SOONER RATHER THAN LATER

Worldling's may well be afraid, for they have an angry God above them,

a guilty conscience within them, and a yawning hell beneath them;

but we who rest in Jesus are saved from all of these by rich mercy.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

EASTER weekend and spring has arrived.   The sheep with their tiny lambs huddled together in the fields, overcast skies heralding the cool windy weather.   The early trees now dressed in their greenery, pink and white blossoms fall like snow covering the pavements.

Another bank holiday of sales and discounts, trips to the coast, barbecues and the great chocolate binge.   Any chance of enjoying an old series on the television interrupted by a charity drive for donations to help abused children their pale frightened faces reflecting the hidden horror of those who prey on innocence both physically and mentally.   The slaughter in the Middle East continues unabated supported by the West.     

    

 CRY OF A SHEEP

There's really nothing else to do

but in the darkness reach for You.

Hands of evil washed in blood,

children dragged from rubble and mud.

The heartless stares of those who sell

arms and bombs - their end hell.

Innocent victims scream and die,

Life for life the desert's cry.

Prophets and scribes warned of retribution,

Incineration the final solution.

T. Hills

2016

Of course its not in the bible, but in Mel Gibson's dramatization of the passion of Christ (now an Easter ritual in many christian homes) as Yeshua collapses for the last time Simon of Cyrene says  "almost there" and with Yeshua literally hanging on the cross beam he drags Christ to the final torture.

Regardless of poetic licence I doubt any film production of the crucifixion of Christ has had the impact that this film has had.   The words "almost there" are particularly poignant for genuine christians this Easter who realise without a doubt that persecution will continue unabated albeit in a more subtle sinister way in the west (get the children and you have an infected adult) nevertheless it's very clear to those who study the bible the end times are unfolding and we are "almost there"

"That is Reality" Jacob Prasch's teaching on Luke 24 - 13-50 available on You Tube is another excellent explanation of coming events.   Better to be forewarned and forearmed.   Satan's cohorts are already at work even amongst professing christians.   Children are attacking parents and global leaders are deliberately provoking each other.   It's just a matter of time.

The old testament teaches us we get the leaders we deserve and the Western world will face the Wrath of God.   He will not be mocked.

     

According to statistics 90,000 christians were murdered for their faith around the globe in 2016, not sure that hit the headlines but then I don't read the broadsheets.

PEOPLE POWER

They march with a banner they march to proclaim

the murder and carnage is 

NOT IN MY NAME.

Men of war ignore their cries, bombs and guns - ensure supplies.

Behind closed gates, their safe estate,

their Judas prize will set their fate.

Now watch the commotion, as they fall in slow motion.

The ground heaves open

THE LORD GOD HAS SPOKEN.

T.HILLS

2016

Throughout history we seem to have gone round and round in circles.   In his book of "Daily Preaching" C.H. Spurgeon (1834 - 1892) wrote:

"There never was a day when Protestantism seemed to tremble more in the scales than now that a fierce effort is in the making to restore the Romish antichrist to his ancient seat.   We greatly want a bold voice and a strong hand to preach and publish the old gospel for which martyrs bled and confessors died."

For those in the loop that sounds very familiar.   One world religion headed by the Catholic church with a soup of everything else under its authority.    Further more the denominations in the U.K. have tied their colours to the mast and are slowly leading their flock astray.      

It was not altogether surprising to find my ancestors had leapt across the denominational divide a few times.     My own great grandfather of Jewish descent abandoned his faith to marry my great grandmother a Catholic, my grandfather in turn was raised strict Catholic.      My grandmother (a protestant) abandoned her faith to marry my Catholic grandfather.   I went one better and married an atheist. !!!   Of course in my heart I believed he would come to know my/his God and despite many heated debates over the years he appeared to have left it to the last minute.  He always believed the answer was 'out there'    There also appears to be a very glib approach to any suggestion of hell amongst the unbelieving, one bloke chortled "I don't want to go to heaven, all my mates will be in hell"        

Of course the barbaric slaughter in the Middle East is history repeating itself U.K. style.   Our founding fathers were burnt at the stake and the Royals in their day not only decapitated their relatives and enemies, they made an awful mess of William Wallace, body parts all over the place.   Yes the U.K. has a very bloody history and it didn't end on these shores, which goes some way to explain the casual approach to the suffering masses by the ruling classes.   

