JOY TO THE WORLD

If you haven't already watched and listened to the above Youtube  video of the Christmas carol "Joy To The World", why not do so now - and be blessed as popular Christian singer/ songwriter, Chris Tomlin sings with the backing of the Waitoto Children's Choir from Uganda in Africa. 

The song echoes the wonderful news told to a group of shepherds tending their flocks in fields in Galilee, one night a little over 2000 years ago.
Luke the Physician in his Gospel recounts the event:
Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid.
Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.
For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.
"And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger."
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth, peace, goodwill to all men."  (Luke 2: 8-14 NKJV)
Luke goes on to describe how the shepherds went to Bethlehem and just as the angel had said, they found the baby Jesus lying in a manger (in a stable) together with Joseph and his mother, Mary. The shepherds were so excited that they told many others of the revelation concerning Jesus' birth and how they had seen him. They then returned to tending their flocks, praising God for all they were privileged to see and hear.
In his popular book "The Harvest" by pastor and author, Rick Joyner, Founder and Director of MorningStar Ministries based in Fort Mill, South Carolina, in one of the chapters he has a section headed "God Was Born in a Stable".
Quoting from this passage, he writes: In Biblical times, the stable was a most offensive place.....................By today's standards, they would not be fit even for animals. That the Lord of Glory would choose such a place to make His entry into this world is one of the more profound revelations of His message to man. We would do well not to miss His point as He has not ceased to use such places to make His appearances.
Human reasoning would never lead us to a stable to find God. The only way He could be found was by revelation; only those who were led by the Spirit would come. This has not changed. That which has been born of God is usually found in a place that is repulsive to the pride and presumptions of carnal men. As the Apostle Paul stated it: "But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world, and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are,
that no flesh should glory in His presence.
But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God - and righteousness and sanctification and redemption -
that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 1:26-31 NKJV)
After His birth, Jesus was then raised in the most despised town in the nation. Even his physical appearance was such that no one would be attracted to Him (Isaiah 53:2) 
He left this world after the most degrading torture and execution yet devised by the demented schemes of fallen men. This gospel is foolishness to the natural man and always will be. It will never attract those who live by human wisdom. Only those who love truth more than anything else in this world will walk with Him in the reproach of the true gospel.
The birth, life and death of Jesus put the axe to the root of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.It is the most powerful message the creation has ever heard; it is the most profound testimony of the character and nature of God. When we embellish this gospel to make it appeal to carnal men, we destroy its power to set them free and we ourselves begin to drift from the path of life. For this reason Paul preached nothing but Christ and Him crucified. He knew that if one were compelled to come by any other message, it would be a false conversion.
Like the humble shepherds who had the revelation concerning the birth of Jesus, which would be Joy To The World to those who would receive Him as their Saviour and Lord, each one of us today has the wonderful opportunity afforded by our Creator God to be restored to fellowship with Him - a fellowship destroyed by the entrance of Sin into the world.
This Christmas, as we remember the birth of Jesus in a dirty barn in Bethlehem, over 2000 years ago, let us also know that He is no longer a baby in a manger. He grew up and at the age of thirty three He hung on a Cross of wood for us with nails through His hands and feet, and a crown of thorns on His head. He suffered and died in our place, that, through His death, we might experience new Life in Him. He rose from the dead the third day, defeating all the powers of Sin and Death.
He is the triumphant King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We are told by Jesus in Matthew 6:33 that our priority in life should be to : Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and everything we need will be added to us.
The Apostle Paul in Romans 14:17 says The kingdom of God is righteousness, and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
YES, the Lord is declaring at this Christmas season of the year that His desire for each one of us is that we would know His True Joy. BUT, deep abiding Joy comes out of our quest for Righteousness, becoming more like Jesus as we are changed by His Life within us.
2014 is just around the corner. The time for compromise is over - for us individually, and for the Church of Jesus Christ. The King is Coming! The King is Coming! Let us be ready for His return.

If you have read the above, and would like to know how you can become a Christian, I suggest you go to : www.vision.org.au  Click on the Resources button at the top of the page, and from the drop-down menu, click on Christianity, or
go to: www.wayofthemaster.com and check out the resources there to help you to become a true disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ.

THE HOLY SPIRIT

(Continued)

Luke 4:18,19 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,

                          Because He has anointed Me 

                          To preach the gospel to the poor;

                          He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,

                          To proclaim liberty to the captives

                          And recovery of sight to the blind,

                          To set at liberty those who are oppressed,
                          To preach the acceptable year of the Lord."

These words were spoken by Jesus in the synagogue at Nazareth after returning from His forty days of temptation in the wilderness, during which time He had been fasting from all food.
Prior to His wilderness temptation, Jesus was baptized of John the Baptist in the River Jordan. In Luke's account he says in Chapter 3:21,22
                         Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized;  and while He prayed, the heaven was opened.
And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, "You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased."
In effect, following his baptism by immersion in the Jordan River, Jesus was baptized in the Holy Spirit in order to be able to accomplish His earthly ministry.
Although Jesus was and is the Christ, the Anointed Son of God, or God the Son, the Second Person of the Trinity, when He came to earth, He confined Himself to a human body just like ours with flesh and blood. Although He was still God, He was also fully man, having divested himself of His Godly attributes of omniscience (all knowing), omnipotence (all powerful), and omnipresence ( able to be everywhere at one time).
It is therefore easy to see that Jesus had to fully rely on the indwelling presence and power of the Holy Spirit in order to carry out His earthly ministry effectively.
It was the anointing of the Holy Spirit upon Jesus which enabled Him to see the dead raised, the blind receive their sight, the lame to walk, the deaf and mute to hear and speak, the demonized to be set free of all Satanic oppression and bondage, all multitude of diseases and mental torments to be healed. He brought hope to those who had no hope, he spoke directly to situations in peoples' lives through words of knowledge, he prophesied concerning the nation of Israel and the city of Jerusalem in particular. He prophesied His own death and resurrection.
When he needed God's wisdom in addressing "traps" of the enemy laid by the scribes and Pharisees, the Holy Spirit enabled Him to respond always in a manner which showed insight which defeated his opponents schemes to trap and trip him.
For those who sat in great darkness, He came as a light. He was and still is the Light of the World. As He said in John 8:12 "I am the light of the world. he who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."
His message brought conviction of sin to the broken and humble, who in turn saw their lives transformed by the revelation of God's grace, mercy and love. 

