Song of Solomon 2:8 (NIV) ~ Listen! My lover! Look! Here he comes, leaping across the mountains, bounding over the hills. 

Here he comes to my aid, no mountain, no hill, no valley, no obstacle, will stand between God coming to me when I call upon His name. Here he comes bounding over the hills coming to my rescue. Whenever I call His name, He is right there by my side. Look my soul, look, my Jesus is coming to me, and the Lover of my soul comes to me. 

Nicolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson wrote the words to this beautiful song, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.” It contained these lyrics:

If you need me, call me, no matter where you are, no matter how far,

Just call my name, I’ll be there in a hurry, you don’t have to worry,

Ain’t no mountain high enough, ain’t no valley low enough, ain’t no river wide enough,

To keep me from getting to you.  

Swift like a gazelle, bounding so gracefully, does my Jesus come to me. The Lover of my soul spoke to me saying, “My darling, my beautiful one” (Song of Solomon 2:13). For someone to call you His beautiful one, His darling, the one whom he loves and laid His life upon the altar of sacrifice to save you, shows His pure and amazing love for you.

My friend, when you pray, the Lover of your soul, Jesus Christ, comes to you with the answer to your prayers. 

Christ is the answer to my every need, Christ is the answer, He is my friend indeed;

Problems of life, my spirit, may assail, with Christ My Saviour I shall never fail,

For Christ is the answer to my need.  

Oh, what a beautiful verse to encourage your heart with today, from our text in Song of Solomon 2:8 (NIV), “Listen! My lover! Look! Here he comes, leaping across the mountains, bounding over the hills.” No sooner are the words of prayer off your lips, then look! Here he comes, my Saviour, My Messiah, the Lover of your soul, Jesus Christ, with the answer to your prayer! 

God bless you my friend, Matthew.

Philippians 2:20 (Amplified Bible) ~ For I have no one like him no one of so kindred a spirit, who will be so genuinely interested in your welfare and devoted to your interests. 

What a beautiful description of two people working together with one purpose for the things of the kingdom of God. The word “kindred” means someone having similar qualities; related by blood. Wow, now that is something to think about; having a kindred spirit, brought together with a different spirit, one of unity with the same interests, related by blood. We are all washed in the same blood, that precious blood of Jesus Christ, having the same goal, with the same vision, with spirit of unity in the Lord. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 3:7 to 9 (NIV), “So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.” The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labour, for we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. 

Here is something else to consider, the world uses a term to describe a close relationship between two people and they call it “soul mates.”  However, there is something stronger than a soul mate, for the term in itself has limitations, it only scratches the surface of true relationships and it only touches souls. But to have a spiritual relationship with someone and find a wife or husband who shares the same interests, who has the same goals, who wants to glorify God with their relationship is called being of “kindred spirit”; touching way past just the soul, for the soul is but temporary, while the things of the spirit are eternal. To be of a kindred spirit and having a passion to walk hand in hand, step-by-step, in unity before the Lord in serving Him together in the things of the Kingdom, is to have a kindred spirit, related by the blood of Jesus. Being born of the same seed is of far greater worth than to simply be a soul mate.    

My friend, oh, what it would be like to have someone of a kindred spirit to run the race with in Christ Jesus. The Bible says in Psalm 133:1 (KJV), “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” As we dwell together as kindred spirits, wanting to work together for the glory of God, then it is there the Lord commands the blessing. 

God bless you my friend, Matthew.

Luke 14:10 (KJV) Friend, go up higher to a better place. 

Go up higher to a better place,

Go up higher to a new place of blessings,

Go up higher to a new place of victory,

Go up higher to a new place of abundance,

Go up higher to a new place of glory,

Go up higher to new realms of faith,

Go up higher to soar to new heights,

Go up higher to be closer to Jesus. 

Listen to the words from the one who calls you his friend, ‘go up higher to a better place.’ His invitation for you is to move on up to a better place. There are realms of great faith, victory, and glory, of power, fire and passion in the Holy Spirit yet to be discovered, listen to His invitation to you today for our text in Luke 14:10 (KJV) Friend, go up higher a better place. 

