tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55084446704907784942024-03-15T18:13:18.896-07:00Rebel by nature, Righteous by forceHowardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707181627588121525noreply@blogger.comBlogger816125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5508444670490778494.post-83267438980946487632023-11-13T03:49:00.000-08:002023-11-16T11:35:55.897-08:00The Power of the Sword<p> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">In his recent work, 'Letter to the American Church", Eric Metaxas points out that the Christian community in Germany almost entirely missed out the warning signs in the 1930's regarding how National Socialism would take and abuse the levels of power to bring a process of control to completion. Abusing these means to bring every aspect of the national order, including the spiritual dimensions of life, into the sphere of direct control beneath an ideology currouption, sealing the culture in a cult of death, thus nothing was outside the sphere of their influence.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Metaxas notes that this was achievable due to 1: The social fracturing of the county caused by the war, 2: The Fusion that existed in the country between the secular powers and the influence these brought upon the structure of the church and 3: The impoverished spiritual state of the German church itself, which had given so much away to secular approaches to the message and place of the message of Christianity. It is no wonder then that the church generally proved to be a bent force when facing the far more strident and advancing creed of the new social strident messages of the day.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This work, however, makes an even more vital observation in respect to the sorrowful state of the church in our times.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">In an earlier section, Metaxas also touches upon the radical changes that commenced in the American church in the 1950's, when the state, which according to the American constitution, is supposed to be something entire separate to the church in the nation, begun to introduce policy which impacted directly upon what a minister was allowed to say and teach from his pulpit on Sunday's if he wished to remain in post. Here we see how the supposedly 'healthy' nature of 'democratic' sate influence has continue to grow and control the role of Christianity in a fashion that is tightly controlled and restricted for the last 60 years amidst Western society.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The depths and spans of such control became fully evident in 2020, when these states closed the churches entirely in respect to there normal functions, and since that period, the direct influence of what is deemed state dogma continues to feed directly into the regular nature of church life, meaning that further restrictions can be introduced when deemed necessary by the state.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This process of the use of the sword of state to curtail and steer church authority is of course not new. In his excellent study of the nature of the church in relation to this issue, The Subversion of Christianity, Jucques Ellul shows how such processes have been at work amidst the Christian community in an obvious and corruptive manner since the 4th century onwards, meaning that the Spiritual nature of the message and significance of the faith has so often become subverted to other political and economic ends, where the power of the sword of the state has become the primary focus and the crucial truth of the Gospel has become buried in the process of placing secular power and position first.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The same is so often the case today, especially in respect to the war Christian belief systems so often interpret present concerns or events through the lens of a secular requirement to see that certain 'powers' are defined as 'good' (godly) in what they say or do, even what this means ignoring the actual need and suffering of other Christians who are effectively ignored in the manner that certain events are defined and understood through such partial analysis.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Perhaps the greatest tragedy in all of this, as Ellul and Metaxas both state, is the manner in which the church continually looses sight of its true message and role as a result of effectively siding with powers and ideas that leave the culture bereft of a vital spirituality which Christ brings to save a truly change this fallen world.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">It has, no doubt, always been the case, and the kingdom comes in spite of such troubles, but it would be something if Christians at least woke up to the realty of this estate.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707181627588121525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5508444670490778494.post-26357982263169165992023-11-04T07:50:00.001-07:002023-11-04T11:04:36.804-07:00Excellence or Folly.<p> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">"But in a great household, there are not only vessels of Gold and Silver, but of wood and clay - vessels for honour and dishonour". 2 Timothy 2:20.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Back in the heady days of my youth in the mid 1970's, whilst being at a boarding school in West Sussex, I had the opportunity to attend for a couple of summers the developing "canvas" of 'new' notions expressed at the Caple Bible weeks held in the grounds of what was then Elim Bible College. There, I witness first hand the sprouting of the "renewal" movement which would become identified with the Restoration teachings of the likes of Ern Baxter, Derick Prince (of the Fort Lauderdale Five) from America, and the likes of Bryn Jones, Arthur Wallis and Terry Vergo from the UK as they brought "Restorationism" to the Charismatic Movement with a fresh wave of enthusiasm. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Whilst I swam amongst these waters for a few years, I was never comfortable with the various spiritual emphases of the movement as a whole, especially as certain spiritual requirements came to the fore and the teaching took a far more dispensational and zionist stance, leaving those of us who asked why such things were right when they argued with scripture looking for another home. That lead me to seek a home for a time in the reformed wing of Christianity, but I soon discovered this to be just as moribund by extreme Calvinism and legalism as its Charismatic relation. This lead to my digging deep into church history to find those believers who were truly worth listening to both in the past (The Apostles, Irenaeus) in the Reformation (Martin Luther) and in our own age (C S Lewis) who sought to point correctly to Christ and the exclusiveness of His unique and entirely saving work.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Whilst my particular experiences may have been particular in some respects to myself, the general tenor of the last four decades of what has occurred amongst many church groups will be familiar to many. As the general "direction of travel" of all of this is known, where it has lead - the "downgrade" as Spurgeon referred to it in the 19th century, has most certainly lead to a large 'going to seed' of the spiritual crop of our times. Many have become bewildered with the <i>political</i> nature of the direction of what was deemed 'godly' became squared to a very particular interpretation of the nature of Spiritual anointing amongst the <u>social well being </u>of the <b>national population</b> of a region of the Middle East, often to the <i>entire expense</i> of the rest of the global church and other considerations.