And He will be called.....

For to us a child is born

to us a child is given,

and the government will be on HIs shoulders

and He will be called Wonderful Counselor,

Mighty God, Everlasting Father, prince of Peace

Isaiah 9:6

Wonderful Counselor - through the birth and death of Jesus, a priceless gift arrived, the Wonderful Counselor sent to dwell in all the hearts of those who would believe. Is He guiding you? Surrender your life to His leadership, what He has for you is beyond anything you could imagine. 1 Corinthians 3:9

Mighty God - We follow a Mighty God, not like the gods of this world, or the gods Isaiah had in mind when he wrote this prophecy. Isaiah was surrounded by gods who were impotent and brought death but we have a God who is mighty to save. This is what makes our God mighty, scripture tell us that while we were dead in our sins He made us alive!

 Our Everlasting Father is compassionate, He is not angry with us, he is concerned about the smallest things in our lives and when He corrects us He does it to bring us closer to Him, not to condemn us or drive us away. He wants for us to be His children.

Prince of Peace - we long for peace in our lives....in our thoughts, decisions, emotions, relationships, families and our world. He is our Prince of Peace, our refuge throughout the storms in our lives.

The Government is on his shoulders all authority is with him, he is the one who is in charge of this world and as Christians we have access to the everlasting father because of the birth of this child Jesus let us honour him.

Blessings Without Warnings  Ray x 

My Son's Testimony

January Sales

I have a friend who would readily admit to the January sales being a highlight of her year. With Christmas over now comes the lure of grabbing a bargain. Another friend commented 'IT IS ONLY A BARGAIN IF YOU NEED IT'

We live in a world that has bred an ideology driven by consumerism, my desires, my needs are of paramount importance it encourages having, rather than being. Historically this ideology was the reserve of the privileged class; but now it is expected and required by many.

I read a story today with photos of a Celebrity Chef spending £30,000 on a hair transplant, it was required to retain his youthful look for American TV so he would remain popular with the viewers.
The followers of this now established 'Good Life' ideology are driven by the hollow promises that offer so much but leaves them hungry for more, it conditions them to live dissatisfied, disillusioned lives chasing what is not catchable because satisfaction is always just around the corner.
There is no question the Bible clearly teaches us personal responsibility and the idea of doing our very best in everything we do, but have we subtly bought into the same ideology as the world? Is Church about me and what I require? Has God just become another avenue for me to become fulfilled rather than the true worship of God?
Timothy Vaverek prescribes a three-fold Christian response to the life of consumerism

1. Through self-denial turning away from inessential desires of will and flesh.
2. Through prayer a deeper communion with God leading to the path of self-sacrificial love.
3. Through works of mercy and charity, places our focus away from us to others.

If we commit ourselves to the higher call of Christ, the world will see the glory of God in and through His church. Titus 2:11-14 'For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self controlled, upright and Godly lives in this present age....'