120. ON OUR WAY TO HEAVEN. Philippians 3:2

The story is told of a Pastor who asked his congregation “who wants to go to Heaven?” Everyone raised their hand, except one little boy. The pastor questioned the child as to why he didn’t wont to go to heaven, and the boy replied, “Well, Tomorrow’s my Ninth Birthday, so I’ll go after that!! Let’s be honest, we don’t think or talk much about Heaven, until a loved one dies and goes there, or we grow old and we feel we have fulfilled our assignment here on earth. Then we feel a tug pulling us heavenward. And so we should! On average we all spend seventy or eighty years here on earth, whereas we will spend eternity there in Heaven.(1 Thessalonians 4:17) Tells us “Then we shall always be with The Lord. Here on earth we get a mixed scorecard, sometimes we do well and other times, not so well. But in Heaven, we will be just like Jesus. Why? Because we are citizens of Heaven and therefore that is our real home and destiny… In (Philippians 3:20-21) we read; “We are eagerly waiting for Him to return as our Saviour. He will take our weak natural bodies and change them in to glorious bodies like His own.” C. S .Lewis wrote, “That in Heaven we would each be a dazzling, radiant immortal creature, pulsating all through with such energy, joy, wisdom and love as we cannot now imagine,” All the Patriarchs, Prophets and Preachers in the Bible longed for Heaven. (Zechariah 9:16-17) describes it in these words: “They will certainly sparkle in His land like jewels in a crown they will be beautiful and lovely” Now here’s a Question. If you were to die today, would you go to Heaven? You can, by putting your trust in Jesus Christ. He and His Way is the only Way, His Truth is the only truth and His life is the only Life that can get you there. It’s not a matter of I hope so, or I think so; No! We need a bit more certainty. You see, we are not going on holiday, this is forever and ever; and there are only two destinations. So what are you going to say when you get to those “Pearly Gates” will you show all the good works you’ve done or the money you’ve given to worthy causes, the many times you visited the sick and imprisoned clothed the naked and fed the hungry. These are great attributes to have on your C.V. that will determine your position when you get there, But, none of them will open those gates for you or me. There’s only one way; We must truly be able to say>-I was not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” …’ I believed in my heart and spoke it out with my mouth That Jesus Christ is Lord.” and on those grounds alone I am accepted by my Father and entitled to enter Heaven for all eternity.” What a wonderful Blessing awaits those who Believe in their hearts and speak with their lips that Jesus Christ is Lord. Can you truly say & believe that. Then come on in. The joys of Heaven: The next time you feel cramped for space, read this from (Revelation 21:16) “The city was shaped like a cube, because it was as high as it was wide. When the Angel measured the city, (Revelation 21:16) it was about 2,400 kilometres high and the same width. That’s an area of five million square kilometres – making the New Jerusalem larger than most countries in the world. In fact it’s almost twenty four times larger than the United Kingdom and more than half the size of the entire continent of Europe! A city that big would be anything but crowded and uncomfortable. And here’s something even more incredible; with the height of 2,400 kilometres; there will be no space limitations. And that confirms what Jesus said about Heaven in (John:14-2) “In My Father’s house there are many mansions I go to prepare a place for you.” Since the same God who created Earth also designed Heaven. And since Paul said in (Philippians 1:23) “{Heaven will be “far better”) Just think of the most beautiful place you have ever visited and multiply that scene by infinity. John the Apostle described it this way in (Revelation 21:12) “The Glory of God made the city bright. It was dazzling.) One night as he held his father’s hand and looked up at the stars, a little boy said to his Dad, “If the wrong side of Heaven is so beautiful, what must the right side look like? Jesus died so you and I can go to Heaven. But it’s not a lottery, or getting there by chance, No! It’s by choice, Yours and mine. So have you placed your trust in Jesus Christ: If so “See you there. Sometimes people describe dying as “Crossing the Jordan” That’s because the Jordan River runs into the Dead Sea. The story is told of an elderly Christian lady who was dying. For most of her life illness had confined her to bed or a wheelchair. The family gathered to say their final goodbye to her. one of her grandchildren asked her “Are you afraid to die? “No” she replied with tears of joy, I’m not afraid of death, because my father owns the land on both sides of the river.” Great answer. In Heaven there will be no sickness, or depression, or pain, or loneliness, or fear, or grief; or any of the things that make life on earth so difficult. God’s Word says in (Malachi 4:2) “For you that honour my name victory will shine like the Sun with healing in it’s rays” And in (Isaiah 35:10) we read “The ransomed of The Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing, With everlasting joy on their heads. And they shall obtain Joy and Gladness. And sorrow and mourning shall flee away. When we lose a loved one in death, these questions arise, Will I see them in Heaven? Will I see them again? And will I even know them? Yes, Because we will know even more in Heaven than we know here on earth. How do I know that? Because Paul writes in (1Corinthians 13:12) “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know, just as I am also known.” Heaven will be the greatest family reunion of all time, and here is the best part of all, we will never be separated again. I often think of My husband, my son, my parents and siblings and so many relatives and friends that have gone ahead of me rejoicing as they anticipate my arrival, and Jesus my Saviour waiting at those “Pearly Gates” to welcome me Home, I can’t wait to hear those words “Enter into your Blessing Good and Faith full Servant.” Yes! I’ll drown in Tears if Joy at those pearly gates. Thank you for walking with me along the road to Heaven. We are all at different stages, but we are all walking the same road; And, IF like me, you have made Jesus Christ the Lord of your life we are sure to meet and enjoy sharing our memories of this world. God Bless and Guide us on our way home. Phaline.

