and an executer of His will, it’s a responsibility, so do your best job. One day you will definitely be asked to give an account not only for how you have spent the Kings money, but also for all that He has so freely bestowed upon you. Think very seriously about this. Matter, Life is short. (Psalm 62:10) Gives us another condition or serious warning, “Don’t make your living by extortion or put your hope in stealing. And if your wealth increases, don’t make it the centre of your life.” this verse means if we are seeking God’s blessings in our finances we must be truthful with God, generous with the poor, and honest in our financial dealings with everyone, from the tax Dept. to the local garage sale. And when God blesses you, remember the times when you were poor, and needed help, God blessed you. So give someone a helping hand even if it costs you, Then you will see God generously bless you. Be generous with your time, energy and food. Having had a big family, I remember just how much I appreciated it when someone offered to babysit for us, or take the younger children off my hands for an afternoon so I could have a rest or go shopping without them. Or when John was away a neighbour would offer to mow the lawn or do a bit of gardening, and the times when someone else offered to give me a ride to church on a Sunday I was so grateful. Also when John was in hospital with his heart condition, so many people came round with meals and baking for me and my family. I will never forget the kindness of so many friends and neighbours and I’m sure God doesn’t either. I often pray their blessings will be enhanced. There is one other way we can share our blessings with others, It’s by praying for them. Even though we may not have a personal relationship with them. They may go to the same Church, Supermarket or Library as you do, I believe, If God has put them in your sights it’s for a reason, so say a prayer for them, just maybe, they have a need, that only God in His Grace and Mercy can meet, a prayer never gets ignored or wasted. Thank you for reading these few words on The money, goods and time we have been entrusted with. Remember one day we will be asked to give an account for how we used God’s blessings. God Bless and keep us in His love. Phaline. ---------------------------

153. EMBRACE OLD AGE. Isaiah 65-22

We live in a fickle society where a few wrinkles can devastate our self-worth. But you and I don’t have to be a victims to that value system. In the above Scripture the prophet Isaiah tells us “As the days, of a tree, so will be the days of my people: My chosen ones will so enjoy the work of their hands.” Someone once said “Age is an issue of mind over matter” So, build a strong relationship with God. Spend time talking with Him and reading His Word (Proverbs 3:1-2) says “Store up My commands in your heart. If you do this, you will live many years, and your life will be satisfying.” Come to grips with the reality of ageing. You and I and everyone else have been ageing from the moment we were conceived. In fact, on the day we were born we were already nine months old. Therefore, fretting about getting older is as fruitless as worrying about the sun going down in the east every evening. Instead of concerning yourself with the length of your life, maximise every day of it. Each morning look into the mirror and announce out loud, (Psalm 118:24) “This is the day The Lord has made, I WILL rejoice and be glad in it.” Always have a goal. It doesn’t have to be something big in the eyes of the world. Just something you look forward to doing with your hands and your mind. Elanor Roosevelt, the wife of one of America’s greatest Presidents, was reported to have said, “I could not at any age be content to take my place with a cup of hot coffee in a corner by the fireside and simply look on.” So if you don’t want to sit and look out of a fogged up window at a dark, drizzling sky in your closing years, thinking of what might have been, Read, grow something, contribute to and instigate interesting conversations, stay involved and live until your last breath. Are you one of those people who get depressed at the thought of getting older? Do you get anxious or fatalistic in your outlook? Studies show that good health is the number one factor in determining the level of happiness in old, age. So (1) Eat healthy and exercise often if you can and drink lots of water, take your daily vitamins and get regular medical check-ups. These efforts will not guarantee you more time, but they will help to improve the quality of your time here on earth. (2) Look your best as your budget will allow. When you look good, you feel good – and inspired. But keep your quest for attractiveness in balance. Remember God’s words to Samuel; (1 Samuel 16:7) “The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them, People judge by outward appearances, but The Lord looks at the heart.” Think twice, and examine your motives, seek God’s advice and do your homework before submitting to cosmetic procedures some can be costly and downright dangerous. (3) Look for help from a trusted friend. Read what The Lord has to say to you: