Today on this Sunday we celebrate one of the moat momentous days in Christian history, the day of Pentecost. Christmas and Easter are the well known days in the Christian calendar but Pentecost is largely ignored. Yet for those of us who know and believe that the Holy Spirit is indwelling us in our lives then it is a very significant day.
My prayer is for the Holy Spirit come to us and fill us -
Joh 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.
For the Holy Spirit to teach us all things concerning our Lord and bring to remembrance his words -
Joh 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
For the Holy Spirit to let us understand the heart of God our Father who will equip us for life in the Lord's service -
Joh 15:26 "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.
Finally .............. a thought for to-day
Let God's Word and Truth fill our minds, rule our hearts, and guide our tongues
Sunday 31 May 2009
Saturday 30 May 2009
Take Time to Smell the Roses
Yesterday I drove my car for a total of 9 hours. Two hours from our home in Northern Ireland down to Dublin in Southern Ireland. This was followed by a two hour high speed ferry crossing to Wales and then a 7 hour drive across the top of Wales, then a drive down the full length of Wales as far as Cardiff, and then over into England past the city of Bath to Bradford-on-Avon where my brother-in-law Ken and his wife Ann lives.
Driving alone on this long journey my directions were guided by satellite signals beamed from space. The route my satnav took me was through some beautiful parts of Wales, but every few miles I would hit a small town and have to slow down, and then there were the dreaded roundabouts. In the US you do not have too many roundabouts but in the UK they are the preferred means for controlling traffic at road junctions.
There was so many roundabouts and stoppages that I stopped and checked that the settings on my satnav were set for 'fastest route'! The satnav settings were set for the fastest route, but in hindsight if I had looked at a map and used my own judgement, I believe that I would have saved at least a hour on that journey. If I had gone into England much sooner and hit one of the main motorways going south the journey would have been a shorter one.
But thinking back, if I had indeed used a map, I 'might' have got to my destination sooner, but I would have missed out on the lovely scenery, especially a valley I went through in southern Wales. I would have missed 'driving' through the twists and turns in the road. I would have missed the small towns and the people walking through them. Instead I would have gone mile after mile on boring motorways.
Funny how as I go down the road of life I come across junctions, were my decisions on which way to turn, can have major impact on the various destinations I reach in my life. I like most people have found that between these junctions, and destinations the road of life has many twists and turns.
Life is so frantic, I want to get everywhere in the shortest time possible. I usually focus my attention on getting to the destination but the Lord wants me to enjoy the journey with him.
I still believe that satnavs are not to be fully trusted for car journey's but I have one navigator in life, Jesus that knows the road ahead in my life and in your life, a He knows the perfect route for each and every one of us.
He knows the junctions in our lives that have to be negotiated, he knows when we have to slow down, and when we can speed up. He knows the people who we will encounter on this journey of life, and he knows that if we let him drive and if we would only take our eyes of the immediate road ahead, there is beauty and wonder all around us.
Joh 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
How I love to rush ahead following my own direction and plan, under my own steam, while the Lord asks me to walk with Him under His loving care and guidance.
Neh 9:12 Moreover You led them by day with a cloudy pillar, And by night with a pillar of fire, To give them light on the road Which they should travel.
Finally ......... a thought for to-day
If you know Jesus, you'll never travel alone
Driving alone on this long journey my directions were guided by satellite signals beamed from space. The route my satnav took me was through some beautiful parts of Wales, but every few miles I would hit a small town and have to slow down, and then there were the dreaded roundabouts. In the US you do not have too many roundabouts but in the UK they are the preferred means for controlling traffic at road junctions.
There was so many roundabouts and stoppages that I stopped and checked that the settings on my satnav were set for 'fastest route'! The satnav settings were set for the fastest route, but in hindsight if I had looked at a map and used my own judgement, I believe that I would have saved at least a hour on that journey. If I had gone into England much sooner and hit one of the main motorways going south the journey would have been a shorter one.
But thinking back, if I had indeed used a map, I 'might' have got to my destination sooner, but I would have missed out on the lovely scenery, especially a valley I went through in southern Wales. I would have missed 'driving' through the twists and turns in the road. I would have missed the small towns and the people walking through them. Instead I would have gone mile after mile on boring motorways.
Funny how as I go down the road of life I come across junctions, were my decisions on which way to turn, can have major impact on the various destinations I reach in my life. I like most people have found that between these junctions, and destinations the road of life has many twists and turns.
Life is so frantic, I want to get everywhere in the shortest time possible. I usually focus my attention on getting to the destination but the Lord wants me to enjoy the journey with him.
I still believe that satnavs are not to be fully trusted for car journey's but I have one navigator in life, Jesus that knows the road ahead in my life and in your life, a He knows the perfect route for each and every one of us.
He knows the junctions in our lives that have to be negotiated, he knows when we have to slow down, and when we can speed up. He knows the people who we will encounter on this journey of life, and he knows that if we let him drive and if we would only take our eyes of the immediate road ahead, there is beauty and wonder all around us.
Joh 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
How I love to rush ahead following my own direction and plan, under my own steam, while the Lord asks me to walk with Him under His loving care and guidance.
Neh 9:12 Moreover You led them by day with a cloudy pillar, And by night with a pillar of fire, To give them light on the road Which they should travel.