His desire is to bless you and lift you up to better places than you have ever known before. His desire is for you to soar like the Eagle, with wind of the Holy Spirit beneath your wings lifting you higher, higher, and higher to a better place than where you are just now. 

My friend, oh may we have ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to us today from Luke 14:10 (KJV) Friend, go up higher to a better place. 

God bless you my friend, Matthew.

The Doctrine of Revelation

The work of the Spirit in the heart is as indispensable as was the work of Christ on the Cross. The necessity for the Spirit’s inward and effective operations are from the darkness, depravity and spiritual emptiness of fallen human nature. He alone can discover to us our dire need of Christ, convict us of our lost and ruined condition, create within us a hatred and horror of sin, bring us to consent to Christ’s sceptre, and make us willing in the day of His power to take Christ’s yoke upon us. By nature we are totally averse to holiness, and from birth have been accustomed to doing evil only. It is impossible for us to take into the arms of our affection a holy Christ until the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus first takes hold of us. Moreover, there is a transcendency in spiritual things which far exceeds the highest flight of natural reason. Nature stands in need of grace in order for the heart to be rightly disposed to receive the things of God, and no human culture or education can effect that. A Gospel which comes to us from Heaven can only be savingly known by an inward revelation from Heaven. The Gospel is a revelation of Divine grace, such as had never entered the heart of man to conceive, still less is it capable of comprehending it—their Author must apply it to the heart. – A. W. Pink

Revelation 3:8 (KJV) ~ I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it.  

I have been told many times, by several people, that when God closes one door He another opens. There can be doors of opportunities; doors that lead you from one place to another. It is interesting to note that God shut the door of the Ark in the time of Noah until it was the right time for the door of the Ark to be opened. Even if Noah had tried to open the door of the Ark it would not have happened until it was the right time to do so. If we are truly obedient to the Lord, if we are, in one sense, safe within the Ark of His will, then whatever door He shuts let us have the wisdom to submit to His will until He opens a new a door. God shuts a door for a reason, and He opens one at the right time. 

The Apostle Paul spoke about an open door in 2 Corinthians 2:12 (The Message), “When I arrived in Troas to proclaim the Message of the Messiah, I found the place wide open.”  God had opened the door, and all he had to do was walk through it. Also, the same term is used in Colossians 4:3 (NIV), “…and pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message”; an open door to walk through into a new area of fresh blessings, new beginnings, and of new opportunities to be an effective witness for the Lord. 

We can come before one door after another in our journey of faith, and life can be one door after another. The Bible says in Hosea 2:15 (KJV), “And I will give her vineyards from thence, and the valley of Achor for a door of hope.” In other words, He will open a door of hope in your valley of despair.   

His door is one which leads to a new beginning, a fresh start. For example, we come to Jesus Christ who is God’s front door of Salvation.  He is the Gate which we walk through and find Life. At Calvary God hung that door, with Jesus Christ on the lintel of a wooden cross, and used the nails as hinges. It is now up to each and every one of us to enter in through and by God’s front door of Salvation. It is the place we go to if we want to cross from death to life. Just as there is only one door to our heart, so there is only one door to the heart of God and that is where we find Jesus Christ. If we knock on the door of His heart, it will be opened unto us. It is there we enter in and are saved. It is there we find fresh (heavenly) pasture, through Jesus Christ, God’s front door.  

My friend, we can push and shove with all our might against a door hoping it will open for us, but if we are fully trusting in the Lord and we will allow Him to open the doors which need to be opened and close those which are not the right ones for us, we will find peace. For our text for today says in Revelation 3:8 (KJV), “I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it.” Let us, this day, trust God to open the right doors for us, albeit with the right employment opportunity, or an opportunity to spread the gospel and engage in the work of the ministry. Let us walk through every open door God has for us, knowing that His protection, provision, peace and power will be with us with every step we take. Let us fully trust Him, for it truly is God who opens the right door for us at the right time. 

God bless you my friend, Matthew.

By Cara Sulieman

SUSAN Boyle has dedicated her record-breaking debut album to her mum – saying she promised her she would “do something” with her life.

I Dreamed a Dream hit the shops today, but had already broken the sales record for pre-orders on website Amazon.