in (Psalm 92:13-14) “Those who are planted in the house of the Lord will flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in their old age, and they shall be fresh and flourishing.” So, if you are not fresh and flourishing, ask yourself these two questions (1) Am I truly planted (rooted) in the House of The Lord\)’ if something is planted, it needs daily attention, ‘feeding, and watering’ are you making sure you are allowing God’s Word to nourish (penetrate) your mind, not just reading it because that’s your daily ritual, after reading, do you question yourself,”What did I learn from that reading, More often than not, God speaks through His Word. Sometimes it’s better to have a short reading and learn something than a longer one rushed through and nothing gained. I find Jesus’ parables and teachings are really good doing it this way, because every time I read them I get a different angle or concept on the same story, and that can be rally interesting!! And what about your daily prayer, is it a conversation with Jesus, or Our Father God, or is it a menu of requests, It’s a good idea to look at the (ACTS table) Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication, that’s something I learned long ago, I like it because it puts God first; and me and my requests last and keeps me subject to His Will. (2.) Are you still bearing fruit? If you think you are too old to bear fruit it will show! your fruit will get less juicy, diminish in size and you will lack taste; because your heart will not be in it, You may need to examine and put in a little more effort in these areas. Growing older is not a walk in the park or being walked around in a wheelchair says this ninety year old, But, who said it would be?. In fact,The Word tells us there are multiple blessings for those of us who hang in there until the end. Yes, I agree we and what we think or say doesn’t carry much weight in the world, in society, or even in our families, to day; We get tired, ignored, forgotten and written off, even by Christians, occasionally we get irritable, mostly with ourselves for not being able to comprehend the changing jargon and technology of the day. And if one happens to have a disability as I do, that only adds to our frustrations. However, Here’s the good news, The God we have become so familiar with over the years, this God we know so well, love and trust so deeply is so with us, so close, so real, He chooses yo make Himself available to us, He talks our language, invades our thoughts and holds us tightly in His grip. there is nothing in all the world that can be compared to His eternal presence within us. And that is a special gift I believe, God keeps only for the elderly who keep on keeping on. I know I have it and wouldn’t swap it for anything on earth. So, embrace your age year by year, acknowledge each day as a gift from God, use it for advancing His Kingdom. He pays good wages to His workers, He provides for them, He defends them and keeps them safe in the palm of His hand day after day. Who could ask for anything more? Thank you for reading these words of mine on getting the best out of our Senior Years. “If The Lord is with us, who can be against us? God Bless. Phaline.

152. ANGELS YES OR NO.

There are over three hundred references to Angels in Scripture, Both in the Old and New Testament. What do they look like? You ask, Well, they usually appear in the garb or dress of the culture and day. There’s no real description or words in Scripture of wings, haloes feathers etc. Although they often seem to give their names Gabriel, Michael and I believe there is a Ra phial, mentioned in some of the old books and translations. Their occupation. Angels are messengers from Heaven who are sent (Mostly but not always) to individuals, to guide and protect those of us who have given our hearts, souls and lives to God. Not being one of the opposition I don’t know how or If Angels ever cross the paths of the unsaved. But, What I do know is that God looks after His own and often uses Angels to communicate and apply His Will. This doesn’t mean that no bad things will happen to those of us who are saved’ No! It just means sometimes things will and do occur in the lives of the committed which make us ask the WHY question. But, our consolation is in knowing that whatever it is has been sanctioned by God for us: for reasons we are not privy to at that particular stage in our lives. But more often than not He does reveal them to us later. Now, this calls for Faith and an acceptance, even willingness on our part to suffer with the Crucified Christ and as Paul tells us,’ to consider it a privilege yes and a pleasure, considering the glory that awaits us.” No! It’s not easy this maturing as a Christian, Nor is taking up our cross daily to follow Jesus, that’s why we need to pray to The Holy Spirit on a daily bases for the Faith of Christ to be established in us as a permanent resident gift. We really need a good strong reliable Faith in God and that comes by regular Bible reading and living it. How? By knowing that Jesus with His own blood bought and paid for you and me; Not with money, Gold, Silver or