FAITH, TRUST, HOPE

Matthew 10 - 14

And whoever will not receive you, nor heard your words,

when you depart from that house or city, shake the dust from your feet

Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of 

Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.

A true child of God must always turn to His Word and listen for His voice - NO OTHER and TRUST.   When the Lord opens a door and requires you move from your comfort zone and end up a stranger in a strange place that is when you learn to pray night and day for the courage and strength to endure whatever lies ahead.

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

"Okay Lord" Megan prayed silently "HELP - I am facing a big upheaval here, couldn't I just take the short cut home to be with You"   But there was no answer.  

Megan was used to flitting from one place to another.   Her gypsy gene soon got bored with familiar surroundings.  She pondered the many times she had packed her belongings to move home, sometimes a step up the property ladder, latterly down, or with a new job.   Now stuck firmly in a rut and using age as her latest excuse, it would have been easier to stay put in familiar surroundings.

Megan's constant companion, a small intelligent furry bundle of affection anticipating her every emotion anxiously observed as the contents of their shared home disappeared into large cardboard boxes.   Why the Lord had opened a door in that particular place?  she had no idea.   Very strange.   But often she was lost to understand exactly His purpose, but knew she had to accept His will.

Everything went according to plan but she then found herself in silence.   No phone, no computer and interference on radio stations due to poor reception.  She was hardly a "spring chicken" and the move left her exhausted, she needed to rest and recover and deal with the technicalities later.

Megan always thanked the Lord for a sense of humour which seemed to bring any issues sharply into focus but now she was dangerously close to the Slough of Despond.*   Walking through the village one morning her gift momentarily returned as she considered this place had much in common with the village in a well known Disney classic a "little town, full of little people, waking up to say bon jour"

On the street most people smiled and said "good morning" to the stranger in town.   The shop keepers offered a warm welcome but there the comparison ended as a rather jaded senior wandered round the wrong corner trying to find her way back to her new abode which still felt very strange.    

When everything seemed to go wrong "heavens above" was her frequent frustrated cry.   She was rapidly turning into a certain Victor Meldrew and yes - she certainly had one foot in the grave.  The pity pit opened its yawning mouth ready to swallow her.   She wanted to run, feeling an incredible restlessness.  Had she got it wrong yet again, always the expert at reading sign posts, prone to gallop off in the wrong direction.   Her daughter encouraged.   "Mum, this is just a stepping stone, the Lord works in mysterious ways"   Megan had to agree.   

It was in her darkest hour that the Lord opened her eyes to the beauty of a small National Trust Wildlife Reserve nearby.   It was now early spring and the trees were budding.   The winter winds had been cruel but whatever the weather her quadruped needed daily exercise.   It was a case of wrap up and get out there.

A stream swelled with the heavy rains rushed down the valley and through the wood refreshing the small lakes that lay in its path.   The birds sang, the sun shone through the branches of the ancient woodland, for a brief moment heaven invaded earth and she gave thanks to her God for this place, a refuge for quiet reflection.

She had little contact with the outside world on arrival.  Her computer simply refused to work,  a technical glitch which would remain unsolved for months.   She had long discarded any need for a television and its corrupting influence.  

Perhaps the answer to her prayer for help took longer than expected.   After all patience was not one of her virtues, it was sadly lacking, but she kept pestering her Lord.   Could he open another door, take her home at last, either way, she felt like a wild rabbit trapped in a snare. 

When you persist (Luke 18) the Lord moves.    Megan can't remember exactly when this happened but suddenly her battle was over and she was filled with His incredible peace.   She had to trust, wait on the Lord and leave everything in His hands.   

There is nothing amazing about Megan's story.    She is just one of His sheep blessed to have received the gift of faith, saved by the blood of Christ, trusting in His Word longing for His return.

Megan has a passion for the lost sheep and her Lord's teaching.   Perhaps you might say she became a sheep watcher.

The good sheep raises her lambs, feeds and protects them and then has to let them go.
Then there are the sheep who abandon their young.   If they are lucky the farmer will hand feed them, if they wander away they can starve.
And sadly the trapped sheep.

Megan remembered the large pregnant ewe she found trapped in a shallow ditch, the more the sheep struggled the tighter the brambles wrapped around her neck and body.   Safely tethering her dogs at a distance she took off her plastic mac and wrapped the sleeve around one hand using the body of the mac as best she could to protect the other hand.   The brambles didn't want to let go of their victim.