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">What this, in effect means, is the Gospel itself and the very work of God as Saviour becomes <b>subservient</b> to other, more supposedly immediate concerns and needs (in the news and in the 'presenting' nature of what is currently defined as 'spiritual'), leaving the church without its true voice and the world bereft of the vital call of the good news as a consequence. The violence of this estate, which has grown like a cancer over the last century, leaves Christianity buried at the very hour that the world so deeply needs the vital light it is meant to bring.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Service in this hour means raising a voice that will never prove popular as it calls us to refuse the easy road of perceived 'anointing' that others loudly proclaim, and walk the far harder pathway 'less travelled' if we really want to bring actual worth and value to this generation. May Christ enable us to do so!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707181627588121525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5508444670490778494.post-46933720214788598682023-11-02T05:53:00.002-07:002023-11-02T05:53:25.640-07:00The Darkness of an eternal winter.<p> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Scripture speaks profoundly of the emptiness of the soul and the world without God, and we are about to experience that realm in a deluge of blackness spreading for our called 'leaders', as experienced this week in England -</span></p><p><span class="" style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;">So as we reach the end of some very candid exchanges in the Covid enquiry this week, what conclusions can we reach about where we are and where the new incoming bolicvies of the World Health Organisation and the UN are taking us next…</span></p><div class="" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span class="" style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;"><br class="" /></span></div><div class="" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span class="" style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;">1. There is <b class="">no</b> recognition that the policies employed (especially the use of lockdowns and an experimental vaccine) were in any way incorrect, so <b class="">they will be we employed again</b> <i class="">continually</i> in the years ahead, and will be <b class="">even more draconian</b> than last time.</span></div><div class="" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span class="" style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;">2. Those independent minded media groups and individual experts that sought to question these approaches - and were <b class="">proved RIGHT by the findings</b> to do so! - have been thoroughly criticised and <b class="">marked</b> as a trouble to be corrected/surpassed this week, so will clearly be even more </span></div><div class="" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span class="" style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;">3. The New <b class="">On Line Safety Act </b>is <i class="">already</i> being employed to curtail any opinions which are not mainstream. There is clearly going to<b class=""> be far more censorship</b> on mainstream platforms in the months ahead, and with the WHO being given the authority to call for lockdowns anywhere they determine there to be a threat, never mind an actual problem, bringing with that severe restrictive methods upon anyone, the world is about to enter a new phase of authorities unseen in many places before.</span></div><div class="" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span class="" style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;"><br class="" /></span></div><div class="" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span class="" style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;"><b class="">2020 was the moment </b>that the genuine freedoms of our country died, along with the established church giving way to total authorising, and we are about to begin to experience the full consequences of this on a massive level.</span></div><div class="" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span class="" style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;"><br class="" /></span></div><div class="" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span class="" style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;">This is <b class="">just the first real implementation</b>, however - what is coming in the next 12-14 months as the full ramifications of A I implementation begin to bite into our society is going to be fare more horrendous as humanity becomes incarcerated by a new and far despotic manner of total submission to something without any sense of basic goodness than has been experienced in the moral social restraints of everyday life.</span></div><div class="" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span class="" style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;"><br class="" /></span></div><div class="" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span class="" style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;">The days coming are going to be black.</span></div><div class="" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span class="" style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;"><br class="" /></span></div><div class="" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span class="" style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;">In parts of the country already, growing numbers of people are already without the basic necessities of everyday life, and this is increasing each day.</span></div><div class="" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span class="" style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;"><br class="" /></span></div><div class="" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span class="" style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;">Those who role us are involved in the most malevolent forms of evil when it comes to the genuine needs of the neighbours.</span></div><div class="" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span class="" style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;">The Official cover reposonse has spread a blight of wickedness and evil amongst us, and that savage pall of savage darkness is about to become much, much thicker in all of our lives.</span></div><div class="" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span class="" style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span class="" style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;">When these things unfold, dear Christian, look up, for your redemption is drawing near, not in the false hope of dispensationalism, but in His glorious coming to establish a new eternal creation as the Kingdom of Heaven renews creation into it's eternal state as the Home of Christ's reign forever.</span></div>Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707181627588121525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5508444670490778494.post-4289771602731463072023-10-31T07:35:00.001-07:002023-10-31T07:35:05.450-07:00In CHRIST Alone...<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">THE <a href="https://youtu.be/WIx82PuGfTk?si=FrDhlGcGSv4Fek5g">Message</a> for today, and these troubled times.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">God's Saving work in Christ!</span> </p>Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707181627588121525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5508444670490778494.post-27126978879023155192023-10-29T12:01:00.010-07:002023-10-29T12:52:46.739-07:00The Current Context. - where we must stand.<p><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;">Where we start. -</span></p><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;">“I mean that the heir - as long as being a child - is no better than a slave (though being the owner of everything. They are still under a ‘guardian-ship’ and being managed by the conditions set upon them by the owner (the Father).