Wandering with Words

WATCH YOUR STEP

February 6, 2019 wanderingwithwords860704980

P1340508 — It is Christ who backlights us and sylhouettrs us against a dark work as children of light.

Don’t keep looking up at Heaven and hoping you are going to make it, experience it here on earth now.

The number of people having accidents with ladders is scary. Did you know that 30,000 people fall off ladders every year? Were you aware that 6,000 die from falling off ladders each year? First principle in using a ladder is to make sure it is stable. Impatience and carelessness causes us to stand a ladder on uneven ground or platform or even prop it on against an unstable gutter. There is a superstition about walking under ladders because it brings bad luck. I am not a superstitious person but I don’t walk under a ladder because it is dangerous, the ladder might fall on me. My husband takes a great delight walking under a ladder and proving the superstition wrong. He has successfully survived Lady Luck and escaped falling ladders.

Some further ideas for the safety conscious.

Don’t be silly enough to stand the ladder on top of another object making it unstable.
When using an A frame ladder make sure the brace is locked in place.
Never leave ladders unattended, – kids just love to climb them.

So much for these few tips.

Now for a few tips on how to buy real estate in Heaven; when we think of Heaven we think of sitting on fluffy clouds, playing a harp, walking on streets of gold, and living the good life.

But that is just one of those myths invented eagerly by someone wanting to dodge the real issue.

It really is very simple to obtain real estate in Heaven; and it isn’t by climbing the ladder, or being good for Father Christmas even trying to bribe God with our works of charity.

All that has to happen is to believe that God is; that he has sent Jesus to mediate between us and God. ‘For if you tell others with your own mouth that Jesus Christ is your Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from dead, you will be saved.’ (Romans 10: 9 LB)
Accepting the death of Christ on the cross as a work of reconciliation, which is, restoring our union with God that was broken by our rejection of Christ. ‘It was through what his Son did that God cleared a path for everything to come to him – all things in heaven and on earth – for Christ’s death on the cross has made peace with God for all by his blood.’(Colossians 1: 20 – 23 LB)

Recognising Christ as God’s son and accepting him will obtain real estate in Heaven. Of course, there is a little more that can be done like allowing Christ to access our life to live his life through us. ‘But if you give yourself to the Lord, you and Christ are joined together as one person.’(1 Corinthians 6: 17 LB)

Allowing God to direct us and use us and give purpose to our lives. It’s not just about owning a bit of real estate in Heaven it’s also about living a useful, purposeful and happy life here. It’s about living heaven here on earth. ‘…remembering that it is the Lord Christ who is going to pay you, giving you your full portion of all he owns. He is the one you are really working for.’(Colossians 3: 24)

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WORDS

January 29, 2019February 12, 2019 wanderingwithwords860704980

Placeholder Image — Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Matt 4: 4. It is true, God’s words are powerful. The universe and all of life in it came into being at his word.

SCRABBLE & BABBLE If you play scrabble, then a good knowledge of words will stand you in good stead. Some of the highest scoring words used in competition have been bezique, muzjiks, caziques and quixotry. But what do they mean? Unless you can understand or have a use for unusual words there isn’t a lot of benefit in knowing them, except of course, for use in Scrabble. Great writers can use words to create pictures that transport us to another time and place. Think of Charles Dickens, C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien … don’t their stories seem so real? And when you see their books adapted for the screen, are the characters and places as you have imagined them? Good authors craft their words to create a picture in our minds of the places they describe, so you can see, hear, smell and almost touch what they write about, and feel the emotions of the characters? And what about newspaper journalists, … can they persuade you to their point of view, just using the written word?

One or two words in themselves can create pictures. A current favourite of mine is argie bargie, and what does it conjure up in my mind – a mob of little Jack Russell Terriers chasing a lure, all wanting to be in front, all jockeying for position and all giving the other dogs ‘the eye’! Originally the words were argle bargle, which meant to argue. Nowadays argie bargie suggests a bit of push and shove.

P1030188 - Copy.JPG — A song. A Psalm of David. ‘My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sin g amd make music with all of my soul. Awake harp and lyre!…for great is your love.’ Psam 108: 1 – 4.

