God's artwork

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The past several months I have had the amazing opportunity to travel and see some amazing sights. It was truly a real blessing and a wonderful experience. I was able to spend time in Thailand where I was in the magnificent jungles and on some beautiful tropical beaches. Then later in Europe I could see some amazing coutryside in Ireland, Germany, Turkey and Italy. The breathtaking Swiss Alps and the rugged coastline of Northern Ireland (including the Giants Causeway).

Now I love art. I took almost every opportunity I could while in Europe to see the artwork of others and to take as many photographs as i could to inspire my own art. But the beauty of what others have done and what I try to recreate cannot even begin to compare to the magnificent splendour of what God has done. Not only in Europe or Thailand or the amazing places that we have here in Australia, but all over the world he has given us so many different masterpieces and they are all there for us to enjoy.

What a great and awesome God we serve!

Learn to Discern

I will never forget one of the faded dog eared posters that we had hanging in the English classroom at school. I can still see it sitting there with the faded yellow words "Test the Spirits" on it. To be honest I'm not really sure why I remember it maybe it was because of the long hours we spent in that classroom or because we did have a large number of our TEE exams in there throughout year 11 and 12 and I would look around the classroom for inspiration and too see if anything had changed.

The words are important though. We must learn to be discerning,to test what we learn and compare it against what we know. We should all be able to evaluate what we hear, read and see and hold it up against the light of God's word. 

That is not to say that we should look over something because it may possibly have something contrary to our beliefs and understanding of Gods word, but rather we should look at these things and compare it with what we know as right. There may be parts of it that we find are not true or accurate but we can pass over them while still learning from the rest of what we have. Books, movies, speeches  and articles all present us with a collection of themes. We may not agree with all the themes but we can take and learn from those that we do agree with and pass over what we don't agree with.

God has given us the wonderful gift of his word. Study that and know it well so that you can use it to shine light upon what ever else you may read, watch or listen to.

Travelling,

So, at the moment I'm travelling the world and helping others. I won't be updating this blog much but you can look at my travel blog at footprints733.blogspot.com.

xxx

The way the light shines

It's raining at the moment. A little while ago there was a bit of a storm with some thunder and lightening  but now it has calmed dow and the sun is starting to peek through the clouds. The rain has slowed down and now its falling slow and steadily. Looking out the back window I can see it all falling down and soaking into the ground. But, if I look out the side window, it doesn't look like it's raining at all. It all depends on the angle I look at it and the way the light shines through. Looking out the front window I can even see a rainbow. The lights shining differently through those raindrops too, so that the whole colour spectrum can be seen.

The way God's light shines through us is like the way the light shines through the raindrops. Some people are like the raindrops I couldn't see. They might call themselves a Christian but you cant see this in their actions or the fruits of their actions. Others are like the raindrops that are sparkling in the light. The ones that I could see. They shine God's light in their lives and you can see this in their actions and the fruit of the Spirit that is evident in what they do. Then there is those Christians that are like the rainbow. A beautiful example of what the light of God can do with all of us. They might just be ordinary Christians, but the way in which God has used them, the way in which His light shines through them has made them stand out.

What sort of raindrop are you? Are you one that can hardly be seen, a Christian by name but the light of God is not visible in your life? Or does God's light shine through you in an beautiful array of colours like the rainbow? Are you a raindrop trying to be a part of the rainbow or are you content to just fall to the ground without being seen?

My prayer is that somehow and some small way, I can be a part of a rainbow. And I pray that everyone reading this may have the same prayer as me.

What do you do with what God has given you?

So I had set myself the challenge of spending the month of August thinking of ways that we can use our gifts for God. Now it is September, you can see how I lived up to that challenge. Still, that is not to say that I didn't think about what it means to give our gifts and how to use them for the glory of God.

