Tuesday, December 18, 2012

The Christmas Story



The Christmas Story

He came from heaven to earth to show the way
From the earth to the cross my debt to pay
From the cross to the grave
From the grave to the sky
Lord, I lift your name on high.

Doesn’t this little song give a great summary of what Christmas is all about? We usually hear the nativity story only in compressed and somewhat creative versions.

Several years ago I decided to make a wall hanging to depict what Christmas means to me. When I really thought about it the nativity component became only a small part of the whole.



God made a way for that relationship to be restored – He sent his only son, Jesus.
He came as a baby, but didn’t stay a baby. He came to die – the sacrifice for our sins.
He didn’t stay dead – He rose from the dead to prove He was the Son of God, and returned to His Father in Heaven.
He is coming back again to reign as King over all the earth with all those who have accepted his forgiveness and become a part of his kingdom.
Jesus Christ will rule forever – it all ends with GOD.



So although we see evil which has been introduced by Satan throughout the world, we can be encouraged because we know the end of the story. Jesus will reign.

All creation is groaning while it waits for the day of redemption. But rest assured the day of restoration of all things is coming. Jesus will reign. Why not join him?




Some great Scriptures to read ………..
Genesis 1 to 3;  John 3:16;   1 Corinthians 15:3-5;   Revelation 22:12

Also check out this amazing video (copy and paste into your browser).

vimeo.com/1371841
 





Sunday, December 2, 2012

Are You Listening God?



ARE YOU LISTENING GOD?

Okay, God, where are your angels? My Mum used to tell me the angels look out for us, but I don’t see any sign of angels. Certainly aren’t any flapping their wings round this cell of mine. Ah, guess they’d get their shiny wings dirty in a place like this, wouldn’t they. Huh! Are you listening God? Do you hear me?

I know I did wrong, but not much, it wasn’t my fault, really. I was just the driver. It was the others who busted that bank, and they’re locked up too. Deserve all they get, those rotters. But I got three years too, just for driving the van they got away in, or would have got away if those cops hadn’t been waiting round the corner. Someone must have tipped them off. Just wait till I find out who did that.

Now what about my kids? Their useless father took off years ago, and I’m in here, with nothing to do but go mad worrying about them. They might as well be orphans, and God, you said you’d look after orphans and widows. I know, they’re with my sister, but it’s not much life for them there, she’s as much a crook as I am. And God, you said all the children have angels who look on your face and look after the children. Well, you’d sure better look after my children, 'children of inmates’ they’re called now, because I sure can’t.

Oh, and Christmas is coming, I can’t even get any Christmas presents for my own kids. I know, I never used to get them much anyway, never had any money, but I was there for them, well, when I wasn’t drunk, but now I’m locked away here and can’t do a thing. And I’m not even drunk.

Won’t be much of a Christmas for me in here, but I don’t mind that. Never was one for Christmas, anyway. It’s my kids’ loss that hurts. I’d give anything to make Christmas better for them.


January:

You wouldn’t believe it! An angel showed up. Truly, an angel came and told me my children were getting Christmas presents, and I didn’t need to worry about a thing.
She told me about this organisation I’d never heard of, Prison Fellowship, who run a program called Angel Tree. People from churches buy presents for children of prisoners (like my Millie and Jake) and give them out as if they’d come from the parent. Have you ever heard of anything like it?

Anyway, they had somehow got hold of my kid’s names, and even managed to ask what they wanted. Would you believe that? And then this group, they went around delivering all these Christmas presents to children of inmates.

When my sister brought Millie and Jake in to visit last week, Millie brought the doll she’d been given. It was a beauty alright; Millie was thrilled to bits, and cuddling that doll as if she wouldn’t let it go. Jake was beside himself with the latest Lego, he’d made an enormous truck and brought it to show me.

“Thanks, Mum,” Millie said. “You got me the best present ever.” Well, that brought tears to my eyes. Most I’ve cried for ages.

I don’t know much about this outfit, Prison Fellowship, but when I get out of here I’ll find out more. I think there must be hundreds and hundreds of angels out there, just like in heaven, all doing their thing, and bringing joy to people at Christmas. God, you must have heard me after all.


Written for Faithwriters Blog Contest.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Only Paralyzed From the Neck Down



Only Paralyzed From the Neck Down
The Life and Ministry of Tom Brewster
by Dan Brewster
William Carey Library, California.
1997. 310 pp
Reviewed by Lois Farrow


When 18 year old Tom Brewster careened too fast down the new waterslide at a YMCA camp, his neck was broken. It seemed his father’s prayers that Tom would be a missionary in some foreign land were wasted. Tetraplegic and totally dependent, how could Tom have a meaningful future?

This inspirational book has the answer. Tom knew that God was in control of his life and he was thankful to be alive. He found comfort in Hannah Hurnard’s poem ‘In Acceptance Lieth Peace’. Instead of asking ‘Why me’, he daily and hourly chose to create meaning in his life by accepting God’s sovereignty.

