Aug | 08 | Despite DisappointmentsThere Are Always New Beginnings

Dream Word – CONTINUE

Hebrews 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. NKJV

Despite DisappointmentsThere Are Always New Beginnings

Tonight, do you go to bed confused? Tonight, are you at the end of your rope? Good! For know this: ‘All trails come to an end and all ends are really 'New Beginnings'. No, this is not some dank, motivational, little thought in the face of debilitating disappointment, that will never do, that will never edify, no that, will only get you angry! However, you must understand that the last three stations towards the end of all our present rail journeys of seeming un-achievement and failure are always, I mean always, Trepidation, Confusion and Disappointment!

Even when we think we have arrived at the end of our rope of possible fulfilment, at the end of our line of promise, we find upon reflection that we usually have either missed our connection to our goals, or simply, for some unknown reason, have arrived at a dead end, a cul-de-sac in a journey that seemed, at first, to certainly be going somewhere, yet despite the scenery outside our window so slowly passing by, our train inevitably rolled onward through those last three stops of Trepidation, Confusion and Disappointment! If you are feeling a little lost, bewildered and unsatisfied tonight, don't get too depressed, for this coming and mournful and triple grumble of mine, is simply the pressing preamble to an oncoming hunger for Satisfaction and Completion. Yes, we must succeed at something! Anything even! Yet, even when these Chinese food of the senses are sometimes consumed and digested, yes when we feel satisfied in seeming completion, they will eventually leave us hungry for them once again, and that pretty quickly as well. Listen to this poem…

Trails End 

Lost
I picked up what I thought was
Your red and golden thread
Followed it
Hand over hand
Dragging it’s
Dew dripping platts
Through my
Wet little fingers
I followed it
Hunched back and looking
Over raging rocks and
Down the slip grass hills
Through the ice cold river up to my
Shivering knees
Along the muddy path and
Through the green specked trees
I followed it Singing
I followed it
Winging
My way with
Prayers and fastings
I followed it with
Hope and with
 Belief I followed it
Happy with relief
Like four dogs
Hungry for their prey
Straining at the leash
Yet when my face hit the mountain
No rock opened wide in its side, but
There on the floor
Like a dead maggot
Unwriggling
Lay its yellow and tattered little
End
 Now, having travelled
The length of the thread I find
At both ends
There is nothing.
Nothing but
The journey and
The ever changing
Seasons of my soul

There is some truth in this poem, but only some. For friends, at all our present bewildering trail ends, even if it is at the last station of disappointment, there are always three choices left to us when we get there

 The First choice is to either go under and through the subway, or go over bridge above the tracks to the other platform and get the next train back from whence ye came. This choice of returning, of doubling back, might neither be good nor bad, might neither be right nor wrong, but it is a choice. Be sure of this though, that when you get on that train of return, although some scenery looks the same, all things have changed, and you especially so. Time and space have both moved on and you with them. Do not be deceived by seeming similarities. Things are different, things are new, even this return journey is a new journey for you.

The Second choice is to find a seat in the waiting room, plonk down your baggage, stare into your moth- filled wallet and then feeling totally spent, begin your wailing and your bemoaning. This choice might neither be good nor bad, might neither be right nor wrong, but it is a choice. Be sure though that others shall join you there. Many others still have been in this same disappointed waiting room a long, long time and in a scary sort of way, are somehow comforted by your arrival there. Misery enjoys company you see. It always has. If you have gone into this waiting room, do be careful not to turn it into a funeral parlour. You are not dead yet! Bite yourself, real hard! Did it hurt? Did it make you smart? There I told you. You are not dead yet! You still have a lot of living to do! So, put your emptiness away, get in contact with your Dad and see what He can do. That’s the best way to wait.

The Third choice, which though it might not either be good or bad, though it might not either be right or wrong, is I think never the less, the best of choices, and it is to go and find the Station Master. This is the end of this trail, no doubt about it, but with His help, with His provision, with His instruction and direction, it will assuredly be the beginning of another portion of your short journey home. Go find the Station Master.

Today, you arrived at a destination. If it is the station of joy and satisfaction then eat it and bathe in it, knowing that its taste will soon either dull, or sour and you will soon be hungry again, yes, even the present warm waters of your satisfaction, will soon grow cold. All achievements this side of heaven, still slowly roll on to disappointment. Go seek the Station Master
Today, you arrived at a destination. It may be the last station of Disappointment on this leg of the journey. Go seek the Station Master, He will undoubtedly send you to the trail head station of hope, in the vale of fresh vision, where new vistas and exciting adventures and discoveries await the travelling man!

In all your journeying dear friends, remember this, that despite the fact that you never purchased a ticket to disappointment, you shall be here again. Don’t you see it yet? Almost ALL the legs of all our journeys lead here to this station of Disappointment! Just about, every single one of them! That is until your final day when, instead of coming to a steaming halt, your train shall pick up steam and scream through this last stop of disappointment, its whistles blaring in speeding thunder, until it finds itself coming to rest most happily in Jesus, where, in the land of the God of all comfort and fulfilment, your face will be filled with ever-smiling peace, for only in His land of heaven, shall He lay His treasures and wonders of completion and utter satisfaction before your travelling feet.
Today however, you arrived at an earthly destination. What will you do tomorrow?

Listen:- These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. Hebrews 11:13-16 NKJV 

Pray:- Master tomorrow, travel close by me and help me to enjoy each moment of my present journey with You, for surely You and this short and ever changing, almost always disappointing ride, are the only constants in my life. Master, this night I choose life and this night I choose new beginnings. Tonight, my station Master, in faith, I lay my head in the lap of Your goodness and on the soft pillows of Your hope. Please prepare me with strength for the coming day, by granting me fresh dreams of hope and vast visions of fruitfulness. Amen.

Aug | 07 | Boiling Breast Milk

Key Word:- MERCY


Title:- Boiling Breast Milk

Exodus 34:26….."You shall not boil a young goat in its mother's milk.”

The book of Exodus contains some confusing verses for those of us disconnected from such a ‘bloody’ culture. Our verse today and it’s context left me confused for some time, until one day, I was watching a news broadcast where the mother of a missing child (later found to be murdered) was pleading for the safe return of her daughter. I shall never forget the mother's panicked and tear stained face; overnight she had already aged substantially and her poor terror consumed features were already draped in mourning silk. One poet writes:-

“You shall not boil a young goat
In it’s mother’s milk
You shall not clothe a suckling pig
With chiffon or with silk
You shall not disapprove
Of Section 28
You shall not catch a cod
And demand that he should skate
You shall not cause a robin
To pull ten thousand tons
You shall not stick your tongue out
At penguins, bats or nuns
You shall not twist a knife
Or cause a mother pain
You shall not cut a sapling
Nor murder Sarah Jane
You shall not drape a smiling face
With greys of mourning silk
You shall not boil a young goat
In it’s mother’s milk”

Simeon, a just and devout man waiting in the temple for the consolation of Israel, takes the baby Jesus from the arms of His loving mother Mary and as the Holy Spirit comes upon him prophecies, “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace according to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.” (Luke 2:29-32.) Then turning to the marvelling Joseph and Mary he speaks directly to them, midway through his proclamation his sad eyes laying for a moment on mother Mary when he says: “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” The old seer speaks that which he sees and Mary’s coming pain is not forgotten, not laid aside, but deeply felt. Indeed she is now by the voice of Simeon given over 30 years to prepare herself. She will need this, for her child shall be murdered before her very eyes. He who suckled at her breasts shall be pierced for our sins, while her own soul is pierced in the boiling loss of her own most precious son.