In all four Gospels, John the Baptist who was sent by God to "prepare the way for coming of the Messiah", Jesus, is recorded as saying concerning Jesus that it was He would baptize with the Holy Spirit. Matthew and Luke's accounts record John the Baptist saying Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire.
The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is a provision of the Lord for all believers subsequent to being born again or being saved (both Biblical terms). Our salvation does not depend on it, but our effectiveness in serving the Lord, and our fruitfulness in ministry may well depend on this provision. I once heard a quote from Rev. Dennis Bennett, an Episcopal minister in the USA who was at the forefront of the Charismatic Movement in the early 60's, where he stated words to the effect: "For a Christian to be born again but not baptized in the Holy Spirit is like sending a soldier to Vietnam without a rifle." (The Vietnam War was, of course raging at that time).
I was baptized in the Spirit in 1969 following water baptism, not immediately following, but as a result of prayer specifically for the Lord Jesus Christ to fill me with His Spirit - the same afternoon. I will forever be grateful to Bob and Jan MacPherson, a couple in the Church of England in Surfers Paradise, where I was attending church, who led a Wednesday night Charismatic home fellowship group.Teaching input from many, if not most of the leading figures God was using in the Charismatic Renewal at that time - people such as Derek Prince, Bob Mumford, Dennis Bennett, Harald Bredesen, Charles Simpson, Howard Carter (who headed up the Logos Foundation), Paul and Bunty Collins from NZ, Michael Harper and many others - was provided through an extensive lending library of cassettes in Bob and Jan's home. 

When I was baptized in the Holy Spirit, I spoke in tongues. I was overwhelmed with a physical sense of God's presence in my life - like electricity going through my body, but not at all unpleasant. I could not stand up for some time, and my experience caused me to understand why the Apostle Peter on the Day of Pentecost had to say to those observing what had happened to the 120 on whom the Holy Spirit had been outpoured: "These are not drunk, as you suppose." I literally felt like I was drunk in the Spirit. Having said that, though, I know not everyone's experience will be the same.
Let me finish by stating again that I firmly believe, on the basis of the Word of God, that the Lord is wanting every believer in Jesus who has committed his or her life to Him, to avail themselves of the "Promise of the Father" - to be baptized in the Holy Spirit, to be empowered from on high, to be fully equipped for effective Christian life and ministry in these challenging times in which we live.

If you are reading this, and you are not a Christian, this all might sound a little strange to you. That should not at all be surprising, because the Bible says: The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. 1 Corinthians 2:14. The starting point to understanding the things of God is to be, as the Bible says born again.

For help in taking that step into a new life as a follower of Christ, as a Christian, may I suggest the following resource: www.vision.org.au
Click on the "Growing your faith" tab, then "Looking for God." 
God Bless!
                         

                           

THE HOLY SPIRIT

(CONTINUED)

This current blog topic is not intended to give an exhaustive teaching on the person of the Holy Spirit. There is much to know and to learn concerning the Person, Work, Nature, Bible emblems, Characteristics, and Ministry of the Holy Spirit - which can be readily researched on the internet through various ministry sources.

That being said, let me briefly address another related topic concerning the Holy Spirit, which over the years has been fraught with divided and divisive opinion, each camp claiming to be able to support their personal stance with strong Biblical backing.

I refer to the subject of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, and the present day operation of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, as mentioned in 1 Corinthians Chapters 12-14.

My motivation, in part, for addressing this topic at this time, has been kick-started by my concerns raised in my mind by high profile pastor, Bible teacher and author, John Macarthur's recent "Strange Fire" book and conference. John Macarthur is a fundamentalist Calvinist, who unashamedly has for many years publicly denounced the Pentecostal and Charismatic movements, and the associated manifestations or gifts of the Holy Spirit. He is a cessasionist, meaning that he is of the firm belief that with the passing of the original 12 apostles and the completion of the canon of Scripture, that not only the ministry of apostles and prophets ceased, but also the gifts or manifestations of the Holy Spirit, as outlined in 1 Corinthians 12-14. He even boldy asserts that the gift of "speaking in tongues", one of the hallmark features of the Pentecostal and Charismatic experience is demonic in origin. He also states that those who practise speaking in tongues and other Pentecostal or Charismatic manifestations are actually guilty of blaspheming the Holy Spirit. As a Christian who has been firmly in the Pentecostal / Charismatic sector of the Body of Christ (the Church) for some forty four years now, for all but two years of my Christian life, I can only respond to such claims with astonishment. My reading of Jesus' words in Matthew 12 concerning blasphemy against the Holy Spirit seems to signify that attributing the work or ministry of the Holy Spirit to Satan or demons is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. To that end, I feel people such as John Macarthur are on very, very dangerous ground.
In all four Gospel accounts, John the Baptist, whom God sent as a messenger to prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, is recorded as saying of Jesus that it is He who would "baptize believers in the Holy Spirit" (and with fire, as stated in Matthew and Luke's accounts). This was obviously going to be a key element of His ministry to believers from the commencement of the Church age. 

In John 20, after the Resurrection of Jesus on the first day of the week, He appears to ten of his disciples (Judas Iscariot had betrayed Him, and committed suicide, and Thomas was not there). In verse 21, Jesus encourages them with these words: "Peace be unto you; as my Father has sent Me, even so send I you".

Then verse 22 says: And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said unto them, "Receive the Holy Spirit". It could well be argued that this was the point in time when the Holy Spirit came to indwell the lives of the disciples in the same way that He does when any person commits his or her life to Christ, being, as the Bible says born again of the Spirit.