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious – remember when that word hit the airwaves in the film Mary Poppins! And can you say it backwards? And how about this word— pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis It is a real word and refers to a lung disease contracted from the inhalation of very fine silica particles specifically from a volcano, and is also the longest word in any English dictionaries. Words describe diseases, but can also cause dis-ease – ever had a bout of motor-mouth or foot-in-mouth syndrome! I blush now as I think of the times I wish I had ‘zipped-the-lip’! IN GEAR James Chapter 3: likens the tongue to an unbridled horse. An unbridled horse can be controlled by the rider, but it requires a fully submissive horse, fully listening and fully obedient. Does that describe your tongue, fully in control? It doesn’t describe mine, especially when I am tired or in a situation I don’t want to be in. My tongue certainly needs my full attention whenever it is in gear. I’m glad that God’s Word has words like love, grace, forgiveness; words we can all understand and don’t need to look up in a dictionary or google on the web to find out what the heck they mean. (What does google mean?) I like the fact that their meaning doesn’t change as with some of the words in current use today. I suspect that Gay/Gaynor is no longer used as a girl’s name. I’m glad and relieved, that justified still means that my standing with God is ‘just-as-if’ I had never sinned.

‘But the word of the Lord stands forever.’

I also like God’s definition of forgive, to ‘cease to demand punishment’, and that when He says He has forgotten the sins of those who come to Him for forgiveness, means He is ‘unable to remember’ what they are talking about. This seems to be the only time we can say we remember more than God. Perhaps we should come in line with God’s definition when it comes to remembering our sins? What power and hope is found in God’s Word … the Word itself is Life, Jesus is the Living Word of God and as we read He reveals himself to us. When we know Him, then we know we can believe the promises His Word gives each of us.

‘Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.’Psalm 119: 10. When we are at a loss to know which way, God through his word will say, ‘This is the way, walk in it.’

Just how lucky we are to have God’s Word available to us, to read whenever and wherever we choose. There is nowhere else to find the answer to life’s purpose. Judy Pitt, Jamestown, South Australia.

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THE PAINTING

January 22, 2019February 11, 2019 wanderingwithwords860704980

A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art.

WAR When the Vietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and he grieved deeply for his only son. About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands. He said, “Sir, you don’t know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often talked about you, and your love for art.” The young man held out his package. “I know this isn’t much. I’m not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this.” The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. The father stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture. “Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me … it’s a gift.” The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected.

LET THE BIDDING BEGIN The man died some time later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection. On the platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his gavel. “We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?” There was silence. Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, “We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one.” But the auctioneer persisted. “Will someone bid for this painting? Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?” Another voice shouted angrily. “We didn’t come to see this painting. We came to see the Van Goghs, the Rembrandts. Get on with the real bids!” But the auctioneer continued. “The son! The son! Who’ll take the son?” Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the long-time, now retired, gardener of the man and his son. “I’ll give $10 for the painting.” Being a poor man, it was all he could afford. “We have $10, who will bid $20?” “Give it to him for $10. Let’s see the masters.” “$10 is the bid, won’t someone bid $20?” The crowd was becoming angry. They didn’t want the picture of the son. They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections. The auctioneer pounded the gavel. “Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!” A man sitting on the second row shouted, “Now let’s get on with the collection!” The auctioneer laid down his gavel. “I’m sorry, the auction is over.” “What about the paintings?” “I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings. The man who took the son gets every thing!”

God gave His son 2,000 years ago to die on a cruel cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today is, “The son, the son, who’ll take the son?” Because, you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything. Author unknown

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OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS ONCE by guest writer Maureen McQuillan

January 17, 2019February 11, 2019 wanderingwithwords860704980

p1150127 — This building dates back to colonial times

God is always opening doors of opportunity. Scripture speaks several times about this and you can rest assured that as this year progresses, we will see this happening around us. We just need to recognise those doors and not be afraid to go through them, even when they appear in unusual ways. But…feel timid when incredible God-given opportunities arise? Feel that you don’t have what it takes to go through such doors? Here’s an encouraging personal testimony from Maureen McQuillan. Maureen used to feel so inhibited, inadequate, fearful and unable to communicate that she’d simply freeze and clam up if asked to do something that’d put her in the limelight

This shop was a place to sit quietly over a coffee, meet with a friend, or as Maureen, our writer explained, the ‘quiet, small voice’ of the Lord.