119. STEPS TO FORGIVENESS Colossians 3; 13,

I don’t know if I am writing this word for myself or for others, But God is talking to me about this subject, so while tapping away on my computer I will share what I believe the Spirit is down-loading to me, because I don’t think I’m the only one who has this problem. It’s not that I don’t believe in forgiveness, of course I do; But, I certainly don’t find forgetting easy. However, Jesus didn’t say forget, No! He made it very clear, that if we want our sins forgiven, we must forgive others; But, How can I? How can You? Every time we see or think of that person, up it comes. So with the Scriptures in hand, let’s thrash this out together. We all agree that the misery of living with Un-forgiveness always lasts longer than the pain of the offence and we know that when we hold on to resentment, it opens the door to depression and often to physical illness. I also understand, Forgiveness is not automatic, we have quite a part to play in this process if maintained, will bring healing to our wounded spirits and restoration to our health and happiness. Here are two steps to help us on our way to true forgiveness (1) Remember that we have been unconditionally forgiven. At this point we need to recall God’s grace towards us, and the price paid for our forgiveness. By refusing to show mercy, we are like the man who Jesus spoke about in (Matthew 18: 23-34) He was forgiven an enormous debt, yet was unwilling to forgive another man’s paltry loan to him. The grace God has extended to us, leaves us no grounds whatsoever to refuse the same grace to the one who has hurt us. (2) Scripture dictates, we must release the offender from the debt they owe us. We may be totally justified in saying, “They owe me for what they did to me”, our friends might agree with us, the law may also agree, and we may be thinking the only way this offender will learn to do what’s right is, if they are punished and made to pay for the wrong they have done. But, we have to learn this lesson >- (Hears the forgetting bit) “As long as we are holding on to our rights, we are chained to the past. It has us in it’s grip. And our future is being held hostage. So every time it comes up in our minds we must dispel it immediately. It may take a long time, even years, but eventually it will disappear. The longer we accommodate it, the harder it will be and the longer it will take to remove its self from our memory. So we must not allow unforgiveness to take up residence in our minds or heart. Our offender’s sin against us was paid for on the same cross and with the same sacrificial blood that cancelled our sins and debt, so they have the same right to forgiveness that we have. And there is more, Forgiveness is not just for their benefit, but for ours as well. (Luke 6:37) says “Forgive and you will be forgiven.” Take on board, the reverse applies. Here are three more steps to forgiveness; (1.) Accept people as they are, don’t try to change them. So often we say “I’ll only forgive them if they change.” That just keeps you tied to them. By obsessing over them and what they did, you are demanding they act only in ways you approve of. Nothing makes people less willing to change than when you try to control them with the demand that they meet your standards and requirements. Changing people isn’t our job – It’s God’s job! Our job is to choose to forgive and leave the outcome in the hands of God. The formula for healing is simple. Forgive, let go and let God. (2.) See your offender as God’s tool for your growth. It’s easier to forgive someone when you stop seeing them as Satan’s agent who has been sent to destroy you, and start seeing them as God’s instrument to develop you. The life of Joseph speaks of this principal. The path that led him from the pit to the palace was paved with injustice, disappointment and betrayal, but God used each of those painful experiences and circumstances to get Joseph to his destiny. And God can do that for you and me as well. (3.) Try reconciling with your offender. ( reconciliation is a real asset with the forgetting process.) Reconciliation is God’s nature. (Romans 5:10) tells us When and while we were His enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son Jesus Christ. And what God did for us He wants us to do for whoever we are at odds with. Jesus made reconciliation a top priority by saying in (Matthew 5. 24) “Leave your gift there at the alter...First be reconciled… Then come and offer your gift.” Yes it will take selflessness and humility on our part, but the return is worth the investment. Thank you for reading these thoughts on reconciliation. After forgiveness, reconciling is an absolute must. His Holy Spirit then has the opportunity to restore, re-establish and cultivate a strong, deep relationship which otherwise would have been lost. Let’s keep 0ur little body of Jesus Christ intact, by the power of the Spirit, and the Mighty Hand. of God. Blessings Phaline. -----------------------