It was hard work and the struggling ewe made matters worse.   The thorns penetrated the thin plastic mac and by the time she had tugged at the last bramble the ewe pulled free and ran across the field to find the flock.  

Later that night she prayed for the captives struggling with addiction, victims of people trafficking,
those imprisoned for their witness, ordinary men and women suffering at the hands of greedy employers struggling to feed their families.  Those who through no fault of their own were suffering diseases inflicted by pollution others with self inflicted wounds.  The list was endless.    A suffering mass of humanity that needs to respond to the shepherd's call.

John 10 - 9
I AM THE DOOR.   IF ANYONE ENTERS BY ME, HE WILL BE SAVED, AND WILL GO IN AND OUT AND FIND PASTURE.

When you speak His Truth you offend.

When you stand on His Truth often you lose the love of family and friends who happily dance to the  music of this world.  You are considered opinionated and merely tolerated at social events.

BUT FOR A GENUINE CHRISTIAN THERE IS NO COMPROMISE.
Eternity in a right place is their goal.   

Those who ridicule and scoff are in a very dangerous place.   They refuse to see the warning signs so vividly prophesied in historical hebrew scripture their heads firmly buried in the sand of blissful ignorance.   They have all they will ever need and more so why worry about a sick and dying world in the control of a greedy few.

The God of the Old Testament never suggested to any of His people that killing your enemies was justified.   In the ten commandments He said "thou shalt not slay" (correct translation).   Genesis 4 - 10 And He said "What have you done?  The voice of your brother's blood cries out to Me from the ground.

The son of God instructed His followers in Matthew 5 - 43 - You have heard that it was said "You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.  But I say to you "love your enemies and bless those who curse you.   Megan knew with absolute certainty that her God is mighty and He could wipe every living creature off the planet should He so desire.

Until we learn to live in peace with our neighbour and take serious responsibility as guardians of the earth the future looks bleak and judgement will surely come. 

Matthew 13.30
Yeshua (Jesus) spoke this parable.

Let them both grow together until the harvest,
and at the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers,
"First gather the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them,
but gather the wheat into my barn."

Sadly not many people take the time to study prophecy, much less the fact that Jesus spoke in parables and hyperboles. (Exaggerated examples to stress the urgency)  but put simply this means His children and the sons/daughters of the Evil One live together in human society until the end.

Hopefully Megan and her brothers and sisters in Christ will see His Kingdom come.

Megan's Prayer

Thank you Lord for each blessing,

every moment this child moves closer to her eternal destiny.

Thank you Lord for a glimpse of eternity,

how truly blessed am I.

A gift more precious than any this world can offer

that brings with it Your peace in a world rapidly falling apart.

Thank you Abba (Father) for forgiving my human weaknesses,

picking me up every time I stumble,

often a result of my struggle through the quagmire of this life.

Your cleansing healing touch renews my spirit each day,

truly unworthy my heart fills with joy.

Use me in the days that remain,

then in Your gracious mercy guide this little boat safely to harbour.

SHEMA KOLENU

(Hear my prayer)  

*  Pilgrims Progress - John Bunyan.

IDIOCY

Job 33 - 12 - 14

Look, in this you are not righteous,
I will answer you,
For God is greater than man.
Why do you contend with Him?
For He does not give an accounting of 
any of His words.
For God may speak on one way, or in another,
Yet man does not perceive it.

The contradiction of Job by Eilhu

Put simply you have neither the right or authority to require an explanation of God.  Change your attitude to one of humility.    Sound advice for Stephen Fry http://huff/to/1JVUBjB

no doubt the guy has received more than his fair share of hate mail after an amazing display of hiss and venom toward a God he obviously needs to know.

We have our fair share of idiots in the U.K. from the mindless ranting of Stephen Fry to the maniacal assumptions of Stephen Sizer all pointing to the fact that there are those amongst us who just love the sound of their own voice.

Despite being birthed on a beautiful planet with everything we need for survival, man has put every effort into destroying his environment along with the creatures and plants that share our home.   All in the name of progress and greed and yet Fry has the gall to blame God.