Finally ......... a thought for to-day
If you know Jesus, you'll never travel alone
Thursday 28 May 2009
Our 'wee' Dog
Being away from home quite a bit with my job I have been asked a few times if the kids love to see me come home. I can honestly say that to this day I get the most wonderful reception as I enter the front door on a Friday evening. Our 'wee' dog Pebbles loves to see me coming home. She runs rings round me, jumps up on me and generally goes mad for a few minutes.When the kids were at home it was a "Hi dad" and a quick kiss before they went about their activities, normal life as far as they were concerned. Pebbles on the other hand would follow me around for the next half hour or so just wanting to be stroked, to welcome me back home. She still does it to this day. She is trustworthy, loyal, kind, quite spirited, a dog with a calm nature, but most of all a loving dog.
Now with that last paragraph you would think that the poor dog is neglected by the rest of the family, by the way that she greets me! That paints a wrong picture. This dog is loved, cherished and cared for beyond what anyone could consider as normal. She has pride of place on Hazel's lap each night and when the girls are at home it is more cuddles, more attention, more care.
Pebbles is a miniature Schnauzer with some physical problems. She is 12 years old prone to fits, now controlled by drugs and by my estimate she 95% blind. She had problems with her eyes for a few years and Hazel treated those eyes day and daily, to hold back the degradation that was taking place in both eyes.
For some reason that we cannot fathom, she went into a Anaphylactic shock some time last year, and was at death's door for over a week. She spent that time at the vet's and with his care and lots of prayer she was well enough to return home. Unfortunately, her eyes were not treated during that time and she lost her sight. A few months later we had to have one of her eyes removed and now there is a hole right in the centre of the remaining eye, but we are convinced that she can see things (shadows) when it is bright enough. I am amazed how she navigates around things in the house, and seldom bumps into anything. You would never know that she is nearly blind by the way she acts.
We have spent a fortune on our wee dog, what with medicines and vet bills etc, but she is part of the family and has been a real blessing to us all since we got her as a puppy. So we will continue to do all we can for her, for the rest of her remaining years. Giving back what she has freely given to us ........Love.
In work I have a poster on the wall that says "Lord make me the type of person my dog thinks I am".
So finally ............. a thought for to-day must be
Lord, make me the type of person my dog thinks I am!
Tuesday 26 May 2009
What's in a Name
After a couple of days rest feel like my 'old' self. I have the house to myself to-day and I am presently just watching the birds at the bird feeder in the garden.
My eldest daughter has just phoned to say that she has passed one of her bank exams. It was something that she was worried about for a couple of weeks. Once again it made me think that everyone has some form of stress and pressure in day to day living. Pressure in work, pressure at home, pressure from others forcing you to do what thy want you to do.
I think of the pressures that our children face day and daily, to conform to the worlds standards. The pressure must be immense. It has taken me years to realise, that it is only by God's love and protection, and a parents love, can our children have any hope of standing firm on what they know and have been taught to be, the 'correct' way to live their lives.
The role of the family unit has a key part to play in a child's development into a young adult. The trust, respect and love between parents and their children are vital if our children are to mature into the kind of people that we would like them to be. But more importantly into the kind of people who know the Lord and walk in his steps.
My daughter Gillian (who's flat I have just cleared last weekend) told me a few weeks ago that her friends thought it strange that she called me 'dad' and my wife Hazel 'mum', and they were surprised to hear that my other two girls do the same. Apparently the 'cool thing' now is to use the parents first name, when they became teenagers. I have no problem with that, for other teenagers / young adults to call their parents by their first name, but what would I feel like if my girls started to call me Trevor? Call me un-cool, but I know I would hate it!
I was blessed more than Gillian will ever know, when she said she could never consider calling me anything but Dad or Daddy. Funny how a simple sentence can mean so much. Sentimental old fool some might say! Guilty! as charged I would reply, with a heart lifted by her words.
So what's in a name? Gillian's comment made me realise that this name, this title of 'DAD', 'DADDY' or 'MUM', 'MUMMY' are names and titles of honour. I did not esteem my title until she told me this story, and what it meant to her to call me Dad.
Makes you realise that our father in heaven must love it when we lovingly call him 'ABBA', 'PAPA'.
Lord, Help me fulfil the intent of the thought for to-day.
Finally ............ a thought for to-day
A godly parent is a child's best guide to God.
My eldest daughter has just phoned to say that she has passed one of her bank exams. It was something that she was worried about for a couple of weeks. Once again it made me think that everyone has some form of stress and pressure in day to day living. Pressure in work, pressure at home, pressure from others forcing you to do what thy want you to do.
I think of the pressures that our children face day and daily, to conform to the worlds standards. The pressure must be immense. It has taken me years to realise, that it is only by God's love and protection, and a parents love, can our children have any hope of standing firm on what they know and have been taught to be, the 'correct' way to live their lives.
The role of the family unit has a key part to play in a child's development into a young adult. The trust, respect and love between parents and their children are vital if our children are to mature into the kind of people that we would like them to be. But more importantly into the kind of people who know the Lord and walk in his steps.
My daughter Gillian (who's flat I have just cleared last weekend) told me a few weeks ago that her friends thought it strange that she called me 'dad' and my wife Hazel 'mum', and they were surprised to hear that my other two girls do the same. Apparently the 'cool thing' now is to use the parents first name, when they became teenagers. I have no problem with that, for other teenagers / young adults to call their parents by their first name, but what would I feel like if my girls started to call me Trevor? Call me un-cool, but I know I would hate it!