</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;">In this manner, we also were as children, were managed by both the elementary principles of this present world (order) until fulness came to us in our being clothed in the work of God in His only Son, who redeems us from being under the law.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;">True liberty, then <i>singularly</i> belongs to those He has adopted who truly are His children, who have His spirit in their hearts (thereby know Him as their true Father) and are therefore <u>no longer slaves</u> to any of the <b>former</b> things which bound them, but heirs of the Son, and t</span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow"; font-size: large;">herefore heirs of God!” (Galatians 4:1-7).</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;">Notice here the condition of those who are NOT free in respect to the actual inheritance of God - they are like <i>children</i>, without any true awareness of what is meant to be theirs, and are therefore compared to slaves, because they are actually still without what is necessary to be inheriters.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;">At present, they are <b>very far</b> from the actual riches which God is desiring for them. Our own natures and even the law in effect prevent us from seeing what is truly provided and leave us stranded in a place <u>far from where</u> the unmerited work of grace wants us to be.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;">We must, then, see the Church for what it is - the only save harder, able vessel, to deliver us safely from our certain demise and calamity to the shores of the new creation. If we determine that any other method or message must be pursed to give us clarity and purpose, we will entirely miss the singular means of rescue that the Father provides through His only Son.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;">The work of God alone takes us to safety - a confidence and living must be within the confines of that care alone.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;">I doubt many Christians would have felt at home most evenings in the smoke-filled lounge of the Kilns in Oxford during the 1950s and early 60s, where the likes of two brothers world sit most evenings smoking as they discussed everything from the news to the arts and science, and how to view life through the lease of what had been established by a man who had come some 2,000 years earlier, but anyone who has seen the film Shadowlands will know in that very context, miracles of all manner occurred, and God established a work that continues to endure and thrive nearly a century on. In my recent visit to that same house, I quickly recognised the telling divide between what we so often view as ‘vital’ to our religious frameworks and the true and profoundly deep work of God amongst His people - something which endures and is enhanced by the storms and troubles, and leans that these are indeed so often the very means that God introduces to lead us deeper and further into the unfathom-lall depths of His un-exhastive Love.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;">The arm of flesh is not our ‘aid’ - our working well must derive from a deeper and richer source than our own derived beliefs or intentions - true righteousness is the fruit only the cross and the life which grows from this in Christ’s resurrection.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;">The means God chooses to build His work so often appears futile in the view of the world. Who would chose the means of a man and woman naked in a garden as the method by which one day the entire order would become populated with a race that will be viceroys to express genuine might and majesty of the eternal Almighty. Who would judge it good that these same persons be allowed to truly choose their path and by their error, be clothed in an unwarranted mercy by their maker, who would ensure that their offspring would be made complete by simply trusting in the depths of that same maker’s unfathomable goodness.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow;">True virtue is not so</span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow";">me mechanised scheme that we can calculate and assimilate in some robotic manner - it is union and communion in a living relationship with a person closer and richer than our very own blood and scales</span><span style="font-family: "Arial Narrow"; font-size: large;">.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;">The world we inhabit is indeed one inhabited by darkness and corruption because of the fall, and yet, time and again we learn that it amidst this very calamity that God sees fit to make His particular mark of unmerited mercy, using the very means that have been so marred to establish what will endure forever, and thereby write large the truth that His great redemption envelops all things - not merely those that our division-ist schemes define as acceptable and approved.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;">What begins as we meet in worship around the word and the supper, permeates out from there into every sphere and aspect of life - from sweeping the floor, to deigning a masterpiece of art - every facet of every area of life is ‘sacred’ territory’ which the Lord desires to make stamped with the mark of His presence and splendour, and we as His ambassadors are provided to the world to see that this is so - we fall so woefully shoot when we deny the vital nature of this goal.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;">The creed of true faith takes root in our entire dependance and communion within a norther - he who marries Himself only to us by being our Lamb, our food our sustenance and sufficiency that entirely satisfies us.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;">The church cannot be a place which merely echos or reflects what a lost culture rants as being vital - it must always speak from a calmer, deeper source of rightness and good care for all that is genuinely value.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;">Worship both stems from and leads us to a vision of the Lord that is holier and greater than the blindness of this moment, bringing a radiance that is as transforming as the moment when the Lord unveiled to Job that His was were more profound than a men could ever truly contain or comprehend.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;">This is the Lord with whom we have to do, and our beings, communion, giving of worship, service and Joy are all bound into His being Himself amongst us, however extraordinary and overwhelming that proves to be. The error comes when we seek to confine such marvel to the poverty of <b>our</b> impoverished desires or ambitions and thereby fail to allow Gods magnificence to find its true expression.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;">God must never be confined to the thoughts and ways of angry sinners!</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;">Ours must always be a faith informed and energised by the Jesus of Calvary and the empty tomb - the God who has torn the veil from heaven on down to the earth, and there, raised the dead. The people He assembles have only come from amidst the precious shed blood of Christ, and thereby, on that Holy ground alone, give true worth and sacrifice in response to His giving all. No other ground, no other estate is worthy or acceptable, so let us be people who forever confess and express only that which He has declared good, for nothing but judgement is found outside those courts of true righteousness.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: Arial Narrow; font-size: medium;">The Widow to Heaven is open - the Dove has brought the first fruits of a renewed world to us - feed upon the rock, and find true health, dear ones, in His eternal table.