118 IT’S TIME TO PRAY. Psalm 51:7.

Do you remember when restaurants had operating hours? It was their schedule not your appetite that determined when you should or shouldn’t eat. Not any more! now you can pop in to many eating places day or night to satisfy those hunger pangs. And that’s how God operates too; He is available 24/7. And although praying isn’t limited to set times, There are certain times when it is vitally important to talk to God. Here are two of those occasions: (1) When you have sinned. Your emotions of guilt and shame plus Satan :the accuser” will tell you to avoid God. But turning to Him is the only solution to sin. Burdened by adultery, deception and murder, David realised he needed to confess his sin. So he prayed: (Psalm 51:7) “Cleanse me with Hyssop and I will be clean, wash me and I shall be whiter than snow...Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.’’ And in (! John !;9) we read “God is faithful and just, and will forgive us ALL our sins and purify us from ALL unrighteousness.” So, have you sinned? A fresh beginning is only a prayer away.(2) When you’re worried and afraid:- You don’t have to look far to find things to worry about; They are all around you, Financial, professional, health and family concerns can stress you out, so where do you turn? Prayer is God’s answer to fear and anxiety. (Philippians 4:6-7) says: “Do not worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need. Always giving thanks, and God’s peace which is so great, we cannot understand it, will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. For most of us prayer doesn’t come naturally, we know it’s supposed to be a dialogue, but for many of us it feels like a monologue. There’s nothing more difficult that talking to someone who wont talk back. We don’t like to admit it, but what really concerns us about prayer is, ‘How can I pray so that God will give me what I want’? Prayer is not about particular words or how many of them you use, or even the time you spend on your knees. No! It’s about getting acquainted with God, familiarising yourself with His nature and attributes, attempting to please Him by seeking His presence with the intention of forming a relationship with Him. Although God loves you deeply, He will not force you to love Him in return, you must understand this; the need is ours, and must come from our hearts. He is the Creator, you and I are the created! If you have something to talk to someone about, you may say “We need to find somewhere we can talk” Why? Because you need to be heard, and you need to hear what they have to say. When you eliminate the noise of the world, You maximise your ability to hear God; This shows God you are serious about your relationship with Him. Psalm (91:1) puts it this way “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” Do you have a secret place where you can be alone with God? It can be anywhere. But you do need a secret place where you can go and show God you mean business with Him. The difficulty we have with prayer is not new, even the Apostles had to ask Jesus to teach them to pray, isn’t that interesting, there they were, day after day spending time and talking with ‘The Son of God’ yet they had to ask the question, and by the way, that’s the only time in the Bible (Luke11:1) when that question was asked. “Lord, teach us to pray” and Jesus clearly answered with ‘The Lords Prayer . Prayer is not primarily about telling God what you want; It’s about getting close and personal with Him. One pastor put it this way, God is saying, “Don’t bring me your shopping list, I already know what’s on it, we will deal with that later, just bring me your heart, bring me your true love, bring me your undivided attention.” No!, Prayer is not mainly about getting things from The Lord; It’s about having regular, meaningful times with Him, consulting Him, seeking His opinion, asking His advice. These invaluable times spent with God will bring great rewards ) in Psalm 77:2 we read “In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord.” Here are two important prayer principles you need to keep in mind, (1) Talk to God when troubles surround you. If you are like most people, Good times can make you trust in yourself instead of trusting in God. It’s the troubled times that drive you to your knees; a bad medical report, a child off the rails, a lost job, a marriage breakup , these are God’s intentions in allowing troubled times! He allows trouble to affect us – not to make us miserable but to bring us