MAUREEN’S STORY Maureen’s story: Decades ago I was given an unexpected ‘grand tour’ of Mount Gambier (SA) Television Station. As we passed a live daytime talk show being televised, I paused to observe the proceedings. Suddenly I heard that ‘quiet, still voice’ of the Spirit whisper to me, ‘One of these days you’ll be doing that.’ It was a classic situation where you immediately shake your head and feel that it was nothing more than your imagination or wishful thinking. I should have known better! Twice more I was to hear that same quiet voice repeating those scary words to my spirit. No way, I thought, I had neither the experience nor the desire to be on TV. Two months later my Adelaide company informed me on a Friday night that they had booked prime TV time for the following Monday morning. With a very popular presenter, Maureen, and, by the way, you’ll be promoting our products. Who me? Help! Time to panic. Time to reason with them that I’d never done any TV work before, that little me (and I am little!) couldn’t go live on TV, even for a short segment and certainly not at such short notice. Then I heard again that becalming soft voice of the Spirit. This time reminding me that he’d already prepared me for this moment by gently telling me in advance, that this was a door of opportunity, that all would be okay as I trusted him. I immediately sensed an unusual peace within and agreed to go on. Monday morning saw me seated opposite the show’s host and, even though no instructions about the director’s hand signals were given me, we were off and running.

FRIENDLY HELP The Holy Spirit is our greatest friend and helper. We can call on him for his wisdom, strength, and creativeness in all matters whether in spiritual, business, or general life. I certainly did so in that TV situation and I was successful. In fact, my weekly segment ran for four years on different stations. Here’s the thing…It’s impossible for me to fully relate how many difficulties stuck with me from childhood into adulthood. I’m just a little person – the proverbial five foot nothing – and I greatly lacked confidence. Can you imagine how it hit me when told to go on live TV and speak to hundreds of thousands of viewers? Immediately frightening! But knowing God was in it made the difference. Knowing that he had arranged the opportunity gave me the confidence needed. The Holy Spirit already had a hold of my life and was now, even through secular means, proving to me how much boldness, confidence, and creativity he can give anyone who asks for his help. Yes, I overcame the inadequacies in my life and was successful as I looked beyond myself and relied totally on him. And it was all a preparation for the next step! Since that breakthrough God opened many spiritual doors for me, enabling me to confidently minister in the ‘limelight’ on my own. I also assist Robert in effective ministry as we minister together at churches, camps, leadership sessions and conferences, even businesspeople sessions. And especially in trusting the Holy Spirit for everything and boldly moving in his gifts, particularly the prophetic and words of knowledge and wisdom to bless the church and mentor ministers.

P1310441 - Copy.JPG — Don’t hang back from entering what God has

THE OPEN DOOR From both of us: Whatever ‘effectual door’ (1 Cor. 16:9) God opens for each of us this year, we mustn’t let anything, anyone, any lie or any satanic deception hold us back from taking it. If we do lack anything, we can ask the Holy Spirit for his assistance. We encourage you all to recognise those doors of opportunity and boldly go through them!

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FLEX THE COURAGE MUSCLE

January 7, 2019January 18, 2019 wanderingwithwords860704980

A gecko lizard. This little critter was far out of his comfort zone, he was ready to run and hide. But he froze hoping danger would pass and he could escape with his life. This little lizard lives ‘within the shadow of the Almighty, sheltered by the God who is above all gods’ Psalm 91: 1. LB

When travelling through the Australian outback, our convoy stopped at an abandoned Afghan campsite. After decades of non-use there was still evidence of habitation such as a broken-down goat yard, the lid off a can, glass bottle stoppers.

Curiosity prompted me to lift the lid of a milk can lying amongst the salt bushes. A tiny lizard reared its head in defiance at me. Several others came to look at this tiny, courageous critter. I could have snuffed out its life with my fingers, yet it stared into my face, it’s mouth open wide, daring me to attack. I lowered the lid and left the little creature alone to live another day. It was the personification of courage.

DAVID VERSUS GOLIATH

Very few people would think of themselves as a David pitted against a Goliath, yet when their back is to the wall, they turn into a David, rescuing people from certain death, sometimes at the expense of their own. Speaking-up boldly for a cause they believe in when everyone else is silent.

