Waiting in the hallway – When God locks all the doors
Posted on August 26, 2009 | Filed Under God Stuff | Comments Off
It's often said that if God shuts one door He will open another but as someone also once said "it's the waiting in the hallway that's the hardest thing". He firmly shuts and locks the door behind you in one area of your life but the new door doesn’t open straight away.
Patience is not an easy thing for most of us especially as we're conditioned to expect instant answers and gratification. The new Samsung Jet Commercial doing the rounds at the moment with hook “Impatience Is A Virtue” says it all. Is it any wonder we find it so hard to wait on God?
So what should we do during the waiting period? This is where choices become so important, we can stamp our feet and sulk, “I want things to happen NOW!” we may not verbalise it like that but I bet we think it. We can become angry at God which breaks our fellowship with Him and we lose our peace. Potentially the worst choice of all is if we decide God needs a bit of help so we take control and start doing things our way. Abraham thought he would help God out and what a mess that created! Choosing any of those three options can stunt our spiritual growth and bring more delay.
So what should our response be while we wait for God to act? In a word, trust, trusting in the God who knows better than us the timing of things, trusting in the God who has our best interests at heart and trusting in the God who sees the entire picture when we only see the picture through a glass darkly. We also need to exercise our faith in the promises we already have. He has promised to guide and lead us "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight" Proverbs 3:5-6. He will guide and lead us if we are truly submitted to Him and want His will for our lives rather than expecting Him to fit into our agenda.
If you are waiting for God to open a door for you, be assured He will open it but not necessarily in your time scale. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD. Psalm 27 v14
Give Up Yer Aul Sins
Posted on April 15, 2009 | Filed Under God Stuff | Comments Off
Based on the original recordings taken by Peig Cunningham in Dublin schoolrooms from the 1960′s, (subsequently re-discovered and released by EMI record) this film dramatises the event as a TV crew arrive to record the children and we are treated to the story of John the Baptist told as only children can. It received an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Short at the 2001 Oscars.
Give Up Yer Aul Sins is the brainchild of Brown Bag Films who have won international acclaim for their work.
What does Easter mean to you?
Posted on April 15, 2009 | Filed Under God Stuff | Comments Off
The Crucifixion story of Easter invokes many different reactions from people nowadays, indifference, worship, scorn or horror at a barbaric act. But what about the people who actually witnessed it?
Their was Mary, Jesus’ mother, watching not a savior but a beloved son cruelly dying.
The soldiers who carried out the crucifixion and cast lots for his cloths had already beaten and mocked Him had seen it a hundred times before and were probably indifferent, it was just another job.
The religious leaders who had raised false charges against Jesus would be pleased they had (or so they thought) rid themselves of this blasphemer who had dared to break their religious rules.
The two thieves who were crucified with Jesus had very different reactions. One mocked: One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!" While the other asked "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom". Luke 23:39-42
What was Jesus' reaction? To those who mocked he said: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing". Luke 23:34. To the thief’s question he answered: "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise". Luke 23:43.
There is no middle ground with Jesus, no sitting on the fence. In His own words to one of the churches: "Since you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I am going to spit you out of my mouth". Revelation 3:16.
So what is your reaction to Easter and Jesus? Hot, cold or luke warm?
Bible quotes from Bible Gateway.
