tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23956942450954797072024-02-20T12:07:58.791-08:00I Press On......'I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me'
Philippians 3:12Ray Tomshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13765477748477533838noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2395694245095479707.post-4350381205037711442014-11-13T02:17:00.003-08:002014-11-13T02:17:50.242-08:00invincible hero<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<img height="240" src="https://scontent-a-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/10640990_853418264678708_7396698916698868007_n.jpg?oh=1c764219ea741e39338f074cea58e85d&oe=54E4F1EA" width="320" /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Superhero movies...can become box-office gold” a national
newspaper said recently. BBC news reported that there are now some 30
superheroes in films and comics. What is it within us that finds so compelling
the idea of someone endowed with amazing powers being on hand to overcome evil?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As a kid I was enthralled by superman: bullets bouncing off
his chest overcoming every villain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now I follow a greater truly invincible hero: Jesus of
Nazareth. Weapons did not bounce off of him. Mere nails penetrated his flesh as
he was pinned to a cross and died. But 3 days later he rose bodily from the
dead and he did it for real in history, not in comic fiction. Isaiah,
foreseeing hundreds of years before it happened, the coming of Jesus as our
saviour called him “Mighty God” which can be translated “Hero God”.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Ray Tomshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13765477748477533838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2395694245095479707.post-68925671868814134352014-07-07T06:27:00.001-07:002014-07-07T06:33:09.544-07:001 John 5:1-5<br />
Take a listen to my son's sermon on 1John 5:1-5<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://emmanuelchurchlondon.org/gg/portfolio/latest-podcasts/">http://emmanuelchurchlondon.org/gg/portfolio/latest-podcasts/</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYY1maeO7NVu7glcqMXdjQW2NGKbRgkXcoliJF8cdyeId07QKFUu3rjjRA0buxsgbem1Ck15bwuJw5WZgnbqu0S3z33EbpwvU_nOo7h_z9ATqspTtUTrPlPSa9ewPDy-0zDAnApUDYI1c/s1600/189639434_fe2c424560.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYY1maeO7NVu7glcqMXdjQW2NGKbRgkXcoliJF8cdyeId07QKFUu3rjjRA0buxsgbem1Ck15bwuJw5WZgnbqu0S3z33EbpwvU_nOo7h_z9ATqspTtUTrPlPSa9ewPDy-0zDAnApUDYI1c/s1600/189639434_fe2c424560.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Ray Tomshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13765477748477533838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2395694245095479707.post-49384612561251438472014-05-21T03:03:00.000-07:002014-05-21T03:03:39.760-07:00God makes a way<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span lang="EN"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<img src="webkit-fake-url://0C2DEDA0-B4C4-42DC-BCD6-4252D100729E/imagejpeg" /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span lang="EN"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span lang="EN"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span lang="EN">Mario Costeja González has gained immortality by insisting on being forgotten. Whenever he googled his name a 1998 report would appear about his home being auctioned to pay his debts. The European Court of Justice has ruled that Google should remove the link and that there was a “right to be forgotten”. Whether that judgment can be enforced is another matter. But can wrong be forgotten? The Bible says our wrong doing “is engraved with an iron tool” (Jeremiah 17:1). That suggests it cannot be simply forgotten. The good news is that God has made away for our wrong doing to be wiped from the record. Not by Google or anyone else juggling a bit of computer code </span>or by any court <span lang="EN">but </span><span class="text">God himself wipes out the charges against us by taking them away and nailing them to the cross</span><span lang="EN"> (Col <a href="x-apple-data-detectors://0" x-apple-data-detectors-result="0" x-apple-data-detectors-type="calendar-event" x-apple-data-detectors="true">2:14</a>) when we admit our faults to him and ask for forgiveness. Great news!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Blessings,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Ron.</span></div>
Ray Tomshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13765477748477533838noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2395694245095479707.post-65575732382042787972014-01-09T02:38:00.003-08:002014-01-09T02:38:52.711-08:00Believing God<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkaSdy35x-59sA4ErxTLbFnfxVeA5YQtHvMWSCG9MvhD0zEPTU5L63MGK7jJvOSDieg862LztgO8oCy9WXSkbwdS1_Euh3aKVCod6OYI9GacZmc37UvOV1cpjSL1ctb4QEB2eesL5M4U4/s1600/beth+moore.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkaSdy35x-59sA4ErxTLbFnfxVeA5YQtHvMWSCG9MvhD0zEPTU5L63MGK7jJvOSDieg862LztgO8oCy9WXSkbwdS1_Euh3aKVCod6OYI9GacZmc37UvOV1cpjSL1ctb4QEB2eesL5M4U4/s1600/beth+moore.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Someone recommended the author Beth Moore to me, if you have a kindle or the app on your ipad go to Amazon and download some of her free kindle books. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am reading the book in the photo above. It is an easy to read book full of God's Word and His promises. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As we begin this new year 2014, chapter three </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">'Preparing for Wars and Wonders' is particularly interesting....</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">'Just like the children of Israel, we will always have an enemy that wants to keep us out of our promised lands. In our previous chapter we discussed a few reasons why. Nothing does more damage to the power of darkness in this world system than a present-active-participle believer. If we are going to win our battles, however, were going to have to wise up to some of Satan's schemes and prepare in advance for victory. Our warfare is complicated by opposition that is much harder to identify than human Hittites, Perrizites and Amorites. In Ephesians 6:12-13, the apostle Paul tells us that our "struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities. against the powers of this dark world and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full amour of God"</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Among the strategically prescribed pieces of amour, the King James version tells us, "Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked" Why 'above all' do we need to learn to use our shield of faith? Because the shield of faith is the amour's amour. The ancient warrior hoped the fiery dart never reached the helmet or the breastplate. A direct hit on any of the other defensive covers could still stun and bruise even if it didn't wound. The warriors goal was to extinguish any oncoming dart with his shield in order to diffuse all potential damage. When the warriors shield was down, the other pieces of amour were vastly more vulnerable. The same is true in our warfare. Our toughest battles will invariably concern matters of faith - times when we're tempted to think God's Word and His ways wont work for us, that He has abandoned us, let us down, or failed to come through for us. If Satan can get us to drop our shield of faith, he knows we cant remain standing for very long'</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So I encourage you as we go into 2014 to use whatever means you can to build your faith in a God who is who He says He is. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A God who can do what He says He can do.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Knowing that I am who He says I am</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can do all things through Christ</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And Gods Word is alive and active in me.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I pray that God will bless you and keep you and make His face to shine upon you and give you His peace</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">May 2014 be a year of many blessings</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lindsey Toms</span></div>
Ray Tomshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13765477748477533838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2395694245095479707.post-61271425305750271732013-12-02T02:15:00.004-08:002013-12-02T02:15:51.193-08:00Inheritance<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; text-align: center;">
<img height="121" src="http://www.dgcmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Bitcoin-accepted-here-printable.png" width="320" /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">Who would throw £4millions away? James Howell did-inadvertently.