Were these disciples of Jesus "baptized in the Holy Spirit" at that time? No, they weren't. In the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 24, again, after the Resurrection of Jesus, just before His ascension to the Father,Jesus gives this encouragement and direction to the disciples: "And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but wait in the city of Jerusalem, until you are endued with power from on high".
In the first chapter of the Book of Acts, Luke records these words, adding more detail to the above direction given in Luke 24.
In Acts 1: 4 it reads: And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which", He said, "you have heard from Me;
for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."
Jesus further said in verse 8: "But you shall receive power after the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
True to the words of Jesus, the embodiment of Truth, ten days later on the Jewish feast Day of Pentecost, which also was fifty days after the Resurrection of Jesus, as 120 of Jesus' disciples and followers (men and women) were gathered in the Upper Room, being in one accord in one place,
Suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:2-4 NKJV
The 120 in the Upper Room were the first New Testament believers to be "baptized in the Holy Spirit" by Jesus, the one who as foretold by John the Baptist would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire.

AH! BUT WAIT! THERE'S STILL MORE (In other words......To Be Continued).

THE HOLY SPIRIT

As a child, I did not come from a Christian home. My parents did not go to church, but I do remember going to a Methodist Sunday School for a while in Surfers Paradise on Queensland's Gold Coast where we were living. Then, as a teenager at about age fourteen I started attending the local Church of England youth group with another friend from school. That led to us being asked by the rector (minister) to become 'servers' - I suppose similar to altar boys in the Catholic Church. The church had two Sunday morning services - 7am and 9am. We were involved in the 7am service. Eventually, through a school holidays church 'coffee shop' outreach, I heard the gospel message clearly as one of the youth group leaders sat until about midnight one night sharing the message of salvation through Jesus Christ with me. I prayed the "Sinners' Prayer" and, at that point in time, my Christian life began. I knew that something had happened in my life. I literally did sense the experience of being 'born again' as the Bible says in John 3:3&7. I went home feeling invigorated, and woke up the next morning feeling a sense of God's nearness, and a real sense of His cleansing from my sin.

I knew from my Sunday School lessons earlier, and from attending the church services and hearing the Word of God preached that the God of the Bible was referred to as the Trinity, and that Christians believe, on the basis of the Word of God in a tripartite God - One God in Three Persons - God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit. In Genesis 1:26 as part of the creation narrative, the Bible says: Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness........"

I could understand something of the concept of God being Father, and could also understand something of the person of Jesus through the Christmas story and signifance of Easter and the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ - even before any church or Sunday School involvement I probably had some exposure to Christian teaching, through Bible-in-Schools programs as well.

But, I remember the Holy Spirit being a total mystery to me. Actually as a child, with the King James Version of the Bible being the main Protestant Scripture source, the Holy Ghost was the terminology most heard - which sounded to me a little spooky. As a child, and into my early teens, ghosts were scary ethereal figures that haunted old dilapidated houses, and were the stuff of nightmares!
However, when I became a Christian, I learned that the Holy Ghost, or Holy Spirit, as we mostly refer to Him now is a vital member of the Godhead - Yes, He is a He, not an IT, not some vague force, but a Person with Personality.
When Jesus was about to finish His earthly ministry, He told His disciples in John 14:15-18
"If you love Me, keep my commandments,
And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever,
even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him; but you know Him
for He dwells with you and will be in you.
I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you".
The Bible tells us that when we commit our lives to Jesus Christ, when we confess our sin and our need of a Saviour and accept the work of Jesus shedding His blood and dying on the Cross, the sinless Son of God dying in our place, we are "born again" by the work of the Holy Spirit as he makes alive our human spirit which until that time has been unresponsive to the Spirit and Word of God. The Apostle Paul says in Romans 8:11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
Jesus' disciples were sad when He told them He was going away, but He reassured them that He would send another Helper and that He would abide or dwell with them forever. The Greek word Jesus used for another Helper is allos which means another of the same kind. The Holy Spirit Jesus would send would be their Helper, Counselor, Comforter, and Guide. The Holy Spirit's coming assured them of continuity of what Jesus both did and taught.
Every man, woman or child who personally commits their life to Christ and is "born again" of the Holy Spirit becomes as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 5:17 a new creation in Christ, able to commune or have fellowship with our Father God.

BUT WAIT...............THERE'S MORE!

If you want to know more about how you can be "born again" and can experience the life God has planned for you - not an easy life, but a life in fellowship with your Creator God, a life led by the Holy Spirit, a life filled with purpose and promise for the future - contact one of the following ministry contacts:
www.vision.org.au (Click on the Grow your faith tab at the top of the page, then Looking for God?)
www.livingwaters.com
www.wayofthemaster.com

If you have made a commitment of your life to Jesus Christ, please let me know in the comment section below.

BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS

(Continued)

It has always been necessary for true followers of Jesus Christ, who from the early beginnings of the church have been called Christians, to be people of courage. No more has this been so, than when facing the possibility of persecution for the faith. The Apostle Paul, who is credited with writing thirteen, or rather fourteen books, if Hebrews is included in his writings - of the New Testament of the Bible, states in 2 Timothy 3:12 that all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. I was listening to a news bulletin last night on the Vision Radio Network, a Christian radio network in Australia, and heard the sobering statistics that for the past decade, around the world, something in the order of 100,000 Christians have been martyred for their faith each year. The vast majority of these would have been in non-Western countries. 

