Sep | 22 | The Marriage of Midnight Madness & Autumn Mornings

Dream Word – PATIENCE

Revelation 2:28 and I will give him the morning star. NKJV

The Marriage of Midnight Madness and Autumn Mornings.

It was American Psychologist, Harry Levi Hollingworth, who wrote an introspective and analytical study of the psychology of ‘Drowsiness.’ In it, he apparently recalls a dream he has, where during the night, he saw the whole secret of the universe revealed to him and in such a state of excitement, moving from sleep to the state of drowsiness, lest he forget the secret, he managed to reach for a piece of paper at the side of his bed and scribble the revelation down. Having accomplished his fevered task, satisfied he then slipped from drowsiness back into the deepest of restful sleeps. Morning came and with it the remembrance of the written secret. He scurried for the folded paper which had been scribbled on in the middle of the night, opened it and read aloud the words of the revealed secret of the universe, here they are: “A strong smell of turpentine pervades the whole.” It is Major General Sir John Kennedy who uses this ‘secret of the universe’ to formulate some words of wisdom for us tonight. Here they are : “Bright ideas in the middle of the night are not always very bright in the morning!” I like that.

As I write this 'Whisper', today is the first day of autumn, my most favourite of seasons. Though it is beautiful, sober and succulent, it always announces its first arrival with parididdled panache, always coating my morning toes with the pale blue of a semi-frosted crispness, which rises up through the souls of my feet from the brown tiled kitchen floor, causing me to gaze outside at the already curling leaves of the trees, all staring back at me, bright-eyed, semi-solid and slightly shivering themselves with the same old cold surprise. Yes, autumn always begins with an epiphany of morning-startled coldness. I like that, for autumn is a most sensible season, for it forces you to face your days with eyes wide open in cold and startled surprise.

Midnight madness is always tempered by morning light. For the cold light of day always brings with it an especial shining on plans and preparedness. When this happens, silly things will diminish and disappear in maniacal laughing, never to be seen again. Let them go. Never speak of them again. The solid things of the night however, shall remain. Those you must keep and talk of often for I tell you, that if you can then marry off this former seeming midnight madness to all the gorgeous autumn mornings, then their children, red-haired and vibrant, shall be well instructed ideas, well-trained and well-provided for, competent in every way. Yes they shall all succeed and prosper.

Venus is the Morning Star, the herald of the day appearing robed in light as the great darkness flees away. The planet, thus clothed in early light, becomes to us who wait for morning, a solid pledge of the faithfulness and goodness of God. In our opening text for tonight, it is evident that the Sun of Righteousness will give something of solid and shining beauty to those who hold fast to His teachings, to those who marry their midnight madness to all the mornings of His goodness. Be sure then to bring all your dreams to His autumn mornings and see if they will live. Yes, see if they will marry.

Listen: - My soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning — Yes, more than those who watch for the morning. O Israel, hope in the Lord; For with the Lord there is mercy,and with Him is abundant redemption. And He shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities. (Psalms 130:6-8 NKJV.)

Pray:- Lord, I bring all my midnight thoughts to You, yes even to Your Word. Let the light melt the maniac and may I marry the remaining good to all Your greatness and all Your faithfulness. So may all my days be clothed in right and all my plans be made to prosper, in Jesus name I pray, amen.

Jun | 21 | Quiver Time

Key Word:- PATIENCE

Title:- Quiver Time

2 Kings 13:17 And he said, “Open the east window”; and he opened it. Then Elisha said, “Shoot”; and he shot. And he said, “The arrow of the LORD's deliverance and the arrow of deliverance from Syria; for you must strike the Syrians at Aphek till you have destroyed them.”
 
It was around 1:30am and a good 40 mile drive home in the dark. Driving down those country roads meant it took some time to get there, but the fact is, I really don't remember the journey home!

When I boxed, I had always been able to punch 'above' my weight and was always able to 'take a good punch' as well, ask my doctor! I can still remember the time I awoke out of anesthetic after having my very deviated and dislocated septum put back for the second time. The surgeon was leaning over me, peering into my eyes, his big, red-veined bulbous nose making him look like 'Rudolph the red nose reindeer' and with the remnants of the anesthesia giving his voice a booming and distant quality he said; “Well, what a bloody mess that was!” He'd fixed my snout up lovely again, but he was certainly not impressed that I could 'take a punch'.

In the last round of that particular fight at the Butlins Holiday Park in Bognor Regis, as usual, my lack of fitness was showing and as the final seconds ticked away, my coach got worried that the referee might step in and stop the bout. It had been a gruelling one and my opponent certainly was a big hitter. I remember lying back on the ropes as he piled into me, just blocking, covering up, leaning back, shaking my head and laughing at him. His home crowd hated my open disdain of their boy and booed loudly at my shenanigans. It was around midnight, the air was heavy with stale alcohol and blue cigarette smoke, but even with the booing, it was obvious that the crowd loved it. I didn't feel a thing. I could take a punch. However, I don't remember the drive home!
With literally less than 20 seconds to go, my coach threw in the towel and it was all over. I went back to my corner, a bit bewildered at what he had done (maybe a bit thankful as well) and he put his arm around my neck and said; “Well done Rob, well done. We've got our own show in two weeks and I just can't risk losing you for that.” You see if you get stopped in a fight, it goes on your card and you are not allowed to participate in competition for three weeks. The club's own annual show is usually its only real major money making event for the year and so it needs its boxers fit, ready, and approved for competition; if that means throwing in the towel now, so be it. A more important battle lies ahead.