We can learn two things here.

Firstly, that often God warns us of desperate times to come, so that we might prepare ourselves. He is no sadist in such revelation, but in love, asks us to strengthen ourselves for that which is both unavoidable and dreadful.

Secondly, that though this may be the case, never the less, the Sovereign Father takes no pleasure in our suffering. Indeed, He makes a specific command, that mothers should not be a witness to the cruel death and consuming of those they love so dearly. No child should be tortured and consumed before it’s mother’s eyes.

Maybe some governments should take this verse to heart when dispatching young people to desperate wars? Maybe some legislators should bear this in mind when authorizing the mass destruction of the unborn and turning the word ‘choice’ into a ‘death camp’ word for women? For it seems the Father has a special love for those He has created to bear and nurture life. It seems to me God loves mothers, for He had one Himself. Young goats should never be boiled in their mother's milk, before their desperate eyes.

Listen:- Let your father and your mother be glad, And let her who bore you rejoice. Proverbs 23:25

Pray:- Lord, help us to honour all mothers by not murdering their children before their very eyes. God forgive us for these crimes. God forgive us and help us. In Jesus name precious name we pray, amen.

Aug | 07 | Spiritual Synaesthesia

Dream Word – SEE

Ezekiel 10:14-15 Each one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, the second face the face of a man, the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle. NKJV.

Spiritual Synaesthesia

I have three confessions to make to you tonight. First, that I am not a Christian who believes that SOME of the spiritual gifts have ceased after the primary Apostolic era. Second, that I am also a Christian who believes in the fact of real signs and wonders following the preached Word and third, that I believe we are probably living in the time of the end. Now let me tell you tonight friends, that such a triple combination of belief, can lead you into giving charlatans all your loose change and hitching your wagon to some of the wackiest, way out, whirling dervish Christian circuses that have ever toured the land! And by the way, there are more and more of these each and every year. Fortunately I am from that great county of Derbyshire, where a good dose of brutal common sense was a free side order with every bag of chips. In all these things then folks, let’s speak plainly and let’s not be stupid!


Now having said all that, allow me to make some spiritual observations about the manifestation of spiritual gifts in the church. Considering something so very important, frankly there are hardly any decent and practical books on the subject available. I think this is a triple testimony to our historical fear of the charisma, our respectable embarrassment of some of them and our utter disdain of that mixed bag of manifesting fruitcakes who rob us blind, and yes, I am talking about of being robbed of more than money! Never the less, maybe this brief thought will assist some of you this evening.

In the physical, material world, synaesthesia, literally ‘with sensation,’ is a neurologically-based phenomenon in which stimulation of one sensory or cognitive pathway, leads to automatic and involuntary experiences in a second sensory or cognitive pathway. In other words, people may hear what they see, or more commonly maybe, see what they hear, in terms of colour, shape and form. Yes, they may even taste a shape! Two well known synaesthetes would be the artist, David Hockney and the great composer and musician, Duke Ellington. Both of these guys used their probably hereditary ‘gift’ of synaesthesia in artistic exploration and expression. Of course, drug use and neurological damage can so traumatise the brain that it might also produce similar synaesthetic mixing of the senses. Yet this is quite different from the ‘natural’ hereditary and genetic gifting of the same. Well so what?

I am fascinated by the descriptions of heaven in the Scriptures, and so I should be! I am a citizen there and it is my eternal home. What is most wonderful for me however, are the descriptions of the marvellous composite creatures, so special to God, that they surround and seem to live near the the very vicinities of His mighty throne. Whilst no doubt being both emblematic and metaphorical, I believe these creatures are also very real! The power and the abilities of creatures of such combinational sensory perception must be extraordinary. Again I hear you say, well, so what?

What I am about to suggest tonight, will assist some of you Pastors to better counsel your flock and it will also assist some of you folk who think you are going barmy, for it has been my observation, and I just lay this out tonight for your simple consideration, that in terms of spiritual perception, in terms of spiritual ‘seeing’ even, there is a vast amount synaesthesia involved in this type of spiritual gifting, especially for those with the gifts of discernment, mercy and prophecy. I leave the questions of whether or not such a gifting may have physical manifestations, or if such anointing is also spiritually heredity, for another day. Simply to say tonight then, that many of you ‘seers’ in the church, actually experience, and should delight in such experiences by the way, this cross sensory expression of communication. This to you, will be a most personal and tailored way of experiencing the spiritual realm. I believe in the life to come we shall all bathe in similar, but far more intense cross-sensory perception, however, for now, here in the church, some people in comparatively small measure to the future life, already experience this spiritual syneasthesia.

It is important for people of spiritual gifting to band with those of the same gifts, for mutual encouragement and for investigation, instruction and correction. I wonder if many more church organisations should have ‘Schools for Prophets’ for example, instead of schools for profits? There is safety in this, for heresy happens! In any event, many of you tonight, never the less need to see what God is saying in your ear, and maybe allow yourself to feel the colour of both His nearness and instruction. There is strength for the church in such spiritual synaesthesia. So to those of you who experience this may I say to you, ‘Those who have ears to see, let them taste!’

Listen: - After that you shall come to the hill of God where the Philistine garrison is. And it will happen, when you have come there to the city, that you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with a stringed instrument, a tambourine, a flute, and a harp before them; and they will be prophesying. (1 Samuel 10:5 NKJV.)

Pray:- Lord, may all our “synaesthetic seers” be welcomed in Your church and subject to both Your written word and Your chosen leadership. Give to each of them O God, a good dose of Derbyshire common sense and good friends and Pastors to advise and aid them in their journey. Make them a blessing to us all, in Jesus name I pray, amen.

Aug | 06 | Pensions, Pasta and Personal Accessories

Key Word:- HAPPY

Title:- Pensions, Pasta and Personal Accessories

Matthew 6:34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.


The Lord did not say do not plan for tomorrow, He said, "Don't worry about it," that is, don't let it break into today and rob you of fully enjoying the present. Friends, we are linear liver's and linear thinkers, in that we have a past a present and anticipate a future. Now concerning the future, remember that anticipation of it is all we really have! Let's face it, this time next week any one of us could dead, buried, and dispatched. It's the truth! All we have concerning the future is either anticipation or fear of it.

We are often comforted, confused, expectant or fearful about life after death because on top of this earthly anticipation for a linear future, God has also put eternity in our hearts. We not only anticipate a linear future, but also we anticipate and expect, even yearn for and know of the terrible certainty of an eternal destiny. I suppose one of the benefits of such an eternal anticipation, of such a maybe fearful expectation, is that knowing there is a never ending future and that there are never ending consequences in that certain and eternal future, which relates to how we act now, well, it often makes us much more restrained in our excess down here, it reins us in as it were, it sometimes tempers the explosive and consuming nature of our sinful self. You might spend now, but you will always pay later. This we know.