Greenpeace tries to make a difference alerting people to the activities of various industrial giants but just how do the governments deal with protesting public.   Arrest them.   Now kids can have a criminal record for saying 'NO - NOT IN MY NAME'

The environmental catastrophe that was Chernobyl continues to blight the fields in North Wales although it is reported restrictions were lifted in some areas in 2011.  Twenty plus years after the event an amazing 355 farms and 180,000 sheep are still affected.  The writer was working in the area at that time and it was reported many people would die from cancer because of the radioactive cloud.   Sheep were contaminated and had to be slaughtered, lambs were born with horrific birth defects.   So what did it do to the population of North Wales.   I doubt we will ever find out.   What people can't see with their eyes certainly doesn't seem to worry them.

One morning I had decided to walk my dogs on the beach.   A man was busy with a Geiger counter.   As I passed by he said "perhaps if you knew exactly what was on this beach you would realise it's safer to walk on the promenade.   The sand didn't look any different, but his meter was recording higher than usual levels of radioactivity.

If tomorrow I had that dreaded diagnosis "bone cancer" would I blame God.   ABSOLUTELY NOT.   I lay the blame at the feet of men who by their actions knowingly plan nuclear power stations with all that implies.   Medications prescribed for trusting patients only to find somewhere down the line drugs manufactured for one illness were dangerous and swiftly carried them to door of the crematorium.  The drug companies make billions.   Still they add fluoride to our water supply but hey no matter YOU WILL DIE WITH NICE TEETH.  

When you pollute the atmosphere children get sick and die.
When you start wars people die.
When a chemical factory explodes shooting dangerous chemicals into the air, there is a sudden rise of cancer deaths.
When you turn the earth into a giant sieve and pollute the water table with chemicals - just one of the dangers of  FRACKING - people get sick.   CAUSE AND EFFECT.

So here's a little poem for the Fry fraternity written in 2003 by a child who knows her God.

BLAME

The world we share, sad, but true,

is troubled Lord and some blame You.

They blame You for the killer car,

disease and pain, their lives turned sour.

Children choke on poisoned fumes,

death leaves quietly empty rooms.

Metal snakes crawl concrete streams,

dying seas still haunt our dreams.

Forests burn and rivers flood,

crushing snow, consuming mud.

Nature screams her swift reply,

covers all and people cry.

Forgive us Lord for all we've done,

our planet dying in the sun.

This precious earth that gives so much,

raped and pillaged by man's touch.

Some call it progress, others greed,

we share the guilt and plead our need.

The blame is man's and we must teach,

we care for life within our reach.

Talitha Hills.

Copyright 200

Perhaps someone should explain to that tormented soul the meaning of free will and consequences.   We are not robots controlled by an unseen operator.   We are allowed to choose between good and evil.     

Nevertheless we pray for his enlightenment along with Stephen Sizer who should be removed from a denomination in the throes of its death rattle along with all those who twist doctrine and preach anti.semitism.

Yeshua HaMashiach - Jesus the Messiah - WILL return to His people (whether they know Him or not) to the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem.   Heaven help Sizer and company.


JEREMIAH 23 - 1 - 2

"Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!" says the Lord.

Therefore thus says the Lord God of Israel against the shepherds who feed My people:  "You have scattered My flock, driven them away, and not attended to them.  "Behold, I will attend to you for the evil of your doings," says the Lord.  

JEREMIAH 31 - 33

But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days,

says the Lord: I will put my law in their minds,

and write it on their hearts;

and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 

SHALOM 

    

THE TESTING

JOB - 34 - 21

For His eyes are on the ways of man

and He sees all his steps.

Precisely, yes, well where are you Lord thought Sam as the car slowly slid to a halt on the busy motor way.

Something tells me there's a jinx on this journey someone is eager to stop me reaching my destination this morning.   He grabbed his mobile phone  "sorry Paul, I'm afraid the car's broken down on the motor way, I'll phone you back with the latest when the rescue service arrives.    

Plan B then is it Lord?   No response.  

Your eye is on the sparrow sang Sam jumping up and down trying to keep warm in the middle of a patch of brambles.   The breakdown service had been called but that was over thirty minutes ago.

He glanced at his young son shivering in the cold.  "Where's your coat boy" he said exasperated by his son's usual reply "I forgot it"

"Right" said Sam "you stay here and I'll climb down the bank and get it out of the car"   

"It's not in the car, I forgot it" repeated his son.

"Great" said Sam now half way down the grass bank.

Sam climbed back up the banking to safety and the bramble patch.  "Okay Lord" he challenged "I am not br'er rabbit, give me a break.   Where are you?  If your eye is on the sparrow, surely it can't miss me.

HELP!!!!!" 