I was blessed more than Gillian will ever know, when she said she could never consider calling me anything but Dad or Daddy. Funny how a simple sentence can mean so much. Sentimental old fool some might say! Guilty! as charged I would reply, with a heart lifted by her words.
So what's in a name? Gillian's comment made me realise that this name, this title of 'DAD', 'DADDY' or 'MUM', 'MUMMY' are names and titles of honour. I did not esteem my title until she told me this story, and what it meant to her to call me Dad.
Makes you realise that our father in heaven must love it when we lovingly call him 'ABBA', 'PAPA'.
Lord, Help me fulfil the intent of the thought for to-day.
Finally ............ a thought for to-day
A godly parent is a child's best guide to God.
Monday 25 May 2009
Things
Home safe in Ireland, 470 miles under my belt for part one of the journey. My comment in the last post on me being a not so fit manual labourer proved well founded. I was exhausted after all the driving, packing, driving on Saturday. The journey up to Scotland was uneventful. Being a bank holiday weekend in the UK the usual lorries and trucks were replaced by cars pulling caravans, boats, trailer tents etc. All going to either the Lake District in England or further north to Scotland.
It was a good job I took the car up to 'help' Gillian remove her stuff from the flat. The car was full by the time we had finished packing and there was plenty left over for her Scottish friends to look after, until she returns to Scotland next February. How so much 'stuff' had been accumulated over the three years she spent in Stirling I will never know. Still it was an improvement over her sister Jennifer who required three car loads when she removed the contents of her flat at the end of her degree course.
It got me thinking how we accumulate things in our lives over the years. (Not when I was carrying the boxes, then I was more concerned with the condition of my back). I got to thinking that some things we acquire are useful for many years, and many other things we use for a short time and then becomes clutter.
Now I am a person who does not like to throw out ANYTHING. Whereas Hazel my wife is the opposite. If an item is no longer of any use? It's gone! (I like to keep myself useful)!!!!
As a child Gillian would ask me "Tell me what it was like in the olden days daddy"? So I am about to go back into the 'olden' days. When I was 15 I left home to start an apprenticeship working for the Royal Navy as a Airframe / Engine Fitter in Belfast, and then three years later went to England as a Technician Apprentice for a further two years.
I look at 15 year olds nowadays and looking back I wonder how I ever survived those times, I knew nothing about life all. We have a saying in Ireland about somebody who knows nothing about life or a particular subject! We say that person "Is wet behind the ears"!
Well I was really wet behind the ears, a potential lamb to the slaughter. But, little did I know it, the Lord was there protecting and guiding me on this start of my working life adventure, even though I did not recognise it as his doing back then)! I must tell of the events that led my to getting my apprenticeship in another story.
Since the completion of my apprenticeship I have kept all my tools and all my apprentice notebooks. Over the years Hazel has asked me "do you need these books"? to which I would usually reply "Yes! you never know when they might become useful". But a couple of years ago she made an 'executive decision' and threw them all out without telling me. How did I find out? Did I eventually find that I needed them, never having looked at them once since 1970? No, I noticed that they were not were I had left them and then enquired of their whereabouts. I realised that I would never have never looked at them, and that they were unlikely to become a family heirloom and I found it funny, not annoying that they were gone.
We hold onto so much clutter in our lives. I pass by a wetsuit hanging in the store room upstairs in the house I am sure the rubber has perished on the 35 year old wetsuit, but I will never try it on as know it would not fit me. I have gained a few pounds since I last wore it over 25 years ago. OK! I have gained LOTS of pounds since then.
But it is the clutter in our minds, that is more important than the cultter in our possessions. We feed our minds and thoughts through daily news bulletins, the daily 'world' view focusing people on self, the adverts an television promoting self advancement, self pleasing, self serving, self over all others.
The focus on improving the outward appearance rather than the inner man. Young girls trying to look like these 'stick thin' models, young men trying to emulate their 'idols', be they pop singers, movie stars or sports personalities.
Psa 24:4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully.
The world system promoting other God's before the true God in the minds of men and women.
Deu 11:16 Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them,
The only thing of REAL lasting value that we should desire to possess is the Lord himself. All things that we cherish to-day will eventually burn. Our Lord is our greatest possession, he is our salvation, he is our inheritance.
Finally ............ a thought for to-day
No matter where you go, God goes with you.
It was a good job I took the car up to 'help' Gillian remove her stuff from the flat. The car was full by the time we had finished packing and there was plenty left over for her Scottish friends to look after, until she returns to Scotland next February. How so much 'stuff' had been accumulated over the three years she spent in Stirling I will never know. Still it was an improvement over her sister Jennifer who required three car loads when she removed the contents of her flat at the end of her degree course.
It got me thinking how we accumulate things in our lives over the years. (Not when I was carrying the boxes, then I was more concerned with the condition of my back). I got to thinking that some things we acquire are useful for many years, and many other things we use for a short time and then becomes clutter.
Now I am a person who does not like to throw out ANYTHING. Whereas Hazel my wife is the opposite. If an item is no longer of any use? It's gone! (I like to keep myself useful)!!!!
As a child Gillian would ask me "Tell me what it was like in the olden days daddy"? So I am about to go back into the 'olden' days. When I was 15 I left home to start an apprenticeship working for the Royal Navy as a Airframe / Engine Fitter in Belfast, and then three years later went to England as a Technician Apprentice for a further two years.