Planning for the future is wise. Planning for college, for the care of children etc, all of these things are right and good. However, may I suggest that if these “plans” have reached into our present and dictate and depress us, dominate and drive us; then maybe they are wrong! Many, many people live much of their lives planning for the future, when they retire, when the kids have left home, when, when, when, even though it may never come!Ah but if and when it does, then they are ready for it, then all the worry and waste of time seems worth it. Maybe. Meanwhile in the now, in this gift of a moment, in this precious point in our lives when time touches eternity, peace is eaten and opportunity for enjoyment is wasted away in worry, having been so thoroughly consumed by the “when” and the worries of an unknown future. Safety, security, food and possessions, or should I say, pensions, pasta and personal accessories are all very nice to look forward to but friends, quite frankly, they are not very good to live for right now. They are in the future, which we can only anticipate and never with full certainty possess. Do you see that?

We all plan and rightly so and certainly we should not have the attitude of “eat drink and be merry for tomorrow we die.” However, such meticulous planning, such overly protective planning for the “when” of the future, opens such pensive portals in the time space continuum, that it allows fears of every kind to be projected along our linear line of living and be bounced right back at us in the now, only this time, it is now magnified a thousand fold! For don’t you know that fear cannot live in the future or the past and so it fights to manifest itself always in the now! Future fears, like fat little kittens, will always try to claw themselves into our souls the moment an opening is presented to them. When we allow this to happen, when devouring fear is in our house, “the maybe then,” that monster of our own creation, like a hungry teenager will come and empty our peaceful cupboards, throw its dirty washing around on the ground of our contentment, go to its room and slam the door in the disrespect of our present and turn up its thumping music, very loud indeed, worrying and tormenting us to distracting anger and disbelief! Be very careful what you let into your house dear friends. Be very careful.

Jesus is very clear. In one day under this fallen and failing sun, there is only so much we can handle, or are expected to handle. Yes, be wise and plan when you can, however do not live for the plans you make for frankly, they are out of your control. Grab those scabby and grubby, clawing little kittens by the neck and get teenage fear by the ear friends and throw them out on it. Jesus says: “DO NOT WORRY ABOUT TOMORROW!” You can't get any clearer than that can you? He says: “Seek my kingdom and my righteousness today and all shall be well with you tomorrow.” You might be saying “yeah, right” and I tell you the truth in answer to your tired and astonished "yeah right" lack of faith God is replying “Yeah right and you’d better believe it for your own good!” God is saying “Yes I mean it, DO NOT WORRY ABOUT TOMORROW!”

The answer to worry concerning the future is chosen rejoicing in the possession of this very moment. ‘Now’ is all you really have, so do make the very best of it!

Listen:- This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.

Pray:- All of your promises Oh God are Yes and Amen in Jesus. Amidst all this technology and temptation to plan and forecast my future, to kid myself into thinking I am in control, teach me Your Way Oh God, teach me Your Way. Amen.

Aug | 06 | What Grows Now, In The Furrows Of Your Tongue?

Dream Word – CONSIDER

Hosea 10:4...Thus judgment springs up like hemlock in the furrows of the field. NKJV.

What Grows Now, In The Furrow Of your Tongue?

Hosea is the prophet of the broken covenant. His life had been lived in a web of cellophane lies, his heart crippled and scarred by the effects of the cold and creeping paralysing poison of deception, which dripped from the jagged neck of his broken bottle of a marriage covenant, like oozing maggots from putrid sores, upon his open soul and his love for the wife of his youth now all gone way, way wrong. Yes, Hosea's very own marriage to Gomer had been publicly shattered for all the world to see.

The prefix to this poetic and powerful picture of a ploughed furrow mixed, maybe, with both wheat and hemlock is this: Hosea 10:4 They have spoken words, swearing falsely in making a covenant. Thus judgment springs up like hemlock in the furrows of the field. NKJV
Yes, the prefix to our text for tonight was the outworked falseness of their spoken words. In other words, there was no substance in the covenant words of Israel, there was no sanctity in the saying, none, no, none whatsoever! They had rejected the King of Kings, they had broken covenant with Him! If so great a covenant could be broken then, why should they not also break every other lesser earthly covenant they had also entered into. Yes, the fact is that broken words release a fast spreading and corrupting poison, even into the bread of the field, such that a whole nation might be in paralyses, yes, even its very heart, become suffocated in a bondage of lies. Broken covenants, you see, become poisonous to all the relationships in families, communities and nations.

Remember tonight then, that when spoken words lose both substance and sanctity, a cold paralysing death always flowers in the furrows of life, bringing with it a creeping and stupefying, most poisonous death. Let me ask you then, How about your words tonight? Are they mixed with hemlock? Yes in these past days, has your tongue become tainted with the blood of Socrates?

Listen: - But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? (James 3:8-12 NKJV)

Pray:- Lord, horridness crouches at the door of my heart and hemlock flowers upon the fauna of my tongue, and in the furrows of my words, death resides and sometimes reigns. Have mercy on me O God and let that pure, clean refreshing spring water, bubble up from deep within me, that by Your power, my words would be granted substance, solidness and surety, in Jesus name I ask it, amen!
 
 

Aug | 05 | Dealing With ‘Blue Moons’

Key Word:- TRUST

Title:- Dealing With ‘Blue Moons’

2 Kings 4:23 So he said, “Why are you going to him today? It is neither the New Moon nor the Sabbath.”

Nanci Griffith may have sung it, but it was written by Patrick Alver and Gene Levine. A delightful country music ballad called ‘Once in a Very Blue Moon'. Of course there is no such thing as a 'blue moon'. Originally, it meant something that would hardly ever happen, as in “We will have a blue moon, before such and such....” Moving on from the old saying though, a ‘blue moon’ eventually became the name for the third full moon in a season (three months) of four full moons. Then, in the early to mid 1900's it became the name of the second full moon in a month. Complicated isn’t it?! My point is this friends, in the great scheme of the intergalactic timing of things, blue moons may be reasonably common, but they are not everyday occurrences! Have you got that?

In the same way, concerning or lives, there is nothing that happens to us that is not common to mankind. However, occasionally, we all experience to some degree something that is not an every day occurrence. It's unusual, it's a ‘blue moon’ kind of occurrence and there is something in it's unexpectedness, in it's unusualness, that just might cause us to halt, shudder, fail or fall. Nancy Griffiths sings:

There's a blue moon shinin'
when I am reminded of all we've been through
Such a blue moon ... shinin'
Does it ever shine down on you?
You act as if it never hurt you at all
Like I'm the only one who's gettin' up from a fall
Don't you remember?
Can't you recall?
just once ... in a very blue moon

In our verse today a Shunammite woman has for years been providing lodging for the itinerant ministry of Elisha the prophet. A childless mother, she had for years, for her concern, by the grace of God and through the prayerful intervention of the prophet,  received a 'prophets reward' in the form of a lovely little son, even a son of her husband's old age. This son of their old age, she both loved and hungrily embraced.