"Nice one pal" muttered Sam utterly frustrated by his young son's total lack of concentration other than on something that literally grabbed his attention.  "Here have my coat".

Thirty minutes passed and the cold started to seep through Sam's thin shirt.   Oh boy - where is that emergency service I will have frozen to death by the time it gets here they'll need an ambulance as well.

And the still small voice said "put your arm in one sleeve and your other arm around the boy with his arm in the other sleeve and hold him close."

Job - 34 - 29

When He gives quietness, who then can make trouble.?

Forty minutes later the Rescue Service arrived.   "Ah!!!!  said the man "you're chirpy.   Sorry about the delay we had the wrong motor way."

Sam struggled stiffly down the banking and got into the driver's cab.   "Flask of coffee in there sir - help yourself and we'll have this baby on the road in no time"

Unfortunately the mechanic did not appear to know why the car had suddenly slid to a halt and it was loaded on to the recovery vehicle and dumped unceremoniously on Sam's driveway.   At least they were safely home.

Sam considered it could have been worse.   Snow, fog, freezing rain after all it was still mid winter.

He glanced down at his young son, a child who was always somewhere else in space, losing coats, bags, possessions.    It's my fault thought Sam before we set out on any journey on the motor way we should be prepared especially in the winter.   One spade, one huge bar of chocolate, two blankets and a flask of hot coffee, nuts, crisps and a few bottles of water.  

"Right" said Joanne "what have I told you about your coats, you could have been in serious trouble."

"Its over now" said Sam "we're safely home.   Hey that roast lamb smells lovely"   

Later that night as the kids slept soundly Joanne said "Strange, that's the third unexplainable incident this week.  What do you think the Lord is doing Sam.?"  

"No idea" replied Sam "but with everything that has gone wrong I was beginning to feel like Job"

Sam grinned "it could just have been old nick trying to block this, or perhaps I was being tested."

"Then perhaps we had better pray PLAN B" said Joanne "but now we have no transport and that will be the first job tomorrow to organise four wheels."

The following morning Sam climbed into the driving seat turned the key and the engine started without a problem.

Job 34 - 29

And when He hides His face,

who then can see Him,

Whether it is against a nation

or man alone?

SHALOM

   

BASICS

Psalm 37 - 31

The law of his God is in his heart,

None of his steps shall slide.

A recent newspaper report stated "in one children's hospital toys were tied to the cots with bike cable locks.    Surprised.   You shouldn't be.   Years ago it used to be sheepskin rugs and the curtains around the beds that walked off the ward.  Another sign of a godless society.

One of the ten commandments.   THOU SHALT NOT STEAL and that includes the pen you walked off with, prescription drugs, toilet seats the list is endless.   Fiddled tax returns justified by "oh well everyone does it from the top down."   May be,  but as a christian you profess to follow Christ.

The Law in this country was once based on christian values.   Now its the Law of the modern jungle.   Survival of the richest and fittest and heaven help you if you upset the status quo and protest.

They'll fix a charge, arrest, sentence and bang you inside.

Best not to even try, far better to run for the mountain and keep going pilgrim.   The God of the bible WILL have His revenge on a decadent society and a disobedient nation.

Ruth Graham is quoted as saying "if God doesn't deal with America (and we can include the so called considered alliance with the U.K.) He'll have to apologise to Sodom and Gomorrah. 

If you even try to express your opinion regarding the almost spoon fed daily diet of of kissing homosexuals and lesbians in virtually every popular soap on T.V. you are hash tagged homophobic.
Don't use a service that dictates your values.   You can decide what you watch on D.V.D.'s and the internet.

Don't even mention the bible and your christian values where this subject is concerned even the religious protagonists appear to be mocking the very God they profess to follow.

Leviticus 18 - 22  Laws of sexual morality.

You shall not lie with a male as with a woman.  It is an abomination.   

On the other hand if I do not profess to follow Christ anything goes and doubtless it will be a case of "make hay while the sun shines"

Any form of violence regarding this behaviour is against the commandment to love one's neighbour as one's self.    That does not mean we approve or rubber stamp the latest fashion of same sex marriage.   Like every other fleshy sin we are required to control the flesh, not have the flesh control us.      
   

However,  if I call myself a Christian then I should be following Yeshua (Jesus) who was very clear about the Law of Moses in MATTHEW 5 - 17 - 18

"Do not think I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets.  I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.

For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled."