to himself. Hosea the Prophet said (Hosea 5.15) “In their misery they will earnestly seek God” What God’s father-heart wants above all else, is, that we abide and confide in Him. And if it takes trouble to do that, He loves us enough to permit it. But, when we turn to him in our troubles, we discover that He is our refuge and strength and always ready to open the windows of heaven to accommodate us. (2) Talk to God at all times. In his classic book, “The Practise of the Presence of God,” Brother Lawrence speaks of a continual conversation with God being a practise for all places, times peoples and circumstances, While cooking, cleaning and washing dishes. He found conversing with God as satisfying as praying in his allotted prayer times. He counsels us; That we may accustom ourselves to a continual conversation with God...in quiet simplicity where we might need only to recognise God’s intimate presence with us, by reciting a short prayer of worship or thanks, thus addressing ourselves to Him every moment. That sounds like Paul’s instructions on the subject. (Ephesians 6:18) “Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests… Always keep on praying for all of God’s people”. What is prayer? Is there really a good reason to pray? If God has everything in hand, what’s the point of me praying ?.These are valid questions, and need answers, So with the help of The Holy Spirit I will attempt to answer them. (1) Prayer is communication with God. Take a moment to understand this. The God who created you and me has expressed an earnest desire, not only to have us talk with Him. But, He says when we do, He will listen to us and even give us what we ask or need. This is not Mr Coca Cola, or Elon Musk, or King Charles speaking, No! This is the Creator of the Universe, who can buy and sell any or all of those guys a million times over. He has the power of life and death over every single living creature on this planet. It is He who has expressed a deep desire for you and me to call Him Dad and talk to Him with all the expressions a loving son or daughter would have with their father He wants to hear YOUR voice and YOUR words what YOU did at work or school (good or bad) about the net-ball, hockey or footie match, or how you managed to loose that important contract at work, which may cost you your job. or brought in the neighbours washing because it looked like rain. He just wants you and me to talk to Him. about things (big or small) in our daily lives, To form a deep, parental relationship with Him. You say, “Why me? If He’s got everything at His fingertips, Why me? Answer... Because He made you and loves you so much that He gave His only Son Jesus to die a crucifixion death so that you could be saved from Hell. He can’t contemplate the thought that His Son died in vain for you. And for that reason He will pursue you for the rest of your days...(2) How should I Pray? Answer...I know it’s hard to talk to someone you can’t see or hear, But, You know, deep down in your heart that there is a God. Someone who created this world, The animals, the fish, the birds, The trees, vegetation and flowers, the sun, moon and stars. Yes and even Human life, All this couldn’t have come in to existence by chance or accident. Yes, you do know deep down in your heart, there is a God. who made you and loves you deeply, and let me tell you, You can talk to Him and He will reply through situations, circumstances and other people. Eventually you will be able to hear and know His voice when He speaks to you in your heart and mind. I know this to be true, it happened with me. It’s like anything else you really want to have happen in your life, Practise it everyday, and pretty soon you’ll wonder how could you ever live without this wonderful God in your life. And one more thought, other people’s opinion wont matter, because your Father is the God of the Universe and He loves you more than anything else He’s created. His Son Jesus will walk beside you, and His Spirit will direct your footsteps when you ask God in to your life..Do it today, you don’t know what tomorrow will bring, Thank you for reading these thoughts on prayer, It’s the best and only perfect way we have of communicating with God, until that day when we meet Him face-to-face. Hopefully on that occasion, you wont have to introduce yourself, but sail in to the outstretched, everlasting arms of the one to whom you have been praying for so long….”It’s Time To Pray.” Abundant Blessings. Phaline.

117.BEYOND THE GUESSWORK Philippians 2:13.

