“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:17

YouTube™ is a really clever programme. Not only does it allow you to learn all sorts of skills, which were previously available only through paid courses or individuals teaching you, but it also suggests websites according to what you have previously viewed. On one such occasion a programme called ‘undercover bosses’ was auto suggested for my perusal.

The show is just what it says, where a boss of a big company goes undercover and works in the company alongside unsuspecting employees. I must admit that it seems a bit staged to me as every employee has a tear jerker story which was too coincidental, but that’s maybe my critical hard faced bias!

However, it did get me thinking about how I would feel if my boss at work worked undercover and watched the job I did. Would I come up to scratch? Would there be vast areas of improvement? Would I be in line to get fired?!

Actually, we are working for the master full time. Our CEO or boss at work does not control our spiritual destiny, even though they may offer you an earthy incentive, God does. We need to take stock of the bible in our key text where it says,

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

This verse concurs with Colossians 3:2 where it reads;

“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”

If we are looking to impress someone, that person should be Christ. We should love him not because of what he can do for us, but for what he has already done.

Our music, chosen by Bryn, is ‘I shall not be moved.’ Click on the picture to listen.

March 11-12 – All, free!

“Whatever I am now it is all because God poured out such kindness and grace upon me.” (1 Corinthians 15:10a TLB)

How many people have you met whose view of God has been distorted by false assumptions that they have to earn their way into God’s favor?

They've probably grown up hearing all of these statements:

• If it sounds too good to be true, it is.

• We make money the old-fashioned way — we earn it.

• There’s no such thing as a free lunch.

• There is no gain without pain.

• God helps those who help themselves.

Everything about life has taught them, and us, that we get what we earn in life. We value work, sweat, effort, and performance. It’s called the work ethic.

Overall, I like such a strong work ethic. God wants us to work at our jobs as if we are working for him. But God never relates to us based on our performance. The Bible tells us that everything God does in our lives — every blessing we have, every gift we receive — comes through his grace.

In other words, he gives us what we don’t deserve.

You say, “What a minute! I’ve worked for everything I have! I’ve put sweat equity into it.” But the truth is, if God hadn’t given you the energy and the brains to work, you wouldn’t have any of it. Every breath you have is a gift from God. He doesn’t owe you the next breath you take. It’s purely a gift from him.

We’re saved by grace. God blesses us by grace. God teaches us by grace. God uses us by grace. God takes us to Heaven by grace.

The Bible is very clear that everything we have we get by the grace of God: “Whatever I am now it is all because God poured out such kindness and grace upon me” (1 Corinthians 15:10a TLB).

We need God’s power in our lives. We need his principles to live by. We need his plan to operate upon. We need his purpose to live for.

But we can’t earn any of that. Though you and I deserve much worse, we get all of these things by grace. They are a gift.

(Adapted from Rick Warren)

“I'm Not Gonna Worry” - the Gaithers is today's music.

‘Be doers of the word, and not hearers only.’ James 1:22 NKJV

Why does the Bible say, ‘Be doers of the word, and not hearers only’? Because hearing without doing becomes boring - every time. You can get to the place where you’ve heard so much preaching and teaching that you say to yourself, ‘Oh no, not another sermon!’. The problem isn’t the Word; it’s that you’ve become oversaturated and spiritually numb. You’re bored because you aren’t putting it into practice and reaping the rewards of what you’ve heard.

Jesus said, ‘If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them’ (John 13:17 NKJV). Once you start doing what you’ve been told to do, you won’t have time to be bored. The phrase ‘hearers only’ is from the Greek noun akroates. Today we’d use it to describe students who sit in on a class just to hear the teaching, instead of taking any assessment or being graded. Or those who use YouTube to listen to sermon after sermon as a substitue for actually going to church. These folks weren’t interested in learning, passing exams, earning a degree, getting deep into the message and going out to make a difference in the world. They were there because they found it intellectually stimulating, and they loved the excitement of being with the crowd or the charisma of the speaker. Often they followed their favourite teacher or preacher from one town to another; they loved new speakers, and when the class ended they’d get together to eat, drink, laugh, and discuss what they’d heard. Mostly, they just wanted to look knowledgeable in each other’s eyes.