Once in a very ‘blue moon day’ this marvellous and unexpected gift of God, early one bright mid-morning, complained of a terrible headache. He was taken indoors and with his head in the lap of his mother and with his eyes squeezed up in pointed pain,  groaned and groaned and quickly died. With pent up fury and the silent determination of a nuclear submarine leaving harbour for deep waters of conflict, she rises from her sobbing seat, quietly closes the door behind her and sets her face towards both the cause and the answer to all her problems. Her countenance betrays her speedy but organised exit, yet when asked about the possibility of trouble, she determinedly replies 'all is well' to those who voice their concern. Saddling the donkey, silently she slips out of her devastated harbour. The Shunamite sets sail in but one direction……. Elisha the prophet!

Ignoring everything and everyone she arrives at her destination and literally launches herself at his feet, tackling the unsuspecting prophet almost to the ground. BOOM! “Did I ask a son of my lord? BOOM! Did I not say, 'Do not deceive me'?” BOOM! These explosive questions are the summary of all the painful pleadings, of all the fearful longings and shattered expectations of her broken heart. What has been hidden from Elisha as he viewed the determined and directed steps of the approaching storm of sadness raging with anger and crashing against the staring eyes of the Shunamite, submerged and dangerous in the periscope depth of her attacking distress, is now fully revealed to him and in that revelation he responds and so departs to attend to the problem.

Friend, when a blue moon rises in your sky, close the door on the problem, saddle up your horses, go to Jesus, launch yourself at His feet, let it all out, hang on to Him and DO NOT LET GO. Insist He comes personally to attend to the matter. Insist on it!

Call this approach to your unusual problems what you will but I call it a solution!

Go and get Jesus! Go and get Him now.

Listen:- He returned and walked back and forth in the house, and again went up and stretched himself out on him; then the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. And he called Gehazi and said, “Call this Shunammite woman.” So he called her. And when she came in to him, he said, “Pick up your son.” So she went in, fell at his feet, and bowed to the ground; then she picked up her son and went out. 2 Kings 4:35-37

Now when He concluded all His sayings in the hearing of the people, He entered Capernaum. And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear to him, was sick and ready to die. So when he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to Him, pleading with Him to come and heal his servant. And when they came to Jesus, they begged Him earnestly, saying that the one for whom He should do this was deserving, "for he loves our nation, and has built us a synagogue." Then Jesus went with them. Luke 7:1-6 NKJV

 Pray:- Lord, help me to run to You and hang on to You when any blue moons rise in my sky. Help me to pray and pray and pray and listen for the solutions in all the sneezing’s of my life! I plead and implore, beg and insist that You come back to my house dear Jesus and fix all my blue moons today. Amen.

Aug | 05 | The Terrible Loss of A Load of Old Bulls

Dream Word – STRENGTH

Titus 2:2-3 Guide older men into lives of temperance, dignity, and wisdom, into healthy faith, love, and endurance. (from THE MESSAGE)

The Most Terrible Loss, Of A Load Of Old Bulls

Regarding the questions as to whether or not elephants have good memories, an American reporter in Chicago recently recorded the following incident at the Chicago Zoo:

“In 1986, Mike Hogan was on holiday in Kenya after graduating from North-western University. On a hike through the bush, he came across a young bull elephant standing with one leg raised in the air. The elephant seemed distressed so Mike approached it very carefully. He got down on one knee and inspected the elephant's foot and found a large piece of wood deeply embedded in it. As carefully and as gently as he could, Mike worked the wood out with his hunting knife. The elephant gingerly put down his foot. The elephant turned to face the man and with a rather curious look on its face, stared at him for several tense moments. Mike stood frozen, thinking about being trampled. Eventually the elephant trumpeted loudly, turned and walked away. Mike never forgot that elephant or the events of that day. Over thirty years later, Mike was walking through the Chicago Zoo with his own teenaged sons. As they approached the elephant closure, one of the elephants turned and walked over to where Mike and his son were standing. The large bull elephant stared at Mike, lifted its front foot off the ground, then put it down. The elephant did that several times then trumpeted loudly, all the while staring at the man. Remembering the encounter in 1986, Mike couldn't help wondering if this was the same elephant. Mike summoned up his courage, climbed over the railing and made his way into the enclosure. He walked right up to the elephant and stared back. The elephant trumpeted again, wrapped its trunk around one of Mike’s legs and slammed him against the railing, killing him instantly....

It probably wasn't the same elephant.”

For some years now teenage pachyderms have been roaming in wild and angry packs, seemingly reeking revenge on human settlements in their area. An examination of the increasingly savage problem of young elephants on the rampage, tusking each other to death, vandalising crops and houses and killing human beings, seems to indicate that it is linked to the killing of old bulls. In other words, a major problem in elephant herds has been that of absent fathers and the destruction of the secure mentoring of a patriarchal system. Without the strength and leadership and no doubt the giving of ‘a good slap of an old trunk behind large floppy ears,’ the teenagers have had all boundaries removed and in the end have just gone wild. You will forgive the poor pun.

In Western society it is evident that the emasculation of old bulls, by political feminisation and the intentional and continuing dismantling of our own patriarchal system, has also led to the takeover and self-destructive rampage of teenagers. Knife crime, gun crime, sex crime, abused and abandoned single mums are all signs of a removed patriarchal system. Our young men have been purposefully and deliberately delivered up to the politically correct knife of emasculation, whilst the old bulls have been killed off. I tell you, for society to continue, this feminisation must come to a fatal end.

There is a call out tonight then, to all seemingly younger folks in the church of the living God. I am afraid that many of you need to grow up real quickly. Where the older bulls have been blown away or have blown it, you in great maturity must now grow up quickly and lead the way in wisdom and patriarchal manliness. If this is true for the young men of our churches, then may I say that it is even more applicable to the young women. You too must grow up and lead the way in godliness, honour and true love among the sisters.

It’s time to rid the world of these chav-like packs of pitiful packyderms! We can only do that by letting men be men, letting them live like men and allowing them to teach the younger blokes. Only men can teach boys how to be men. If this is not honoured in action, then all we can expect in our world is rampage, killing and wild anarchy. I am afraid this is the awful truth.

Listen: - Guide older women into lives of reverence so they end up as neither gossips nor drunks, but models of goodness. By looking at them, the younger women will know how to love their husbands and children, be virtuous and pure, keep a good house, be good wives. We don't want anyone looking down on God's Message because of their behaviour. Also, guide the young men to live disciplined lives. (Titus 2:3-6 from THE MESSAGE)

Pray:- Lord, help us to be, in the most irreligious and un-pompous of ways, to become the very best of ear- flicking mentors. In Jesus name we ask it, amen.

Aug | 04 | Dribbling & Your Dentine Destiny

Key Word:- PERSEVERE

Title:- Dribbling & Your Dentine Destiny

1 Corinthians 12:21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary.

Well it’s happened much earlier than expected, but I have started dribbling. Not all the time, but of course inevitably, at the most public and therefore most embarrassing times. All of a sudden I’m just aware of a dribble on my chin? It's 'Mucho Grosso' really!