I look at 15 year olds nowadays and looking back I wonder how I ever survived those times, I knew nothing about life all. We have a saying in Ireland about somebody who knows nothing about life or a particular subject! We say that person "Is wet behind the ears"!
Well I was really wet behind the ears, a potential lamb to the slaughter. But, little did I know it, the Lord was there protecting and guiding me on this start of my working life adventure, even though I did not recognise it as his doing back then)! I must tell of the events that led my to getting my apprenticeship in another story.
Since the completion of my apprenticeship I have kept all my tools and all my apprentice notebooks. Over the years Hazel has asked me "do you need these books"? to which I would usually reply "Yes! you never know when they might become useful". But a couple of years ago she made an 'executive decision' and threw them all out without telling me. How did I find out? Did I eventually find that I needed them, never having looked at them once since 1970? No, I noticed that they were not were I had left them and then enquired of their whereabouts. I realised that I would never have never looked at them, and that they were unlikely to become a family heirloom and I found it funny, not annoying that they were gone.
We hold onto so much clutter in our lives. I pass by a wetsuit hanging in the store room upstairs in the house I am sure the rubber has perished on the 35 year old wetsuit, but I will never try it on as know it would not fit me. I have gained a few pounds since I last wore it over 25 years ago. OK! I have gained LOTS of pounds since then.
But it is the clutter in our minds, that is more important than the cultter in our possessions. We feed our minds and thoughts through daily news bulletins, the daily 'world' view focusing people on self, the adverts an television promoting self advancement, self pleasing, self serving, self over all others.
The focus on improving the outward appearance rather than the inner man. Young girls trying to look like these 'stick thin' models, young men trying to emulate their 'idols', be they pop singers, movie stars or sports personalities.
Psa 24:4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully.
The world system promoting other God's before the true God in the minds of men and women.
Deu 11:16 Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them,
The only thing of REAL lasting value that we should desire to possess is the Lord himself. All things that we cherish to-day will eventually burn. Our Lord is our greatest possession, he is our salvation, he is our inheritance.
Finally ............ a thought for to-day
No matter where you go, God goes with you.
Friday 22 May 2009
Daughters
Being the proud father of three wonderful daughters, all saved by the grace of God, I would do anything for each and every one of them. The Lord has blessed me with a wonderful wife and three great children, or should I say young women.
Psa 127:4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one's youth.
I look back over the years, I see the hand of God on their lives. Last year my eldest daughter Jennifer is now working as a graduate trainee in one of the major banks in Dublin in Southern Ireland.
One of my twin girls, Amanda is graduating next month with a degree in Theology. She is also getting married in July this year, and then will return to Belfast Bible College to study for a Masters degree in Theology.
Finally, there is Gillian my other twin. I am preparing to travel to Scotland tomorrow to meet up with Gillian. She is studying at Stirling University in Scotland a mix of Biblical studies and politics and is also finishing her degree next week. She will be returning home to Ireland next Thursday the Lord willing.
This next few days could have been a very sad time for her leaving her friends she has made in the church that has adopted her as one of their own. The Lord has blessed her with Godly friends looking out got her welfare.
Pro 12:26 The righteous should choose his friends carefully, For the way of the wicked leads them astray.
But this sad leaving has been put back for a couple of years. Again the Lord has blessed her by allowing her to return to Stirling University next February, to start a post graduate course studying for a MSc degree in Social Work.
So why the long trip north to meet up with Gillian? I am her 'flat contents removal team', one car, one 'not so' fit manual labourer with two arms and a desire to help.
As I write this she is meant to be deciding what items to leave with friends in Scotland and what to ship home with me to Ireland. I hope she gets the balance right. Too little, and it will have been a wasted journey and too much, well that creates it's own problem.
Interestingly, all these events in the lives of my three daughters can all be traced back to the hand of God. The jobs, the degree courses, the husband to be, are all the result of the work of the Lord. Each event has twists and turns that can only be attributed to divine interventions. I give him the praise and glory.
Lord thank you for your love and care. Thank you for family, thank you for love, thank you for your saving grace.
Finally .............. a thought for to-day
Because God gives us everything, we owe Him all our praise
Psa 127:4 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one's youth.
I look back over the years, I see the hand of God on their lives. Last year my eldest daughter Jennifer is now working as a graduate trainee in one of the major banks in Dublin in Southern Ireland.
One of my twin girls, Amanda is graduating next month with a degree in Theology. She is also getting married in July this year, and then will return to Belfast Bible College to study for a Masters degree in Theology.
Finally, there is Gillian my other twin. I am preparing to travel to Scotland tomorrow to meet up with Gillian. She is studying at Stirling University in Scotland a mix of Biblical studies and politics and is also finishing her degree next week. She will be returning home to Ireland next Thursday the Lord willing.
This next few days could have been a very sad time for her leaving her friends she has made in the church that has adopted her as one of their own. The Lord has blessed her with Godly friends looking out got her welfare.
Pro 12:26 The righteous should choose his friends carefully, For the way of the wicked leads them astray.
But this sad leaving has been put back for a couple of years. Again the Lord has blessed her by allowing her to return to Stirling University next February, to start a post graduate course studying for a MSc degree in Social Work.
So why the long trip north to meet up with Gillian? I am her 'flat contents removal team', one car, one 'not so' fit manual labourer with two arms and a desire to help.