Some of you are on the bench looking on at what is happening on the field. Some of you have been taken off the pitch and are surprised at your recall. Some of you are itching to get back into the fray. Steady now, steady, the great coach knows what He is doing. He purposes a victory for the whole team, not just you. Friend, when the time is right, He shall reach back into His quiver and find your feathers ready for flight and in instant you shall feel the tension of His mighty bow, drawing back, drawing back, back, back until the release of His sure like grip shall send you swiftly to the centre of His chosen target. Be patient friends, be patient, for God has got His own club’s show that He is saving you for!

Listen:- “………... In the shadow of His hand He has hidden Me, And made Me a polished shaft; In His quiver He has hidden Me.” Isaiah 49:2b

Pray:- Lord. Help me to make good use of Your ‘quiver time’. Amen

Jun | 18 | Falayta

Key Word:- PATIENCE

Title:- Falayta

1 Timothy 6:6,7 Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

Having spent many years providing excellent customer service (well I thought so!) I get particularly annoyed when I don’t receive it. I must say that nowadays, with the thorough implementation of those most inhuman button pressing or voice activated telephone systems, ‘service’ is a million times worse for the customer.

• “Please type in your 27 digit ID number.
• Press 1 if you want to rage;
• Press 2 if you want to throw stones at the managing director;
• Press 3 if you’d like to let his tires down;
• Press 4 if you….”

Well you get the picture.

Then when you finally get through to a human being, it’s obvious that it's just some spotty young bloke who still thinks he’s speaking to one of his mates and his attitude and lack of people skills, indicate he’s probably only just come into puberty! You may want to speak to a manager, but this is the best it’s going to get! So it’s “Speak to me”, the pimply prebusecent from paddooka or “Yeah, whadooyuowan" from me, the embittered dominatrix from Alabama, or “goodness gracious me, how can I be helping you today”, from the part-time belly dancer in Bangalore! Yes sir, customer service has gone global in its pathetic performance!

Oh yes, customer service has gone international and we are invisibly catered for by good folks from a different culture, country, socio-economic planet and time zone! Oh but don’t worry, ‘they will contact you within three billing cycles’ if you’re lucky. Customer service? Bah humbug! It’s outrageous and what’s worse is that we, the badly served customers, can do nothing about it!

Now my rising blood pressure over these incidents sometimes get cooled with the outward anowledgement that though it is awful service, it is never the less out of my control and I can do nothing about it. So, it’s profitable for me to examine my trading self and ask why I get so frustrated? I mean, why do I allow myself such a terrible response to such terrible but uncontrollable service? The bad service is out of my control, but my response to said bad service, is totally in my control. Oh you see what I mean?

My conclusion to my personal examination, is that my wanting to eat my headphones is partly my need for excellent customer service not being met but mostly, it’s because I am part of the ‘now generation.’ You see, I want an answer, a solution, a replacement and I want it NOW!

Columnist Craig Wilson in 'USA Today', speaks of knowing that “quintessential old lady from the depression era, who hoarded all the ‘sweet and low’ that she harvested from every restaurant she went into. It was the same old lady who at the end of every meal out, would pour the remaining bread rolls into her handbag. They were for later. Maybe for breakfast or for lunch or even for dinner. It didn’t matter when they were eaten you know because after all they were ‘falayta rolls’.” There was no waste, there was no rush with this old lady.

Once I lived next door to an old Polish man that had spent years in a Nazi concentration camp. His back yard was full to overflowing with what everyone, bar him, considered rubbish. Indeed, that’s where he got it from. His daily trip to the rubbish dump! Previous and unimaginable desperate want, had led him to value rubbish. So much so, that he couldn’t see anything wasted, I mean anything! He was like the old lady with the ‘Falayta rolls’ who perpetually planned for the future, because she remembered the want of the past.

Here it is: 'In our consumer, "Gi’me and gi’me it now" society there is a lesson here for us in these old and sometimes injured folk. Maybe even some wisdom? You can’t always get what you want, right now! But, if you prepare, plan, save and sow, if you learn the rule of reaping, whilst examining anthills, then maybe patience will become your friend and success will become your reward? Ah patience! Yes, it's certainly worth the trying and let's face it, it sure beats getting ulcers!'

Listen:- Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5

Go to the ant , you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler, Provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest. How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep --So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, And your need like an armed man. Prov 6:6-11 NKJV

Pray:- Naked I came into this world, and naked I shall leave it. All that is necessary for my life and service for You O Lord, You have abundantly provided. In light of these things O my God, teach me then, extravagant sensibleness, dogged preparation and quiet and patient expectancy. In Jesus name I pray, amen.