Thankfully I’ve figured out the problem and with some awareness training I think I can limit the embarrassment. You see I am the proud owner of 'fixed bridge' across the front of my mouth. It’s magnificent! I can bite through ice-cream with no pain, chomp into apples and chow down on baby back ribs like a glutton on speed! The sensation of pressure is still there but it’s obvious that the ‘sensitivity and awareness’ feelings that my natural teeth gave me are gone. Hence sometimes it’s ‘dribble city’ for me because I just don’t feel it 'leaking out' as it were! Who’d have thought that a couple of home grown enamel covered nerve endings were such an important anti-dribbling device?

You know where I am going with this don’t you? But it’s the truth and because it’s something we so easily forget, it is worthy of  remembrance. Let me put it like my teeth, bluntly, by saying that if you are a vocal and open mouth in the church, you must not despise the quieter members that never the less bring sensitivity and awareness to your proclamations, for their kind prayers and gentle hints, will stop you looking like a dribbling fool! Consequently, may I say that if you know you are but a ‘small tooth’ in a big mouth, be sure that God has put you just right where you are to fulfil your dentine destiny! You might be next to a large Molar, who grinds away daily, but believe me, he needs you.

So finally today , I want to say a word to those who feel so inconsequential in the shadow of all that the mouth might be proclaiming and indeed, so much so that maybe they just want to 'up and leave’. Please don't go, for you are such a necessery part of the body. Keep backing up by speaking up for after all, we all know that a dribbling fool is not really taken seriously! Keep being sensitive! Keep stopping the dribble and Oh by the way, thank you.

Listen:- And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 1 Corinthians 12:21

Pray:- Today Lord, where I am, show me my value and my necessity to the body of Your church, amen.

Aug | 04 | Of Socks & Sweat

Dream Word – CLEAN

John 13:7 Jesus answered and said to him, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this." NKJV

Of Socks & Sweat

In Europe it is of course the Fins who keep wiping the floor with all contenders concerning their ability to ‘sauna sit’ for the longest of times! The Fins consistently get the top three places in the annual World Championship Sauna Sitting Competition, braving steamy temperatures of 110 degree celsius and above. Finland is a very cold country and the winter cold snaps they get there increase sauna use to such an extent, that the whole nation has to ration their energy supplies. Let me tell you now, that’s way too cold for me!

Many years ago, having done a brief study of the Yurok Indians of North America, I became fascinated with the use and the spiritual implications of the hot rock, male communal sweat lodge. Now, although that sounds like an add you find in the San Francisco Herald, there is nothing seedy or untoward here. Nope, apart from the guys just getting together to have a good natter, the main use of the sweat lodge was to cleanse their skin and also purge their bodies of impurities. I sat in a sauna a few weeks ago with a guy who’d been out on the town over the weekend, who remarked that he could ‘still taste the booze’ in the sweat which was oozing out of his pores. It works!

Now for the Yurok and other North American Indians, this physical action of communal sweating, of group sweat therapy, obviously became for them a metaphysical act as well as a physical act, in that they felt that they were also cleansed from the evils of their sin and the sin of others, all of which had sullied their soul and that consequently they also purged from their spirit, all the collected impurities and repercussions of bad spiritual walking.

Now, there is nothing better for getting things of yer chest, for gaining instruction and wisdom and even for making you and the community feel a little better, yes, there is nothing better than talking things out in a hot communal setting, in a womb like setting of fire and water, light and dark, animal skins, plants, earth and ancient rocks. Yes, this can do an awful lot for natural grounding, for the settling of the soul and the unloading of baggage. Yes, I’m up for that! At the end of the day, it’s all good psychology, it’s all good psychotherapy, and a whole lot cheaper than you’d be paying a professional, that’s for sure.

There is something to be said for same sex communal sweating, and it appears to me that God in His good providence often turns the heat up in our lives to facilitate such a communal sweating. My suggestion as that men and women in the church have their sweat boxes built, honoured and used, in preparation for such times.

The Christian sweat box has one very distinct rite which is carried out before entering the steam. Gently, tenderly and with great respect, those with most maturity, those with most authority in the gathering, gird themselves with a towel, stoop down to undo the shoe laces and then slip the leather from the seated participant. Then, after rolling off their sweaty socks, with the coolest and clearest of fresh spring water, they wash the dirty and dusty feet of all those about to enter that cleansing heat. Along with the cleansing, such action also brings instruction. Think about that.

He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

Listen: - And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray Him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. (John 13:2-5 NKJV.)

Pray:- Jesus, wash my feet. Jesus, help us to wash one another’s feet. Jesus help us fully enter all our providential communal sweat boxes with joy, where by the actions of Your Spirit and the application of the blood of Jesus we might be cleansed and purged, helped and instructed, envisioned and empowered, made ready to do Your full and perfect will. Amen and amen!

Aug | 03 | Thrones, Footstools & Cities

Key Word:- POWER

Title:- Thrones, Footstools & Cities

Matthew 5:34-36 "....But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God's throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.”


Sometimes those of us who hate the urban sprawl and have made the daily and debilitating journey into commuter packed cities where the prices are high and the streets are hot and bustling with glazed-eye briefcase carrying drones, well sometimes, those of us experiencing that, get discouraged with the book of Revelation. You see, we want to get back to the garden. However, the problem is that the Bible may start with a garden but it ends with a city. The city of God. The city of The Great King! Yes, the book of Revelation you see, is about the city of God

It's my understanding that the Scriptures refer to the city of God in four contexts:-

First of all, Jerusalem in the land of Israel is of course the city of The Great King. Why else would there be so much warfare around such a seemingly insignificant sandy and stone infested real estate?

Secondly, the New Jerusalem which shall descend at the end of the age and this, our new and eternal base of operations, home, community and centre, this as well of course, is also referred to as the city of The Great King.

Thirdly the church, in its collective gatherings, both local and universal, is also the city of the Great King, a city like Jerusalem of old , a city set on a hill that cannot be hidden.

Fourthly and Finally and most importantly, our hearts, our centre, have also become the dwelling place of the Most High God. As individuals we too are cities set on a hill.

In any of these four contexts make no mistake about it, 'the city of God' is called just that and is desirable for that one fact alone that God, is in residence there!

In England, whenever the monarch is present and in residence, the Royal Colours are flown high. It is the responsibility of the keeper of the colours, not the monarch, to watch for the monarch's approach and raise their colours high when they enter through the gates. Have you got that? It’s not the monarch’s responsibility to raise their colours but the servants!

An older Christian chorus, usually sung by children, talks of a 'flag flying high in the castle of my heart, for the King is in residence there.' We older children have sadly forgotten this. The castle, the fortress, the inner keep of ourselves, has often no outward acknowledgement by us that the King is actually and personally in residence there. At best we take this great truth simply as a positional argument or a theological fact to be mentally acknowledged except occasionally, when we are in gardens, quiet and away from the bustle of life, we feel we catch a glimpse of His royal robes swishing along our cold inner corridors searching for us, angry at our absence. Then we wish we had raised His royal standard!