As I write this she is meant to be deciding what items to leave with friends in Scotland and what to ship home with me to Ireland. I hope she gets the balance right. Too little, and it will have been a wasted journey and too much, well that creates it's own problem.
Interestingly, all these events in the lives of my three daughters can all be traced back to the hand of God. The jobs, the degree courses, the husband to be, are all the result of the work of the Lord. Each event has twists and turns that can only be attributed to divine interventions. I give him the praise and glory.
Lord thank you for your love and care. Thank you for family, thank you for love, thank you for your saving grace.
Finally .............. a thought for to-day
Because God gives us everything, we owe Him all our praise
Thursday 7 May 2009
My Testimony - Part 7 - Answered Prayer
Well! A couple of weeks ago, I said in this blog that I had to give my testimony to some people at work. I gave my testimony today to the small fellowship group, and I am so glad that I had been documenting my testimony in this blog! It has made me re-live the work the Lord has done in my life.
I have told very few people of that Saturday on the prophetic discipleship week end away. Even less people about the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
Going back to that weekend away, I remember that I was a bit subdued instead of being elated after the anointing of the Holy Spirit. I was told by the visiting pastor that I looked different, but I was wondering 'what happened to me'. Again I should have told those people with me what happened to me, but once again I just kept quiet and worked things out in my own mind. The Lord by his grace helped me understand.
Later that night as I lay on my bed I began to thank the Lord for what he had done for me that day, and then the Lord revealed the meaning of the vision that Jenson had earlier that day. In that vision he said that he saw a vision of a black bell, except that it was not a bell. This bell was behind a pane of frosted glass, and that the glass shattered to reveal the bell.
My mind was immediately taken back to the time that my great grandmother prayed for me as a young child. I remembered her standing there dressed as she always did in a long black dress that went down to her ankles. The only other colour of clothing showing was a white collar of a blouse round her neck. She did look like a black bell in shape, but the real clincher was that the family always addressed her as Granny Bell. Bell was her married surname. The glass shattering was the revelation to me that this was the answer to her prayer, that she prayed over me 40+ years ago asking the Lord to save me, I now knew that prayer was answered.
I encourage all of you who are praying for loved ones, maybe you have children who are a bit wild, maybe your spouse is far from the Lord! Continue, continue and continue to pray for their salvation, for it is in the Lord’s timing, by his sovereign will that he answers such prayers. It will be wonderful to meet with my great grandmother some day in eternity. But all honour must go to the Lord to whom I give all my thanks and praise.
The next day (Sunday) at this weekend away, I had told Hazel my wife what had happened to me, and she said "I wonder if the Lord has a word for me"? He certainly had, but that is her testimony and not mine, but it did lead as a step to her salvation. Now all my family have come to know and acknowledge the Lord as our saviour.
You will have noticed in this testimony that I did not tell you when I was 'reborn' and the answer is I do not know the date nor the time. Some people can say I was born on such a date and reborn on this date. I cannot do that, but I know in my heart that the Lord has saved me.
Since then I have been up on the mountain top a few times in the walk with the Lord and have spent quite some time down in some valleys. I can testify that when the world drags me into it's clutches and the enemy attacks that the Lord is always faithful to 'put my feet back on solid rock'.
My journey to the narrow gate is not always smooth. I have a tendency to please my family and fellow men before pleasing the Lord. I also have a discipline problem where my mind and focus flits from thing to thing. This is a big barrier to establishing regular quiet time with the Lord.
But the desire of my heart more than anything else, is to draw close to him, to walk where he walks. But I find by my own power this is impossible. The Lord knows of this desire of mine and a few months ago I read this article about keeping a journal, at the same time I purchased some excellent journalling software.
Then I felt compelled to learn to touch type after years of using one finger on each hand to punch the keyboard. So I have reached an average speed of 40 WPM with a 96% level of accuracy (told you I like facts and data)! I will never get a job as a secretary but I can now type with my eyes closed!!!!!
Then I felt it was right to start a blog to share my walk, and even if nobody read it, I was talking to the Lord and spending quality time with him, writing what was on my heart. I have been blessed and encouraged by you the reader of my thoughts. Thank you for all your kind comments, but once again it is the Lord's hand at work in my life.
So here we are. Every breath is a gift from God, health, family, job all huge blessings. Wonderful wife and a great life. ALL due to him, the one who loved me so much that he paid my debt of sin. One who loves you so much that he paid your debt as well.
Following the Lord is about relationship not religion. It is about love not rules. It is about doing what we were designed to do. Love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our strength and with all our minds.
Mighty Lord, might Saviour, I am a sinner saved by YOUR grace.
Finally ............. a thought for to-day
To give your life to Christ now is to keep it forever
I have told very few people of that Saturday on the prophetic discipleship week end away. Even less people about the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
Going back to that weekend away, I remember that I was a bit subdued instead of being elated after the anointing of the Holy Spirit. I was told by the visiting pastor that I looked different, but I was wondering 'what happened to me'. Again I should have told those people with me what happened to me, but once again I just kept quiet and worked things out in my own mind. The Lord by his grace helped me understand.
Later that night as I lay on my bed I began to thank the Lord for what he had done for me that day, and then the Lord revealed the meaning of the vision that Jenson had earlier that day. In that vision he said that he saw a vision of a black bell, except that it was not a bell. This bell was behind a pane of frosted glass, and that the glass shattered to reveal the bell.