Don’t let that happen to you. ‘Remember…knowing what is right to do and…not doing it is sin’ (James 4:17 TLB). Open your heart to the truths you’ve heard preached and begin to put them to work in your life. When you do, rest assured you’ll never again suffer from spiritual boredom.

Adapted from Word for Today.

The Winans sing ‘Trust in God’. Click on the picture to listen.

‘No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.’ 1 Corinthians 10:13

Be encouraged by the following story.

Man in the Park Angel Story - by Brian Shafer.

I was 23 years old and on top of the world! My bride of 3 months comes home from work early and told me we will be having a baby! WOW! I was the happiest man in the world! Well, the story doesn't go "and they lived happily ever after."

About four weeks later she got ill. Very ill. Her doctor told her she just had morning sickness. We went along with that for about a month until she got worse. She could hardly get out of bed! I finally convinced the doctor to come by and he said she had pneumonia. He immediately admitted her into the hospital for treatment for pneumonia. Believe me, people, when they say get a second opinion!

Two weeks later she was not getting better when I sought a second opinion. My loving wife of only three months was diagnosed with CANCER! Her suffering was short as she and my child (and part of me) died three days later. Needless to say my life fell apart. I couldn't work. I couldn't sleep. I couldn't eat. I couldn't function at all. I knew my life was over and felt no need not prolong the suffering that saw me every day just simmering in my own self-pity.

I went to a local park that my wife and I went to often for walks when we talked about our future together. I sat there in the park for a couple of hours and, to be honest (and I will leave out any details), I was not planning on leaving the location. Just about that time a middle aged man (whom I had never met before) came up, sat down next to me, and put his arm around me. The man in the park said only a few words to me that I repeat every day that help me get through life's hard times.

He said, "You know, He doesn't give you anything that you can't handle."

I literally fell apart and wept openly for several minutes. I have never cried so hard in all my life. I felt like the biggest weight had been lifted off of my shoulders. The man in the park was an angel telling that God will be with me. I stood back up and felt just a little bit taller and stronger than just a few minutes before. The man from the park gave me a reassuring embrace before leaving without so much as an introduction. These words were given to me in my darkest hour and I gladly lend them to whomever might be in need of them at any time. Please don't forget them!

Write them down if need be and set them on your desk at work (your boss might even think the sign is referring to him). As I look back on the situation 12 years later I know that was the turning point of my life. I now am married to a wonderful woman that I love very much. I have two wonderful children that are a blessing, to say the least. The man in the park . . . was he an angel sent to me in my time of need?

I HAVE NO DOUBT WHATSOEVER!

'He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.' Malachi 3:3

I was sent this and I am sharing it with you. This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.

That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining Silver. As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest so as to burn away all the impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: 'He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver'. She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined. The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.

The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, 'How do you know when the silver is fully refined?' He smiled at her and answered, 'Oh, that's easy --"when I see my image in it!'

If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has His eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you!

‘Hillsong’ perform ‘Refiners fire’. Click on the flames to listen.

‘Listen for God’s voice … he’s the one who will keep you on track.’ Proverbs 3:6

After being anointed king of Israel, instead of immediately going to Jerusalem and claiming his throne, David was forced to spend years living like a fugitive and hiding in caves because Saul was out to take his life. More than once he must have asked himself, ‘What about the promise God gave me?’

Then an interesting thing happened. One of David’s soldiers found Saul asleep; he came to David, saying, ‘God has delivered your enemy into your hand … let me strike him’ (1 Samuel 26:8 NKJV). What an opportunity! Get rid of the man who wants to kill you, come out of hiding, and claim your throne. After all, you’re already anointed to be king! It all made sense, except for one thing - it wasn’t God’s plan. As much as David wanted to rule Israel, he knew that in order to succeed he must do it God’s way. This story should make you think twice, and pray before acting.

When Abishai offered to kill Saul, he had David’s welfare at heart. So be careful; your friends can give you advice contrary to God’s will. That’s when it’s hard not to go along with it, or defend your decision by rationalising that the end justifies the means. Never let anyone, however well intentioned, persuade you to do what you know is wrong. ‘Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice … he’s the one who will keep you on track’ (Proverbs 3:5-6 MSG).