Such righteousness is only possible by the Messiah's personal reign in a Christian.   In other words you are not just a church goer needing to be seen in charge of this and that you have to truly know Jesus to know that breaking all God's commandments is wrong.    No one can argue that it would be a much better world if we attempted to keep just one,  THOU SHALT NOT SLAY (KILL)  

If you have been called to lead the sheep you should at least be attempting a shot at holiness preaching His Word not some twisted version in a vain attempt to fill the empty pews.

Jacob Prasch on You.Tube.   God's Final Warning to the Clergy.    Well worth listening to this great man's teaching.

If  I speak your Truth and people object to my views how is that any different to how the people treated Jesus.

JOHN 15 - 18 - 19

Jesus said "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 

If you were of the world, the world would love its own.  Yet because you are not of the world but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

If  I turn the other cheek it does not mean I am weak - it means I will not fight with you,  my God will judge.

If  you consider you have the answers to ALL things - wait and see.

One thing is abundantly clear, sooner or later one will be proved right, the other wrong.

TIME TO REPENT BEFORE ITS TOO LATE - GOD IS MERCIFUL AND FORGIVING.    

Knowing you Lord assures me of my future home no matter how hated or violent my exit from this world as a true christian may be.   All I can do is pray for those led astray by false doctrine and satanic warfare. 

No where does Satan tempt so successfully than at the foot of the altar.   C.S.Lewis.  Screwtape.     

Malachi

4 - 2

But to you who fear My name

The Sun of Righteousness shall arise

With healing in His wings;

Isaiah - 3 

You shall also be a crown of glory

In the hand of the LORD,

And a royal diadem

In the hand of your God.




His children,
Precious jewels of a Holy God.
SHALOM

RETRIBUTION

1 Kings 18 - 24

Elijah said "Then you call on the name of your Gods,

and I will call on the name of the Lord;

and the God who answers by fire,

HE IS GOD.

SO ALL THE PEOPLE ANSWERED AND SAID

It is well spoken.

There is something incredibly sad about a person lacking a sense of humour.   The ability to laugh at self and others.   To see how incredibly pathetic and stupid the human race can be, but how amazingly compassionate and loving when needs be.

If you're in the public arena you are income for the cartoonists.   Most intelligent people realise this is satire.   At times its wickedly funny but no one takes offence.   The spotlight falls on politicans, royalty and so called celebrities.  Remember the famous t.v. series in the U.K.  "Spitting Image" it was incredibly funny, how could anyone take offence and yes if my memory serves me right religious leaders were not excluded.   And for those who proudly bear freckles, yes, they had a go at a princess.     

Can't speak for other belief systems, but my God has a sense of humour.   He made me for a start.   He also created a rather messy method of procreation.   But He also made it fun and pleasurable.  

Perhaps this will be the turning point, when man in his despair at the appalling carnage actually seeks the face of GOD - not religion or its wicked protagonists.    Scripture tells us clearly that God deals with a disobedient people.  He raises up our enemy, then, and only then, he destroys the enemy.  Hopefully that will be sooner rather than later otherwise we will all be blind.

The perpetrators of the blood bath in France will receive His judgement and His punishment.   Who has the greater God.  Wait and see.

It's a cold, cold place that you get to,

but your body's burning with fire.

It's a dark, dark place that you get to

tormented with hopeless desire.

It's forever and ever, eternal, the prison of your soul, 

you executed your target and finally achieved your goal. 

Terror surrounds you the blood of your victims

drips forever on your head.

Welcome to hell. 

JE SUIS CHARLIE

BEULAH CIRCULAR

Isaiah 62 - 4

You shall no longer be termed Forsaken,

Nor shall your land any more be termed Desolate;

But you shall be called Hephzibah,

and your land Beulah;

for the Lord delights in you,

and your land shall be married.

Everyone knew Elsa.   Some considered she had mental issues, others were not so kind.   She invariably wore the same old coat and you could recognise her distinctive rolling walk from a distance as she headed off on to the moors with Tess and Penny, her faithful companions.

Elsa didn't suffer fools gladly.   Always ready for criticism and comment she was quick witted.   She knew with certain conviction she would have the last laugh.   There was a higher power and her God would not be mocked.

Perhaps the black audi heading straight for her on the notorious Z bend might have caused her some apprehension.   The driver's face was clearly visible.   He was dark and laughing.   "Here we go" thought Elsa.   In a split second the dogs would clear the three foot high stone wall and run for their lives.   The rest is up to you Lord she considered.