My mind was immediately taken back to the time that my great grandmother prayed for me as a young child. I remembered her standing there dressed as she always did in a long black dress that went down to her ankles. The only other colour of clothing showing was a white collar of a blouse round her neck. She did look like a black bell in shape, but the real clincher was that the family always addressed her as Granny Bell. Bell was her married surname. The glass shattering was the revelation to me that this was the answer to her prayer, that she prayed over me 40+ years ago asking the Lord to save me, I now knew that prayer was answered.
I encourage all of you who are praying for loved ones, maybe you have children who are a bit wild, maybe your spouse is far from the Lord! Continue, continue and continue to pray for their salvation, for it is in the Lord’s timing, by his sovereign will that he answers such prayers. It will be wonderful to meet with my great grandmother some day in eternity. But all honour must go to the Lord to whom I give all my thanks and praise.
The next day (Sunday) at this weekend away, I had told Hazel my wife what had happened to me, and she said "I wonder if the Lord has a word for me"? He certainly had, but that is her testimony and not mine, but it did lead as a step to her salvation. Now all my family have come to know and acknowledge the Lord as our saviour.
You will have noticed in this testimony that I did not tell you when I was 'reborn' and the answer is I do not know the date nor the time. Some people can say I was born on such a date and reborn on this date. I cannot do that, but I know in my heart that the Lord has saved me.
Since then I have been up on the mountain top a few times in the walk with the Lord and have spent quite some time down in some valleys. I can testify that when the world drags me into it's clutches and the enemy attacks that the Lord is always faithful to 'put my feet back on solid rock'.
My journey to the narrow gate is not always smooth. I have a tendency to please my family and fellow men before pleasing the Lord. I also have a discipline problem where my mind and focus flits from thing to thing. This is a big barrier to establishing regular quiet time with the Lord.
But the desire of my heart more than anything else, is to draw close to him, to walk where he walks. But I find by my own power this is impossible. The Lord knows of this desire of mine and a few months ago I read this article about keeping a journal, at the same time I purchased some excellent journalling software.
Then I felt compelled to learn to touch type after years of using one finger on each hand to punch the keyboard. So I have reached an average speed of 40 WPM with a 96% level of accuracy (told you I like facts and data)! I will never get a job as a secretary but I can now type with my eyes closed!!!!!
Then I felt it was right to start a blog to share my walk, and even if nobody read it, I was talking to the Lord and spending quality time with him, writing what was on my heart. I have been blessed and encouraged by you the reader of my thoughts. Thank you for all your kind comments, but once again it is the Lord's hand at work in my life.
So here we are. Every breath is a gift from God, health, family, job all huge blessings. Wonderful wife and a great life. ALL due to him, the one who loved me so much that he paid my debt of sin. One who loves you so much that he paid your debt as well.
Following the Lord is about relationship not religion. It is about love not rules. It is about doing what we were designed to do. Love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our strength and with all our minds.
Mighty Lord, might Saviour, I am a sinner saved by YOUR grace.
Finally ............. a thought for to-day
To give your life to Christ now is to keep it forever
My Testimony - Part 6 - The Curse Removed
At the end of the prophetic discipleship course was a weekend retreat. On the Friday night we were having a 'getting to know you meeting' followed by a service lead by a guest pastor who was from the south of England and his wife.
I remember talking to someone and ended up telling them the story of my great grandmother, her miraculous healing and how she prayed for me as a young boy. I also told this person that the family was scared to tell her anything that she would disapprove of such as going to the cinema, no matter what the film was it was off limits in her mind.
I told this person that she would never ask a person she met "How are you", she would always ask "Are you saved"? We had a laugh about this during which I had this thought come to mind. It went like this "Actually Trevor she was not enquiring about the person's physical health but their spiritual health"! Oh! I remember how this brought me up short.
I proceeded to the back of the room before the service started and took the last chair on the back row, right next to the exit door. Then internally my mind started to scream "get out of here, leave now". "You do not fit in here, you are right beside the door, no-one will see you go". I wanted to leave, and was just about to get up when I heard the guest pastor's wife say to the assembled congregation "There is someone in this room who wants to leave, don't do it! Stay". I expected all eyes to turn to look at me the 'outsider' but none did and I did stay on for the service.
I had a decision to make go home or stay for the rest of the weekend. But after the word from the pastors wife, I decided to stay, God must have not finished with me. The next day the prophetic discipleship course members congregated in a small beautiful chapel. We all sat around the room with our backs to the wall and after prayer people began to give words of knowledge and explain visions they were seeing. One girl turned to me and said that see saw me in a deep sea divers suit. She said she felt the Lord was saying that I could go as deep with him as I wanted to.
Another young man called Jenson said that he saw a vision of a black bell, except that it was not a bell which was behind a pane of glass, and that the glass shattered to reveal the bell. That vision meant nothing to anyone in the room.
Then it came to Glynis the course leader, and she said she saw a vision of a multi-coloured cockrel with the word Masonic written above it. Bang! My memory sped back to the time when I was about twenty one. I was persuaded by a friend that to progress in work you needed connections, and he thought that the best way was by joining a Masonic lodge. So I was accepted into the local lodge and went through the first initiation rights.
I hated it, when the initiation was over I swore that I would never go back to that dark, evil place. But, I forgot that I had taken an oath during that initiation process, an oath that I had forgot about but the Lord had not.