He recently threw away his computer which disappeared irretrievably into a land
fill before he realised the hard disc contained his 7,500 bitcoins. Bitcoins
are a computer generated digital currency that has soared in value from $15
last January to over $1,000 this week. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;">Bitcoins have long been favoured by
libertarians, gold bugs and drug dealers. They escape government controls and
can be used, a</span>lmost
anonymously,<span style="color: #222222;"> anywhere they are accepted.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222;"> While
feeling sorry for James, I “p</span></span><span class="text"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">raise... God [who]...in
his great mercy... has given us new birth into a living hope through the
resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead... into an inheritance that can
never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you”. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; text-align: center;">
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; text-align: center;">
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Have
you made that inheritance yours yet? I have-the best thing I ever did!</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; text-align: center;">
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; text-align: center;">
<span class="text"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ron White</span></span></div>
Ray Tomshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13765477748477533838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2395694245095479707.post-82972294385790909832013-09-22T08:24:00.003-07:002013-09-22T08:24:58.618-07:00Can Google Solve Death?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju6ptIQ9xgi_qabx5bk-duR0rXomB65rIrZnlRWcQtqkK5EwDiGuMDt2igtOoeSoiF_bVZJjomTAbtRH0fTHo-olqEDI8PNnk74Oa2mIQ3ydXwoINH_gV9Uls8eAW3s1CfYJjhfQ7-d6E/s1600/Time+Mag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju6ptIQ9xgi_qabx5bk-duR0rXomB65rIrZnlRWcQtqkK5EwDiGuMDt2igtOoeSoiF_bVZJjomTAbtRH0fTHo-olqEDI8PNnk74Oa2mIQ3ydXwoINH_gV9Uls8eAW3s1CfYJjhfQ7-d6E/s320/Time+Mag.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">“Can Google solve death?” ran a headline in the current issue of
Time. It added that “the search giant is launching a venture to extend the
human life span. That would be crazy-if it weren't Google”. With a world view
that believes “everything is solvable if you reduce it to data and then throw
enough processing power at it. The project “might one day defeat death itself”.
Don`t you think that we should tell the geeks of Silicon Valley that the
problem has already been solved. Two thousand years ago the man, Jesus, was
publicly executed; certified dead (they speared him through his ribs just to
make sure); buried and on the third day after being killed he rose bodily from
the dead to be seen alive in public by many people over several weeks. Death
has indeed been solved: it has been “swallowed up in victory”. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Ron White</span></div>
Ray Tomshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13765477748477533838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2395694245095479707.post-73232168033703897652013-07-03T05:05:00.001-07:002013-07-03T05:05:58.411-07:00Forgiveness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO0y3Ii2bDXUFuGYX4Q5piEjn4PipTYeEEfBDn4BOIQCjOYCkwoxuqLS0kOWSi57Z26xZ455JndgDyA6XYAj8JihnarOqAsUatL2JE2V25I0VI7E25AnJTwEnU1ykYpzV-rMqw6uDlkG8/s480/forgiveness-prisoner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO0y3Ii2bDXUFuGYX4Q5piEjn4PipTYeEEfBDn4BOIQCjOYCkwoxuqLS0kOWSi57Z26xZ455JndgDyA6XYAj8JihnarOqAsUatL2JE2V25I0VI7E25AnJTwEnU1ykYpzV-rMqw6uDlkG8/s400/forgiveness-prisoner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Forgiving him “frees us. It keeps
us from going to prison with Conor” said Andy and Kate Grosmaire about Conor
McBride who admitted murdering their daughter Ann. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Could I have forgiven like
that? I don`t know. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But I do know that I need forgiveness and that Jesus told a
parable about a man who had been forgiven a huge debt, refused to forgive his debtor a
trifling sum. The man who did not forgive was told<span class="woj"> `“I
cancelled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. </span><span class="woj">Shouldn't you have had mercy
on your fellow servant just as I had on you?”</span><span class="text"> <sup> </sup></span><span class="woj">In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured,
until he paid back all he owed` (Matt 18:32-34).</span> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jesus died on the cross to pay my penalty for
me so that I might be forgiven. In view of what Jesus has done for me, surely
the only proper response is for me to forgive others?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> If I find that difficult, I can count on His grace to help me</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ron</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Ray Tomshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13765477748477533838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2395694245095479707.post-62400118989614727552013-06-29T09:06:00.001-07:002013-06-29T09:06:05.782-07:00How do you lead?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNHqMk5QcvJrPvruxeWapaW2bfvvS-1J2m1ACHAegKdk-zREQ3VKjwKU04bN9bnT5TIZkVu8vKOCNsf0fwQYtKTz4s5qG7RxLp7lkyv0qa-crpkmKUvcRmiNXPxsgWSu6MiTaA9GclFuA/s1600/bournemouth+057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNHqMk5QcvJrPvruxeWapaW2bfvvS-1J2m1ACHAegKdk-zREQ3VKjwKU04bN9bnT5TIZkVu8vKOCNsf0fwQYtKTz4s5qG7RxLp7lkyv0qa-crpkmKUvcRmiNXPxsgWSu6MiTaA9GclFuA/s400/bournemouth+057.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">What is leadership?<br />
What is good leadership?<br />
How is my leadership?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">LEADERS MUST UNDERSTAND WHAT LEADERSHIP IS.<br />
Colossians 3:12 <span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
‘Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves
with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.<br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Nicky
Gumble says “Leadership is taking people where they want to go. Good
Leadership takes people to a place where they do not know where they should be
but taking them there.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Leadership is the act of influencing/serving others out of Christ's interest in their lives so they accomplish God's purposes in for and through them.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Never judge someone without knowing the whole story, you may think you understand but you may not.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As a teenager I was rebellious, I came from a line of rebellious men whose hearts were not towards God but very much distant from Him. I had a negative style of leadership, I could lead people but towards the negative rather than a positive goal.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My heart was not right. I had influemce over my peers but I led people towards war not peace.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The KJV Bible mentions the heart 833 times. What is going on within us is far more important that what is going on externally. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> You might
present very well to those around you but who are you kidding?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">
In Matthew 23<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Jesus is speaking to the religious
whose hearts have been overtaken with the power of their position. Rather than
correcting their hearts before God<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>they