The passenger sitting next to the driver grabbed the steering wheel and turned it violently in the opposite direction.   Thankfully there wasn't any oncoming traffic on the road ahead, otherwise they would have been killed outright.    "Drugs" thought Elsa "no one in their right mind would drive like that."

The Z bend on that particular stretch of road was notorious, it straddled a deep gully on either side, a small tributary flowed down the valley towards the river.   There had been many accidents and broken dry stone wall occasionally witnessed by the tiny stone cottages across the valley.

Sometimes Elsa found cassette tape strewn across the road, rolling and blowing in the wind.   Someone suggested they were recorded curses.   Regardless, many an experienced driver had lost control of the steering wheel on that bend for no apparent reason.

Elsa always considered the tiny row of houses had a perfect view of the black spot.   On the day in question Lucy and Vera were enjoying a cuppa and a slice of cake observing the dark grey clouds scudding across a stormy sky.

"Snow tonight" said Vera "I can feel it in my bones" she burst into giggles.   "Don't know why I'm laughing my body's like a weather station and probably more accurate.   Lucy turned smiling at her companion and the small golden dog perched comfortably on her knee that protested at any adjustment to her human heat pad.

"Hey" replied Lucy "keep looking up - you're leaving that wreck behind - no more pills - no more pain, home at last,  heaven."

"And boy will I be gorgeous" replied Vera "Joe won't recognise me"   Their attention turned to their view from the window.   "Is that Elsa standing at the bus shelter" she asked her friend.
   

"Yeap" said Lucy "I'd recognise that coat anywhere - she's with her granddaughter.  They must be going to the shops before the weather closes in.  We are all going to be stranded for a few days according the latest weather forecast.

Elsa was one of the small group of dedicated christians who had long since deserted the local church fellowship standing apart from twisted doctrine and blind guides.   "After all" she had suggested "you are not going to get on a bus going in the wrong direction, are you?"  

Elsa and Bethany stood in front of the bus shelter.   "There's a storm brewing" said Elsa "pull your hood up Beth".    "Nan" said Bethany stretching to whisper in her ear.   "Why is that man looking at pictures of those girls"  A rather scruffy looking middle aged man had spread both himself and a daily broadsheet newspaper across the seat drooling over the semi naked bodies.

Elsa turned to her granddaughter and said quietly.   "Jesus came for such as that man, the lost, not those who already know His father.  "We don't know why he is as he is, or why he does what he does.   We just ask Jesus to save him from himself."

Bethany nodded approval.   She was a beautiful child, spiritual, almost ethereal, wise beyond her years but also considered queer and odd by her own peer group.   The man was leering at the suggestive poses of the virtually nude women but he was also listening to the conversation between the Beth and her Nan.

"Stupid old bag" he said "hurling expletives in Elsa's direction.  He leered at the beautiful young girl heavily wrapped against the wind stamping her feet to keep warm.  "Another few years and she'll be ripe for picking" he considered.    He folded his paper and moved to stand next to Bethany  "Don't listen to her" he sniggered "its a one way ticket, grab everything you can."

Beth smiled unafraid of the sudden move or his comment and said "Jesus will help you"   The man roared with laughter until he broke into a violent cough.    "That crap" - don't give me that crap - what has Jesus ever done for me?" he replied angrily.

"He died for you" Bethany replied.

The sound of an approaching heavy vehicle interrupted any further conversation.   The bus gleamed its headlights piercing the descending freezing fog.   The coach work was amazing, bright colours, new clean and shiny, lights blazing.    "What" complained the man on the bench "this isn't our local bus."   "No it isn't" replied Elsa.   The doors swished open and the driver leaned forward "anyone boarding" he enquired.   "Where are you going" asked Elsa "usual route" he replied.   

The waiting passengers hadn't notice the destination displayed on the front of the bus they were focused  on getting out of the cold.   "Right" said the man "you are not our local bus, so does that mean you are not going to the village.   "No" replied the driver "staying on the straight and narrow"   "Then you are of no use to me, its a ten minute walk to the village" he returned to the bus seat and his daily paper.     "That's okay" said Elsa "come on Beth" and together they boarded the bus.   The doors swished closed and the bus started up the other side of the hill.