One thing that did strike me and that I thought was worth sharing was the concept of stealing from God if we do not use our gifts in the right way. If we don't use the money that God has given us responsibly or in a way that is not demonstrating good stewardship we are stealing from God. If we don't use our talents to the best of our ability as God has commanded us, we are stealing from God. If we don't use the time God has given us to his glory, if we waste time, we are stealing from God because we are not using what he has given us in the right way.

This brings to mind the parable of the talents (Matt 25:14 - 30). In that parable, the servants who invest their talents and use their talents to the 'glory' of their master are rewarded and praised for what they do. But the servant who didn't do anything with what he had received had it taken from him and was "cast into the outer darkness". Everything that we have has been given to us from God and we have to invest it in a way that gives Him glory.

So, what do you do with what God has given you?

The Secret of Contentment

I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. (Philippians 4:11-12)

If only... ... ... If only I had an amazing (real) leather jacket. If only I had more reading books (and an amazing library to put them all in). If only I was finished my uni degree. If only I were healthier and fitter. If only I didn't get sick so often. If only I were 5kg lighter. If only there were more time in each day. Does any of this sound like you? How often do we catch ourselves thinking about what we don't have, or what we aren't?

Last Saturday (the 4th of August) I went to the Perth Women's Convention and the topic was Contentment. It was an amazing day filled with motivational speeches and inspirational life stories. The speaker for the day was  Sarie King. She had three speeches, each of them focussing on a passage from the Bible which focussed on being content and how we have to work at being content.

So what is the secret of contentment. In Philippians, Paul says that he has learned to be content whatever the circumstances. Contentment is not based on our personality or the circumstances that we are in. Contentment is something that we have to learn. We have to learn to find contentment in every circumstance, despite the circumstances. So how do we learn to be happy and satisfied in all our circumstances?


As Jerry Bridges says in His book The Practice of Godliness: 
"Contentment is one of the most distinguishing traits of the godly person, because a godly person has his heart focussed on God rather than on possessions or position or power.
The idea of contentment in the Bible is most often associated with possessions or money, but ther are other areas of life in which we need to be content. After possessions, probably the most common need it to learn contentment with our place in society or in the body of Christ.
Still a third area that demands our practice of contentment is the providence of god in such varied circumstances such as physical limitations and afflictions, privations and unpleasant neighbours or living situations, trials and even persecutions. 

If we look at the next verse in Philippians 4, we read I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength (vs. 13). It is by the strength of Christ that Paul has learnt how to be content and it is in the same way that we can learn how to be content. We can find satisfaction regardless of our circumstances because Christ is working in us. Knowing that Christ is working in us, we can rest in the assurance that all things work together for those who love Him (Romans 8:28). We can be content and know that God is looking after everything. That is not to say that overnight we can be content. It is something that we should continue to work at because it doesn't come immediately. We have to grow in trust with God and know that we can give all the worry to Him, because he is in control.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, with prayer and supplication, let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7). Bring everything before God, knowing that he is in control. Know that we have everything we need in Him, He is sufficient for all.


**** The convention was run by the organisation Christian Conventions of WA (ccowa.org) and I strongly recommend that others become involved. There is a mens one coming up on the 8th of Sept on the topic of Temptation and there are other events that they run as well. Have a look at the website for more details.

Showing thankfulness for what we have been given

On this blog there are several posts about how much God has given us and how much we have to be thankful for. Last year, I went through 30 days, each day counting another blessing and there are also other posts speaking of how much we have been given and how our hearts should be overflowing with thankfulness for it all. There is so much that God has given us! There is so much that gives us reason to be filled with thankfulness and gratitude to God.

If we are given a gift that we love from a friend or family member, we show that we are thankful for the gift by using it with joy. How do we show that we are thankful for the gifts God has given us? How do we use these gifts? What does God command us to do with these gifts?

My challenge for myself, and to all of you reading this, is to focus on how we use the gifts that we have been given. Study the Bible to see what we are commanded to do with these gifts, read books and use them. Over the next month, I plan to post updates and ideas and passages from the Bible about how we are to use the gifts God has given us. I hope that you will also join me in this challenge.