present well to the world but it a sham. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">v23 “Woe to you, teachers of
the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint,
dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the
law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;">practised</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> the latter,
without neglecting the former. 24 You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but
swallow a camel. 25 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you
hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full
of greed and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the
cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br />
Colossians 3:12 <span class="apple-converted-space">‘</span>Therefore, as
God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion,
kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br />
Influence comes from serving by Instructing, Encouraging, Evaluating,
Confronting, Training, Releasing,<br />
Influence does not come by<br />
Overbearing, Criticising, Manipulating, Threatening,
Competing, Controlling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><br />
Jesus said</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> “</span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">If you love me you will obey my Commandments”</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">—a
radical commitment to Christ in every Christians life that propels them to act
in love with truth no matter what it costs that leader <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Matthew 20:26–27
“Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must
be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—“<br />
John 13:16<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>-16<span class="apple-converted-space"> “</span>Very truly I tell you, no servant is
greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him”.
; Phil. 2:5-11</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> “In your relationships with one another, have the
same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being
in very nature[a] God, did not consider equality with God something to be used
to his own advantage; rather, he made
himself nothing by taking the very nature[b] of a servant, being made in human
likeness. And being found in appearance
as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a
cross!<br />
Therefore God exalted him to the highest
place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every
tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Love has to be your primary
motivation to lead, everything else must be secondary, your God given gifts
abilities will amount to nothing if your heart is not right.<br />
</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As leaders our focus is first on God and His purposes for our
lives and for those following us.<br />
God’s purpose in using you is to equip and mature those you
are leading them into Christ-likeness, and the leaders prime instrument in
guiding the followers to become more and more like Christ in their own
relationship with God. If you are not living right yourself how can you lead
others into anything other than your own hang ups and sins, if there are
unresolved issues within us, we will pass them on to others around us.<br />
God’s purpose through the followers is to participate with
Him in accomplishing the Great Commission in accordance with their gifts and
opportunities.<br />
The leader focuses on both the functional and the
foundational in the followers’ lives.<br />
It refers to the followers’ competencies.<br />
The foundational refers to the followers’ character, the core
essence of their being on which all they do rests.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
The foundational determines how well the leader and the
followers function.<br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Influence comes from serving by
Instructing, Encouraging, Evaluating, Confronting, Training, Releasing.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Influence does not come by </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Overbearing, Criticising, Manipulating, Threatening,
Competing, Controlling</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Blessings. Ray</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
Ray Tomshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13765477748477533838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2395694245095479707.post-23040744077100445782013-06-17T00:42:00.000-07:002013-06-17T00:42:25.744-07:00How do you steer: by the stars or the wake?<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img height="225" src="http://wpcontent.answcdn.com/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c0/Fjord.surface.wave.boat.jpeg/280px-Fjord.surface.wave.boat.jpeg" width="400" /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600"
o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f"
stroked="f">
<v:stroke joinstyle="miter"/>
<v:formulas>
<v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"/>
<v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"/>
</v:formulas>
<v:path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect"/>
<o:lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t"/>
</v:shapetype><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_2" o:spid="_x0000_s1026" type="#_x0000_t75"
alt="wake" style='position:absolute;margin-left:0;margin-top:3.8pt;width:251.25pt;
height:112.5pt;z-index:251657728;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square;
mso-wrap-distance-left:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-top:0;mso-wrap-distance-right:9pt;
mso-wrap-distance-bottom:0;mso-position-horizontal:absolute;
mso-position-horizontal-relative:text;mso-position-vertical:absolute;
mso-position-vertical-relative:text'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\Lindsey\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.jpg"
o:title="wake"/>
<w:wrap type="square"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">How do
you steer: by the stars or the wake? </span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">A ship`s captain does not lean
over the stern of his ship and set his course by looking at the wake; he stands
on the bridge and sets his route by the stars; to do anything else would court
disaster. God has a plan and purpose for our lives, which are not discerned by
looking to our past, however bad or good. Our job is to look up and to trust
and obey him. Does anyone love us more than our heavenly father? Is anyone
wiser, or more knowledgeable, or more powerful than the creator of the heavens
and the earth? It is, therefore, plain daft to rely on our understanding and to
do anything other than to trust and obey him.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Ron.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Blessings,<o:p></o:p></span>Ray Tomshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13765477748477533838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2395694245095479707.post-5332836584806305282013-06-03T23:22:00.004-07:002013-06-03T23:22:56.414-07:00-More people trust Google than God!<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75"
coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe"
filled="f" stroked="f">
<v:stroke joinstyle="miter"/>
<v:formulas>
<v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"/>
<v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"/>
</v:formulas>
<v:path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect"/>
<o:lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t"/>
</v:shapetype><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_2" o:spid="_x0000_s1026" type="#_x0000_t75"
alt="Google" style='position:absolute;margin-left:9pt;margin-top:40.5pt;
width:189.75pt;height:120pt;z-index:251658240;visibility:visible;
mso-wrap-style:square;mso-wrap-distance-left:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-top:0;