True Bible-believing disciples of Christ have to be willing to lay down their lives for Him every day, not always physically obviously, but we all have to boldly rise to the challenge of living out our lives for the glory of our Creator God in the midst of a broken and hostile world. 
The much parodied church ministers in films and on television, often shown as weak, wimpy looking individuals with their sheepish and mindless congregation members, is not a picture of the church as God intended and intends it to be. Christianity is not a religion for wimps. It requires total commitment and the self discipline of soldiers in an army, prepared for battle, or that of elite athletes training for the most prestigious sporting events, to live the life that God has called each of his disciples to live - with boldness, strength of character and true courage for the times.
If you have read my previous blog post, the first part of this current topic, you would have read about my experience in the taxi with a young Christian woman who was very bold in her witness for Jesus - and the personal challenge that brought to me to be more bold and courageous in my stand for the Lord God. Interestingly, a number of years ago, I received a prophetic word from a respected pastor, who was known for his accurate prophetic ministry - concerning an aspect of ministry the Lord was preparing me for, that I would lift up my voice with boldness, and in so doing, would get behind people's guards, and bring the healing anointing of Jesus to situations. I am believing for that to be increasingly fulfilled in my life, as I draw closer to Him, build myself up in His Word, and through prayer become stronger in faith, strength of character, and the courage to face any challenge God places in front of me.
Proverbs 28:1 says The wicked man flees though no one pursues,
                                   but the righteous are as bold as a lion.
It would be fair to say that a lion is afraid of no one, and that is how we, as Christians are meant to be, if we are walking closely with the Lord.
In Isaiah 8:11-14, the prophet says: The Lord spoke to me with His strong hand upon me, warning me not to follow the way of this people. He said:
                             Do not call conspiracy
                             everything that these people call conspiracy;
                             do not fear what they fear,
                             and do not dread it.
                             The Lord Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy,
                             he is the one you are to fear,
                             he is the one you are to dread,
                             and he will be a sanctuary;
Regarding these just quoted verses, Rick Joyner says in his book "The Harvest" : If we have the true and holy fear of the Lord we will not fear anything else. Then He becomes our sanctuary! Then our work will be untainted by human motives or self promotion.
The apostolic commission of Paul was destined to arouse the rage and opposition of not only the religious establishment but of the entire Roman Empire. This frail human vessel charged unrelentingly into the face of the most powerful principalities and powers of his age with so little compromise or consideration for his own life that he shook those powers to their very foundations. Freedom from the fear of man and demon is a prerequisite for true ministry.
Christians, those true followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, who are seeking Him with their whole being, and seeking to be more like Him, will be disciples who display strength in these dangerous times, and who step out boldly with real courage as they stand for uncompromising truth and righteousness in the spirit of Love!

BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS

I have been driving taxis for the past eleven years in the city of Hobart in Tasmania, Australia's southern island state.

As a Christian, over the years, I have probably had many opportunities to witness for the Lord Jesus Christ by sharing something of my faith, and thereby planting seeds of the gospel in the hearts and minds of my passengers. Sadly, though, many of those opportunities I have let slip by, without saying a word. 

Recently, I picked up two adult women, a mother and her grown daughter, probably in her late twenties. As soon as we commenced the journey, the daughter asked me the pointed question: "Do you believe in God?", to which I replied in the affirmative. In a short space of time, possibly only about thirty seconds, she very succinctly stated the gospel in a nutshell, that she believed God loved the world so much that he sent His Son, Jesus Christ to die on the Cross in our place and for our sins, and that if we believe in Him, we will be saved and have eternal life.

I was blessed to have picked up two Christians, but also was somewhat challenged by this young woman's courage, and boldness in declaring her faith and love for the Lord. I thought that, no doubt, she had probably asked other taxi drivers the same question, and had continued to present her condensed, but accurate gospel message - and probably, at times,had been told that they did not believe, or that they were not interested.
It was easy for me to share my faith in the Lord when I was an announcer on Christian radio stations in New Zealand and in Tasmania, there being nobody physically there to challenge or ridicule my belief in the God of the Bible. From memory, in my broadcasting ministry spanning over ten years, I can only remember one person in Christchurch ringing to criticize something I had said or music I had played - and he was a man who was known to be a little "strange" in his outlook. Some may say that he was perhaps "a sausage short of a barbecue", but perhaps that would be being unkind.
The Bible says in Proverbs 29:25 The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.
I think of my evangelist friend from New Zealand, Ray Comfort*, who was also the associate pastor of the church I attended for several years when I was working in Christchurch in the 80's.
He now heads up a far-reaching ministry based in California, USA. Ray was, and still is, a man who is very bold and courageous in his stand for Jesus publicly. He is not a tall man, so it was a common sight to see Ray every week day in the Christchurch Cathedral Square at lunchtime drawing crowds of people, as he stood on a small stepladder boldly proclaiming for all to hear the powerful message of the gospel. He had plenty of hecklers, as well as some competition from the then iconic Christchurch "Wizard", but Ray persevered over the years with boldness and courage, and saw much fruit for the kingdom of God. Even though his ministry is respected by many leaders in the Body of Christ (the Church) worldwide today, and he could easily confine himself to the safety of a television or radio studio, or a welcoming church, to proclaim his message, he still regularly witnesses to individuals face to face in the marketplace settings of southern California, where he now lives, as well as in other places. 

In the first chapter of Joshua, as we see Joshua preparing to lead the children of Israel across the Jordan River into the land of Canaan, their Promised Land, or the Land of Promise, the Lord says to Joshua three times in verses 6 to 9 "Be strong and courageous". The Lord admonished Joshua and the Children of Israel to give close heed to the Law, the written Word of God to them at that time, given to and through Moses. If they would be careful to observe and meditate in the Law day and night, the promise was that the Lord would be with them wherever they went, as they boldly and courageously followed Him.
We must do the same, as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul says in Ephesians 6:10 "Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might", or in His mighty power as it says in the NIV. Christians are likened to soldiers in an army. We are in a battle, and as soldiers in an earthly physical army, we, like them must be bold and very courageous as we engage in the spiritual battles for the hearts and souls of men, to see them delivered from the grasp of our arch foe, Satan. 
To be continued....................

To access Ray Comfort's extensive ministry material, go to www.wayofthemaster.com
                                                                                                  or www.livingwaters.com

The Butterfly Bush

                                          by Tessa Harvey                        

On the way into the city

A butterfly bush perches

precariously

on the rooftop corner

of a dingy tenement building.