</span></div>Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707181627588121525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5508444670490778494.post-9523214227649639132023-10-22T05:55:00.017-07:002023-10-23T12:45:25.546-07:00State of Things<p> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">"<i>A man planted a vineyard, dressing it with a fence and a place for the wine - press as well as a tower. Having so established the lot, he hired those who would work the lot to provide the results of the crop, and left for another district. When the time arrived for him to claim the due results of his investment, he sent one of his servants to collect these from the tenets, but instead of paying what was due, they took this servant and mistreated him, and sent him away empty handed</i>" (Mark 12:1-4).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">How do we take Jesus words here in the light of the current state of Christianity?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">How would we apply them to the present?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">THE ESTATE.</span></p><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Condition 1 - The “immersed”</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Entirely <i><b>submersed</b></i> by the prompts of the culture. See no need pragmatically, to be anything else than what the <b>current culture</b> requires of you. In effect, hoarding the actual calling we have, to produce fruit worthy of our calling, and adulterating this into something entirely self-serving. We become those who dress the vineyard only to aggrandise ourselves.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Condition 2 - The Partially aware.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Beginning to emerge - aware of at least some of what actually counts and beginning to be altered by that awareness.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Such life in a troubled state. They know more is required - that the cost may be high, now they must chose which direction they will take - who they will truly serve.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Condition 3 - Those made genuinely free by truth, who are in the midst of the fray.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Like those 'helpers' Christian met on the road in Pilgrim's Progress, they are commonly berated and abused by those who use the Lord's instruments only to ingratiate themselves or taint good means and ends.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The 'down curve' of the spiritual condition of the message and estate of the church was noted by C H Spurgeon in the the 'downgrade' controversy of the 1900's, but Martin Luther informed his associates that the rich, untainted strength and significance of the Gospel of justification would be lost 'within a generation' of its re-discovery, simply because men would arise quickly who would proclaim themselves of the same cloth as those who had re-discovered the truth, but in their aims and intentions, their essential message, would be <b>very different</b> to the vital truth He proclaimed concerning the work and means of Christ.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The consequences of these troubles became crucially apparent during the 17th century and the feeding of the West upon the nursing milk of the Enlightenment and its accompanying 'liberating' revolutions of human ascendance against the vital role of genuine Christ-centred truth, leading in its wake the bloody confusion that has come to dominate human existence for over a century.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The church has proved to be the hireling, either miss-managing the owners interests, or having no real means to supply to the Lord what is rightfully due when sent to provide and facilitate this, and the reason is simple. Since at least the middle of the 20th century (as noted in the work, 'Letter to the American Church'), the modern church has relented to laws and associated requirements that have effectively silenced his speaking to the wilder sections of the contemporary society, which has introduced such legislation as the means to silence the voice of the faith amongst the world - to make faith merely a 'private' matter, with no capacity to impact upon the behaviour or thinking of the contemporary closure of the message which calls us to the vital reckoning before God.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The belief is that such an estate brings escape from the day of consequence (it does not), but what of those 'servants' who chose to live "passive" through this day, who in effect entirely fail in their true service and perhaps even seek to use such an estate purely for their own ends?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">If the last few years have surely taught us anything, it is that such duplicitous living cannot continue, and we must detach ourselves from this, or all indeed will be lost for good.</span></div><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><br /></div>Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707181627588121525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5508444670490778494.post-71226419073449888052023-10-15T22:14:00.003-07:002023-10-15T22:14:57.063-07:00Megam Basham<p> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">A superb introduction to one of the most important Christian journalistic voices of the last few years. <a href="https://youtu.be/ZBG9XLofUxI?si=Of2zT8P6AYp-atai">Watch</a>, and enjoy.</span></p>Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707181627588121525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5508444670490778494.post-71274249340715642732023-10-15T22:11:00.003-07:002023-10-15T22:11:32.660-07:00What is the need of the hour?<p> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Unpacking the first half of Psalm 68 -</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Verse 1:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The verse speaks of the arising of the Lord in such a way that His enemies are "scattered" (submerged into disarray). Blessings and Judgement come together in this vital movement.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Verse 2.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The power of God changes the state and nature of the situation entirely. Wickedness evaporates when God arises in this manner and inhabits the moment entirely, making it entirely His own. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Verse 3.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">So what is our role in this? We need to delight deeply in our triumphant King!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Verse 4.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The hour has come to raise the Lord up in our songs of delight in His great majesty and total reign over all current circumstances and events. Such an estate truly elevates us because it fixes us on what matters in the moment and thereby raises us for what truly counts.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Verse 5.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">In this, God's truth and righteousness is established, affirmed and secures us in a stability as profound as a vital, enduring relationship treasured at the core of the most bonded and loving family.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Verse 6.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This rescues us from our exclusion - it brings us to our true place of meaning and significance. Our souls are thereby liberated from the severance from being devoid of our Father.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Verse 7.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Our God is coming to us.dwelling in His might amidst the desert (what comes from the source of His walking through such a wilderness).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Verse 8.