mso-wrap-distance-right:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-bottom:0;
mso-position-horizontal:absolute;mso-position-horizontal-relative:text;
mso-position-vertical:absolute;mso-position-vertical-relative:text'
o:allowoverlap="f">
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\Lindsey\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.jpg"
o:title="Google"/>
<w:wrap type="square"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<o:p> </o:p><img height="166" src="http://www.kurzweilai.net/images/Google-logo1.jpg" width="400" /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75"
coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe"
filled="f" stroked="f">
<v:stroke joinstyle="miter"/>
<v:formulas>
<v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"/>
<v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"/>
</v:formulas>
<v:path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect"/>
<o:lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t"/>
</v:shapetype><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_2" o:spid="_x0000_s1027" type="#_x0000_t75"
alt="Google" style='position:absolute;margin-left:9pt;margin-top:40.5pt;
width:189.75pt;height:120pt;z-index:251658240;visibility:visible;
mso-wrap-style:square;mso-wrap-distance-left:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-top:0;
mso-wrap-distance-right:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-bottom:0;
mso-position-horizontal:absolute;mso-position-horizontal-relative:text;
mso-position-vertical:absolute;mso-position-vertical-relative:text'
o:allowoverlap="f">
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\Lindsey\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.jpg"
o:title="Google"/>
<w:wrap type="square"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype
id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t"
path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f">
<v:stroke joinstyle="miter"/>
<v:formulas>
<v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"/>
<v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"/>
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"/>
<v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"/>
</v:formulas>
<v:path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect"/>
<o:lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t"/>
</v:shapetype><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_2" o:spid="_x0000_s1026" type="#_x0000_t75"
alt="Google" style='position:absolute;left:0;text-align:left;margin-left:0;
margin-top:0;width:189.75pt;height:120pt;z-index:251657728;visibility:visible;
mso-wrap-style:square;mso-wrap-distance-left:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-top:0;
mso-wrap-distance-right:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-bottom:0;
mso-position-horizontal:absolute;mso-position-horizontal-relative:text;
mso-position-vertical:absolute;mso-position-vertical-relative:text'
o:allowoverlap="f">
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:\Users\Lindsey\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\01\clip_image001.jpg"
o:title="Google"/>
<w:wrap type="square"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i>-More
people trust Google than God! </i> So found one recent survey. “I saw
that. I was very grumpy about it. Google always gives me the wrong answer.
They`re out to make money out of us” said Archbishop Justin Welby when this
finding was put to him in an interview. But surely the finding is unsurprising.
People have always tried to make a god in their own image. At one time people
made idols. More recently it was a “Pik `n` Mix” god, now it`s cut and paste:
only technology has changed not the human heart. When God made his
masterpiece-us before we turned against him and went our own way- he made us in
his image. God`s intention was that we should be like him. A likeness that
includes being morally aware, able to communicate and free to choose. But we
chose to ruin it. However God did not leave us to stew in our own juice, instead
he sent his only son Jesus who is “the exact representation of his being” and
”the image of the invisible God”. Jesus said he was the way, the truth and the
life; a claim God validated when he raised Jesus bodily from the dead. Jesus
died on the cross to pay the penalty for our wrong doing. If we admit to God
that we are in the wrong, thank Jesus for dying for us and become his
disciples, then he puts his Spirit within us and begins to remake us in his
image and we discover how trustworthy God is. <i><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Blessings,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Ron.</span></div>
Ray Tomshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13765477748477533838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2395694245095479707.post-26003956592632995422013-05-06T05:53:00.003-07:002013-05-06T05:53:48.638-07:00are we hiding in the wine press?<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvpc265LU3TKJyDZWC1n_aZCvpBpMWTk6Hmec0hdCm6Q8z9c30q9TvW5szpzXzWqcJsat8_vDBZrtLEuenH8nVZQhOeWPA-hlxjyMcVPH6OAGQh7HOGe-vbS55b0XziSupuwn4_pTDkbo/s1600/wheat.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvpc265LU3TKJyDZWC1n_aZCvpBpMWTk6Hmec0hdCm6Q8z9c30q9TvW5szpzXzWqcJsat8_vDBZrtLEuenH8nVZQhOeWPA-hlxjyMcVPH6OAGQh7HOGe-vbS55b0XziSupuwn4_pTDkbo/s400/wheat.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">God wants us to experience encounters with Him, through these encounters God comforts, challenges, heals and forgives us. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">He changes us. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">We cannot manipulate these encounters but we can make ourselves available, to be attentive to His voice and to follow His guidance.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">We need to set aside time to meet with Him daily, to commune with Him and seek His plan for our lives.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">We read about many encounters with God throughout the Bible, many men and women who have had their lives changed through these confrontations with their heavenly Father.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The Israelites were being oppressed by the Midianites, they cried out to God and He demonstrated His mercy by raising up a man named Gideon. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The Israelites had disobeyed God and this was the reason they had fallen into a dangerous place. Gideon was hiding in a wine press threshing his wheat when he encountered God. This encounter left him a different person, he had gone from hiding from his enemies to being called a 'Mighty man of valour'. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">He had been transformed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Are we hiding in the wine press or do we want to experience an encounter with God? </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">We need to be attentive to His voice and follow His commands</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><b>Lindsey Toms</b></span></div>
Ray Tomshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13765477748477533838noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2395694245095479707.post-32752418692554140352013-05-02T00:44:00.005-07:002013-05-02T00:47:29.704-07:00-The `undo` button on my laptop! Ron White<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<h1 style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<img height="400" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/0f/Edith_piaf_columbia_posters.jpg/220px-Edith_piaf_columbia_posters.jpg" width="293" /></h1>
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<h1 style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<i style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">The
`undo` button on my laptop! </span></i></h1>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">This is my favourite button. It