Its small brave branches

touch blue sky.

Etching out a fragile prayer of hope.

Its roots cling to a corner of 

life-giving dirt.

I love to see it there

Tracing its beauty

Far above the traffic's roar.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV

Tessa's Testimonies

Tonight I heard a lady with a beautiful voice sing "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus". "Lord", I whispered, "I'll sing like that to You one day!" At once, I heard His voice in my heart saying, "I'm listening right now!"

So, come on folks! Sing! You don't have to have a great voice, just a heart for King Jesus, Lord of ALL!

Psalm 115:1 says Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us,

                                But to your name give glory.

Psalm 81:1            Sing aloud to God, 

                                our strength.

                                Make a joyful shout to the God of Jacob!
1  Chr. 16: 34,35   Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
                                his love endures forever.
                                Cry out, "Save us, O God our Saviour;
                                Gather us and deliver us from the nations,
                                that we may give thanks to your holy name,
                                that we may glory in your praise."      

HOPE

It was in 2003 when we found ourselves, as a family, looking for a house to rent which would see us moving closer to the church fellowship we were attending in Hobart's northern suburbs. We were living at Kingston at the time,a suburb to the south of Hobart City.

While looking at a particular property in Claremont, I happened to open a cupboard in one of the bedrooms, and there inside was a white albino rabbit - a real rabbit, and fortunately still very much alive. We guessed the previous tenants didn't want to take it, or couldn't take it, so left it in this cold dark cupboard with just a little grain to eat, but with no water.

Emily, our youngest daughter, immediately begged my wife and I to keep it so she could have it as a pet. The owner of the house, which, by the way, we did not finish up renting, was happy to have someone remove the rabbit from the house. Emily very quickly settled on a name for him - "HOPE". We were impressed at the time and since then, that Emily, a lover of animals of all shapes, sizes and species, chose a name which represented the promise of freedom and a new life for this rabbit.
The property we were renting at Kingston had a good sized enclosed run for Hope in the back yard, and we believe he had a contented life while he was with us.
When thinking about "Hope" , our white albino rabbit, and his fortuitous rescue from a small, dark cupboard in an empty house, I think about so many people who are blind to the promise of hope for now and for the future, which God the Father holds out to us, on the basis of our reconciliation to Him through the sacrifice of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross at Calvary, some 2000 years ago.
The prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 59:9-11, says of those still living in the darkness of their sinful state: Therefore justice is far from us,
Nor does righteousness overtake us;
We look for light, but there is darkness!
For brightness, but we walk in blackness!
We grope for the wall like the blind,
And we grope as if we had no eyes;
We stumble at noonday as at twilight;
We are as dead men in desolate places.
We all growl like bears,
And moan sadly like doves;
We look for justice, but there is none;
For salvation, but it is far from us.
The Bible says in Ephesians 2:12 that we were once aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. (Italics mine)
Rick Joyner, founder and executive director of MorningStar Ministries and Heritage International Ministries, based at Fort Mill, South Carolina, stated recently in one of his "Word for the Week" posts that: Those who do not know the Lord put their trust in government. It is all they have to trust in. Even so, governments are failing and will continue to fail. The Great Commission Jesus gave the Church to go into all the world and preach the gospel is to offer the world a hope that will never disappoint. Those who have hope and give hope are going to be the brightest lights in the times to come. The gospel means "good news", not bad news. The gospel we have been given to preach is the best news this world has ever heard. The King is coming, and His kingdom will be established on earth so that His will is done here just as it is in heaven.
For readers of this blog who live in Australia, this is a timely word, as we have just had a Federal election, with a resulting new government being elected. Earthly governments, no matter how well intentioned they may be in carrying out their promises, usually fall short in, at least some areas, and people in time may become disillusioned with them, their hope in government ending in disappointment.
The writer of the Book of Hebrews in the New Testament says in Chapter 6:19 that we have hope as an anchor of the soul. It stands to reason that an anchor is only as secure as that to which it is attached. The promises of the Word of God are fully reliable. The hope we have for the life we are living now, and for the future - and for eternity is a hope filled with promise as we embrace the Father's love for us and pursue our destiny in obedient devotion to Him and increasing faith in His Word.

If you are reading this and are feeling a sense of hopelessness in your life and for the future, may I direct you to some helpful resources to help you discover a life with real hope and promise for you now and into the future.
www.vision.org.au (Vision Radio Network in Australia)
www.livingwaters.org
www.leadingtheway.org.au

ONWARDS AND UPWARDS

(Continued)

     2. The second area of FORGETTING WHAT IS BEHIND concerns the area of PAST SINS AND FAILURES.
Romans 2:4 says that it is God's kindness that leads us to repentance.
In 1 John 1:9 in the New Testament, the encouragement to each of us is: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Psalm 103:11,12 says: For as the heavens are high above the earth,
                                           So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
                                           As far as the east is from the west,
                                          So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
Question: How high are the heavens above the earth? How far is the east from the west? From God's perspective, as the Creator of the universe, they are infinitely unfathomable distances.
Micah 7:19 reads: Who is a God like you,
                                  Who pardons sin and forgives the transgression
                                  Of the remnant of His inheritance?
                                  You do not stay angry forever
                                  But delight to show mercy.
                                  You will again have compassion on us,
                                  You will tread our sins underfoot
                                  And hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.
Again, Micah paints a word picture for us showing something of God's amazing grace towards us, when he says He will tread our sins underfoot, and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea. The word 'hurl' means to throw violently. Imagine the logistics of trying to find something which has sunk to the depths of the ocean in its deepest part. The use of the word 'hurl' to picture God forcefully throwing our sins into the deepest parts of the ocean, to me would seem to show something of how much His act of love and forgiveness is towards us.
If you are reading this, and have committed your life to Jesus Christ, having been "born again" by the work of the Holy Spirit in you as a response to your surrender to Him, acknowledging your sin and your need of a Saviour, then you would know that at that point of your commitment to Him that as it says in 1 Corinthians 5:17 , ... you became a new creation in Christ, old things having passed away, and all things becoming new. Where there is true repentance from sin, at the point of salvation, many experience a real sense of newness, where it is actually like being born over again. But, that does not mean we are perfect, and that we will never sin again. Would that it were so, but, alas, we are, as the apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:7 "jars of clay". We are imperfect vessels, still capable of stumbling and even falling into temptation and committing sin. BUT, we have the assurance from the Word of God in 1 John 2: 2 where John the apostle says: If any one sins, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense - Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. NIV.
Maybe you have been a Christian for some time, and feel that you have failed the Lord too many times for Him to still use you. The enemy of our souls, Satan would love you to believe that, but let me tell you, if that is what you believe, you are believing a lie. Jesus said in John 10:10 (NIV): The thief comes only to steal, and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it to the full.
As someone has well said: The man or woman who never made a mistake never made anything. Don't let past sins or failures be the measure for your future life of fulfillment in God's purposes for your life. Don't just be content to peck at the crumbs on the ground like a chicken, but rise up on eagles wings and soar on the Holy Spirit thermals of His anointing for your life.
I am believing for my wife and myself and our family that our best days are still to come, and that, like Abraham of old, we are and will be blessed to be a blessing!
For you, who are reading this - I am believing for God's best for you as well!