When I told the people that I had joined the Masonic order many years ago, and the visiting pastor said that they needed to pray for me. That afternoon while the majority of the people on the course were doing other things I found myself in the middle of this small chapel surrounded by four or five people. The visiting pastor explained that the Masons were indeed influenced by demonic activity and that my oath was quite literally a death sentence.
They proceeded to lay hands on me and I remember quite vividly in my mind I took a scroll of paper, ripped it into small pieces while I renounced my oath. I asked the Lord for his forgiveness and mercy and then from the top of my head as the words left my lips this 'tingle' like I had never experienced before in my life proceeded to move down from the crown of my head to the middle of my body. I said nothing to anyone, but I knew it was the Holy Spirit that had come upon me and that my curse was broken. Praise and honour to his power and to his name.
Finally ............ a thought for to-day
The wonder of it all--just to think that God loves me
I remember talking to someone and ended up telling them the story of my great grandmother, her miraculous healing and how she prayed for me as a young boy. I also told this person that the family was scared to tell her anything that she would disapprove of such as going to the cinema, no matter what the film was it was off limits in her mind.
I told this person that she would never ask a person she met "How are you", she would always ask "Are you saved"? We had a laugh about this during which I had this thought come to mind. It went like this "Actually Trevor she was not enquiring about the person's physical health but their spiritual health"! Oh! I remember how this brought me up short.
I proceeded to the back of the room before the service started and took the last chair on the back row, right next to the exit door. Then internally my mind started to scream "get out of here, leave now". "You do not fit in here, you are right beside the door, no-one will see you go". I wanted to leave, and was just about to get up when I heard the guest pastor's wife say to the assembled congregation "There is someone in this room who wants to leave, don't do it! Stay". I expected all eyes to turn to look at me the 'outsider' but none did and I did stay on for the service.
I had a decision to make go home or stay for the rest of the weekend. But after the word from the pastors wife, I decided to stay, God must have not finished with me. The next day the prophetic discipleship course members congregated in a small beautiful chapel. We all sat around the room with our backs to the wall and after prayer people began to give words of knowledge and explain visions they were seeing. One girl turned to me and said that see saw me in a deep sea divers suit. She said she felt the Lord was saying that I could go as deep with him as I wanted to.
Another young man called Jenson said that he saw a vision of a black bell, except that it was not a bell which was behind a pane of glass, and that the glass shattered to reveal the bell. That vision meant nothing to anyone in the room.
Then it came to Glynis the course leader, and she said she saw a vision of a multi-coloured cockrel with the word Masonic written above it. Bang! My memory sped back to the time when I was about twenty one. I was persuaded by a friend that to progress in work you needed connections, and he thought that the best way was by joining a Masonic lodge. So I was accepted into the local lodge and went through the first initiation rights.
I hated it, when the initiation was over I swore that I would never go back to that dark, evil place. But, I forgot that I had taken an oath during that initiation process, an oath that I had forgot about but the Lord had not.
When I told the people that I had joined the Masonic order many years ago, and the visiting pastor said that they needed to pray for me. That afternoon while the majority of the people on the course were doing other things I found myself in the middle of this small chapel surrounded by four or five people. The visiting pastor explained that the Masons were indeed influenced by demonic activity and that my oath was quite literally a death sentence.
They proceeded to lay hands on me and I remember quite vividly in my mind I took a scroll of paper, ripped it into small pieces while I renounced my oath. I asked the Lord for his forgiveness and mercy and then from the top of my head as the words left my lips this 'tingle' like I had never experienced before in my life proceeded to move down from the crown of my head to the middle of my body. I said nothing to anyone, but I knew it was the Holy Spirit that had come upon me and that my curse was broken. Praise and honour to his power and to his name.
Finally ............ a thought for to-day
The wonder of it all--just to think that God loves me
Wednesday 6 May 2009
My Testimony - Part 5 - The Prophetic Discipleship Course
About 6 years ago during our 'checking out' process at the Derby Community Church my wife spotted a leaflet about a Prophetic Discipleship Course about to start in the church. She said "That is something that would interest you"! She was right! after what happened during the Alpha course concerning the gifts of the spirit I wanted to know more about these gifts of the spirit.On a side note: It is interesting that as I was outlining this part of my testimony I began to think about my motivation for saying I wanted to know more about these gifts of the spirit. I began to question if the prime reason was for manifestations of gifts of the spirit or was it to build a relationship with the Lord? I have to admit that at that stage back then, it was probably the former statement I wanted to see more evidence.
I have been unhappy with myself about this for the past couple of days but as I was driving to work to-day I was listening to an audio tape of the book 'More than a Carpenter' and the speaker spoke the words that Jesus spoke concerning the greatest commandment. This hit home.
Mat 22:37 Jesus said to him, 'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.'
It was as if the Lord said to me, loving is more than using your heart it is also loving me with your mind. The speaker on the CD then went on to say that ours is not meant to be a blind faith. God has given us plenty of evidence of his reality if we but use our minds.
However, I know that if I was around in the time of Jesus I would have been a Thomas. I would have needed to see the evidence of the nail pierced hands and the hole made by the spear in the side of our Lord before believing. The Lord knows everything about me, and by his grace and by his plan, not my plan, back then six years ago he was about to deal with my requirement for evidence.