precious stones, No! we are worth much more to God than any earthly commodity. It had to be the pure blood-offering of a perfect Human Being to a Devine God. And Jesus God’s only Son is the only human being who could ever fulfil that role and did, just for us. That’s how much God loves You an I and wont allow anything to hinder or come between Himself and us; And that demands complete Faith and Trust on our part Right, Back to Angels; There are two significant words in Scripture that seem to describe Angels, “Many and Mighty” But it took only one angel to shut the mouths of lions for Daniel, and one Angel to bring Peter out of prison the night before he was to be executed, and do you remember Elisha’s servant? When an enemy army surrounded the city of Dothan. In (2Kings,6:17) ”Elisha asked God to open his servant’s eyes; And The Lord let the servant see that the hill was covered with fiery horses and flaming chariots all around Elisha.” If God opened your eyes today, what would you see? Angels with your children and grand children at school? Angels protecting you from drunk drivers on the road? An Angel guiding the hand of a surgeon? An Angel guarding you, your family and your home while you slept? One Bible teacher says, “If you are a believe, expect powerful angels to accompany you in all of life’s experiences” Does everyone have an Angel looking out for them? The answer to that question is in Hebrews (1:14) which says “All Angels (are) ministering Spirits sent to serve those who will inherit Salvation”. When you accept Jesus to be your Lord and Saviour, You gain the ultimate security. When you give your life to God, and acknowledge Jesus as His only Son who gave His life for you, you receive around-the-clock protection because (Psalm 34:7) says “The Angel of The Lord encamps around those who fear Him.” Note Your Angel doesn’t just give you a wave or two as He flies past, He pitches his tent, lingers and keeps vigilance over you. You can rest secure beneath the shadow of his wings – If that doesn’t lower your anxiety level, nothing will. The fact of the matter is, some of the wealthiest people on the planet don’t have it that good. How blessed we are to be chosen to know, love and serve Our Great and Glorious God. Thank and Praise Him everyday for choosing you and sending you an Angel of your very own. I do!! Thank you for reading this word about Angels. I hope it brings clarity to your thoughts on the matter of our heavenly protectors and friends. God bless Phaline. ------------------------

151. GOD’S CREATIVE WORKMANSHIP Psalm 139

Could plants, animal, bird and human life as we know it – have spontaneously happened by some great explosion, by accident, chance or anything else ? Could our amazing solar system also be the result of the same sort of catastrophe? The more advanced science becomes, the more evidence there is for a master designer. Researchers continue to uncover the divine order in each tiny human cell. The American Biochemist Bruce Alberts, former President of the National Academy of Sciences writes, “We have always underestimated cells; undoubtedly we still do… cells are the basic units of life...Indeed the entire cell can be viewed as a factory that contains an elaborate network of interlocking assembly lines each of which is composed of a set of different protein machines in defined positions.” David was a great king, a psalmist and even known as a friend of God, but he wasn’t a scientist, yet he recognised that each of us was a complex product of God’s amazing hands! Read (Psalm 139:13-18“You made all the delicate inner parts of my body, and knit me together in my mother’s womb...You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion...woven together in the dark of the womb...How precious are your thoughts about me...They cannot be numbered!.. And when I wake up you are still with me.” Yes hundreds of years before science discovered the intricacies of the human body, God reviled to David His Almighty ability, power and gracious love for mankind. The average human heart beats 115,000 times a day. Our blood travels just over 119,000 km everyday, (that is about twelve times the length of New Zealand) Adults take an average of 18,000 to 30,000 breaths a day and, for the most part, all these functions take place without us being aware of them. Amazing isn’t it! What a God. So perhaps we all need to stop right now to acknowledge and thank our Creator for the amazing things He did with that first clump of dirt... which He made anyway. Speaking of our amazing bodies... what about our DNA. Each human cell (up to 100 trillion) contains a database larger than the Encyclopedia Britannica. Could all that, have originated by chance? An English physicist Paul Davies, makes this comparison: “It’s rather like exploding a stick of dynamite under a pile of bricks and expecting it to build a house. You may liberate enough energy to raise the bricks, but without coupling the energy in a controlled way, there is little hope of producing anything other than a chaotic mess,” It takes more than a pile of bricks to build a house. The intelligence and skill of the Architect