Tom faced his recovery with characteristic gusto and determination. He became consumed with passion for the poor and for the lost. He determined to communicate God’s message of hope to a lost world, and empower others to do so effectively.

The Lord led Tom and his wife Betty Sue into an exhausting life of travel to over 80 countries. Through study and teaching with Fuller Seminary, Campus Crusade for Christ, Wycliffe and others, they pioneered new language learning techniques useful to missionaries and Bible Translators world wide.

Their programme, Language Acquisition Made Practical (LAMP), made language learning accessible to many who struggled with existing methods. ‘Learn a little and use it a lot’ was Tom’s mantra.

Tom died in 1985 having been paralyzed for 27 years, his legacy a transformed understanding of translation techniques. His life and remarkable attitude were a miracle of God’s amazing grace.

The author, Dan Brewster, knew his brother well. This biography combines careful research with personal knowledge and tells of an extraordinary life of acceptance and diligence, with far reaching results for God’s kingdom.

As Dan says “Tom’s mind and heart were never paralyzed, he was only paralyzed from the neck down.”

Tuesday, August 21, 2012


Rees Howells – Intercessor
 
by Norman Grubb
CLC Publications 1952
Reprinted 2011

Many people long for intimacy with God, but are we prepared to pay the price?

Someone who did was Welsh evangelist, Rees Howells. His friend, Norman Grubb, in his book Rees Howells Intercessor, gives a unique insight into the inner life of a mighty intercessor. Howells was a man with sensitivity to the voice and heart of God, who was hugely influential in his immediate and wider worlds.

Howells was born on October 10, 1879 in the mining village of Brynamman, South Wales, the sixth child in a family of eleven. Rees father worked in the iron works and later the coal mine and many in the family worked in the mines, including Rees.

The book details his early life and shows an upright young man who was very religious, but in his early twenties he realised that he too needed to be saved.

Howells tells the story of his conversion. “I saw the cross. It seemed as if I spent ages at the Saviour’s feet, and I wept and wept. …  I felt as if He had died just for me. He broke me, and everything in me went right out to Him. … That night I received the gift of eternal life, that gift which money cannot buy. … I changed altogether ... The veil was taken back, my eyes were opened and I saw Him.”

The Lord dealt with many things in Howell’s life, among them his self-nature, love of money, ambition, reputation, nature, motives. Later he learnt much about prayer for healing and saw some remarkable results. He also learnt that God didn’t heal every time; he needed to seek God’s face in each individual case.

Howells had a special friendship with Elizabeth Hannah Jones but felt he should not marry as that would interfere with his relationship with God. It was not until he was in his thirties that he felt God gave the go ahead for their marriage. In the meantime, Elizabeth patiently waited for him, and supported him wholeheartedly in whatever the Lord asked him to do.

Howells was instrumental in the Welsh Revival in 1904 when there was a great move of God in holiness and revival. Soon after their marriage Howells and his wife were called to mission work in Africa. They were there for six years, sacrificially leaving their only son, Samuel, behind being fostered by relatives, so they were wholly available to the Lord. Revival broke out in Africa also and many were brought into the Kingdom.

After returning to Wales the Lord led them back to the south of Wales where Howells bought property and established a Bible College and other works. Through all of these the Lord led him very definitely to trust Him for provision of finance, personnel, students and the future. Later Howells had remarkable experiences interceding in world affairs as the Second World War loomed.

A key verse for Howells was John 15:7 “If ye abide in Me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you.”

The sacrifices demanded in the life of intercession seemed hard, but the rewards were great. From his place of abiding and knowing God, Howells was instrumental in bringing many souls into the Kingdom.

Howells died on February 13, 1950, a faithful servant at rest. His son, Samuel, took over the leadership of the College, a man uniquely fitted by his life experiences to fill his father’s shoes.



 

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Pocket Testament League


Read, Carry and Share

“If only we could get people to read the Book for themselves it will surely lead them to Christ.” This was the motivation of Helen Cadbury, founder of the Pocket Testament League, in her passion for evangelism and the need she saw for evangelism tools.

Helen Cadbury of Birmingham, England, shy teenage daughter of the president of Cadbury Chocolates, became so excited about sharing her faith that in 1893 she organized a group of girls to sew pockets onto their dresses to carry a small New Testament. The girls called their group “The Pocket Testament League,” had membership cards, and pledged to read a portion of the Bible every day, pray, and share their faith when opportunity arose. Their catch cry was – read, carry, share.

In 1904 Helen married American evangelist Charles Alexander who officially organized the League with Dr. J. Wilbur Chapman in Philadelphia, PA in March 1908. Alexander had worked with famous evangelist Dwight L. Moody, and this worldwide evangelism experience gave a huge boost to the League. Alexander was a singer and hymn writer, and they did music and preaching tours together.

Throughout the following years, the League grew and was active within military camps throughout WW1 and WW2, in factories and offices in peacetime, and within government work schemes for jobless men throughout the Great Depression. They were affected by the war themselves, their headquarters in Birmingham, England being destroyed by bombs on 29 December 1941. In spite of this they continued distributing portions of Scripture wherever they could, and later branched into radio ministry as well.