With bookies refusing to take bets on the CD reaching the top spot in the album charts this week, the debut was a success before it even hit the shelves.

And SuBo makes several references to her mum on the cover sleeve, dedicating her most famous song I Dreamed a Dream to Bridget Boyle, who died in 2007 aged 91.

“This is for you”

She writes: “It (I Dreamed a Dream) is about a mother living in hard times.

“Very similar to my dream on a more personal level of my ‘life gone by’ with mum who died at the age of 91 and who’s ‘dream’ it was that I should ‘do something’ with my life.

“Mum this is for you.”

And elsewhere in the sleeve notes there is a picture of Susan with Bridget, along with the dedication.

It reads: “I would like to dedicate this album to my beloved mother, to whom I made a promise to ‘be someone’.”

Diversity

The 48-year-old has said before that every song featured on the album means something to her, and the lyrics are accompanied by an explanation.

These comments provide an insight into the singer, who has struggled to cope with her meteoric rise to fame since she appeared on Britain’s Got Talent in April.

After losing the final of the talent show to dance troupe Diversity, the singer was checked into the Priory suffering from exhaustion.

But the note about the hymn ‘Amazing Grace’ suggests that she had now come to terms with her new-found fame.

It reads: “About finding your way. Everything was new to me. I was scared, hope its better.

“I know it can be with your continued support which I find both touching and humbling.”

And she goes on to promise more than just a one-hit wonder as she writes about ‘The End of the World’: “Don’t be silly! It’s only the beginning!

“I want you to enjoy some more!”

With millions of copies of the album already sold in pre-orders, and millions more expected to fly off the shelves this week, it is anticipated that the star will still be in the number one spot at Christmas.

Bookies William Hill have put her as favourite for the festive top spot as some bookies refuse to accept bets.

And Margaret Mitchell, 69, from Edinburgh was one of the first fans to grab herself a copy in Edinburgh today (Mon).

“Just brilliant”

Out Christmas shopping with a friend, she had made the music shop her first stop to buy the CD.

She said: “I saw her on Sunday night on the X Factor and she was just brilliant.

“I’m a big fan and have been following her since she was on Britain’s Got Talent.

“She’s just so unusual and not what we were expecting. She’s just so good. I’m looking forward to hearing the album.”

Music store HMV have braced themselves for the rush to grab the singer’s album this week, expecting more than 300,000 copies to fly off the shelves.

“Biggest release of the year”

A spokeman for the company said: “Susan Boyle’s I Dreamed A Dream is set to become the biggest week-one album release of the year.

“Our online store, hmv.com, has received one of its largest-ever customer pre-orders for any album, whilst our high street stores around the country have been receiving numerous enquiries from fans for weeks now, especially those in her native Scotland.

“Based on this huge level of expected demand, which can only be boosted by SuBo’s much-anticipated X-Factor appearance this weekend, HMV predicts that the début album from the Britain’s Got Talent finalist will shift more than 300,000 copies in just six days – making it the biggest and fastest-selling week-one release of 2009.”

See more of our pictures at our Flickr site and videos at our dedicated channel,  Deadline TV.

Colossians 3:9 to 10 (NIV) ~ Since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 

Can you picture this verse coming alive before you? Can you imagine that you have been out rolling around in the muck, you are covered in dirt, and then you take off all your filthy rages and put on new white garments that are clean and spotless? The Bible says in Ephesians 4:22 to 24 (NIV), “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” 

Not once, but twice in the Scripture, this descriptive phase is used, “Put on the new self,” the new Christ-centred attitudes and characteristics. Cast away your old rags and clothe yourself in and with Christ Jesus.  When you come to Christ Jesus you are a new creation, for the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV), “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” 

My friend, God is calling you to take off the old and put on the new, to exchange your filthy rages for royal robes you don’t deserve, but by His grace, mercy and love He wants to give them to you. So take off your old self and put on the new in Jesus, and be made new in every area of your life as you clothe yourself in Christ Jesus. 

In the words of an old gospel song:

The windows of heaven are open; the blessings are falling tonight,
There’s joy, joy, joy in my heart, for Jesus made everything right
I gave Him my old tattered garment; He gave me a robe of pure white
I’m feasting on manna from heaven, and that’s why I’m happy tonight. 