is the most used and necessary of my laptop`s features. Edith Piaf used to belt
out a stirring song </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">“<span class="watch-title"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">Non,
Je ne regrette rien”</span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">(“No, I regret
nothing”). </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">I don`t know if she lived by it, but the morphine and alcohol
addiction of her later years and an early death when only 48 years old suggests
all was not what it might have been. When I look back I can think of many
occasions when I wish life had an undo button. But it has not. What has been
said and done cannot now be unsaid or undone. But God has provided something
better, at huge cost to himself, because he loved us he has provided a way that
can put us right with him. The Bible says i</span><span class="text"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">f we admit the
wrongs we have done, God is faithful and just and will forgive us and purify us
from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). This is real because Christ died on the
cross to take the penalty for all the wrong things we have done. More than that if we trust in Christ then God
will make us a new creation! Wow! Not an “undo” but a “make new” feature: that
is grace.</span></span></div>
</span>Ray Tomshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13765477748477533838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2395694245095479707.post-86220562822758874562013-04-24T04:49:00.000-07:002013-04-24T04:50:28.140-07:00Do you worship the Work? by Oswald Chambers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizFNy4AwTqih-4JI7ZMZr5MP1Sm9gQHZEzIYYk52vMiSNC4iuKOnsv-_USPkRn16XbxOZANu2YsiDW_R0o4t6wUkSVV79DkB8xfnpfMY9c5DKLsEdXugI_VpnXt__jMU-hCz1__3CDgGE/s1600/ohio3+015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizFNy4AwTqih-4JI7ZMZr5MP1Sm9gQHZEzIYYk52vMiSNC4iuKOnsv-_USPkRn16XbxOZANu2YsiDW_R0o4t6wUkSVV79DkB8xfnpfMY9c5DKLsEdXugI_VpnXt__jMU-hCz1__3CDgGE/s400/ohio3+015.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
'<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">We are Gods fellow workers...' 1 Corinthians 3:9</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Beware of any work for God that causes or allows you to avoid concentrating on Him. A great number of Christian workers worship their work. The only concern of Christian workers should be their concentration on God. This will mean that all the other boundaries of life, whether they are mental, moral or spiritual limits, are completely free with the freedom God gives His child; a worshipping child not a wayward one. A worker who lacks this serious controlling emphasis of concentration on God is apt to become overly burdened by his work. He is a slave to his own limits, having no freedom of his body, mind or spirit. Consequently, he becomes burned out and defeated. There is no freedom and no delight in life at all. His nerves, mind and heart are so overwhelmed that God's blessing cannot rest on him.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">But the opposite case is equally true - once our concentration is on God, all the limits of our life are free and under the control and mastery of God alone. There is no longer any responsibility on you for the work. The only responsibility you have is to stay in living constant touch with God, and to see that you allow nothing to hinder your cooperation with Him.The freedom that comes after sanctification is the freedom of a child, and the things that used to hold your life down are gone. But be careful to remember that you have been freed for only one thing - to be absolutely devoted to your co-Worker.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">We have no right to decide where we should be placed, or to have preconceived ideas as to what God is preparing us to do. God engineers everything; and wherever He places us, our one supreme goal should be to pour out our lives in wholehearted devotion to Him in that particular work.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">'Whatever your hands find to do, do it with all your might....' Ecclesiastes 9:10</span></div>
Ray Tomshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13765477748477533838noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2395694245095479707.post-79990072945527127182013-03-10T11:38:00.001-07:002013-03-10T11:38:06.646-07:00The Cross of Christ<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0TO1BLGg-IOJCjvHt7kfS80H001p7v0awY33MA8ichQHzvf4RSMiqlDVPWSvvAo54t6o4jZLaO9f9AHorNWY25-fkDl_HMci26Rlz_FDiNIvgc5qZ5SbYioC9kpQM8Sm9LSnWfPTOJtA/s1600/cross.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0TO1BLGg-IOJCjvHt7kfS80H001p7v0awY33MA8ichQHzvf4RSMiqlDVPWSvvAo54t6o4jZLaO9f9AHorNWY25-fkDl_HMci26Rlz_FDiNIvgc5qZ5SbYioC9kpQM8Sm9LSnWfPTOJtA/s320/cross.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Colossians
2:11-15 </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> In him you were
also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole
self-ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ.
Having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him
through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God
made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins. Having cancelled
the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us;
he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the
powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over
them by the cross.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Because of
the work of the cross our legal standing before God is complete at
the moment we are born again.</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">It
can have nothing added to it, no matter how obedient or committed to Jesus we
become after we are converted</span><span style="line-height: 115%;">. This is because it is given to us purely on the basis of God’s
undeserved grace and mercy. It is not something we
can earn or deserve. It is received by faith. It involves the total
cancellation of our previous legal standing of guilt and condemnation before
God the Supreme Ruler and Judge</span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">John Stott wrote '</span><span style="line-height: 115%;">The Christian community is a community of the
cross, for it has been brought into being by the cross, and the focus of its
worship is the Lamb once slain, now glorified. The Christian life is an
unending festival. And the festival we keep, now that our Passover Lamb has
been sacrificed for us, is a joyful celebration of his sacrifice, together with
a spiritual feasting upon it</span><span style="line-height: 115%;">.'</span></span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: red; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Ray Tomshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13765477748477533838noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2395694245095479707.post-49664678144022395432012-07-06T12:06:00.001-07:002012-07-06T12:09:02.128-07:00God Is Love<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrdppJsB4QdoWxTsJxlvZMXlwSgOl_Zp4-W9j3k7Jnn4_lTqD-iK1MTpOH7t7veb1sI_11_snW2FxI2g4jg6QC3gyPfllK_9RyeQ0Oyojwqz9wT-EaYsj2QEk63IEbKJa6NqHCD7ncosw/s1600/577534_394526073923985_1462415965_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrdppJsB4QdoWxTsJxlvZMXlwSgOl_Zp4-W9j3k7Jnn4_lTqD-iK1MTpOH7t7veb1sI_11_snW2FxI2g4jg6QC3gyPfllK_9RyeQ0Oyojwqz9wT-EaYsj2QEk63IEbKJa6NqHCD7ncosw/s400/577534_394526073923985_1462415965_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">God is love and the Christian is to show Love.... But
first... you must love Jesus.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You cannot truly love your brother or sister if you do not