and qualified builder are key components. It’s the same with all the complexities of the human being. The odds are zero that all the required elements to initiate human life just happened to assemble themselves in the same spot on earth at the same time. And even if we did accept that notion, blind chance couldn’t put those 100 trillion cells together in the order required to produce life. Prominent Scientist Francis Crick, wasn’t noted for his faith in God, or even in Jesus Christ, but even he said, “The origin of life seems almost to be a miracle, so many are the conditions which would have had to have been satisfied to get it going.” And what is the miracle? David the Psalmist told us, ( psalm 139:13-14) “You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” And that is the miracle!! Any normal thinking person, Christian or non-Christian knows, deep down in his heart, that there must be a great master designer and Creator of this universe and all that is in it; Including it’s inhabitants . Whether they be plants, animals, birds, fish etc. each with it’s own level of intelligence to feed, defend and protect themselves. But when it came to man, it was a whole different story. (Genesis 1:26.) “Then God said’ let us make man in our own image… “ man was made in God’s image. He did not say that about anything else in creation, so man, from the very beginning was different. How did God do that? And for what purpose? In (Genesis 2:7) we read, “Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils and the man became a living human being.” that takes care of the how question. Now God’s purpose or reason for creating man, one could say because He wanted to. But, the truth is, God’s only requirement is to be loved, praised, glorified, honoured, worshipped and adored. Which, being our creator has every right to demand, but doesn’t,Why? because, He wants us to come to Him voluntarily with a pure heart and humble spirit. Always remembering that He is The Creator and we are the created. With that in mind, we will always keep God in His rightful place on His throne. Thank you for reading these thoughts on God’s Creative Workmanship. And remember the tremendous debt we owed and the tremendous price He paid for us to enjoy eternity with Him. Food for thought. God Bless us all. Phaline. -----------------------s

150 KEEP LEARNING ABOUT GOD. Mark 12:30.

The above Scripture Commands us ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ What exactly does that mean? And how can it be achieved?… Well, Armed with the Word of God, and the help of Albert Einstein and a couple of his mates, I am going to try and answer those two questions. We have to realise, understand and accept, that God has created each of us with the capacity to learn and keep learning until the day we die, which is something we should always be grateful to Him for and never take for granted. The average brain weighs approximately 1.4 kilograms, yet neurologists approximate that we have the ability to learn something new every second of every minute of every hour of everyday for the next three hundred million years. That’s awesome isn’t it? But it’s more than that, it’s an awesome obligation, Learning isn’t an indulgence: It’s a stewardship matter. Jesus said in (Mark12:30) “You shall love The Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength.” It’s impossible to determine the percentage of how much of our minds we use, but all of us have untapped potential. Your imagination is capable of much more than you can dream, yet somewhere along the way, most of us stop living out of imagination and start living out of memory. We stop designing the future and start copying the past. And that is the day we cease living and begin dying. Why? Because we have stopped educating ourselves or teaching ourselves to learn more and take advantage of educational systems that are presented to us. A number of us just say “That’s enough” instead of pushing on Loving God with all your mind require maximising your mind by learning as much as possible about as much as possible. The true litmus test of spiritual maturity isn’t the quantity you know,: it is knowing the quantity you don’t know. It’s reconciling yourself with the reality that God is not an object of comprehension as much as He is a source of wonder. And that sacred sense of wonder ignites a holy curiosity to keep learning more and more about the Creator and His Creation Loving God with all your mind means managing your mind and making the most of it. It means loving God logically and creatively, intuitively and thoughtfully. Albert Einstein, one of history”s greatest minds said: “The important thing is not to stop questioning”. You see, Curiosity has its’ own reason for existence. None of us can help but be in awe when we contemplate the mysteries of eternity, or of life, or of the marvellous structures of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day. No, Never loose a holy curiosity . Downplaying his genius, Einstein said “I have no special gift, I am only passionately curious. In Psalm (24:1) we read:-The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, the