God bless you my friend, Matthew.

I don’t even remember what my first credit card was, or what I bought with it, or why I thought it having one was such a good idea.

It wasn’t just that I was spending money that I didn’t have. It was that I was trying to live the lifestyle of an executive, as an intern. I was at the lunches, wearing my cute new outfits. I was getting Starbucks and adding the extra shots. I was buying presents for people.

I was trying to gain the acceptance of everyone around me while the only One who has ever truly loved me and accepted me watched as I put another shackle on my ankle. I was an idiot.

I have nothing to show for the over $30,000 of credit card debt that I had racked up between the ages of 18 & 23. Nothing.

I was living in Ohio and part of the community at sevenoseven the night I laid my debt on the altar, literally.

Pastor Dan Burgoyne was preaching on radical amputation . Remember the whole “If your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out” business? Yeah, that was Jesus (Matthew 5:29-). And He was serious.

Pastor Dan challenged us something was sin in your life, and you know sin separates you from God, Jesus commands us to radically amputate that sin.

There he was, calling all of us twenty-somethings out on our junk. He challenged the hormone driven men to burn their porn, our lust, our flirtations, our overeating, drinking, sleeping, spending,  gossip magazines. If we are the body and bride of Christ, why are we so entangled in our self pleasure and sin? And what does that say about the redemptive message that God is our all in all that we preach to the “unbelievers”.  And I knew.

My credit cards had me in chains. I could not run hard after God while in bondage to sin.

So there we were. A community broken over our sin. I knew what I had to do. I cut up my credit cards to pieces. I returned to my seat to continue in worship of my Creator, and Provider.

I remember Ryan Wilkins leading worship that night. I remember it as though it was just yesterday. Through the tears we sang….

You are the only one I need

I bow all of me at Your feet

I worship You alone

You have given me more than I could ever have wanted

And I want to give You my heart and my soul

You alone are Father And You alone are good

You are alone are Savior And You alone are God

I’m alive, I’m alive I’m alive, I’m alive…………

With my credit cards on the altar I made a commitment to not rely on the false security credit offered. So I closed all my accounts and made an aggressive contract to pay all the debt back, with a negotiated lower interest rate, in just over 5 years. I had to trust that this was true obedience and that He who started the good work would be faithful to complete it.

God proved Himself faithful.

The last several years have been rough. It has been total dependence on Christ and His provision. I have had to ask for help from my parents. I have freaked out in prayer about my money and bills. And God led   people to randomly, and anonymously bless me with cash, or gift cards, or checks through the church in the mail. Friends have noticed me being on fumes and filling up my car. There were seasons of not being able to find a job, and He was faithful.

In September I made my last payment to my creditors.

My chains are gone
I’ve been set free
My God, my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy rains
Unending love, Amazing grace………….

I’m alive, I’m alive I’m alive, I’m alive…………

Here is yet another version of Amazing Grace this time by a christian band Flatfoot 56. It rockets along and has the main ‘Grace’ instrument featured… the Bagpipes!

Enjoy

Ephesians 5:25 (NIV) ~ Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. 

In a day when so many wives feel neglected, unwanted, unappreciated and taken for granted, God is speaking to husbands to rise up and love their wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. The Bible says in Proverbs 18:22 (NIV), “He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favour from the LORD.” A covenant wife is one who understands the value and importance of loving her husband just as the husband loves his wife. A covenant marriage is one in which both a husband and wife work through everything together in prayer. They are always there for each other, taking the time to listen and pay attention to what each other is saying. They believe in each other, encourage each other, and respect each other, and they never disrespect one another in public or in private. As a result, there will be nothing that will hinder your prayers and His peace rules your heart.

The husband is the head of the family and the spiritual priest who spends time in prayer for his wife and family. He cherishes his wife, feeds her, esteems her, respects her, appreciates her, never takes her for granted, builds her up in the most holy faith and like a Boaz, covers her in prayer and protects her. 