Five minutes later the rather grubby local bus approached the steep drop towards the Z bend.  "Ah" shouted the man "about time too I am just about frozen stiff"  

Vera and Lucy had watched the first bus move off and both wondered whether it was a new service that had taken over the route.  They noted the gleaming bodywork highlighted against the black storm clouds.  "That makes a change" said Vera "a clean bus"    They also saw the local bus appear and head down the hill towards the bend and then heard a loud bang as an articulated lorry from the opposite direction skidded into the bus sending both vehicle and bus shelter over the dry stone wall.  There wasn't much left of the bus shelter, like most debris on the bend from hell it lay strewn on the side of the gully alongside a man's torn body.

"Hells bells" said Lucy "Oh dear God was Elsa on that bus.   "Hey, Hey, its okay" said Vera "Elsa and Beth got on the new service.   In the failing light emergency crews had cordoned off the area and were combing the gully as the recovery vehicle loaded the remains of the bus shelter and the battered bus. 

The police went from door to door in the small terrace.   "Excuse me ladies, you really had a bird's eye view, did you witness the incident."   "Oh dear God" said Lucy still in shock.  "Was anyone killed."   "Just one fatality, a middle aged guy"   "Actually" interrupted Vera "there was a bus a few minutes before.   Our friend and her granddaughter got on that one - thank you God."   "Can you describe that bus" the officer enquired.   "Well we thought it must have been a new company taking over the route.  We certainly hadn't seen it before.   Brilliant coach work it looked very shiny and new.

"Right" said the officer "when you next see your friend could you ask her to give us a call, every bit of information helps.   Just appears to be that damn bend again, time the council did something about it.

The only other person that saw the bus you described was the local Canon he said the destination plate had him puzzled.   It said "Beulah circular" he'd never heard of that.    He said he noticed a woman and a girl waving at him."    As Lucy closed her front door behind the police officer she turned to her stunned friend.    "You don't think" she paused "I do" replied Lucy.

Elsa's daughter telephoned later that month apologising for the delay in getting in touch with her friends.   "It's been very difficult" she moaned "we have no closure, I have no idea where they are.   Bethany should have been with us".

It was well known in the small community that Bethany had not accepted her mother's new husband.   Julie tried hard to explain "your Dad has gone to be with Jesus and I have to get on with my life, soon you will have a baby brother, would you please come home".   But the response was negative.   Bethany wanted to stay with her Nan and at least Julie knew she was safe there.

Julie continued "They are both on the missing persons list, apparently according to statistics 275,000 people went missing in this country last year.  Most of them youngsters.   Some returned but others remained lost.   I actually had to go through Mum's stuff and I found something she had written.   I'd like you to have it."  

"Julie" replied Lucy "please come round anytime, if there is anything, anything we can do you only have to ask"   There was the sound of sobbing at the other end of the line.   The usual blowing of the nose and clearing of the throat and Julie continued   "I am desperate for closure, nothing can be settled and her house is so silent and deserted.   I'll try and get round towards the end of the week."

The remaining members of the small group had gathered.   Vera gingerly opened the envelope with Elsa's words and read them aloud to the group.  

One Way Ticket

She smiled, the ticket's just one way,

so have it all, live for today.

You will not get a second try,

so grab it all, before you die.

This one way ticket I don't buy,

my soul has heard the angels cry.

Visions of a perfect place,

glimpsed, far beyond the human race.

Working till each day was done,

wealth and fame, I wanted none.

But there was Love and Lord I knew,

I was so blessed with gifts from you.

Content to know your precious peace,

saving grace and swift release.

Journeying the road ahead,

by the Shepherd gently led.

Loving as he said we should,

sharing for the common good.

Caring for each living thing,

we play our part, our gifts we bring.

A final heartbeat and I'm free,

soaring to my destiny.

Transformed at last, I understand,

His master plan and mighty hand,

that led me to the promised land.

T.Hills

Copyright 2003

Beulah

In this country the sun shineth night and day; wherefore this was beyond the Valley of the Shadow of Death, and also out of the reach of Giant Despair; neither could they from this place so much as see Doubting Castle.   Here they were within the sight of the city they were going to;  also here met them some of the inhabitants thereof;  for in this land the Shining Ones commonly walked, because it was  upon the borders of Heaven.

The Pilgrims Progress

John Bunyan.

FOR NEIL

             

TRANSLATION

GENESIS 5 - 24

And Enoch walked with God; and he was not,

for God took him.

Great - that will save on any funeral expenses which are apparently rising according to statistics, the poor left with little alternative other than to bury their relative in the garden.   Beautiful - a bit like the wild west.   Little ranch fenced graves lovingly tended by those left behind.