David Meece sings ‘God holds the future’. Click on the picture to listen.
Taken from UCB reading.

February 26-27 – Reflections

"We are all with our unveiled faces reflecting like mirrors the brightness of the Lord. All grow brighter and brighter as we are turned into the image that we reflect; this is the work of the Lord who is Spirit" – 2 Corinthians 3:18 JB

We all have one in the house - in a handbag - in the car. Usually one in every room - in fact the sitting room may have more than one. I'm talking about - mirrors. You either like them, or dislike them, depending on whether you're confident, or insecure. In fact, look in a mirror at the wrong time - first thing in the morning for example….hair standing on end, eyes crossed trying to focus. You men, stubble on your chins….it's enough to bring on a bout of self-pity! Mirrors show us as others see us - they reflect our image.

But mirrors also have a crucial service. They show the blemishes….give us a chance to put ourselves right. They also reflect the light. That is their role. Our role is to be God's mirrors - this is our job description as Christians - to reflect God's glory.

The RSV version says "beholding as in a mirror." The JB version, "reflecting like a mirror." One implies contemplation, the other refraction. Both correct, because Paul was drawing a parallel between our Christian experience and that of Moses on Sinai. "After Moses beheld the glory of God, his face reflected the glory of God"…. And reflected God's glory to such a degree that when Moses came down from the mountain, the people of Israel couldn't bear to look at his face. The MSG Bible says they "could no more look right at him than stare into the sun" (2 Cor.3:7).

The brightness Moses had seen was the brightness he became. Beholding had led to becoming. Becoming had led to reflecting.

Isn't this what Christians do? We camp at the foot of the Mountain and look for glimpses of the glory of God. Are we mirrors in God's hands? - dare we be mirrors that reflect His light and message to the world?

Those of you who have been in the military know that in a sticky situation, mirrors can be used to send a message - an SOS signal. Every day in the media we see SOS signals sent out by a secular, drowning world. By letting our light shine, people see hope - they see a glimpse of salvation - they see that all is not lost, and they want a bit of what we have.

We are to be that reflection – like the SOS signal, we have a message to deliver.

Music today, Bryn's choice, Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver singing, “Let my life be a light.”

February 25 – Mercy!!!

“I said, 'Here am I, here am I.' All day long I have held out my hands to an obstinate people, who walk in ways not good, pursuing their own imaginations” - Isaiah 65:2

Young Robert – maybe 8 years old – knew he was in BIG trouble when he heard his mother call, “Come here, right now!” To make it worse, she had used his full name, first, middle, and last....the only time he heard his mother or father call him by his full name was when he had really gone and done it, and something more than a lecture was ahead!

Knees knocking, lip trembling, with his hands already defending his seat, Robert approached his mother – it felt like the seat of justice. Robert's mother didn't mince her words as she described the seriousness of his behaviour (I won't go into details) in letting down the family values. Robert winced as he heard the assessment of his character, and her disappointment in him. Holding his breath Robert waited, he knew from her anger that his mother wouldn't just send him to his room and ground him for a week....and then the dreaded words, “You know, don't you, that this will hurt me more than it will hurt you?” Robert could never figure that one out, because when the confrontation was over, the only one holding their seat and whimpering, was him!

Twenty years later....! Yes, I'm sure you've been there. The same scenario. Robert junior is on the carpet in response to hearing, “Come here, right now!” and his name – first, middle, and last - head hanging, knees knocking, and lip trembling, with hands protecting his seat. Then, to your horror, you hear your mother's words coming out of your mouth, “You know, don't you, that this will hurt me more than it will hurt you?”

It reminds me of a story I heard of a little boy who, every week played up in church, despite repeated warnings that if it continued, he would suffer the consequences – it continued until one day his mother had had enough, punishment was due. As they disappeared down the aisle, the boy, lip trembling, called to the congregation, “Pray for me! Please pray for me!”