The hypocrisy is amazing but then it is all part of the agenda and until Yeshua, the Prince of Peace returns we are just going to have to dodge the brick bats and hold on.   As my son proclaimed "You have your insurance Mum"   I actually thought he meant my Life Insurance.   I replied "yes but I have to die before I am 84 for the grandchildren to benefit.   He replied "No, I mean your faith"

My role as the wingeing widow continues pestering God for the blessing of faith for my son who believes in justice, caring for others and for the planet but remains as blind as a bat where a creator God is concerned.    However I will continue to try and get the message across knowing that God in His time deals with us all.

Revelation 21 - 5
Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new"

Revelation 21 - 8
"But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolators, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.

The thief on the cross next to Yeshua knew he was a sinner and that he deserved his punishment, but he said "Lord remember me when you come into your Kingdom" and Yeshua replied "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise"      

We are all imperfect.  We are all sinners.   Only Yeshua can save you from yourself.   Salvation is in Christ alone.

Isaiah 

43 - 2-5

When you pass through the water I will be with you;

And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.

When you walk through the fire you shall not be burned.

Nor shall the flame scorch you.

For I am the Lord your God

The Holy one of Israel, your Saviour.

SHALOM

          

Be content to live unknown for a little while,

and to walk your weary way through fields of poverty, 

or up hills of affliction;

for by and by you shall reign with Christ,

for he has made us kings and priests  unto God,

and we shall reign for ever and ever.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

ANOTHER BIBLE

Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak;

they are to be submissive, as the law also says,

and if they want to learn something let them ask their husbands

at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church.

1 Corinthians - 34

Well there goes Paul and his instruction for the male congregation.   Many a vicar has fond memories of when he actually led the church, was respected and loved by all the sheep.  After experiencing the behaviour of women who actually consider themselves the mouth piece of a Holy God - 'Oh the Lord told me to tell you'  my usual reply was "No, the Lord is perfectly capable of telling me Himself - He has my ear" 

Of course it all goes back to Eve and a succession of women in the bible who usually managed to manipulate their situation and improve their status.   Today most are self opinionated and you can almost hear the clash of the titans as they battle it out.   Am I a fan of female clergy - no.   There is much work for women both in the church and outside, their talents are endless, but I cringe at the effect power and position can have on a once seemingly pleasant personality be it in politics or religion.   

Once again Yeshua gave very clear advice to his followers in Matthew 5 - 37

"But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes' and your 'No', 'No'.   For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.   And that applies to the guys as well.  

Who takes any notice of the bible these days inside or outside the church.   The answer to every problem is in that book with stunning examples of what not to do.   You don't nick another man's wife without expecting consequences down the line, but guys tend to cast the older wife aside for a younger model.

Matthew 10 - 9 - Yeshua said "Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate"  And for those who actually hook up in church, please don't tell me God planned the union.   His  Word stands and He doesn't contradict Himself.

God help us, the gentle home loving women have all but disappeared to be replaced by the hard stare of the feminist and one trip through a crowded town centre on a Friday night will show how they party.   Often in groups and whether standing or collapsed in the gutter their language is crude to say the least.   Men tend to gather with their drinking buddies - there's strength in numbers.   Its football, booze and anything else that's on the menu.   Marriage on the other hand offers no stability as fidelity is almost non existent.   Men can become the partner tied to the sink their masculinity challenged, reminding me of an advert on t.v. many years ago considered extremely funny.  Large women who put their husbands in an apron handed them a bottle of cleaning fluid and pushed them towards the grime.

Thankfully I enjoy being a woman - granted an old woman - but from a better time slot.   The Pat Boon approach "you can kiss my hand but no further without a band of gold"   Old fashioned yes, but quite biblical, I believe in marriage for life and I certainly waited patiently for my soul mate and still believe the woman is the home maker and the husband the "hunter gatherer" that way is balance and its biblical, but the churches are far from obeying the words of Christ, they sell a new bible.

No, I don't want to see a woman in a pulpit.   She has hormones and anyone on the receiving end of a hissy fit will know they are not stable either to lead in a church or appoint themselves as prophets - two weeks out of four.

Thankfully I have left all that behind and now have to deal with the odd whisker growing out of my chin.   For the moment it stands proud and alone until  I manage to see it and pull it out, but should this growth pattern increase I could put in as an "extra" for Gandalf  in any production of "Lord of the Rings"

The dark Lord's cohorts are having a field day with a slightly confused Trump.   For heaven's sake leave him alone, he's doing his best.   We all know the 'back room boys' are busily organising plans for a global war and that he is just a 'figure head'  hopefully 'baruch ha ba shem adonai' soon Lord.