I love story about the young man on the night before he was going to get married who was given a gift from his father who was married to his mother for over forty-five years and was still loving her with everything he had. What his father gave him was a watch, but on the face of the watch there was a message engraved that said, “Say something nice to Sarah.” Husbands take the time to say something nice to your wife today; wives say something nice to your husband today as well. 

The Bible says that a woman’s true beauty is not caught up with material things 1 Peter 3:4 (NIV), “Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.” Gentlemen, your wife is gift from God, and ladies, your husband is a gift from God. Even though a husband is the head of the family, this position should never be one which is used to gain, or win a disagreement, or to be manipulative or controlling, which is not of God. Likewise, a woman should not have the same negative attitudes towards her husband. The Bible says in Colossians 3:19 (NIV), “Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.” Love them as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. Wives, in turn, will respond to being appreciated and cherished. As a result, they willing submit to their husband as fitting in the Lord, knowing him to be a godly man who loves her with all his heart, for when you love someone with all your heart, you want to do your best for them, blessing them and being a blessing to them as a godly husband. 

The responsibility for a husband is one that should not be taken lightly, for a husband is held accountable before the Lord for the way he treats his wife and his family, for she is his wife, and not merely a wife, but the wife of his covenant marriage before the Lord. I believe it is time for men to be men, but in order for that to happen, women must respect their husband’s position within the covenant marriage, so they can rise up and be the leader God calls them to be. 

My friend, when a man treats a woman as the Bible says in Ephesians 5:25 (NIV), “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,” and when a woman responds to her husband’s Christ-centred attitude, his love and Kingdom living, then something special happens, they both begin to live in and enjoy the blessings of a covenant marriage the way God has intended and ordained for them.    

God bless you my friend, Matthew.

Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.
Psalms 73:25

I have a covetous heart, LORD. Remind me that You are more than sufficient. Please teach me to seek you first in everything. Amen!

Judy Collins=Amazing Grace

Matthew 22:32 (KJV) ~ “…‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?’ God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” 

Oh, how I love the phrase, “The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” He is our ELOHIM ADONAI, our everlasting God. From one generation to another He is God. “Great is Thy faithfulness O God, my Father; there is no shadow of turning with Thee.  All I have needed Thy hand hath provided, great is Thy faithfulness Lord unto me.” 

This same God who made a covenant with Abraham and sealed it with blood as He walked through it as smoking brazier with a blazing torch, is the same GOD who brought the people out of Egypt with a display of His awesome power, who parted the sea so the people walk across on dry land to the Promised Land. He is the same God who, time and time again, throughout the Old Testament, showed Himself strong and mighty to save for His people. He is the same God who bared His holy arm with great and mighty works and delivered His people who called upon His name. He is the same God who showed His power to heal, raise the dead and conquer death, hell and grave, through His Son Jesus Christ. He is the same God who gives gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His will. He is the same God who gives you His ZOE life through Jesus Christ, and this great God, who is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, is our God!

He loves to display His glory in our lives, for He is a living, powerful, awesome God. He is from everlasting to everlasting. He is not a God of past miracles, but a God who is living to do miracles right now, for He has saved the best till now! He is the God of the NOW; here and now He is a living, all-powerful EL SHADDAI. 

My friend, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is our God. He is not only omniscient, not only omnipresent, but also omnipotent. Every manifestation of His awesome power and glory in the Scriptures can testify of His love for us. Just as every person in the Bible turned to the Lord and received a miracle for their lives, so we can do the same, for the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is our God, the God of the living, to display His power from one generation to another.

The cry of my heart today is, “Oh, God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, my God, I have heard of Your fame; I stand in awe of Your deeds; O Lord renew them in my day, in my time make them known. For you are the God of the living, let this generation live in the manifestation Your great power and glory.”

God bless you my friend, Matthew.

John 20:16 (NIV) ~ Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

Oh, how sweetly does He call your name.

Here in the garden Mary is looking for Jesus. She could have walked right passed Him; her eyes were on other things rather than looking to see who it was that stood right in front of her. She could have continued to look and not find Him, until Jesus spoke to her in one word. All it took was just one word and everything changed. All it takes is just one word from Jesus and everything changes. The Bible says in John 20:16 (NIV), “Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’” All at once, her heart knew it was Jesus the Messiah who was calling her name.