truly love Jesus.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He died for you and freed you from sin. He showed his love for you by dying for you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Do you love Jesus?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How is it manifested in your life?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Do you hide from Him or seek Him?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Do you wait for Him in prayer or only on Sundays?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What does it mean to Love Jesus?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It means to put Him first.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It means to obey Him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It means to love one another.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It means to love God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">The
great question which all rational beings must answer is this: "Do you love
Jesus Christ?"</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">As Christians we
must ask it often. “If you love me, you will keep my commandments"</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">
</span>Ray Tomshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13765477748477533838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2395694245095479707.post-61372404032516989422012-03-14T06:32:00.000-07:002012-03-14T06:32:06.894-07:00Refiners Fire<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw5HCzVFCClUgBD3NdZ5C7mfOfPQH7fylpvv33XgHjDJwC-ndLzBhZ-3srBpNS4yFoLTo-k5nXqbBYE4B8PW-JFNJ7YDlZlrGVW9mSfl0vyuRVyOAP5kNURKClLA1Mz6dn7PS9XjIt0uE/s1600/12810940062Ue0Zv.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw5HCzVFCClUgBD3NdZ5C7mfOfPQH7fylpvv33XgHjDJwC-ndLzBhZ-3srBpNS4yFoLTo-k5nXqbBYE4B8PW-JFNJ7YDlZlrGVW9mSfl0vyuRVyOAP5kNURKClLA1Mz6dn7PS9XjIt0uE/s400/12810940062Ue0Zv.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">Malachi 3:2-3</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">Who can endure the day of His coming </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">And who can stand the day He appears?</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">For He is like a refiners fire and like a
launderers soap</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">He will sit as a refiner and purifier of
silver; </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">He will purge the sons of Levi</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">And purge them as gold and silver</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">That they may offer to the Lord</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">An offering in righteousness</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">The refiner’s fire that Jesus takes us through,
He went through Himself. He went through it and suffered and died for our sake
so that we would not have to deal with the flames ourselves. Jesus took that
fire upon Himself, though He did not have to, and Jesus offers us salvation
from our sins because of what he did.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">But then Jesus tells us that if we truly want to
follow Him, we are going to have to go where He leads. Jesus doesn't promise us
complete prosperity and ease of life. What Jesus does promise is a life that is
good.</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">1Peter 1:6-7</span></b><span style="font-size: 8pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="separator" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0cm; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 8pt;">In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you
may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that
the proven genuineness of your faith - greater worth than gold, which perishes
even though refined by fire - may result in praise, glory and honour when Jesus
Christ is revealed.</span><span style="font-size: 8pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>Ray Tomshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13765477748477533838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2395694245095479707.post-89834457285099176542012-01-20T00:24:00.000-08:002012-01-20T00:24:58.044-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikgaEX2GsNTRF_lRbCX9fkiaH3vIHxQUO8HXe52wnUI8TRUdoKa3higdDGarm62R72Ak_PGG7lOh9KtjtTyTR6UIy-iG4F4aQ8WJaZwN0nzjCUVH0METJlHu2TVi4j3PUWRd_5REWghXk/s1600/Crossed_Fingers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikgaEX2GsNTRF_lRbCX9fkiaH3vIHxQUO8HXe52wnUI8TRUdoKa3higdDGarm62R72Ak_PGG7lOh9KtjtTyTR6UIy-iG4F4aQ8WJaZwN0nzjCUVH0METJlHu2TVi4j3PUWRd_5REWghXk/s400/Crossed_Fingers.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Promises, Promises Promises!</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In Genesis God makes a clear and comprehensive promise to Abram<span style="color: blue;"><b> 'I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great, And so you will be a blessing'</b></span>. When we as humans make promises we enter in to a contract usually with the intention of fulfilling the contract being made, an example when a groom and bride stand facing each other on their wedding day they make promises to one another with the full intention of keeping them, many fail in the promises made during their wedding vows .</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Not so with God when he makes promises you can be confident he will fulfill them he is faithful . The problem arises when the promises do not come to fruition within <span style="color: blue;">our</span> time scale, as was the case for Abram. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">God promised that he would have descendants that would become a nation that takes time which Abram clearly did not factor into the promise, having descendants does not happen over night, but he makes a common mistake he helps God out, through his own scheme rather than waiting for God's plan to come about. Patience is not a gift many of us have but it is a fruit of the Spirit which is given by God and developed within us all we need to do is to ask for it, it is not instant, it is a life time lesson for some of us to learn but learn it we must.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Blessings Ray </span></div>Ray Tomshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13765477748477533838noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2395694245095479707.post-73326889181067263062012-01-02T11:46:00.000-08:002012-01-02T11:46:44.230-08:00And Jesus said......<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHkhSPNUVxWH_SA385ns8_XjMwY2Hh7Mgo9V0JTmNldQMCUf4dkOM77IPQZtREa2XzO3n7Rk4CIbQPOOlzM0sTvK9-ntN_QoTaC_iIrZo7o6tkz9RQzA4a5kqHeHRWrNbudf7c-ehpXLE/s1600/views+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHkhSPNUVxWH_SA385ns8_XjMwY2Hh7Mgo9V0JTmNldQMCUf4dkOM77IPQZtREa2XzO3n7Rk4CIbQPOOlzM0sTvK9-ntN_QoTaC_iIrZo7o6tkz9RQzA4a5kqHeHRWrNbudf7c-ehpXLE/s400/views+004.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jesus said <span style="color: blue;">'I am the way, the truth and the life no one can come to the Father except through me'</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jesus said <span style="color: blue;">'I am the Way' </span>he is the one who leads to the path of life, it is only through Him that we can be with God. If you turn up at an airport wanting to travel to South Africa then you need to board a plane that is heading to South Africa, no other plane will take you there. Jesus is the only way to the Father.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Jesus said <span style="color: blue;">'I am the truth'</span> no other man on this earth can claim to be such. There is no one on this planet who never lied or did anything wrong, so no one can claim to be the truth, except Jesus because He is God himself and there is no sin or lie within Him.