So its back to the teaching of Yeshua - which most ignore, adjust or twist and they always use the excuse 'oh that was then, not now' or 'he was talking to the Jews it doesn't apply to us - we are not under the law' carefully avoiding Matthew 5 - 18.    It's the 'grace umbrella' for every transgression.

Matthew 5 - 48 Yeshua  (Jesus) said "Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect"   

In reality there are a lot of cracked vessels (pots) - I am surely one,  but there again if you speak out you are accused of being a critical spirit and judgemental.   The study note on Matthew 7 - 1 'judge not, that you be not judged' - explains.   Jesus does not forbid criticism, opinions, or condemnation of wrong doing.   What he forbids is censoriousness, the spirit of fault finding overlooking one's own shortcomings.   

Just dare to speak the Truth in the hearing of others and someone in the church with a different agenda will report your remarks a.s.a.p.   There are many examples of clergy preaching from the pulpit who have found themselves involved in litigation and a prison cell,  yet apparently we are repeatedly told we are a christian country.   We need to understand what is happening and why.   Yes God is merciful and loving but perhaps His patience is running out.   

Just may be the war mongers in this country might realise there is a God watching as they create new killing fields.    They will be held accountable.

Genesis 4 - 10

And He (God) said "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood cries out to Me from the ground.

11 - So now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand.

At the end of the day they are pseudo christians, they don't believe in God let alone the bible or Yeshua the Prince of Peace but they crawl into church for a socialite wedding or funeral.   

As a mere grain of sand on God's beach all you can do is hand the Lord your gifting, whatever that may be for His glory.   Discern the preacher, teacher and politician.  If their words and actions do not proclaim the Word of God they belong to the Prince of this world and their time is short.

However for the average Joe, myself included  (after all the Grand Designer made the blue print) the Lord is gracious, compassionate and forgiving.   He designed the human race, some have faulty circuits, some have brilliant minds, some are infected by evil, He knows us all, we are His creation so it is not surprising that in Matthew 19-25  His disciples asked the question 'who then can be saved' to which the Lord replied 'With men this is impossible but with God all things are possible.'   Yeshua has amazing compassion for sinners, he knows their story.  

There are born again christians around the globe who are hearing the Lord.   Some hear His voice others experience what can only be called telepathy - a thought not your own pops into your mind disturbing your concentration on a completely different subject.   From personal experience the word or message is brief.   The warnings are in the bible and every born again christian knows without a shadow of doubt that prophecy is unfolding.   The Holy Spirit will highlight a verse or text, even the words of a song.

In the early years of my christian walk I would collect music C.D's appreciating the modern praise and worship albums.    I purchased a C.D. by Maire Brennan called "Whisper to the Wild Water"  there were 13 tracks on the album and as the C.D. reached the end I realised there were actually 14 tracks.   The final track not illustrated on the album cover was Maire's version of the pop classic 'Don't give up' originally in the charts sung by Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush.

In reverse Maire sings first and Michael McDonald replies.   It remains a very relevant song to all those suffering unemployment, homelessness and despair.    To really appreciate this you would have to listen to the song but for me personally it was as though God was soothing and healing a heart torn apart by the sudden death of my one and only love.   I often wonder did she realise that the slight adjustment to the lyrics would have that effect.   Or was that just the way God reaches us in time of need.

Don't give up cos you have ME....................

Don't give up you still have ME

Don't give up cos I know there's a place where you belong. 
The rest of the lyrics are the same as the Peter Gabriel recording.  

In essence the 'US' on the Gabriel recording was replaced by ME and it was just a tiny alteration but it spoke volumes to a hurting heart.  I believe God uses lyrics, singer and song to reach us. 

If that isn't encouragement for those who suffer persecution and ridicule and are considered just plain barmy I don't know what is.  It's thanks to that duet I managed to get a grip and soldier on without any sedation or medication albeit slightly on auto pilot through the dark months that followed.

Now more than ever we need to lean on the Lord.   We realise Satan is pulling the strings of his victims, men and women sold out to this world,  we rest in His promise "and lo, I am with you always even to the end of the age"   Todah Yeshua.

And if finding a genuine group of born again christians is a problem - they are tending to go underground - then Yeshua pointed the way and taught his followers:

Matthew 6 - 6

"But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door,

pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret

 will reward you openly."

*****************

  

    

   

  

READY TO GO

May infinite wisdom cure us of the madness of self-confidence

Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Lord give us the grace to climb to this 7th beatitude!

Purify our minds that we may be 'first pure, then peaceable, and fortify our souls, that our peaceableness may not lead us into cowardice and despair, when for Thy sake we are persecuted.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

Writer:

Time is running out I'm scribbling as fast as I can.