Everyone Jesus has ever called He calls by name. Oh, what a comfort to know Jesus knows your name.

At once, Mary turned towards Him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” which means teacher. There once was a time when your eyes never looked towards Him until He called your name, and then all at once, you turned to Jesus and saw Him as your Messiah, Teacher and Lord. When you hear His sweet, gentle voice lovingly call your name, all at once there is rest for your soul, all at once there is peace in your heart; all at once you are saved.

My friend, can you hear Jesus calling your name today? Perhaps today you are looking to find the Christ of Calvary, wherever you are right now, cry out to Jesus and as you do so, you will hear the blessed Saviour calling your name.

God bless you my friend, Matthew.

View “Amazing Grace”

View “The Lord’s Prayer”

The player with the most hits in the 1990’s was Chicago Cub Mark Grace, with 1,754.

**factoid courtesy of ‘Armchair Reader – Grand Slam Baseball’

My take – This stat alone should have kept ‘Gracey’ on the Hall of Fame ballot for more than 1 year.  We still love you ‘Gracey’!!!

****side note.  Is this cad screaming for a signature or what??****

Min absoluta favorit-gospel är “AMAZING GRACE”! Den har jag sjungit många gånger under årens lopp, dels på Båtarna, i kyrkorna på clubarna…ja överallt! På tv-succen Färjan på Kanal5, sjöng jag den ett antal gånger också. Jag sjunger den ständigt när jag är ombord på Färjan, Viking Cinderella, på Karaoken i Club7, samt i puben, pianobaren ibland. Likadant på Silja Line och på Birka Cruises. Ibland uppträder jag på Stora scenen på de olika båtarna….Det har ju hänt många gånger under årens lopp! Jag ÄLSKAR “amazing grace”. Den sångens budskap har jag upplevt! När Jesus frälste mej såg jag världen med nya ögon, jag kunde “se andligt! Jesus fann mej, frälste mej, jag blev fri!!!!Jag kan se hans kärlek, känna den varje dag, varje sekund av mitt liv!

Psalm 145:13 (NIV) ~ The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made. 

The Lord is faithful to all His promises. 

Here you have a cast iron guarantee from the word of God; the Lord is faithful to all his promises. His promise is a promise you can depend upon. You can reply and lean on His promise with all your might, with the full assurance that He is faithful to all His promises. In fact, if you look back into the Old Testament in Joshua 21:45 (NIV), Joshua tells all who are listening, his words echo with an absolute truth and power in God through the corridors of time, and even today they shake the very earth which we stand on with their overwhelming, awesome substance and filled with a power-packed faith and carried on the very authenticity of the integrity and character of God, “Not one of all the LORD’s good promises to the house of Israel failed; everyone was fulfilled.” He is a covenant keeping God, who is faithful to all His promises. 

His covenant is a covenant of love towards all He has made; a covenant of promise; a promise which resounds through the very Universe with this amazing theme, “God is faithful to all His promises and loving toward all he has made.” Every star, every planet, every celestial, heavenly angel, from everything that God has made, from every mountain top, every valley, every plant, every bird of the air, every fish of the sea, every creature which lives on the earth, from every plant, to everything that has the breath of life in it, can testify and join together in a beautiful symphony sung in one accord, “The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made.” 

My friend, what an amazing Scripture to encourage our hearts with, and build us up for the day ahead, from our text for today in Psalm 145:13 (NIV), “The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made.” 

God bless you my friend, Matthew.

1 Samuel 15:23 (KJV) ~ For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. 

In 1955, an actor named James Dean played the part of “Jim Stark” in the film called, Rebel Without A Cause. While it was a brilliant portrayal of the changing times within a society and the conflicting attitudes of different generations, the title arrested your attention. For even today many live as rebels without a cause. They rebel against any kind of authority whatsoever, refusing to accept responsibility or accountability of any sorts. But most of all, they rebel against God, refusing to accept His ways. 

In the UK, a civil order (ASBO) may be made against a person who has engaged in anti-social behaviour. In today’s society, some actually revel in anti-social behaviour to the point they wear any ASBO (anti-social behaviour order) like some sort of sick badge of honour.  