Several years ago, my husband Bruce was called to visit a home at 2 am to deal with a drunken man. The guy was brandishing a gun and threatening to shoot anyone, including himself, who dared to try to take it from him.

Did Bruce feel like a David? No! Inside, fear made him feel like a jelly bag. But someone had to face the man and try to save him and his loved one’s lives.

ACTION – REACTION

Wondering how the man would react, Bruce took slow steps, one at a time, toward the man seated on a bed in a bedroom. Finally sitting down beside him, putting his arm around his shoulders, he took possession of the gun. What Bruce was doing, was it madness? an emotion that pushes him into acting without thinking? An adrenalin rush? Is courage an inbuilt trait … a response of self-preservation?

Some people are trained to face danger as in warfare, firefighting and ambulance attendants. We expect these people to be brave. Yet when questioned they deny being courageous. They claim to have saved their mate because he was just that – their mate, and that they were scared stiff.

Training certainly holds a person steady in a time of crisis but even ordinary, untrained people become courageous in a time of emergency.

WHAT MOTIVATES

What about Bruce, what was his motivation? Firstly, his response was governed by his acceptance of his call by God to serve his fellow man, and secondly, by his desire to prevent tragedy. Bruce went fuelled by the hope in Christ that this unhappy man could be delivered from his bondage.

‘Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs and don’t forget to thank him for his answers. If you do this you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the humn mind can understand.’Philippians 4: 6-7. LB

Having met Christ in his teens, Bruce was now, after years of experiencing God’s faithfulness in all walks of life, completely sure that God was well able to do anything he promised. Even though he was scared stiff, he responded to the 2 am call because he believed that God was able to keep him. The roots of courage are sown in our past experiences and the history we have with God.

When Bruce arrived at the home of the drunk, he couldn’t just barge in and demand the gun be dropped. No, it was soothing words, then a slow step by a step march across the room to sit beside the man

Courage is like a muscle, the more we dare to use it by taking risks not just in the ‘big’ moments to save lives, but also in the ‘small’ ones like speaking to the neighbour, inviting someone to church or home to a meal – it can be doing something that we have never done before.

TAKE A RISK

His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Jesus Christ. Philippians 4: 7. LB

If we dare to take a risk, we are flexing the muscle of courage. By so doing, we grow as a Believer and as a person. If our fear is not challenged then we remain weeping violets. Should we continue to be afraid to say boo to a goose, we will not achieve very much. Without daring we are not living.

Take one step at a time and flex your muscle of gallantry, move forward as people who have faced their fears and overcome them.

Through the Biblical writings of Joshua, God urges us to, ‘Be strong! Be courageous! Do not be afraid … For the Lord your God will be with you. He will neither fail you nor forsake you.” (Joshua 1: 6 – 9. LB)

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FLOWERS IN DROUGHT

December 31, 2018December 31, 2018 wanderingwithwords860704980

There was no illustration for the red gibber plains. However there is animage of waterless salt bush plains.

At first glance the desert seemed empty except for red gibbers as far as the eye could see. Not a tree or a bush, just red gibbers. Yet a closer look showed the wasteland was alive with flowers. Tiny pink, blue, yellow, and white blossoms, their faces uplifted to the sun.

A thunderstorm a couple weeks ago had unleashed showers over the plains and these tiny plants had sprung up among the gibbers. Only the discerning eye would see these miniscule desert dwellers.

FILLED WITH PURPOSE

Each plant only had one purpose and that was to flower and produce a seed so that the species would continue when the next rain fell, this week or five years later. The conditions these plants thrived in were harsh in the extreme but still they grew and blossomed. Their beauty was even more jewel like because of the conditions in which they lived. They made the red gibber plains a hidden Eden

Many people fail to learn and what the plants take for granted is that growth and beauty are produced by harsh conditions. We try to dodge the harshness of life. We expect to only bloom in good conditions. Often this inability to cope is what makes us sick and weak. It is a rebellion against we know not what? or a refusal to face life?

A class of childfren had filled this sock with seeds and watered them. The green shoots can be seen sprouting as hair. This was a fun project to demonstrate how seeds shoot.