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The refreshing rain of God and His breaking upon our world are what is needed to come and increase in this hour.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Verse 9.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">And this is the wonder promised for the hour - amidst the dry season, when all is so parched, God will confirm His inheritance by sanding a deep and satisfying refreshing to those who have sought Him.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Verse 10.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Our retched poverty then, is amply covered and replaced by the wealth of the riches He is seeking to bestow upon us in such a time as this.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Verse 11.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Here, then, is a word of encouragement for our precious sisters - to not be afraid to be bold and speak up!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Verse 12.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The day approaches when our enemies will melt away like a vapour before the rising and light of the great morning star. All they thought belonged to them will become the wealth of the meek and gentle folk of God.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Verse 13.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Your calmness and rest in the Lord will be beautiful and adorn with a deep majesty bestowed by His hand.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Verse 14.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">In that day, the earth will once more become covered by the sweet and gentle grace and beauty that fall from His hand from heaven to make all good.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">(Please take time to look at and unpack the rich promises of the rest of the Psalm).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707181627588121525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5508444670490778494.post-24952938826639777612023-10-13T02:44:00.003-07:002023-10-13T02:44:55.465-07:00Un-crumpled<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The 24th chapter of Matthew's gospel presents us with a truly "Rubicon" moment in the life and ministry of Christ.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The years of public ministry are closing, the dark days of Calvary are already casting their shadow, and His disciples are uncertain as to where circumstances are about to take them - do they have a future.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">They look around for something rooted deep, and point to the enormous stones and foundation's of Jerusalem's magnificent temple - surely here, they think, is something un-movable, but the Lord quickly corrects them. These very stones are soon to be hurled aside like chaff - the certainties that appeared so set are entirely unable to face the cracking and perplexity which is approaching.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Where do we find ourselves in this present hour? We find all those 'means; which we have taken for granted breaking in the same fashion - nothing appears to be able to stand before the tsunami of human evil and depravity being unleashed amongst us this past week. It confirms that the depth of human wickedness is rooted in our dreadful condition and, when circumstances allow, it rises to overwhelm all deemed just and necessary for civil society.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">As the world begins its decent into unprecedented darkness, Jesus tells His disciples to look deeper, beyond the troubles that are now coming upon their day that will then continue in numerous forms across what would become the days of the church age.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">What is required of us at this moment as that we become un-crumpled, that we adhere to Christ's call to watch and pray - that we in effect allow these circumstances to work upon us in such a fashion that we raise our gaze and perspective to what these troubles ACTUALLY signal - a far greater age is close at hand, ready to break upon us and transform this benighted sorrow-soaked age into something imbued with a richness and majesty we can barley comprehend - it's magnificence is so profound and enduring.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">When we find ourselves despised by this falling regime, we will lift our faces because the hour of our great redemption is about to fall, and heaven and earth will be forever radiated by the glory encountered in God's Slavic work in His beloved Son.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Raise the arms that hang down, find a new strength to walk and run in your lengths, and raise your voices in clear expression of truth and delight - Christ is at the very gates of this plagued city - and they are about to burst open at the majesty of His victory!</span></p>Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707181627588121525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5508444670490778494.post-52446793943748758222023-10-05T00:55:00.003-07:002023-10-05T00:55:54.883-07:00Scientia ab initiis?<div class="" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span class="" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">What happens when humans loose their way - what becomes the reason debt of what defines us, of what consumes our time,</span></div><div class="" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span class="" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">And why does this ‘miss the mark…?</span></div><div class=""><span class="" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><br class="" /></span></div><p><span class="" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">C S Lewis notes in one place (The Weight of Glory), how the majority of people in the modern world who reflect upon the issue of expressing some manner of virtue in life will almost always convey the notion that ‘unselfishness’ should be the hight to reach for. He goes on to note how such high ends can actually <b>blind the soul</b> to a <i>far deeper</i> and greater need - to actually, significantly <u>know</u> and convey genuine love. The inherent danger here is that some virtue can so saturate our existence that we entirely loose sight of what we actually need to be inheriting and thereby sharing with the world so needy beyond us.</span></p><div class="" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span class="" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><br class="" /></span></div><div class="" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span class="" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">I watched a superb example of this in a new popular movie this month. </span></div><div class="" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span class="" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">The new Science Fiction film, The Creator:</span></div><div class="" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span class="" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><a class="" href="https://youtu.be/ex3C1-5Dhb8?si=6skmWKmJ6eVA89y7">https://youtu.be/ex3C1-5Dhb8?si=6skmWKmJ6eVA89y7</a></span></div><div class="" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span class="" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">it seeks to ask some deep questions about where we are as a society which is about to become soaked in the exponential capacities of Artificial Intelligence.</span></div><div class="" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span class="" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">It does so in some familiar terms (conflict between two world powers) whilst using a far more relatable story (the union of two people, and what this creates) as the centre of what unfolds.