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jesus said <span style="color: blue;">'I am the Life'</span> What is the meaning of life about which Jesus is talking? Are we dead and do we need life? Lets see what it is about. We read in Romans 3:23,<span style="color: blue;"> 'For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God' And also in Romans 6:23 'For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal in Christ Jesus our Lord.'</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All have sinned and so we are lifeless because our soul is dead in sin. because of our sins we are heading towards death - eternal death. But Jesus came into this world to save us from hell. He gave His precious life for us. he shed His precious blood on the cross to purchase freedom for us.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He gave His life for us but now we have to claim life - eternal life, so that we may never die but live forever. Jesus came to give us eternal life - a life that will never fade. He came to give us life abundant and it is available free of cost because Jesus paid the price for it on the cross.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Good News of Jesus is for all; it welcomes all just as we are. but if that loving invitation into God's Kingdom is to be accepted, it requires radical change of those parts of our human nature that fall short of God's will for His creation. you may recall that the very first recorded words of Jesus in Mark's account 1:15 are these<span style="color: blue;"> 'The time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God has come near; repent and believe in the Gospel/the Good News.' </span>The challenge to repent, to turn away from what is selfish and sinful, in order to receive something better - that challenge has always provoked a mixed response.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are called to preach the whole Gospel, not an edited version, not an inoffensive Gospel like lead free petrol or wheat free bread the gospel only comes with power if there is repentance. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Blessings</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ray</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="background: white;">
</div>
<div style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>Ray Tomshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13765477748477533838noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2395694245095479707.post-58534753218136885462011-12-20T12:34:00.000-08:002011-12-20T14:43:04.276-08:00And He will be called.....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwF9CAMMuGwEIyz9qPiBBP_DmE2LrGxtu1QGTwQrY4nFirJWm2zNrroajyf49DfOTIXbevrSgqLAXvPY3Y-Z7aihIhzHceHYZ6cIlNMB0ffKKTUmWJ2143f5c_N0XnmH-MrBY3h8bwVKI/s1600/He+shall+be+called.....jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwF9CAMMuGwEIyz9qPiBBP_DmE2LrGxtu1QGTwQrY4nFirJWm2zNrroajyf49DfOTIXbevrSgqLAXvPY3Y-Z7aihIhzHceHYZ6cIlNMB0ffKKTUmWJ2143f5c_N0XnmH-MrBY3h8bwVKI/s320/He+shall+be+called.....jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For to us a child is born</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">to us a child is given, </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">and the government will be on HIs shoulders</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">and He will be called Wonderful Counselor, </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Mighty God, Everlasting Father, prince of Peace</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>Isaiah 9:6</strong></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>Wonderful Counselor - </strong>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</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>Mighty God</strong> - 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!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong> </strong>Our <strong>Everlasting Father </strong>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.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>Prince of Peace -</strong> 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.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">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.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Blessings Without Warnings Ray x </span></div>Ray Tomshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13765477748477533838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2395694245095479707.post-23344734727368422042011-07-08T13:10:00.000-07:002011-07-08T13:13:18.307-07:00My Son's Testimony<iframe width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/6BjxJvfPkNc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Ray Tomshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13765477748477533838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2395694245095479707.post-46916191830377036462011-01-04T11:55:00.000-08:002011-01-19T09:09:18.719-08:00January Sales<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs_TwzpN1en76bhIwRF6LJRjdSL0I_X1KruYIduZuh-VuhaZRKGmbffMjUTbR9lNrgvLbGo6pYJtoPgYX5y1FShso6Uge8PjuHWWZHZKKQ74DafgWHUFu0lbz28Zujaj2cMC8_XOi_Uko/s1600/ChristianConsumers.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558453947741769266" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs_TwzpN1en76bhIwRF6LJRjdSL0I_X1KruYIduZuh-VuhaZRKGmbffMjUTbR9lNrgvLbGo6pYJtoPgYX5y1FShso6Uge8PjuHWWZHZKKQ74DafgWHUFu0lbz28Zujaj2cMC8_XOi_Uko/s320/ChristianConsumers.jpg" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-family:arial;">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'</span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />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.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;">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.<br />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.<br />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?<br />Timothy Vaverek prescribes a three-fold Christian response to the life of consumerism<br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;">1. Through self-denial turning away from inessential desires of will and flesh.<br />2. Through prayer a deeper communion with God leading to the path of self-sacrificial love.<br />3. Through works of mercy and charity, places our focus away from us to others.<br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;">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 <em>'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....'</em></span></div>Ray Tomshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13765477748477533838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2395694245095479707.post-18576651193187862712010-07-19T13:09:00.000-07:002010-07-20T00:39:22.570-07:00When the Going gets Tough<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRHhj9uPafyB9DaTHevS97owksmNQO3pg24eK1EMRVgekE0kHvTmFZYBZbQTuXbECctepp3ihgsl9GyZP8ZPGXDpAhpY95DGdJrFT44pi6z2eX1EB3kIvfQX9CX9uytAtIovgyYSslyyM/s1600/Catalyst.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 118px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495887220249036114" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRHhj9uPafyB9DaTHevS97owksmNQO3pg24eK1EMRVgekE0kHvTmFZYBZbQTuXbECctepp3ihgsl9GyZP8ZPGXDpAhpY95DGdJrFT44pi6z2eX1EB3kIvfQX9CX9uytAtIovgyYSslyyM/s320/Catalyst.jpg" /></a><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:arial;">As a church we have been looking at the book of John, last Sunday I preached the last message of chapter 6 verse 60-71. In this passage, Jesus had lost many of His followers He was left with the twelve He had chosen and one of those He had chosen was a devil; they had walked away because He spoke the truth as regards Himself 6 v 53-58. They started grumbling and complaining about this teaching they said it was a 'difficult statement', the result of telling it like it is, led to these followers turning back and walk with him no more. </span></div><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Many turn back, remember the passage these were described as 'disciples' it often starts when life gets busy, church and time set aside for God gets squeezed out of peoples lives or life has not turned out as they had hoped, it is often gradual but it becomes nearly impossible to maintain a growing on fire relationship with God, they might maintain something but not a growing dynamic fire within.