Temptation:

Not good enough.   Your book is still scattered pages.

Writer:

Too late to get it out there - shame.

Temptation:

Just think you could have been famous.

Writer:

No time for fame.   The Masters have been, said it all and have been taken out, all that remains compromise, dross and a world dancing on the edge of a precipice.

Temptation:

Ah - you are depressed - you need help.  Having a problem digesting the daily news bulletins,

sorting the false flags from the real picture?

Writer:

No - stifled and repressed truth is dead in the water.   Many will slumber complacently, others party into the abyss.

Temptation:

So that's it - hardly had an exciting life have you.   Quite an insignificant sheep - will He even notice you.

Writer:

That's okay.   Just pray I can stand as a doorman, praise Him from the edge of the crowd.   My imperfections are many so it surely a blessing enough to serve those whom God has chosen for higher reward - His saints and martyrs. 

Temptation:

Think of the money you could have made all this time - how many articles - comments.

Writer:

Money was never my aim.   Everything is unto the Lord.   Blessing enough if you can reach one soul.   Make one heart laugh.  Jesus said "freely you have been given - freely give" so whoever has been my inspiration - thank you.

A beautiful life is one that fulfils its mission in this world,

that is what God made it to be, 

and does what God made it to do.

J.R. Miller     

*************

Those who believe that this crazy world is all there is are in trouble, hence the number of suicides, especially in the young.   They have been fed a continual diet of artificial perfection and the prizes that success brings regardless of how they achieve it.   Conscience and consequences go hand in hand but they are denied.   Accountability irrelevant.   They didn't make the grade - totally devalued they look for an escape route when in reality all they had to do was find their Saviour but then the behaviour of pseudo christians leaves much to be desired and they soon realise there is one law for the rich and one for the poor. 

Those with only common place gifts are in danger of thinking they cannot live a beautiful life, cannot be a blessing in this world.   The smallest life that fills its place well is far lovelier in God's sight than the largest and most splendidly gifted that yet fails its divine mission. 

J.R. Miller  

Recently security cameras filmed the panic in the halls of power - shouts of "are they coming" panic clearly audible.   Yes, they are coming and the reason they are coming is a direct consequence of successive political leaders who are quite happy to play God and continue to sell killing machines that have murdered millions.   

The ugly face of PAYBACK.   They plan their policies and then run like frightened mice to hide, only the super rich surrounded by their body guards will make it to a safe zone.   The average Joe is clobbered by the state as soon as he opens his mouth.   Perhaps the kid was in the wrong place at the wrong time and he/she become a statistic for an over zealous and scared police force.    Their hymn might yet be  "Hey I didn't sign up for this"   Along with fellow human beings around the globe the protestors either shut up or finish up in jail.   The privately owned prisons are a lucrative business.

We are supposed to lead by example, and the example is appalling so it is small wonder that young sensitive vulnerable kids decide in a moment of despair to drop out.  Heaven knows they are mislead, 

confused and rejected by a godless materialistic society.     

All any child of God can do is hold fast to the words of Yeshua and in their tiny corner of this very sick world love their neighbour as themselves.   Praying for the scoffers and the mockers ever aware that each day brings them one step closer to the glorious return of our Lord in power and glory.

Throughout my life time I have lent christians books and C.D.'s to others hoping to inspire, encourage and promote the work of truly talented writers, singers and musicians.  I never see the item again.   Years ago I bought a C.D. called Twelve Stories about Angels and researching the internet it would appear the C.D. was no longer available.  Thanks to a man in America who viewed my posting on the internet I managed to get the remaining two copies from a small outlet in the U.K.  

Amongst the excellent material on the C.D. was a narration by Adrian Plass one of my favourite christian writers who has an amazing sense of humour "Bacon Sandwiches & Salvation" one book I shall never part with.   My second hand purchase of "The Visit" will remain on my book shelf the original purchase rests elsewhere - bless em.

The last track on this C.D. is an inspiration and perhaps a prophetic warning.    ARE YOU READY TO GO.

"It was done plainly enough, the night sky was a perfect billboard, the sound effects spectacular.   Only a few were awake and in the right place at the right time, when heaven unable to contain its amazement any longer spilled out momentarily into earth and explained itself.

The message was as clear as day, but His timing was as usual surprising, and the show ran for one performance only."

With apologies for breach of copyright here Adrian.   Jotted down like a good secretary from the C.D. so I hope the punctuation is acceptable.   

I don't know where the reader stands but I for one would not want to sleep through that night.