</span></div><div class="" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span class="" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><br class="" /></span></div><div class="" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span class="" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">The story takes a surprising turn when we learn the nature of the AI and its aims, and this adjusts the manner of the objective the intention of the principle protagonist.</span></div><div class="" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span class="" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><br class="" /></span></div><div class="" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span class="" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">This leads to the acceptance that what is indeed required (no doubt, in measure, of what is defined as ‘loving’ behaviour) to sacrifice on an enormous level to insure what has been deemed “good” will be achieved.</span></div><div class="" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span class="" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><br class="" /></span></div><div class="" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span class="" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">What is surprising about this tale is not only the defined purpose of AI itself (somewhat <b>entirely</b> different to <b>our present situation</b> in reality) but the manner in which a kind of ‘religion’ or theology is wrapped around the views at thereby motivation of the two lead characters. This expresses well exactly the danger that I touched on above - how easy the ‘religions’ of our time can “sample” what they believe to be a ‘good’ from elsewhere (i.e. Christianity), when in fact they have missed the true value of the faith by a vast galactic distance.</span></div><div class="" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span class="" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><br class="" /></span></div><div class="" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span class="" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">It comes, then, too this - is our life here now merely contained and concluded in our <b><i>own </i></b>inclinations to ‘better’ ideals, or is it actually com-mated in the exhaustive intentions, coming and actions of another?</span></div><div class="" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span class="" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;"><br class="" /></span></div><div class="" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><span class="" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium;">Christ, indeed, must become <b>all</b> for genuine, unchanging love to become evident here. The Creator gets one thing right - genuine comprehensive salvation must come from Outside of us!</span></div>Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707181627588121525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5508444670490778494.post-70291529144188637882023-10-02T22:08:00.001-07:002023-10-02T22:08:19.340-07:00The 'Ought' and the "Can' (Real progress).<p> <span style="font-family: arial;">Utter progress in faith - where it actually comes from and takes place with <a href="https://youtu.be/_JoEXAiAqdE?si=h4l9sE84-dKiFcR9">the guys</a>.</span></p>Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707181627588121525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5508444670490778494.post-63502972616241997132023-09-27T19:20:00.000-07:002023-09-27T19:20:03.586-07:00THE Issue<p> <span style="font-family: arial;">So, what really is at the heart of the present 'big media' story in the UK? Is it the thinks we're being told to focus upon, or is there a bigger MORE VITAL story to be told here?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Glen does a great job <a href="https://youtu.be/X59fjrNZJ4Q?si=M7lflBU5x9v5qz5y">here</a> in asking the bigger questions regarding this matter, and what really needs to come first.</span></p>Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707181627588121525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5508444670490778494.post-21064286540945776942023-09-21T19:26:00.001-07:002023-09-21T19:26:08.691-07:00THE REVELING<span style="font-family: arial;">Great <a href="https://youtu.be/YBgHhanxgCo?si=y5cdW3XtqsFRu_JY">Posting</a> from the guys this week. Sit back, tune-in and just soak up the splendour of Gods astounding grace.</span>Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707181627588121525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5508444670490778494.post-23389100654544008742023-09-16T05:15:00.005-07:002023-09-16T05:15:56.848-07:00So, where are we....?<p><span style="font-family: arial;">"There is no health within us".</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">If you were to ask a good historian where the fundamental "break" came between the 'modern' world (the general social and philosophical attitudes embraced and employed today), they would point you to the vast divide caused by the First World War and how the world entirely changed forever at that point. If you were to ask an honest scientist where the problem exists today, you would get an answer in respect to the unavoidable trouble facing the race and the planet along <a href="https://youtu.be/z1tqPEX5o9g?si=MulhCLl3VaPGCiSi">these kind</a> of lines.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Back in the 1970's, Scientist and writer Issac Asimov stated in an interview that if the US failed to continue to develop its space program to the point where by the 90s there were bases on the Moon and Mars and humanity was exploiting the asteroid field for resources, the entire venture would prove for naught. Well, as Weinstein notes in the above video, modern physics has gone down a dark rabid hole for the last four decades, and this has meant that none of what needs to be addressed has been, so in the natural sense, science has in effect shoot the race in the head, and having done so, cannot recover the essential nature of what's necessary.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Anyone who doubts this analysis just needs to take a good, hard look at the data of how, for example, the population of the world has been 'assisted' by the so-called medical response to what was almost certainly a man-made virus over the last three years. The reality is that there was a highly effective medical means of dealing with this available before the route taken was employed, and often imposed, upon us - that story will be told one day when what happened in parts of the globe without access to the MRNA materials becomes clear.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Christianity is the solution to both the undoing of the evil found amongst us and to the lies that pervade our society, but Christians must take up their calling and speak the truth in love, even if it proves painful to do so. That is the call of the hour.</span></p>Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707181627588121525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5508444670490778494.post-26878249112609356892023-09-14T04:37:00.001-07:002023-09-14T04:37:42.657-07:00L I E S<p> <span style="font-family: arial;">"Be yourself mindful of this - your adversary the Devil is looking, prowling for those he hates, seeking to devour them! Resistance is imperative! Sufferance of this manner is common for the Christian, but such suffering when endured well will bring genuine refreshment in Gods good grace and confirm your faith" 1 Peter 7:11.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">So yesterday, I was listening to a discussion on a Christian podcast concerning the value of the Biblical doctrine of Creation, and how this plays such an important role in how we seek to unpack and live our lives here, because it is the fact that the world that is here has been designed to open our eyes to its Creator which should be behind every aspect of life.