To be a rebel without a cause is to press the self-destruct button, having no respect for anything or anyone, allowing anarchy reign. In one sense, you raise a clenched fist up to God and say to Him, “I will not obey you, nor will I follow your ways, or accept Jesus as my Lord and Saviour, I will do things my way!” But the Bible warns us in 1 Samuel 15:23 (KJV), “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.” 

The alarming thing is that one day people who take such an approach and refuse to bow the knee to Jesus Christ in this lifetime, who do not repent and ask God for His forgiveness, will have to bow the knee before Him at the Judgment seat, where their pleading for forgiveness will be fruitless. 

If you want to be a rebel, then rebel against the enemy of souls and do the will of God.  Be a rebel with a cause against the tide of opinion of those who want nothing to do with God. Be a rebel with a cause, rebelling against all that is evil and fight the good fight of faith. Submit willingly to the Lord, with hands raised and hearts surrendered. Stand firm in Him, with integrity and honour before the Lord.

My friend, when you rebel against God, you in essence, turn your back on Him. Turn your negative rebellious attitudes over to the Lord and let Him give you a new beginning and fill you with a positive Christ-centered life.The Bible says Acts 3:19 (NIV), “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” Repent, do a complete turnaround from the direction in which you have been going, and go the other way. The Bible also says in Jeremiah 6:16 (NIV), “This is what the LORD says: ‘Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.” Only in Jesus will you find peace, joy, rest, order, a cause worth living for and a home in heaven to look forward to.

God bless you my friend, Matthew.

I love the song Amazing Grace, and these girls do a splendid job with it. What angelic voices, and what a gorgeous arrangement! The Cactus Cuties feature Madeline Powell (age 10), Blaire Elbert (12), Andi Kitten (13),  and Baylee Barrett (15). If you want to see more of these talented girls, click here to go to the Cactus Cuties YouTube channel run by Madeline Powell’s grandfather.

Movie Suggestion!! Ioan Gruffudd also did a splendid job singing this song in the movie “Amazing Grace” (2006). He has a powerful voice, and his acting prowess made William Wilberforce one of my favorite heroes. You hear of people making speeches, passing bills, and fighting for freedom. As a student the stories are tedious flashcards. Amazing Grace, however, brings the truth home. You feel the sting of slavery. You see the sweat that ended its run in England. Woah, I love that movie! It’s, well, amazing!

God bless, and sleep well, my friends!

the other night, well acutally i watched by video, so it was day, i got goosebumps watching Australian Idol top 3 contestant Stan Walker sing the chris tomlin version of Amazing Grace.  i commented, as you do, on facebook.  and began a discussion about what God was perhaps saying about so many christians winning American/Australian/New Zealand idol…

one response gave me goosebumps!

“I believe that the Lord is speaking a prophetic message to us Christians. He’s saying that He’s about to raise chosen believers up to a high, enviable level, much like these singers. But instead of being raised up in the natural realm where everything is perishable and seen, He’ll raise these chosen believers up in the spiritual realm where … Read Moreeverything is imperishable and not seen by natural eyes. And in the spirit realm, these chosen believers will have a degree of authority and power to make changes happen in their neighborhoods, cities and nations.”

i like that!

Opening prayer song reflection, (live crowd) “Amazing Grace” by Paul Oakley

[Book QUIZ] on Chapter 1 (Faith)

St Teresa of Avila – (16^th century mystic Carmelite religious sister, feast Oct 15) as a teen she lost interest in her faith, instead falling in love with boys & chivalry, mother died as a teen, placed in monastery, love of God rekindled, suffered repeated serious illnesses, struggled with prayer, experienced mystical visions of Christ, raptures (joyful unions with God), taught on prayer, “doctor of the Church” (influential writings).

VOCATION = “a call” by God to holiness

”Primary” Vocation … “to be a beloved child to our heavenly Father”

“State of Life” Vocation …

• –Single, Consecrated Single
• –Married (husband/father, wife/mother)
• –Religious sister or brother
• –Priesthood (clergy)

“Service” Vocation … career, ministry, etc.