OUR NEW DNA

However, the plants accept the circumstances and flower because they must or they become extinct. God placed in their DNA a determination not to become extinct.

If the situation in which we live is untenable maybe it’s because we have not allowed God to water us and so have not grown, bloomed and seeded and scattered our seed to produce life in others. When we believed in Jesus and became a new person, God wrote into our DNA the purpose, like the plant, to grow and sow even if our place was a waterless, red gibber plain. In all circumstances we can live courageously and progressively, because as the Bible says, ‘that out of his ( Christ’s) unlimited resources he will give you the mighty inner strengthening of his Holy Spirit.’(Ephesians 3: 16.LB)

An Eremophila bloom. This group of plants only grow in the deserts of Australia. They turn a wasteland into a beautiful place.

A BEAUTIFUL FRAGRANCE

When we rise in faith and live, we will bloom and reveal the beauty of Christ and we can, because as the Bible says, ‘As far as God is concerned there is a sweet, wholesome fragrance in our lives. It is the fragrance of Christ within us, an aroma to both the saved and the unsaved all around us.’(2 Corinthians 2:15).

The desert places around us become beautiful places. People are drawn to Christ in us; their lives are enriched because we have been their friend or just an acquaintance. God is able to reach them because we have bloomed with all our might right where we live.

A Ptylotus magnificus. It loves the deserts but does not do well in a pot in a backyard – well not for me anyway.

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THE MAGIC OF LOVE

December 27, 2018 wanderingwithwords860704980

P1170289 — ‘God does not give grace in proportion to our needs, but in accordance with his riches.’ Paul Ellis

WHAT IS LOVE?

Our first love is magical and wondrous, goose-bump material. My first love was an exploration of romance. We were both fourteen. He was short and tubby, I was tall, slim and gawky. He was not a prince on a white charger, I was no Barby doll, but we were attracted to each other.

Our first kiss was heart-stopping, a stolen moment at the primary school Christmas break-up party. Not the practised film-star passion but a wet fumbling. Our relationship never grew, my parents moved to another district and we never met again.

When ever you read the word grace in the Bible, you can substitute the name of Jesus and vice versa. Jesus is grace personified. He is Mr. Grace.

MY SECOND LOVE

was my prince on an iron horse or bicycle. He was too poor to own a car, the car would come later. Dark, handsome, average height. The chemistry was there from the start. Cupid’s arrow found its target and we married. Sixty-six years later we still fizz with the magic, though age has taken its toll.

MY THIRD LOVE

Is Christ, Son of God. This is not an Eros or romantic love but an agape love. The love of God for man and of man for God, a self-less, sacrificial love.

God’s love for us is beyond magical, it is jealous, possessive, transforming, redeeming, healing and freeing. There is no end to his love for us, no bottom, no height or width. We are the apple of his eye. D L Moody once said, ‘If you ask me why God should love us, I cannot tell. I suppose it is because he is a true Father.’

‘Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the L<ord forgave you.'(Colossians3:13)

Such unconditional love is known as the grace of God, the unearned favour of God given to us not for what we have done or haven’t done, not for who we are or aren’t. Philip Yancey wrote, ‘Grace means there is nothing I can add to make God love me more, and nothing I can do to make him love me less.’ Such love is the sacrificial love of agape. ‘For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son so that anyone who believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life… There is no eternal doom awaiting those who trust him (Jesus) to save them.’ I have no concept of such love, it is beyond my understanding that anyone could love me so much.

‘There is nothing within us that can save and sanctify us. Everythng we need has to come from above. Everything we need is found in Jesus.’ Paul Ellis

MY TRUE LOVE GAVE TO ME

When this wonderful truth of God’s unearned favour dawned on me the colours became brighter and prettier, I felt clean and new, I had a purpose to live. I felt I wanted to dance for a million years. I had been floundering, searching for what? Suddenly I was found and I had found Jesus, my third love, a self-sacrificing, agape love. This Agape love, this unmerited favour of God, does wonders for the self-esteem.

I want to close with this thought expressed by Paul Ellis, ‘he who has Christ lacks no good thing. In him we are fully, completely, and totally sanctified.’ Another quote from a letter by an early believer, ‘So you have everything when you have Christ, and you are filled with God through your union with Christ.’ (Colossians 2: 10)

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