world, and those who dwell therein. So, therefore your curiosity should be boundless and that means without limits. The Laten word for ‘education’, means “to draw out”, rather than “to cram in.” I believe that most academic programmes focus on force-feeding knowledge rather than releasing curiosity. The result of this sort of teaching is..We get to know some things, but. We get to lose what is most vital: The love and an appreciation of learning. I found a good example of this;-- Here it is... In one study of a top university, the highest scoring graduates were given their same final exam a month later, and they all failed. Now why would that be? When you attempt to cram the truth into your mind, it seldom gets past the short term memory. And it doesn’t get into the Soul. Sadly, that is what happens sometimes in church on Sundays. So what’s the answer? Put God’s word into practise prayerfully, physically, emotionally, every chance you get. Gerd every thought, deed, step and breath with God’s Word. Then you will retain what He wants you to retain and loose the rest. As you can probably understand, there’s been a bit of research gone into this and I apologise if it’s too wordy or clinical, but, I do believe God is interested in every part of us, seen and unseen, verbal and silent, brains and imagination. I also believe, the more we look, the more we will discover about our Wonderful God. After all that’s why we are here “To know, love and serve Him. No one can serve wholeheartedly anyone they don’t love, and no one can love unconditionally anyone they don’t know. So to really know God we must take up His Word daily, read, learn, believe and practise it, that’s the only way to get to know Him and His Will for our lives. Thank you for reading these few words on how to really get to know your God; may He abundantly bless and draw you ever closer to Himself. Phaline.

149. GOD AND YOUR WORK. Ecclesiastes 9:10.

Do the people at your work know you are a Christian? If not, why not? Here are some of the answers you may think of giving the above question - (1) That’s private, It’s none of their business, (2) They don’t know anything about religion so wouldn’t be interested, (3) I may be called names or classed as a “Weirdo” or “A religious Nut” or even “a Jesus Freak” or “I really need this job, so why would I jeopardize it.” First of all let me tell you, most employers respect openness and honesty, and if you are open about your loyalty to God, you will be open about your loyalty to the firm you work for. Isn’t this one of the necessary attributes he/she is looking for in an employee? Secondly, You don’t really know if anyone is interested in religion or not, or what people’s true thoughts are in this regard, or will what they may be going through, But when crises enter their lives, such as Divorce, suicide, accidents terminal illness, etc. who are they going to turn to? Certainly not to someone who can’t give them answers or lead them to a loving God; NO! They need more than a shoulder to cry on, and if people in your work environment know that you know a God who cares and possibly may help them, you will be their first port of call. Thirdly, Yes, for a little while people will be a bit wary of you, but that’s just because they don’t understand, don’t judge or label them, just give them time, and when they see your Christianity demonstrated at the workplace in your daily behaviour, believe me, they do come around, not because of what you are doing but because of what God is doing in them through you. You see, He is doing something in them at the same time that attracts them to you, your light is shining just by being a Christian; You don’t have off days, you put in an extra half hour here and there, without pay just to get a particular job done, you give someone a ride home if they missed the bus; share your fish and chips; There are thousands of ways of letting your little light shine, and the bulb gets a little brighter each time. Never be ashamed of your God, because He said, “If you stand up for me in this world before men, then, I will stand up for you before all of Heaven’s court on the day of judgement. Who could ask for a better advocate? What more do you need​? In the Bible, you will have noticed that the majority of people worked, and most of the heroes had secular vocations. Isaac developed land, Jacob was a Farmer, Joseph served God best by staying in his well-paid government job rather than starting a non-prophet faith-based organisation to do charity work. Daniel was an Immigrant who attended Babylon’s version of Oxford or Cambridge and grew to be Prime Minister of all Egypt, Lydia was a profitable businesswomen in textiles. Conceivably the ultimate expression of how much God values work is Jesus the “Carpenter” For most of His life, He occupied Himself in the Building profession, creating benches and tables, and probably was also engaged in construction work as well. The word we translate as “Carpenter” comes from the Greek word “Takton”, from which we get the word technology, and would contain the capability to do stone and masonry work. So those men who originally