If one thing hits home in the recently released D.V.D. "Left Behind" it's the pastor sitting crying in his tidy church.   You would be forgiven for thinking that's it, he's had it, he didn't really believe all that stuff he was preaching, yet he complains to the main character Chloe that he knew the bible chapter and verse.   But he didn't really believe it, did he?   It was a job and a nice one at that.

He should have known he was successful in part because many in his little congregation had disappeared.  Surely God would take that into account.

In the first book of the series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins  "Left Behind"  we know the said pastor goes into the tribulation, suffers and dies knowing His saviour.  There's hope folks.   Yes its just a movie and how the public love to wallow in plane crashes (lets hope they never have to endure one).   In the book the plane doesn't crash, it lands safely albeit in the midst of those that didn't.   It had little relevance to the series.

In the first chapters of the book Russia comes against "tiny Israel" but she fails and is destroyed in an unexplainable (to mere mortals) sterile attack.   No mention of that in the film or the fact that the anti.christ exists in an albeit rather lowly position in Romanian politics and was slowly rising to prominence as a peacemaker leading a movement to disarmament and considered a humble charming chappy.  

Rayford the C.O. pilot on the Boeing 747 was finding his wife's devotion to an unseen competitor rather irksome.  Yes, they got that one right.    Anyone joined with an unbelieving husband/wife will have known that experience, frustrated Rayford's focus was switching to his attractive senior flight attendant.

The warning lights were red but he had never touched her - dangling on the edge of lust until..................BLINK and some passengers went missing.   From that point on the film bears absolutely no resemblance to the book other than to point out the chaos that would ensue following such an event.

Nicholas Cage held it together.   Yes I'm a fan but the rest was fairly bland.   Bearing in mind the Left Behind series are "fiction" not "fact" the writers cleverly tie the events with biblical prophesy but the series would perhaps be better described as an apocalyptic thriller.

Just may be this rather bland production was supposed to be different.  A simple prompt for the wavering, a rallying cry, last ditch attempt to reach the lost, after all even cynics, atheists, agnostics, self preservationists all admit sooner or later the excrement will hit the fan and as most don't believe in a creator God - ITS PARTY OVER.   Hence the carnival of debauchery gathers pace.  Anything goes.

According to the bible non.believers will stand alongside unbelieving Jews and Muslims at the final judgement before the Great White Throne of God.   Focus throughout the series is on the Holy Land and the messianic jews.   That is the theatre of battle, there it will end.

On a positive note the film could be considered a "trailer" for yet more sales of the books which have probably made billions for the authors.  It would take an unimaginable budget to produce this first book alone and it is something of a challenge to actually read the whole series but for me personally it was worth the effort.    

By the time you reach the final book and the end of the Glorious Appearing Rayford & Co have become a literary family and you don't really care where when or how, an early exit would be appreciated.
   

Nevertheless in Matthew 24 - 15 - 22 Yeshua gives the countdown to the gathering of His elect who are going to suffer tribulation, but for their sakes that time will be cut short.

(22) And unless those days were shortened no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened.

(31) and He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

That is not a popular scenario with some christians who are not comfortable with the idea of suffering, as did their Lord, its more a case of "get me out of here" 

Christians are already suffering beheadings, persecution, ridicule and criticism.   It doesn't bode well when the leader of one of the biggest denominations who consider themselves followers of Christ is quoted as saying "christians are sick"   Perhaps he will be left behind!!!!!???? 

An Enoch type exit is perhaps the preferred option for those who walk with God as the global melt down continues but in the books there is no such rescue for those "Left Behind" some are on God appointed missions, many suffer horrible deaths and are then fast tracked. 

Matthew 24 - 36

But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.  

Yeshua warns us to observe the signs - the fig tree. Matt. 24-32

And perhaps the greatest warning

Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

QUESTION

Who are you?

Just me, sitting with the sheep,

writing poems and singing songs, 

loving my God.

Who are you?

Just a watchman on the wall,

knowing it begins and ends with

God's people - Israel.

Who are you?

Just a tiny spark among many,

defying the darkness,

knowing one day His light will 

burn away the dross.

Who are you?

Just a pilgrim following His teaching

focused on my Saviour

speaking His truth.

NOBODY

T.Hills

2015

 WE PRESS ON TO THE SUMMIT KNOWING WE ARE BLESSED, PRECIOUS AND HIS.