Remember the game “Pin the tail on the donkey”? Winning in that game was ‘a-stab-in-the-dark’ process. And for many of God’s followers, determining His Will and purpose for their lives amounts to the same thing. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Here are some Scriptural steps to take the guesswork out of it. (1) Commit yourself to obeying God’s Will. Understanding God’s Will is impossible until you commit yourself unreservedly to doing it. Any desire to retain your own will blinds you to His will. You don’t need a detailed map; it’s a journey of Faith. Be confident that God loves you and wants only the very best for you. And when you submit yourself to Him, as it says in (Romans 12:2) “You will be able to decide what God wants for you; you will know what is good and pleasing to Him and what is perfect” (2) Listen for the Shepherd’s voice and trust it. Jesus doesn’t leave you alone to figure out His Will for your life. He is our Good Shepherd. (John 10:3-4) “and His sheep recognise His voice… He… leads them...and they follow Him because they know His voice, ” note the words “recognise His voice”. With time and experience you will learn to know when God is speaking to you ; And be able to distinguish “His Voice” from “Other voices”. God’s voice is always soft and gentle not pushy, He advises but leaves your free will intact. Whereas the other voices are loud, almost seem to be screaming at you to do what they advise; those voices often push you to make risky or rash decisions and more often than not they are in a hurry for you to follow their leading which doesn’t make room for you to hear God’s voice or think about His Will in the matter, or your conscience or even your own free will; That has been my experience, I learned the hard way, so take some advice on this one. And never be in a hurry. Like Abraham who submitted to God’s Will without knowing where he’d be led, you are called to surrender your will without knowing where He will lead you. In (James 1:5-6) we read God promises wisdom, insight and understanding – Not to the spiritually smart, but to anyone who lacks wisdom. So believe that His wisdom is yours. Always do these two things; (1). Recognise God’s Word as the final authority for deciding God’s Will. The Bible speaks clearly on life’s important issues. Every other source of guidance must agree with it. And you don’t need a theological degree; Just let God speak to you through His Word before seeking any other opinion. For example, to tell a lie is unacceptable because God insists you shall not...lie, likewise, having an extramarital affair is wrong, because the Bible clearly says you shall not commit adultery; No other opinion is needed when God’s Word is clear, but a word of caution; The Bible is a book of principles, Not a multiple-choice or a D.I.Y. manual. Picking isolated scriptures leads to confusion, not clarity, for instance ( 1Correnthians:3;21) ‘All things are yours isn’t permission to do whatever you want. Principles are established as Scripture is supported by Scripture. But what if you search the Bible without finding principles that settle your issue? (Recognise the inner impressions of The Holy Spirit. How can you know your impressions are from The Holy Spirit.? By knowing that you have fully submitted your will in the matter. Your impressions must not contradict other Biblical principles. Now here is the Holy Spirits assignment; (John;16:13) “When The Spirit of Truth has come, He will guide you in to all Truth… He will tell you things to come” Don’t be in a hurry. If it’s from God’s Spirit it will become stronger and clearer with time and prayer. If not it will dissipate. So wait prayerfully. Here are two more ways to know God’s will for your life. (1) Providential circumstances; When God is leading, the way will open up for you. When He sends you, He goes before you. See (John 10:4). His Word in (Revelation 3:7) says, “When I open a door, no one can close it. And when I close a door no one can open it” So who opens the right doors and closes the wrong doors? Yes, God. The right doors lead to Blessings, while the wrong ones lead to trouble, pain and loss. Plus nothing but unbelief can keep a door closed once God commands it to be opened. The only help God needs from you is in (Exodus 14:13) Don’t be afraid! stand still, and see what the Lord will do to save you today” (2) “Inner Traffic Lights” The Old timers in the faith would say, “I always watch for the checks in my spirit” You are a new creature with a new spiritual nature that’s alive unto God”, that means equipped to sense God moving within you (see Romans 6:11). And while the counsel of wise and mature Christians can help, the last word must be spoken in your own heart. (Philippians 2:13) tells us “It is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfil His good purpose.” If your will is surrendered to God, He is at work in you directing your will and behaviours. Believe it, because He declares it! He will give you the red light when He wants you to stop, and the green light when He wants you to go. Don’t go on red, don’t stop on green. Thank you for reading these thoughts on “Taking the guesswork out of Scripture”. I think a lot of it comes out of language and the time factor. Although a lot of work has been done producing all the various modern versions of the Bible, in SOME cases they tend to confuse rather than relate the coherent truth. However, I am no expert in these matters, and therefore read and recommend the traditional versions with which I am more familiar. I trust my loving God and Saviour with the power of His Holy Spirit to lead, guide and protect me through these pages which are solely intended to bring people into the knowledge and purpose of God in and for their lives in order to attain eternal Salvation….God bless us all. Phaline.