ONWARDS AND UPWARDS

(Continued)

In my previous blog post on this current theme, I mentioned the fact that, in the New Testament of the Bible, the Christian life has been pictured by the apostle Paul in terms of a race, possibly a chariot race in the context of the popular Roman sport of the day, as well as a running race in Hebrews 12, with the possible context being in reference to the Ancient Greek Olympic Games held in a stadium.

A further reference of Paul the apostle to the Christian life as a race is pictured in 1 Corinthians 9:24-26 (NIV) where he says: Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore, I do not run like a man running aimlessly.....

Again, the picture is of a well disciplined athlete who has the goal in view as he runs the race with purpose and passion in order to gain the prize. As stated by Paul, the runners in the Ancient Olympic Games ran in order to receive a perishable crown - usually a laurel wreath, but we run the Christian race to gain an imperishable crown. There are a number of verses relating to this in the New Testament.

As I stated in the previous Post, in any race, whether it be a foot race , a chariot race or whatever kind of race, for the participant to look back could be very costly. 

There are TWO ASPECTS of what Paul and Jesus, as well as the writer to the Hebrews (whom, by the way, many consider to also be Paul the Apostle), meant by NOT LOOKING BACK or FORGETTING WHAT IS BEHIND. The first of these I will address briefly in this Post.
     1. Looking back to the good things of the past when it stops us from seeing what God is doing now and what He is wanting to do in us and through us now, and where He is wanting to lead us in the future.
From my personal experience again, as outlined in my blogs "Chasing My On Air Dream" (Parts 1 & 2), I had the opportunity to fulfil a desire to be involved in Christian radio on air for a little over ten years, firstly in Christchurch, NZ, and then in Launceston when we moved to Tasmania. Then in 1992, the Lord closed that door. I enjoyed working in that environment, particularly when I was in Christchurch, where I also met and married my wife, Tessa.
In the period between leaving WAY FM in Launceston and moving to Hobart in the year 2000, I was unemployed for extensive periods of time. There were times when I seriously considered going back to the radio station, even if just on a part time basis. Even though I believed in my heart that God had closed that door, there was still at times a drawing back to that part of my life which, in reality was a hindrance to my forward progress in the purposes of God for my/ our lives.
Without going into detail of the circumstances, there was a period of one year when we were not, as a family going to church, between around 2003 - 2004. During that time, I did present a three hour music-based Christian program on Sunday mornings at Huon FM, a community radio station at a country town about forty five minutes drive from where we were living in Hobart's southern suburbs, and although it seemed that the Lord allowed me to do this, there was no discernible fruit from this "ministry" time. The only feedback, which was positive, was from three or four of the station's other volunteers.
In Ecclesiastes 3:1, Solomon wrote these words: There is a time for everything,
                                                                           and a season for every activity under heaven.
Sometimes it seems that there are seasons for even certain ministry activities where God's blessing rests upon us - that come to an end, and He beckons us to MOVE ON. Again, in my own experience, I played drums in churches in three Australian states where I have lived and also in two cities in NZ - spanning some thirty years. I also have led worship regularly in several of the churches I have been involved in. But it seems that season of my music ministry came to an end about eight or nine years ago, and although I would still love to have the opportunity to play drums and lead worship, that door appears to be firmly shut.
King David in Psalm 31:14,15 says: But, I trust in you, O Lord;
                                                               I say, "You are my God."
                                                               My times are in your hands.......(Emphasis mine)
To be continued.
To find out how you can become a Christian and discover a life with purpose and direction and Hope for now and the future, go to www.vision.org.au. Click on Resources at the top of page, then click on Christianity from the drop-down menu.
    

ONWARDS AND  UPWARDS

(Continued)