When we have let down our Family values, God calls us to Him by our names – first, middle, and last, and tells us that “This will hurt me more than it will hurt you.” We don't need to protect our seats with our hands because God holds them with compassion.”

Like Robert's mother, God doesn't have the heart to mete out punishment, but it must be done, it aims to deal with the sin while continuing to love the sinner, love remains unchanged. “Though He brings grief, He will show compassion, so great is His unfailing love. For He does not willingly bring affliction or grief to the children of men” (Lamentations 3:32,33)

Richard Coffen writes: “,,,,whatever suffering may come our way, we can rest assured that our Heavenly Father knows what we're experiencing, because He's going through it with us. He cares for us with an interest more intense than any we could possibly ever imagine. When our hearts break, His is breaking also, because in all our sufferings He suffers too.”

The Lord longs to be graciou to you; He rises to show you compassion....How gracious He will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, He will answer you” (Isaiah 30:18,19). “The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces” (Isaiah 25:8).

The Gaither's Vocal Band (LIVE) singing “Sow Mercy” is today's music choice.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; ⁶ in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3: 5-6

I do not like to eat tomatoes. Sorry for all you tomato lovers out there, but I just don’t get it. Cake or tomato? Even though I am not a cake lover, cake would win every time, even though I know that the nutritional value of the red thing far outweighs that of the cake. Actually that may be the case even for those of you who get the tomato thing. Just the thought of eating one is enough to make me feel queasy. One year, at camp meeting, I was tricked into having a baby tomato as it was said “they’re so sweet you don’t even know you’re eating a tomato!” Let’s just say it was not one of my most pleasant memories!

When I say that I don’t like eating tomatoes, I don’t mind them squashed, squished, in a sauce or even in a soup, but raw and naked? No thank you! That may seem odd to some of you, but I know someone who can’t eat apples but loves apple juice! I know apples, like tomatoes, are very good for you and for this reason I find a way of getting the goodness into my diet.

So given the choice would I spend time with the tech gadget (mobile phone, games machine, iPad, tablet, Television etc) of my choice or the bible? Even though most of us know that the spiritual value of the bible far outweighs that of any tech gadget, even if it has the bible on it, we would pause before making our choice. But like the red tomato or apple we have to find a way of getting into our system. Reading it to someone, reading it out loud, studying a section as a group, trying to memorise passages. As long as we are getting it into our lives on a daily basis then we will reap the benefits of getting to know God just that little bit more.

Share your preferred method with a friend today.

The Imperials sing ‘One more song for you’. Click on the picture to listen.

^“ I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:14

I was sent this story which I had not heard in a while so I thought I would share it as the moral is timely.

A rich man had only one daughter. When the daughter was ready for marriage, the father sent news around the town that all the eligible young men should come to compete in a test which would determine who was fit to marry his daughter.

On that day all the able-bodied young men came out. Some came with paper and pen and others with cutlasses and swords. The rich man took the men to his swimming pool and addressed them: “Any of you who can swim from one end of this swimming pool to the other will marry my daughter. In addition, I'll give him 15million dollars, a car and a house so they can start life well. I shall be waiting to meet my son-in-law at the other end. Good luck!”

As the young men, all very excited at the prospect of winning, started taking off their shirts, a helicopter came over the pool and dropped alligators and crocodiles into the pool. Immediately, all the men turned back and started putting their shirts back on. Disappointed, some of them said, “That's crazy, let’s see who would marry that girl, no one will!”

All of a sudden, they heard a splash in the pool.

Everybody watched in amazement as one gentleman struggled his way across, avoiding the alligators and crocodiles. Finally, he made it to the other side. The rich man could not believe it. He asked the young man to name anything he wanted but the man was still panting uncontrollably. Finally, he got back to his senses and shouted,

''SHOW ME THE PERSON WHO PUSHED ME INSIDE THIS POOL!'

Moral: You do not know what you are capable of doing, until you are PUSHED!

Sometimes it takes going through the bad moments to bring out the best in us.

Trials are raw materials for triumphant testimonies. The push might take different dimensions. I pray God will take you to greater heights.

Vanessa Bell Armstrong sings ‘Pressing on.’ Click on the picture to listen.