You see, in the warmth and the stillness, in the beauty and gently chirruping of the sparrows, in the reflecting pool of stillness at the centre of our own inner garden, when we get there, when we look there, as we do, it will reveal Him standing just behind us, even at our elbow, hand on our shoulder, always there, never leaving nor forsaking, waiting, questioning, sighing and shaking His head a little, maybe? When we feel His presence, when we sense His presence, when we see His love, when we feel His touch, it is then that we now appreciate that the King is in residence here and actually, always has been! For those of us who have failed to raise His standard and keep His standards, this realization of His holy presence can fill us with such defeated shame and such frustrating regret, that it is with embarrassment rather than joy that we slowly begin to turn our face toward Him.

Friends, there may not be many gardens in a city, but in His garden are billions and trillions of cities, a vast and innumerable number and Jesus is in the cities friends. Jesus is in the centre. His Royal arms from now on must fly high, in the hustle and bustle of all the life that goes on around the gates of our heart. His Royal standard must now fly high, over all incoming and outgoing trade, traders and traitors; over every siege, over every arrow that is fired from every engine of war pitted against us; over every word from false prophets of personal doom and even over the big battering rams of our own despairing emotion. The flag of Jesus must still fly high, fluttering and waving in the wind of His brooding Spirit hovering high over our ramparts. Oh Hallelujah! The King is in residence here, right here in the middle of our city, in the middle of your city.

Yes, His throne is presently in heaven at the right hand of the Majesty on High and the earth is becoming His footstool, as the Father, through bloody war and dreadful conflict, is reclaiming that which His own Son, our Saviour Jesus has purchased with His own blood; but never forget this and today especially remember it, that you also are His redeemed city, in which He has come to reside. Look to Him today and then raise High His Royal Colours.

Listen:- Walk about Zion, And go all around her. Count her towers; Mark well her bulwarks; Consider her palaces; That you may tell it to the generation following. For this is God, Our God forever and ever; He will be our guide Even to death. Psalm 48:12-14

Pray:- There is a flag flying high in the castle of my heart, in the castle of my heart, in the castle of my heart. There is a flag flying high in the castle of my heart, for the King is in residence here! Let it fly in my sky and let the whole world know, that the King is in residence here.


 

Aug | 03 | Hic sunt dracones or hic sunt remuneror

Dream word – COURAGE

Numbers 13:33 “There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.” NKJV

Hic sunt dracones or hic sunt remuneror

I was watching a TV programme one night which was talking about the next manned space mission which would encourage NASA to leave its present fascination with the exploration of low earth orbit. It was called Mars Direct.

Dr Robert Zubrin seems to be the remaining and main proponent of an early and low cost mission to Mars. He is above all a passionate proponent of what he considers to be a journey of human necessity. As NASA has recently and most unceremoniously rejected his ideas and has decided instead to revisit the moon by 2020, it is evident that Zubrin holds little respect for what he considers to be NASA’s lack of vision and courage! Indeed, when commenting on what NASA referred to as the “unknown and incalculable dangers” of such a mission to Mars, Zubrin made reference to the practice of early cartographers, that is, map makers, who when being similarly unsure and uncertain of what lay beyond their knowledge and understanding, wrote “Hic Sunt Dracones” on their maps, or “here be dragons”! “NASA,” said Zubrin with some disdain, “NASA are simply populating their maps with dragons!”

God has the distinctly uncomfortable habit of encouraging us to step out into the unknown. God, like some intergalactic faith junkie, is always demanding that we please Him with our walk of faith, for “Without it,” He says, “You just cannot please me.” Now the problem with walking by faith is it never gets any easier. Yes, once we get comfortable in our faith walk, once we believe God and see God is coming through for us, He seems to make the next faith exploit that much more demanding, challenging, gambling and dangerous! Unfortunately with our tiredness comes fear of loss, and in our fear of loss, we write on all our own maps, “hic sunt dracones” and further, for wisdom’s sake of course, we refuse to move from the spot. Yes, in marking our own maps with dragons, we destroy our very own faith missions of the colonisation of all our promised lands. Tell me, have you become a scaredy cat instead of a roaring lion? Meeeow... What a pitiful position to be in. Maybe we should rather die trying than rot quivering. At least there is more honour and self respect in that kind of exploit. Would to God we were rid of all our pussy cats in the church! Yes indeed, would to God our belly was full of fire instead of fur balls. My God! Where are the men that used to run to meet all their Goliaths?

Listen: “He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.” (Revelation 20:2-3 NKJV.)

Pray: Lord, deliver us from crippling and compromising fear. Where we have written on the maps of Your calling “hic sunt dracones” please forgive us, and provide us with a great eraser to undo the devilish lie and write instead, hic sunt remuneror - there be rewards! In Jesus name I pray, amen.

Aug | 02 | The Realtor & The Real Estate

Key Word:-BELIEVE

Title:- The Realtor & The Real Estate  

Genesis 13:17 Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you.”
 
So I said to him “I’m looking for a new house.” He smiles shakes my hand sits me down and begins ‘the financial probing.’ This guy has been around a bit. I can tell this by measuring the time it takes to get from the handshake, to the seamless discovery of what I can afford to spend. He doesn’t want to offend me but ‘time is money’ for him and he doesn’t want to waste his time showing me a property I cannot afford. “Ah ,I’ve got just the home for you” he says with an ‘I can’t believe the coincidence of this ’ look on his face. He continues, “And you won't believe it” (he’s right, I won't.) “It only recently came on the market. I tell you if no one snaps this up soon I’m going to buy it for my daughter. Tell you what, take the keys, it’s not far from here and take your time. Walk through the house, take it all in and make sure the wife is with you, she will just love it. Then, when you see why this house is so perfect for you, bring back the keys and let’s talk.” Getting real excited now he exclaims, “Man! I just want you to see this place before we go any further. It’s gonna blow you away!”

God is no sleek realtor, no professional estate agent, yet it seems to me in our text for today that He does say to Abraham, “You gotta see this place Abe baby, you’re gonna love it!” Abraham had to take time to take in the magnitude of the promise. The stars in the sky, the sand on the ground, the length and breadth of the land. He had to look and he had to see and believe and then bring back the keys to the Lord God Almighty. “I tell you” says God “It’s enormous, it’s magnificent, it’s beautiful for situation, it’s ample room for you, the kids, the grand kids, the whole massive family, man it’s yours and you know what? I am giving it to you baby. It’s not gonna cost you a cent, no sir, it’s yours, it's a free gift from me, a promise and I tell you what Abraham, take the keys, go and see, walk up and down, in and out, cross the rivers, climb the mountains, feel the grass, smell the roses, cause it’s all yours. What do I want?" The Lord says incredulously, “What do I want? I want some anticipation Abe baby, I want some expectancy, I want some joy before the promise, I want to see you happy, I want to see you drooling, I want you hungry in belief, I want to see some deep inward longing, wanting, believing. Then, when you see why this house is perfect for you, bring back the keys and let’s talk. Man! I just want you to see this place before we go any further. It’s gonna blow you away.”

Friends we need to take time to walk through the land of our inheritance. We need to take time to meditate on the Scriptures, to think on Jesus and allow the dimension of our divine inheritance to make it’s eternal impression upon us. We need to walk through the land. I tell you, If your expectant belief and drooling hunger is not giving you heartburn this side of heaven in the long dark night of your soul, then you need to get out and start walking friends. Start walking and start looking, start drinking, start exploring and start talking about the real things, the unseen things, the eternal things. You’ve got the keys, so now for the first time in your life maybe, go take a good long look. Here is what Jesus says to you today: “Good grief friends! I just want you to see this place before we go any further. It’s gonna blow you away.”