As I quoted in my first part of this blog, Jesus says in Luke 9:62 No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
I mentioned that the word NOSTALGIA is made up of two Greek words: NOSTOS - A Return Home, and ALGIOS - Pain, so the word NOSTALGIA could be literally said to mean: A Painful Return Home, or a painful yearning to return from where you have come. Interesting, eh!
In Paul's letter to the Philippians in the third chapter, the apostle gives a concise summary of his pre-Christian resume, as it were, as a "Hebrew of the Hebrews", with an outstanding pedigree in the Jewish faith, and so zealous for the Law that he literally sought to wipe out all who would not conform to Judaism. His encounter with the Risen Christ on the road to Damascus was such a dramatic encounter that his life could never be the same as before. What were once considered assets in his life lived in the Jewish faith were now liabilities for his forward progression as a Christian, born again by the Holy Spirit. Read Philippians 3:7-11.
Paul's resolve in Philippians 3:12-14 is this:.....I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has laid hold of me.
Brethren, I do not consider myself to have laid hold of it; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,
I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Italics mine)
The Book of Philippians was written by the Apostle Paul to the Church at Philippi, a Roman colony - at about 61 AD during his first Roman imprisonment.
Horse racing with light chariots was a popular sport with the Romans, and some Bible commentators believe Paul's words in Philippians 3:13,14 were written with a chariot race in mind. Paul pictures himself in a chariot - knees pressed against the curved bar, his arms and body stretched out over the front of the chariot, holding the reins. In such a position, and situation, it could well prove fatal to look back!
Another very graphic picture of the Christian life as a race is found in the familiar (to Christians) verses in Hebrews 12:1,2
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
LET US FIX OUR EYES ON JESUS, THE AUTHOR AND PERFECTOR OF OUR FAITH, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
RUNNING was one of the most popular of the Olympic Games sports of the Ancient Greeks. The place prepared for the race was called the Stadium because of the length, which was a stadium, which was 600 Greek feet. This was equal to 625 Roman feet or six hundred and six and three quarters feet English. Do we assume from this that the Greeks had bigger feet than the Romans and the English? I don't know.
The stadium was oblong in shape with a wall at each end, and tiers of seats on either side of the stadium for the spectators or witnesses.
The starting place was designated by a square pillar at one end of the stadium. At the opposite end was the Goal or the Finishing Point where the judge sat, holding the prize, a crown or a wreath of leaves.
As with the chariot race, for a runner in the stadium to look back while running could prove at the least to be a costly distraction, and at worst could cause him to stumble and fall.
As Bible believing committed followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is our "forerunner", in order for each one of us to make significant progress in seeing the unfolding of God's plans and purposes for us - ongoing - we need to have our eyes firmly fixed on Jesus, not looking back, longing for the past to be revisited in our minds with a drawing sense of regret!
Each day brings new challenges , new opportunities, new potential for us to draw closer to Jesus and to continue the journey of faith we have embarked upon in life.
To be continued soon
If you are not a Christian and would like to know more about how you can come to know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, as suggestions, you could go to www.vision.org.au Click on the Resources button at the top of the screen, then from the drop-down menu, click on Christianity, or livingwaters.com (wayofthemaster.com)

ONWARDS AND UPWARDS

Until earlier this year, I did not do much on Facebook. In fact, for some time, I only had a few Facebook friends, and thought that spending time on Facebook was pretty much a waste of valuable time.
Then, after connecting with an old friend from my Bible College days (2 years) in Lower Hutt, New Zealand, and realizing that she had a number of Fb friends from that era that I could reconnect with, I began to become more interested in utilizing this particular form of social media. Within the space of about three months, my friends went from about five or six to well over one hundred, made up of friends from Bible College, another year of Bible College in Katoomba, Blue Mountains in New South Wales, old friends from my almost twenty years residence on the Gold Coast, friends and relatives of my wife in New Zealand, as well as a number of current friends and acquaintances particularly from the churches we have been involved with since living in southern Tasmania.
As well as being Facebook friends with now over 140 individuals, recently I have joined several special interest groups on Facebook relating to my time at Bible College, as well as two separate Gold Coast groups, helping to recapture past memories through photos - Black and White, and Colour, and anecdotes concerning specific people, places, and events with which I had personal involvement going back some fifty years.
As much as I have enjoyed reconnecting with long lost friends from the past, and reliving memories of times gone by which held great significance to me, I also realize that those times, places, experiences, and for the most part, close friendships, are gone forever, and cannot be recaptured. The danger, I see, for me, and for others as well, is that we can get so caught up in trying to relive the past that we stop living for now, and with an expectancy for the future.
That is not to dismiss the past as providing all that was necessary to shape us for the challenges of today, but I have come to realize that if we are not careful, looking back at both the positive and negative aspects and influences of the past can stifle our progress now and for the future if that is our focus.
There is an interesting verse in the Bible in Ecclesiastes 10:7, where King Solomon wrote these words: Do not say, "Why were the old days better than these?", for it is not wise to ask such questions. Again, do not get me wrong! I am not saying we should despise the past, but we should not cling to it, as if somehow, we can like Doctor Who, think we can travel  back to times gone by, and relive them in real time. That is just not possible.
On this same point, it is very interesting and enlightening to consider the word NOSTALGIA.
One dictionary definition is 'A sentimental yearning for the past". The word NOSTALGIA comes from two Greek words NOSTOS - A Return Home, and ALGIOS - Pain, from which we get the word ANALGESIC or pain killer.
Whole industries have been built upon nostalgia. Those who have known me for a number of years, and those who have read my recent blogs will know that I grew up with a love for radio broadcasting, and eventually had the opportunity to personally be involved working full time in Christian radio for around ten years. Thinking about the whole aspect of nostalgia, and marketing to people's nostalgic emotions, some of the most popular radio stations in the larger capital city markets of our nations, at least in the Western world, are stations which play solely music from the 50's to 70's, because many in Baby Boomer and older generations have a longing for the way life used to be.
As a committed Bible-believing Christian, however, I am having to come to terms with the fact that God is NOT sentimental. He is the God of the NOW! He is as the Bible affirms the GREAT I AM!
The Director of Christian Life Bible College in New Zealand where I spent two years in the mid 70's used to love quoting the verse from Luke 9:62 where Jesus says: No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
The same verse in The Message Bible, the Bible in Contemporary Language by Eugene H. Peterson reads: Jesus said, "No procrastination.No backward looks. You can't put God's kingdom off till tomorrow. Seize the day."
This is the first part of my blog which I have titled: Onwards and Upwards. Please look for the continuation of this theme in upcoming Posts, the next of which I hope to have out later this week.
If you are a Christian, and are reading this, let me encourage you to know that God's plans and purposes for you are for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11)
If you do not know Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord, go to www.vision.org.au Click on the Resourses button at the top, then Christianity, OR
go to www.livingwaters.com to find heaps of resources to help you both discover new life in Christ, and also how to effectively share your faith. God Bless

A VISION TO PONDER

This was given by the Holy Spirit to a woman of God in a Charismatic Baptist church where we fellowshipped in Northern Tasmania just before the year 2000. Her prophetic words were welcomed and accepted by the then church leadership, as she was a stable, committed member of the church fellowship living a life of personal and spiritual integrity. We believe it still has relevance to the church today.