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Helpful then, when suddenly, the two Christians talking decide to inform us just how dangerous it was in recent times (from 2020) for their follow believers to 'go against the science' in respect to their response to recent events.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">There's no elaboration of this statement, so I presume they are raising a warning against people who questioned the mainstream response to the 2020 crisis (the 'science').</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">This is tragic, and needs to remind us just how much of the church is still choosing to conform to directives and mandates that are entirely contrary from authorities to the clear Apostolic requirements regarding our responsibilities to "BE" church whatever the external circumstances - free in Christ.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Enough material concerning the entire failure of the authorities to actually protect people has been accumulator in the last 18 months to show the response was evil, and Christianity must now show this clearly in the manner it operates and goes forward. he time for such vile social compromise is well expired! Time for the church to show the Devil the door and allow Christ is full reign over us, whatever suffering this may bring!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p>Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707181627588121525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5508444670490778494.post-27401116655705681272023-09-11T23:33:00.001-07:002023-09-11T23:33:13.291-07:00The Credit thing<p> <span style="font-family: arial;">Well worth a listen. <a href="https://youtu.be/SzZJb1WcRLE?si=pt0NpJuu_prlUBo8">Start</a> the day well.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p>Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707181627588121525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5508444670490778494.post-44712732917694232982023-09-09T07:56:00.000-07:002023-09-09T07:56:12.527-07:00My condition<span style="font-family: arial;">After successful surgery, I returned home (!), so will hopefully spend around the next 4-5 weeks recuperating. I am hoping that will allow me to return to work, at least for a period.</span><div><span style="font-family: arial;">I will seek to write more again as my skills become more pronounced, I hope, in the days to come.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">In His care and mercies.</span></div>Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707181627588121525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5508444670490778494.post-19959924122459192522023-09-03T19:51:00.000-07:002023-09-03T19:51:03.169-07:00Sound of Freedom<p><span style="font-family: arial;">Now on international everywhere.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">If there's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIha-8aIzRY">one film</a> you should support this year, it's this one.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Simply one of the most powerful I have seen in my life, and what it states about what is going on in this moment and what is needed amidst our entire race, if you can hear it, resonates so deep.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">See it at the cinema as a shared experience with others whilst you can.</span></p>Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707181627588121525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5508444670490778494.post-80234757828219634052023-09-01T21:23:00.007-07:002023-09-01T21:23:46.672-07:00The Present Situation.<p> <span style="font-family: arial;">Dear Readers.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Short of a major miraculous change in my condition in the next few days, I will be going into hospital in a few days for radical surgery to remove a growth from decide my brain. The outcome of this is unsure and may still only leave me with my current quality of life for a few more months or it may result in extending this two another year or possibly longer. I will know more about that within a few days, but I will be in hospital after the surgery for something like 7-days to prevent infection.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I will seek to post a further update here once I am able.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Your prayers are frilly appreciated.</span></p>Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707181627588121525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5508444670490778494.post-37464197543849444232023-08-13T02:19:00.000-07:002023-08-13T02:19:11.925-07:00My current condition.<span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">Hi apologies I currently not wrong much due to evens this summer. which have impacted directly upon by mental health and abilities.</span></span><br style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;" /><br style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">Around two months ago a view noisy group of birds decided broke.to take up residence in the woods behind by estate resulting in two months of gelling screaming especially especially between 2 and 4 inf the mornings. The is resulted in two moths of entirely blocked wind.</span></span><div><br /></div><div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">The impact effect of this on my mental vacillates as been huge. I’m a having real trout troubles with reading and wiring.</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;" /><br style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">I’m hoping this is only temper and well research one my require sleep patterns are required, bur its hard to live when so much of life revolve aways this, </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">I’d failure your prayers.</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;" /><br style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">A local power surge two months recorded in sixteen social properties on my estate loosing their boilers so I have had now hot water water for healing. Its looks like my insurance will by resolved this week saw so pen-fully we can get some those thing done soon.</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;" /><br style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">Howard,</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;" /><br style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">Iis nope has taken over to write. Thats hat how bad things are right tow. I also discover a </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12px;">spot a hemp this tweaked when I can sleeve without two noise so I am humming I can renew my natural sleep batters in the weeks head and thaw feel away meant abilities to renew.</span></span></div><div><br style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;" /><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">The geed news is that I’ve been apple to work through all of the and a have my usually leave coming up in 5 weeks, so 3 woks above.</span></div></div>Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707181627588121525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5508444670490778494.post-88834467365112529932023-08-09T21:32:00.000-07:002023-08-09T21:32:05.323-07:00Why we musk keep using cash<p> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Why is matters https://youtu.be/SUartZqwXnE</span></p>Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707181627588121525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5508444670490778494.post-46244553049768389052023-08-07T10:44:00.000-07:002023-08-07T10:44:36.186-07:00Getting it all in perspective,<p> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">A superb presentation by a man who really does have a fresh perspective on where we are and why that matters.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Enjoy and focus on what is really good.