Listen:- These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. Hebrews 11:13-16

Pray:- Lord. I do declare that I am a stranger and a pilgrim in a foreign land. Please begin the guided tour today of all I possess in you Lord Jesus. Amen.

Aug | 02 | Of Genitalia & Gender, or The Lack of Both!

Dream Word – PREPARE

Matthew 19:8-12 He said to them, "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery." His disciples said to Him, "If such is the case of the man with his wife, it is better not to marry." But He said to them, "All cannot accept this saying, but only those to whom it has been given: For there are eunuchs who were born thus from their mother's womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He who is able to accept it, let him accept it." NKJV.

Of Genitalia & Gender, or The Lack of Both!

In my final of three thoughts on sexuality, may I say again tonight, that these texts about eunuchs, do not speak directly to transsexual issues, but rather, they speak directly to sexual celibacy, both as a gift and as a practice. Let me explain.

In our Bible text for tonight, the response of the ‘blokey’ disciples to the instructions of Jesus here regarding marriage and both its demands and difficulties, placed next to divorce and all its inherent and serious repercussions, is one of “Bloomin’ Nora! Best not even go there then!” Jesus immediately responds to them by highlighting the great difficulties of such a fearful and negative statement. “Unless the gift of celebecy has been given” He immediately responds to them saying, “....you will never be able to NOT get married....” In other words, in us all, there is a driving imperative for physical union. Now, as sex outside of marriage was never even contemplated by Jesus, it is the good sex drive as expressed within marriage then that He is talking about here. So in effect then, JESUS goes on saying, “You can’t give up sex, unless celebecy has been given to you and accepted by you as a gift.” Jesus then highlights celibacy in this text, by describing three classes of eunuch, that is, the three classes of men who have no testicles, and in terms of procreation then, have no real capacity for sexual intercourse in marriage, which is what He is actually talking about.

“For there are eunuchs who were born thus from their mother's womb, and

Jesus acknowledges that there are ‘NATURAL’ Eunochs, and please note here that I use the word NATURAL somewhat reluctantly. Even so, here I believe Jesus is referring primarily to an involuntary, but ‘NATURAL’ and literal absence of male genitalia. This happens! And Jesus here seems to see this as an opportunity for the embracing of the focused Kingdom life. I do not think Jesus here is referring to those folks who are born inter-sexed or androgynous. I will deal with that later.

there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men,

Jesus acknowledges that there are artificial eunuchs. This is the involuntary removal of male genitalia, so that the dispossessed might better serve the robbers. For without testosterone they would have less strength to rebel, and as there would be no children born to them, then there was little chance of future blood vengeance, and certainly no chance of the implantation of their seed placed into the women put into their charge. Jesus acknowledged the existence of this type of person. They were a people without sexual choice. Their condition was imposed upon them. Even so, again Jesus here seems to see this as an opportunity for such folk to better embrace the focused Kingdom life.

there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake.

Jesus acknowledges that there are eunuchs by CHOICE. For sure, the choice Jesus refers to here does not lead to a transsexual turning. No, this choice must not lead to mutilation, as His reference was not to literal castration here, but to a figurative one. Though a literal interpretation and subsequent wrong choice was made by Origen and many others in the early church, who chose to mutilate their manhood and all its underlying passions, so as to live what they considered to be a more holy and a more pure life. By the way, Origen later repented of this early and fanatical choosing of losing. No this is a figurative choice, and it is not a choice rooted in the drives of gender confusion, or of cultural manipulation or of the fleeing of right or wrong sexual urges. No, this is a positive choice (though not for me, for I cannot accept it) of laying aside the passions of procreation and recreation for the sake of the Kingdom of God. That is, to forsake the many energies, passion, and personal time of personal relationships and then to refocus that redeemed energy, time and passion, when putting it to good use for the Kingdom, in terms of a closer relationship with God, in terms of the conception and creation of Kingdom dreams, Kingdom peoples, Kingdom processes, Kingdom procedures and Kingdom products of every kind!

He who is able to accept it, let him accept it.”

Like I said, I personally am not able to accept it. However, I know of some who are, though not that many, for sure. The Apostle Paul had the gift of celibacy. Now listen, for often times, being single and waiting to be married is like living the eunuch life! This is not so much a choice, but a necessity. It is only for a period of time however, until marriage most happily occurs. Without the gift of celibacy this kind of waiting singleness can become a nightmare unless the Kingdom of God is sought most thoroughly during the time you are waiting and seeking to be married.

Unable to accept being a eunuch, I am also very fortunate not to have had this challenge of “castration” imposed upon me in terms of the foul physical, selfish actions of others, or in terms of the outworkings of this particular manifestation of sexual death through one of the by-products of the presence of original sin. No, I have a whole bunch of other emasculating challenges to battle against! Neither have I had to accept the damage imposed upon me by the side effects of various drugs intended initially to do good. I am chiefly talking here of the effects of Diethylstilbestrol, though not totally so. Yes, we do need to acknowledge the presence of many folks in our world, whose human “firmware” has been damaged both by drug use and the outworkings of original sin. In these cases for sure, medical technology can aid gender assignment or even gender re-assignment, but it can never justify sin and continuing to live in sin. When local churches increasingly become presented with such emascualted folk, then each case of broken humanity must be judged by the local church leadership, in grace, in truth, in clarity, and with the gingerness of a cat with big paws walking through an overpopulated minefield.

Unfortunately there are still three things the church cannot allow itself to let it guard down on.

Firstly, that there is also a continuing demonic design to destroy the image of God. Remember, “Male and female He created them.” Yes, the attempted destruction of this Biblical gender differentiation through the addition of another gender consisting of the blending of the male and female, is manifested both in the terrible side effects of certain drugs like Diethylstilbestrol, as well as in present political and legal action against the church. We must graciously then, but with great clarity and strength, be prepared to fight in this gender related Biblical barley field.

Secondly, that there are greedy money grabbers ‘disguised’ as transsexuals and homosexuals, who hoping to make a swift and substantial buck, will bring lawsuits against people making such a stand in the Biblical gender barley field. When this happens, be sure this is not a transsexual or a gender issue, it is a greed issue, a theft issue and therefore needs addressing as such.

Thirdly, that there is a need to put in place local constitutional guidelines and practices that are REDEMPTIVE in root and flower, to guide local bodies of churches in dealing with such challenging matters.

These are challenging days into which we wake, challenging nights in which we lay our weary heads. Let’s walk wisely. Let's not mince in any way. That means walking Biblically, that means walking in grace and truth and in strength and courage.

Listen: - Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. (Matthew 6:11-13 NKJV)

Pray:- Lord, this celibate life is certainly no gift to me. Though I cannot accept it, I pray tonight for those who have accepted this strange gift. Strengthen them O Lord, and fill up in them all that is lacking in procreation, peace and prosperity, that your Kingdom through their efforts would come all the quicker and all the more, in Jesus name we pray, amen.