The King who was King over all things sent to the earth many, many diamonds. In every place and in every kingdom of the earth He placed His diamonds so they could be treasured and polished and shaped. He had special places in His eternal kingdom for each diamond to return to.
The King watched in pain as those He entrusted with his diamonds saw only how they could use them for their own pleasure and gain. Many of these were even blind to the beauty present in each diamond, seeing in them only a reflection of their own darkness and a target for their anger and greed. Some of the diamonds were smashed to pieces as again and again the entrusted ones hit them with huge rocks. Some were drilled through and put on necklaces as trophies to be worn.
The King looked further down the streets of the nations, looking for those He had made ready to come to the aid of the diamonds.He saw his redeemed people, His bride, sitting in shop fronts with big windows. Looking through the windows, it looked more like a pub. The people were drinking, taking drugs, laughing and eating. Every now and then they would look out of the window and say: "It's not very nice out there. Have another drink, friend." The longer they stayed, the foggier the windows became and the less they could see. Sometimes they seemed to stop for a few minutes and look at each other as if something had disturbed their activities. They looked confused but soon went on with what they were doing.
The King's pain increased as He watched His Son, the Risen Saviour, stand among His people and call them saying, "Worship Me. I am Righteousness and Justice." At times, one or two would hear His voice and see His tears and leave the shop front. This pleased the Lord and He cleared the fog from their eyes and minds and gave them assignments. Some of the assignments were to clear the fog from the window. This annoyed or amused the people inside.
The King watched. His pain increased until it nearly tore the universe apart. His anger burned as He watched. In the dark streets He saw that some of the redeemed had gone out and they were forcing holes through the diamonds and making necklaces with them. Then they went to the evil one who lived in the streets of the nations. They bowed to him, took off their necklaces and offered them to him to add to all the others he wore. The evil one was pleased and greedily snatched them.
The King called to His Son, "It is time. Smash the windows, shake My people. No longer will they sit and become blind, callous and oblivious to what is outside their fogged vision. It is time for them to rise up and see, to use their authority, to call on their Lord, to feel, to go, to pray, to love. It is time, My Son. Call them to pure worship, to see straight, to see Truth, to see Your Righteousness and Justice. My Son, call them."
The Son turned from the Father and pulled from its sheath a huge, brilliant sword. It looked like a bolt of lightning. The sword is to be used in response to the righteous prayers of the redeemed. Written on the handle are the words Righteousness and Justice Belong to the Lord. It is also a warning to the redeemed. The voice of the Son rang out around the nations, "Awake!"

The writer of the above admonished the readers to ask the Lord to show the full meaning of this and what it requires of us.

Here is what she personally believed to be something of the interpretation.
The Diamonds represent the ones who have been lost because the church has been so blinded by seeing its own needs fulfilled, staying in comfort zones, and idolizing traditions of man. These ones are especially the millions of children in the world who are abused, in slavery, orphaned etc - also the millions who are helpless because of economic injustice. This is not an exclusive understanding because the Lord wil speak different things to different people with a vision like this.

MUSIC - Ode to the Mighty Creator God (Genesis 1:1 - 2:10)

Hush!
          Listen...
                   the soft wind whispers through the leaves
                   stirring gently the harps of the trees,
                            Mysteriously,
                                              throbbing,
                                                              swelling...

Hark!
         Tremble...
                         the storm - wind rages, tossing trees
                         crashing thunder of surging seas
                                  Grey - white,
                                             foaming
                                                Stay, and afraid, wonder...

Hear, again
                  Falling
                            rain
                                 pattering
                  Little streams chattering
                  Broad rivers murmuring
                  Flowing to the mighty sea
                  Dashing on the shore
                  Leaping on the cliffs
                  Dancing on the rocks

Try to recall
                     the music of dreams fading ...
                     elusive, first beyond reach -
                    The haunting cry of a wild bird, clear and lonely
                     The distant sound of the sea, or the wind,
                              Whispering in a shell ...

Remember when
                              a mother 
                                            softly sang to her child
        While the kettle spluttered hissing by the flick'ring fire
         Unheeded by the cat, drowsy - purring on the hearth,
          Or the clock slowly - ticking on the wall.

Music is woven - part of our lives
           Like patterns of flowers embroidering the roadside,
                                    heard
                                              in sound, in silence, in memory, in dreams ...

           Look!
                     The lovely rainbow leaping
                      across dark, stormy skies,
                      Covenant of promise.

           Daffodil carpets where dark firs tread
                wind - ruffled, close to the lake ...

                          wild roses, lost from heaven
                            and caught upon our thorny hedges
                                     with their hearts of candlelight ...

           a gay, red ribbon fluttering
                          in wreaths of dark hair ...

      butterfly emerging from the chrysalis
                resting, wrinkled, wings unfolding,
                             drying, shimmering in the sun ...

   Silver birches by the stream
              Slender, sun - lit, silent ...

   A bird poised motionless, high in the sky,
       Perhaps waiting to pounce, on its quivering prey ...

  Casquading fall of a mountain stream
       Framed in summer's tracery of 
                            green - curtained fern ...

  Gleaming fish unmoving, suspended as though frozen,
  Above the gravel banks, gold - fleck'd, in clear pools
                                   deep and calm ...

  The lights of a city at night
      Hiding the blemishes, transforming
                the grey, grimy bustle of day
                      into a fairyland of colour.

  Music is God's song to us,
             Let's sing the high praises of God in our lives ...
                              a song even in the night ...
                                  discerning the song of the Lord
               in the hearts of others
                       filling the earth with the glory of God.
                                                                                    Hebrews 2:14