</span></p><p>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbhNY8_IG9k&t=3566s</p><p><br /></p>Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707181627588121525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5508444670490778494.post-65830772786172645572023-07-31T21:50:00.003-07:002023-08-01T21:51:04.020-07:00Unceasing Strength<p> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">"They will be called oaks of righteousness - planeted by the most high, to express His unceasing glory. They will build up the ancient places, raise up what has become devastated causing this to be renewed - the defamation of many generations will be swept away". Isaiah 61:2-4).</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The messages good work to unprocessed is not only that they shall be rescued from their trial, but that full and unceasing redemption will come in the fact that all that has been repressed and devastated from the evil of oppression will be full restored.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">We see this first expression of this in the promise of our physical resurrection. Death will not have the last work over us - the very natural powers which currently appear to dominate everything are themselves subject to a far greater, everlasting authority.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Our spiritual renewal now leads to our becoming clothed in a flesh that is immortal - but that is but <i>the opening</i> line of the glorious plan that God has for His creation.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">In Romans 8 the Apostle proclaims that all of creation is to share in this splendour - to be renewed to share in the life that flows from our extraordinary saviour. All that was made with the intent to truly express the marvel and unfathomable richness of God's extraordinary love and joy will indeed do so in a manner that will take eternity to hold.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">That is our hope, and evident in the appearing of Jesus Christ.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707181627588121525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5508444670490778494.post-16556689283530197322023-07-23T01:59:00.010-07:002023-07-23T04:35:44.961-07:00The Wrong Olympus<p> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">So, what does this year's serious biography cinematic event say about the days in which we live?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Well, it tells us why all the 'prophets' of doom regarding the end of the world are looking in all the wrong places for the cause of a demise. It isn't because we merely need to tweak our life styles of all embrace that latest expression of yoke culture. Something fare more pernicious is at play, and our living in an atomic moment is simply a fundamental expression of this fatal condition.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">To come to the film itself...</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">So Nolan's "Modern Prometheus" tale of Oppenheimer is told between two, oh so telling scenes involving <b>another vital player </b></span><span style="font-family: arial;">on the stage of modern physics, and the conversation at the centre of these scenes - as the conclusion of the film implies - is <i>so much larger</i> than what was done at Los Alamos. This theme is repeated in a brief, vial meeting with Bohr around to thirds of the way through the movie, reminding us that the vital structure for this 'new' atomic world was very much born in the <b>old world</b> so fertile for the evil of nazism and eugenics which itself had been born out of the misery of mechanised warfare unleashed in the trenches of world war one as a result of the ideology that spawned from the enlightenment that killed the true health of the West. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: arial;">That is our inheritance. That is why our world is dying.This horrifying tale reminds afresh of just how deep the present pit is that modern man has thrown his world into in respect to severing us from what we should be - children of our caring and gracious God, who, thankfully, is able to reach down even into the lowest depths of this pit to make us free in the redeeming blood of His only Son - the one true hope for this broken world.</span></span></p>Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707181627588121525noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5508444670490778494.post-87432498449640400232023-07-18T12:34:00.010-07:002023-07-18T20:16:49.303-07:00Worth your time.<p> <span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">I want to address your attention to something really worth your time today.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">A few recent thoughts, however, I'd like to share before taking you there.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium;">Most of us are no doubt familiar with the Apostle’s warning to Timothy how in the last times, the very nature of what would be manifest amongst people - the very expression of the human condition would clearly become even more disrupted and distorted than it had been in prior periods and seasons of evil.</span></p><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium;">Paul speaks of this as being a particularly difficult time because even people’s natural (normal) affection for each other will fade and be replaced with a state of explicit selfishness expressed in the pursuit of purely material wealth and well-being; a brash, savage attitude towards what should actually genuinely define life - a perpetual existence, in other words, that becomes more and more a silencing of the truth which enriches us in favour of what leaves us devoid of any true virtue and love.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium;">The route into this nightmare is clearly being expressed all around us today -</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium;">go with the flow, play the game your being instructed to play and don't ask any questions, not only regarding those calling the shoots, but of yourself - just fall in line, because yes, why you are being manipulated, it's done in such a way that it "does you good"... at least until it's too late to get out of the web.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium;">Applying this approach of course has vast consequences for everyone - it bends and distorts the fabric of whats true until its so warped we cannot see it any longer.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium;">We're either dying in the worse sense or being saved in spite of ourselves - those are actually the only real options.The present 'culture' is all about the first of these.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium;">So, what is at the centre of us, of all - that makes or brakes?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium;">Liberty which is <b>external and internal</b> is what's required if we are to see a conclusion to all tyranny - so is that where our journey now is taking us?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium;">A wicked king - a foolish life - seeks to build treasure cities in this moment whilst it oppresses any who denies its folly.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium;">I say all of this to invite you to sit and listen to wisdom that cracks and yet rescues the world, and us along with it, if we have ears that can lead us to wisdom.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium;">So take time to listen, and understand the wonders that our true Creator and Deliverer has wrought amongst our world: </span></div><div><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEASnFvLxhU&t=3410s">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEASnFvLxhU&t=3410s</a></div><div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Part one of a truly series on the Book of Exodus.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>Howardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13707181627588121525noreply@blogger.com0