Aug | 01 | Coiled Cobras

Key Word:-FORGIVE

Title:- Coiled Cobras

2 Samuel 13:30-32 And it came to pass, while they were on the way, that news came to David, saying, “Absalom has killed all the king's sons, and not one of them is left!” So the king arose and tore his garments and lay on the ground, and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn. Then Jonadab the son of Shimeah, David's brother, answered and said, “Let not my lord suppose they have killed all the young men, the king's sons, for only Amnon is dead. For by the command of Absalom this has been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar."

Bohun Upas, the ‘Tree of Poisons’ is a mythical plant from the middle ages.’ The first travellers returning from South East Asia told tales of a tree that gave out such toxic fumes that it would kill plants and animals for miles around. Like old fishing stories, the power of the tree seemed to grow more with the telling. One such story was that ‘prisoners sentenced to death would be forced to sit the night under the tree of poisons and so were gruesomely dispatched’; or that ‘out of twenty warriors sent to harvest the sap of the tree of poisons, well, only two or maybe three would return alive!’

The Upas tree does in fact exist and yes, its latex sap is extremely deadly and has over the years, been used to make the tips of arrows and spears and blowpipe darts, both the definite and certain instruments of death. William Blake’s poem, ‘A Poison Tree’ is based on the existence of the Upas. His opening Stanza is most instructive: -

I was angry with my friend:
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe:
I told it not, my wrath did grow.

And I water'd it in fears,
Night & morning with my tears;
And I sunned it with smiles,
And with soft deceitful wiles.

And it grew both day and night,
Till it bore an apple bright;
And my foe beheld it shine,
And he knew that it was mine,

And into my garden stole
When the night had veil'd the pole:
In the morning glad I see
My foe outstretch'd beneath the tree.

King David’s son Amnon, had raped and disgraced his half sister, Absalom’s full sister that was, Tamar. Amnon had so called 'loved' her in unrequited lust and then once he had his way, hated her with a passion. Tamar was brutally and culturally shamed. Absalom, said nothing that terrible day but he planted a tree of hateful revenge in his own heart and meticulously watered it. The growth and grotesque beauty of his poison tree was enough to have Amnon take a bite of it's fruit and in the morning be found underneath it. Dead.

Look! Poison trees grow stronger once their fruit is picked. The death of Amnon did not kill it when Absolom’s revenge was poured upon him but rather, its blood-leeched roots now reached deeper still within the heart of Absolom the bitter avenger. In just over 40 years time, Absalom’s now deeper rooted poison tree will fully blossom and cause so great a stench on the plains of Israel that it will split the kingdom and break his father' heart. Yes, Israel will never be the same again after Absalom’s pure latex poison shall pierce the flesh of David. Mark this well friends and be afraid. Poison trees are host to all the chickens that will eventually come home to roost.
Tell me, do you feel its serpentine root formation around those festering areas of your own offended heart? Today, all those dreams, all those projects, all those people you are touching, are they living or dying beneath your leafy boughs? Tell me, what particular slimy snake is trying to coil itself around your hurting heart today dear friend? Do you not know, that it is simply trying to squeeze out your poison and drip it on all and everything that walks beneath your tree? If you see the snake today, then kill it, before death permanently encamps beneath the beastly boughs of those hate dripping holes of your own pierced and scarred little heart. Deal with the damage, else it shall most surely deal with you.

Listen:- “Though evil is sweet in his mouth, And he hides it under his tongue, Though he spares it and does not forsake it, But still keeps it in his mouth, Yet his food in his stomach turns sour; It becomes cobra venom within him. Job 20:12-14

Pray:- Lord. Help me to acknowledge my hurt, and command and vent my poisonous wrath into Your cleansing and waiting wind. Bring up all the coiled cobras of my twisted soul, O Lord that I might kill them dead! Amen.

Aug | 01 | The Cost of Cutting & Counting The Cost

Dream Word – COST

Isaiah 56:3-5 Nor let the eunuch say, "Here I am, a dry tree." For thus says the Lord: "To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, and choose what pleases Me, and hold fast My covenant, even to them I will give in My house and within My walls a place and a name Better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off. NKJV

The Cost of Cutting & Counting The Cost

In my second of three thoughts on sexuality, tonight I want to look at this passage in Isaiah 56. In this text, a eunuch is not a transsexual, neither did bearing the title of ‘Eunuch’ necessarily mean that you had been mutilated in that way. In other words, being a eunuch did not necessarily mean that your testicles had physically been taken away. The term and title of “Eunuch” you see, could also be used figuratively. Here in Isaiah however, I believe it us used quite literally!

This act of mutilation (this radical cutting of permanent destruction) was sometimes done voluntarily. Yes, it was a voluntary practice even in the early history of the church, but more often than not, it was done purposefully and as an act of domination and forced servitude. Today, we would call this an act of abusive domination and servitude . This text refers to those people upon which this violation has been inflicted. Never the less, such violent actions and the resultant large group of people who had been put under the knife at a very early age, who had on the whole been robbed of their ‘dangly bits,’ now had become so ‘common,’ that God particularly addressed them here in this text.

In that cultural context where children were seen as a sign of blessing from the Lord (when mine were teenagers I would have contested that viewpoint most energetically) and where children were seen as being a cultural comfort and a sign of personal continuance, for the eunuchs then , NOT to be able to father children, was an opposite sign of God's blessing, even a sign of cursing, seemingly saying that they were not to be able share in the covenant blessing, as it expressed itself in cultural comfort and personal continuance.

These words to Eunuchs in Isaiah 56 are from the mouth of the God of all comfort, who says to them in effect, “You please me! And you do this by keeping my covenant and my Sabbaths and by consistently choosing to live to please me. Thank you! I am sorry about ‘your bits’ your lack of ‘home,’ your lack of personal comfort and personal continuance but don’t worry, you wont lose out! No, even better than that, ‘Mi cassa essu cassa,’ and also, I shall give you an unforgettable and everlasting name. Yup, you might have had yer bit’s cut off, by I shall make sure, your name, the full embodiment of who you are and who you shall become in me, that is, all you ever hoped to be, well that, will never be cut off! So in light of this, don’t lose hope, don’t give up honouring, obeying and pleasing Me, for in that, there is great reward, even if it not yet stood before you on two legs.”

Yes, our text for tonight is for those who have seemingly been robbed of the blessing of the covenant by the loss of the cultural comfort and personal continuance, which a pair of testicles might have brought them. What a word of encouragement for folk so abused. Hallelujah!

The general application of this promise here is very clear then for us all I believe. “Whatever your condition, whether you have been robbed by others, whether you have robbed yourself, whether sin, situation or circumstance has robbed you, if you now begin live to please Me,” says God, “To honour Me in the keeping of my laws, then I shall bless you, and bless you WAY BEYOND your capacity. You will by no means lose out in following Me.”

Listen: - Then Peter said, "See, we have left all and followed You." So He said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life." (Luke 18:28-30 NKJV.)

Pray:- Lord, restore to me all that I have trashed, all that I have been robbed of, all that I have lost. Father, let Your redemption rule in my life, yes in all its fully redeemed and fantastic fullness. In Jesus name I ask it, amen.