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">John Wesley spoke to a man who thought he could be a christian all by himself. Wesley picked up a pair of tongs and took a hot coal out of the fire, almost immediately it started to go out, he did not need to say any more, many people fall away today because they fail to see the importance of the warmth of Christian fellowship. Perhaps more importantly they stop seeking the Lord's <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">presence</span> regularly in their lives. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">In John 6 verse 63 it says <em><span style="color:#6666cc;">It is the Spirit who gives life;the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.</span></em></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The Holy Spirit is the Catalyst! (Oxford Dictionary 'catalyst' a person or thing that precipitates change, increases the rate of a reaction) keep in step with the Spirit he gives us life.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Blessings </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Ray </span><br /><br /><br /></div>Ray Tomshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13765477748477533838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2395694245095479707.post-43762480162027033272010-07-07T09:37:00.000-07:002010-07-08T10:59:35.048-07:00HOP FARM FESTIVAL<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2nYTbaDBQkVO2oDMJQdf26hemyFgvEZBFFlZdtnGodHJRE2ks3N3P-WzfxJXrpXWzzBanBf3sNR2HP0oPurKt25RyP6-kI1RtHLGBq26ELbgXGMdXWoWQXwYJAINM65LVBbQjuujRjaw/s1600/hop+farm+046.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491596097536705922" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2nYTbaDBQkVO2oDMJQdf26hemyFgvEZBFFlZdtnGodHJRE2ks3N3P-WzfxJXrpXWzzBanBf3sNR2HP0oPurKt25RyP6-kI1RtHLGBq26ELbgXGMdXWoWQXwYJAINM65LVBbQjuujRjaw/s320/hop+farm+046.jpg" /></a> <span style="font-family:arial;">Last weekend Lindsey and I went to a pop festival!! ha ha I hear you laugh There was a great line up starting with <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Foye</span> Vance, and ending the day with the great 60s icon Bob Dylan. All day great bands came and went on the main stage.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">We queued to get in, we queued to get our wrist bands, we queued to get a drink , we queued to get an ice cream, I queued for the loo, and I queued for 20 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">mins</span> to buy a Pizza. You are <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">beginning</span> to get the picture there were a lot of people needing to be fed and watered. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">We left the main arena at 10 pm missing the last 40 minutes of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Dylan's</span> set, as we had a 2 hour drive home and I was due to preach Sunday morning at our church in <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Berkhamsted</span>. We got back to the car at 10.15pm and started to leave the Car Park; having read the start of this post guess what time we eventually got to the exit to get on our way home? It was 1pm when we eventually hit the tarmac to start our journey home, and arrived in <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">Berkhamsted</span> at 2.45am Sunday morning.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Around us in their cars were a lot of people very frustrated because like us they were trying to get home, there were many expressing their frustrations and some very angry. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">How did we do ? It was so frustrating that these thousands of cars <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">in front</span> of us were holding up our progress.</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Over the years that I have been a Christian there have been many times of frustration and anger when my progress has been hampered, Saturday night as we tried to get home I felt like a prisoner. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Paul writes in <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Ephesians</span> 4:1-2 <em><span style="color:#000099;">Therefore I the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love. </span></em></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Blessings</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Ray</span><br /><br /><br /></div>Ray Tomshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13765477748477533838noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2395694245095479707.post-55398679900869565702010-06-28T08:39:00.000-07:002010-06-28T10:43:08.779-07:00Come on England!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx2B-hSa2S60s0-rNut8Rlbvfta9M7BbxtrChrxxqq4knZnwP0NP6Gpk9w-eDis5RUiY84Vn7xtDFcSp3-1LBqVkEsIyS6Xi9u5ONr4UCbIYbabefBrSlDvzw46SApv0qqtU-gMq7AjR4/s1600/england_squad.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 167px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487871805853957378" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx2B-hSa2S60s0-rNut8Rlbvfta9M7BbxtrChrxxqq4knZnwP0NP6Gpk9w-eDis5RUiY84Vn7xtDFcSp3-1LBqVkEsIyS6Xi9u5ONr4UCbIYbabefBrSlDvzw46SApv0qqtU-gMq7AjR4/s320/england_squad.jpg" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-family:arial;">Sunday afternoon I sat in a friends house watching football, England v Germany, I do not want to make much of our disappointment, despair and failure of Our Team, or the lack of passion that was delivered by them. For many years I have watched England playing football and have gotten used to the disappointment which following your team often brings. </span></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-family:arial;">However,</span> I saw great passion as the teams walked out of the tunnel onto the pitch, the air was thick with anticipation not just within the stadium but also in my friends house where we were hoping for a great victory for England, sadly it was not to be. </span><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;">At the end of the game my friend John, and I sat in his lounge, now just the two of us realising we had perhaps set our expectations a little too high. </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:arial;">The questions I ask is what about next time when England play in the European Qualifiers, or in four years time for the World Cup, will the memory of this disappointment affect our hope and expectation of the England team and the winning of the competition? </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:arial;">This is my first post so I thought I would use the scripture in the title header. One of my favorites.</span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:arial;">Philippians 3:12-14 '<em>I press on, so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do; <span style="color:#3333ff;">forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward</span> to what lies ahead. I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.'</em></span></div><br /><p><span style="font-family:arial;">This post is about football! but perhaps it is about something that is a lot more important than that; this is a matter of the heart and your mind, how will I respond the next time things don't work out as I had hoped? Will I have the same attitude which God has shown in the above text?<br /></span></p><br /><div><span style="font-family:arial;">Blessings </span></div><br /><div><span style="font-family:arial;">Ray</span></div><div> </div>Ray Tomshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13765477748477533838noreply@blogger.com0