wrote the Bible were all workers, Fishermen, Doctors, tax Collectors and people from all areas of life., it was Penned by workers, about workers and for workers. Yes, Work was and is God’s idea as it says in (Genesis 2:15) “The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” And thus the first man Adam was a landscaper. By identifying what you have been called to do in life and giving yourself fully to it, you are ‘ordained’ as any Pastor who stands in a pulpit. It’s a pity we use the word ‘secular’ when it comes to any kind of work other than the church work, because God doesn’t see it that way, He sees all honest work worthy of His smile of approval. When it comes to work, the thing He requires from you and me is wrapped up in the words of (Ecclesiastes 10:14} “Whatever you do, do it well.” Most adults spend about half their waking lives at work. Your work is a huge part of God’s plan for your life, He designed a specific vocation just for you in which you should find personal fulfilment to meet the needs of your family and help to perpetuate His purposes here on earth. The fourth commandment covers all seven days of the week not just the Sabbath {Exodus 20;9-11) tells us “Six days you shall labour and do all your work… for in six days the Lord made the heaven and the earth.” Sometimes we hear sermons designed to make us feel guilty about not keeping the Sabbath, But have you ever heard a sermon designed to make you feel guilty about not honouring the six day wok-week? The point is that just as God made and loves the Sabbath, He made and loves the work-week as well, which he arranged for our benefit, it keeps us spiritually, physically and mentally healthy, fulfilling His purposes in our lives. In (Luke 17:21) we read “The Kingdom of God is in your midst” So whether you are a Butcher, Baker or Candlestick maker, you and I need to demonstrate integrity in our place of work. It’s embarrassing when non-believers say I’ll never do business with Christians again.’ In (Psalm 8;1) we read “O Lord, how excellent is your name in all the earth” It’s His name we are exposing with our attitude, behaviour, and attendance at work. Here are a few things you may like to check up with and or change;- continual lateness, clock watching, messing around, water cooler gossip, flirting, speaking badly about your boss or other members of staff, pilfering or steeling and off-coloured jokes and stories, these things have no place in your work environment or anywhere in the life of the believer, don’t take part in the conversation, just remove yourself from the area, walk away, Scripture speaks to us in (1Corinthians 4-2.) “It is required that those who have been given a trust must prove Faithful.” It’s a good thought to pray on your way to work something like this “Lord, today I want to do a good job and bring credit to your name Please send your Holy Spirit to guard my mouth, direct my steps and check my behaviour. In Jesus’ name I pray. The first person in the Bible who was said to be “Filled with the Spirit of God” was Bezalel and if his name doesn’t ring a bell, it’s because he wasn’t a Prophet, Priest, king or an Apostle. You see, God chooses whoever He wants ‘Big shot’ or not. Yet this unknown man (at least in spiritual terms) had one of the most important jobs in the old Testament. Bezalel was selected by God to oversee and manage the building of the Tabernacle. He is never mentioned again in Scripture, but God had gifted him, and he used his gifts to glorify God. And this is what God said about him, (Exodus 31:2-5) “I have chosen \Bezalel\...and\ ...filled him with the Spirit of God, and wisdom and understanding, with knowledge and all kinds of skills – to make all kinds of designs in silver, gold and bronze, to cut and set wood and stones and to engage in all kinds of crafts”. Imagine being Bezalel, From your youth you loved to work with your hands .You don’t know if God is involved in this, but He actually is – He actually placed these desires within your heart and mind. When you are working, the joy you feel is the presence of God. You have certain strengths you were born with, they will always be your strengths and you delight in them. Wonderful things happen when you discover those strengths, put them to use and focus improving on them. Trying to develop in an area where God hasn’t gifted you is futile, like instructing a rabbit to swim or a snail to run. But when you’re in your God-given slot, working with your God-given strengths, you’re at you’re best. When that happens, you are blessed, and so are those around you. In God’s plan, Bezalel is as important as Moses. And what you and I do matters very much to God. You see, God is not only interested in our prayer time, No! He is vitally interested in what we think, say and do every moment of our lives. Now, that’s a thought worth keeping in mind. Thank you for reading these thoughts on God in the workplace. If our lives truly belong to God, and we expect His continual presence, strength and protection, then we are obliged to provide a suitable place of abode for Him. OH Lord God, bless us all with Your continual presence. Phaline.