Gradually the League became active worldwide. League members also shared at several Olympic Games. Whether to individuals or large gatherings, they saw opportunities to encourage people to read God’s Word. From humble beginnings, the League has brought the truth of God’s Word to millions of people for more than 100 years.

Transformed from the shy teenager who sought a way to share her faith, Helen Cadbury Alexander grew to a confident woman who motivated others to share. Her transformation is demonstrated in this verse of the well known hymn which she co-wrote:
Anywhere with Jesus, over land and sea,
Telling souls in darkness of salvation free;
Ready as He summons me to go or stay,
Anywhere with Jesus when He points the way.


PTL’s website includes personal stories of people impacted by the Scriptures, e.g.: ‘I was controlled by fear, anxiety, shame and depression, but Jesus changed all that. Now I have joined PTL because I want others to know Jesus too.’

Helen’s original vision still drives the ministry today - bringing the Word of God to people. The Pocket Testament League provides many helps to do this, giving away Testaments and providing free evangelism training and evangelism tools, plus apps for iPhones and similar devices. The website also has free daily devotionals to deepen us in the Word of God.

Read, Carry and Share. You will be glad you did.       


Endorsed by www.faithwriters.com



Tuesday, June 26, 2012


Favourite Author Number One: C.S.Lewis

My favourite author is well-known writer, C.S. Lewis. Born in 1898 in Belfast, Ireland, Lewis was sent to England for schooling with his older brother, Warren, after their mother died. His education continued between the two countries, and later Lewis was accepted to study at Oxford. He also served in the military and was wounded in France in 1918. He was a highly respected academic, prolific writer, and much loved teacher.

An avowed atheist, Lewis came to faith in Christ in 1931, as he tells it in his autobiography Surprised by Joy ‘the most reluctant convert in all of England’.  I gave in, and admitted that God was God, he said. After this he spoke and wrote extensively to explain his change of heart.  He was able to take profound spiritual truths and explain them in such a way that everyone could understand. This was powerful, because he was speaking from the heart and from his own experience.

His writing included expository books (explaining the Christian faith), and allegorical stories such as The Screwtape Letters. He is also well-known for his seven-part Narnia Chronicles, the first of which was The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, published in 1950.

Lewis was single for most of his life, but in the 1950s he met an American divorcee, Joy Davidman, with whom he struck up a great friendship. They were married in 1957 when she was seriously ill with cancer. Remarkably she recovered and they had two wonderful years together before the cancer returned and she died. This story is told very emotionally in the film Shadowlands.

After Joy’s death Lewis’ preaching changed. Having spoken so eloquently about coping with grief, he now had his own personal grief to deal with. Another book was in the making, A Grief Observed, which was published in 1961. The teaching of Lewis reached new depths.

I find C.S.Lewis has a way of explaining matters of faith in an easy and logical manner, and I very much enjoy reading his books. He advised writers to know exactly what they want to say, and to be sure they are saying exactly that. Lewis died on 22 November, 1963, the same day President John Kennedy was shot.

A favourite quote from Lewis:-

There will be no sceptics in hell, neither atheists, infidels nor agnostics. Eternity will make everyone a Bible believer.


Can a mortal ask questions which God finds unanswerable? Quite easily, I should think. All nonsense questions are unanswerable.

I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.

There are two kinds of people: those who say to God, "Thy will be done," and those to whom God says, "All right, then, have it your way."

We all want progress, but if you're on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; in that case, the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive.









Monday, June 18, 2012


Recently we were asked to tell of the book that was the most help to us in writing. When I thought about it I realised the book that has the most influence on my writing is the Bible.
This book has just about every kind of writing in it.
  • It has poetry of many kinds
  • It has a wonderful collection of proverbs and wise sayings
  • A lot of it is historical narrative to tell what happened in the past
  • It also tells of the future
  • It has great examples of allegory
  • It tells people’s stories
  • These stories have love, hate, jealousy, conflict and resolution
  • We learn how to live in harmony with God and each other

Jesus often used stories, both fact and fiction (parables), to explain God’s story. He had great ability to take examples out of everyday life and use whatever was in front of him to explain great life truths and teach life lessons.

The Bible is a compilation of 66 books which have been organised into one book which has a single theme and message; God made us, God loves us and God wants us to live with him for ever.

The Bible has much to say about words and communicating by writing. By studying its style and makeup we can learn a lot that we can use in our own writing.

When I started writing and was very unsure of myself I came across these words about Solomon, known as the wisest king of all time.

‘Not only was the Teacher wise, but also he imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs. The Teacher searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true.’ Ecclesiastes 12:9-10.
In our writing we research and try to find the right words. 
In Luke 3 in The Message John is said to have spoken 
many ‘words that gave strength to the people, 
words that put heart in them’.

What a goal for our writing. To bring God’s message,
 to write words that are upright and true, to write words that give strength and put heart in the people.                                                                                                               

Check out five awesome reasons for reading the Bible at    www.ptl.org/alive/whyscripture.php 


                                                                                                                                Images from internet