Thu, Oct 27th - 7:22AM

Devotional

Reading Col. 3:15. this morning I was again struck by the phrase "let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts".

I came to realise that the word peace means total peace, that is no strife.  A state of total well-being within believers.

A Spiritual, social, physical, economic, & emotional peace, I could not help wondering have I ever achieved all of that? Have I found peace with God?  No doubt, I grow in my Saviour every day. Socially I have all the life I wish around the Church & our hobbies, my wife & I bowl twice a week & enjoy life to the fullest within our health, which although may not be as well as can be I can live with my aches & pains. Financially we are sound & so he who has provided for us all the years continues to provide, I preach which is always a bonus, both spiritually & financially.  The emotions can run strong sometimes when I see things happening about me, fatalities due to sheer carelessness & accidents waiting to happen because people do not prepare for themselves, looking for others to blame rather than taking responsiblity for themselves. Yes, sometimes I get the balance right. I can laugh at myself, the mistakes I made & the unsound decisions can still draw a smile on my lips.

All in all I seem to feel pretty good, my wife Helen keeps my feet firmly on the ground & we work well as a team. Yes the Lord is good, we have him to thank for all his grace, although there are times when everything is not all right, so rather than wait till I have a complaint, thought I would post a positive piece.  Today anyway; All is well with my soul, and a day at a time sweet Jesus, thats all I am asking from him.

Now Thats Awesome

Love in His Name  Stuart

Sat, Oct 22nd - 10:12AM

Devotional

I was playing indoor bowls the other day, teams of two, & my partner & I were playing a blind person, Leslie,  who has a guide dog. Visually impaired is the term nowadays I think. Her partner was a good tactical bowler.

To cut a long story short we were soundly thrashed 20-1 after about twelve ends.

Reading this morning about blind Bartimaeus, the blind beggar.  Mk. 10:46ff  I realise that I should not have been surprised or even disappointed at being beaten at bowls.  What I received was a lesson on concentration, focus, & stickability. This young lady carried out her routine in measuring up her toes in relation to the throwing mat, every shot, then proceeded to bowl with remarkable accuracy.  She knew in her mind where the Jack (target) was every time.

Bartimaeus as he sat by the roadside soon realised who was walking past. "Jesus, Son of David,  have mercy on me",  he cried out. Now Son of David, is an OT name for the coming Messiah, the people who could see did not understand this. The Parisees & the Teachers of the Law, did not, the High Priests could not see that, yet here wasa blind man who could see exactly who he was addressing.  That my friends really is in the WOW factor level. Awesome, this is not the first, or will be the last, where some real spiritual insight comes from the most unexpected place or person. Even the Disciples told the man to be quiet.  Looking back maybe I was treating Leslie in a condescending manner without realising it, a real lesson in humility, as God wants us to walk humbly & receive mercy, the lesson I received must have been due.

I find its amazing, the everyday happenings of Jesus life which are so true for today.  My attitude to Preaching the word tomorrow Sunday, has been shaped by this experience. The Jesus we worship, as our Saviour & Lord,  "the same yesterday, today & evermore".

Now Thats Awesome

Love in His Name  Stuart