Getting back to my testimony I still attend the Derby Community Church and go to one of their small groups (in fact the small group met tonight in my home here in Derby). But then as of this day I am not a member of Derby Community Church, as my home church is back in Ireland.
During this time I am talking about I had attended the church only two to three times. I copied the phone number from the Prophetic Discipleship course leaflet and the next day phoned 'Glynis' the lady who was the organiser / leader of the course. How I was accepted onto the course was a divine arrangement. A few phone calls by Glynis to the pastor of the church and I was allowed to join the course. I was told that this was unheard of and I was thrilled to be allowed to take part.
I was brought up as a Presbyterian and the prophetic gifts were not really discussed or their use promoted. So I went into this prophetic course 'blind' in more ways than one. The course was wonderful, people welcoming and friendly. They all had prophetic giftings ranging from speaking in tongues, seeing visions, bringing words of knowledge etc.while I sat learning but 'experiencing' nothing at all! All that is except I got a vision from God. I asked the Lord for a vision and I got one.
How did I know it was a vision? I had never experienced anything like this before, I knew it was not a normal dream. Dreams like this did not have such intensity and clarity.
A few days after asking the Lord for a vision I awoke one morning but I was not awake.(Now that is an Irish statement if ever there was one). I was just on the edge between being fully awake when right before my eyes I saw a picture of a filthy spray gun.
It was paint spray gun the metal hidden behind a layer of black grime. I knew right away that this stood for me, this spray gun was me, covered in sin and filth that I had picked up over the years.
This spray gun was of a type that I was familiar with for spray painting. The pot beneath the gun held the paint, but that is not what attracted my attention. My eyes were drawn to the handle of the gun and attached to that handle was the 'oil filter'. I cannot explain how intensely I examined that oil filter.
In spray painting compressed air is used to force out the paint from the paint pot into the spray gun nozzle. This compressed air contains traces of oil picked up from the air compressor. Left unchecked this oil can contaminate the paint and therefore affect the paint finish. So there is normally an oil filter located somewhere between the paint gun and the air compressor to filter out this oil.
This oil filter in my vision was made of glass and I could 'see' that it contained a mixture of brown coloured oil and water. My focus was fully on this small glass container when the oil and water mixture turned into a crystal clear liquid. The purest liquid I had ever seen. Then I woke up.
I did not need any explanation about what I had seen. The transformation of the oil and water was the effect of the Holy Spirit cleaning me up on the inside. The garbage is still coming into my life through day to day living but the Holy Spirit, washes me continuously.
I believe that the spray gun was not working, and I have asked the Lord on numerous occasions if it will ever work. In my vision there was no hand directing the gun or pulling the trigger to operate the spray gun, it stood alone. I trust that at some time in my life, if I allow the Lord to use me, then the spray gun might work to proclaim God's message of salvation.
The outside of the spray gun may be filthy but if the inside is purified and in the hand of a master painter it can produce a wonderful finish. Good spray painting has little to do with the quality of the spray gun but everything to do with the skill of the painter adjusting the spray gun settings to produce different spray patterns. Holding the spray gun at the optimum distance away from the surface to be painted while moving the spray gun in at a speed and tempo in the right direction to produce a quality finish. Lord use me to deliver the word of your shed blood> the blood that covers the sin of the world.
At the end of the prophetic course there was a weekend away at a retreat. Malcomb one of the other leaders of the course gave me a prophetic word that something wonderful was about to transpire for me on that weekend. He was right, a curse was lifted from my life and I got filled with the Holy Spirit for the first time, and I realised the full impact of my great grandmother's prayer for my salvation as a child.That weekend was the closest I will get to heaven in this life.
Finally ....................... a thought for to-day
The conversion of a soul is the miracle of a moment; the growth of a saint is the task of a lifetime.
Sunday 3 May 2009
My Testimony - Part 4 - A Big Regret
I went on to complete the Alpha course. It was during this period of time I would ask the Lord a question, open my bible and there was the answer to my question. I cannot say that I was following what some people might think of as correct procedures in reaching out to God, But I can only suppose that back then the Lord was still 'getting my attention',
Back then, as it still is to this present day, I still find it difficult to concentrate during prayer time, and back then as happens now the enemy of my soul is always in full attack mode. During prayer my mind seems to flit all over the place.
One particular night as I tried to pray my mind was full of chatter’. That goes no way close to explaining what was going on in my head. It was not a normal level of random thoughts but a screaming mass of noise. I thought that my head would explode.
I cried out to the Lord for help and immediately my mind cleared. Now that word 'cleared' does not adequately explain the experience. No noise, nothing. Pure silence. Intense clarity.
I realised that my mind was sharper than it ever had been. I was amazed, and I knew that the Lord had done this for me. From chaos & confusion to peace and tranquillity. It was a ‘twinkling of an eye’ moment.
Then I did the most amazing thing, a thing I regret to this day, a thing that pains me every time I think about it. I said "Thank you Lord" and got up off my knees and returned to the 'old man' status. What might have happened next I will never know!
Why? Why did I do such a stupid thing? I cannot answer. What might have happened next, always comes to mind when I recall this event. I have said, sorry many times to the Lord, when I remembered this event, and writing this down makes me say ‘sorry Lord’ one more time.
During the summer holidays my girls (my daughters) came over to England and stayed with me and my wife travelled over each weekend. I knew that the difference between the church back home and the local churches (including the one in which I attended the Alpha course) was huge. The differences were in praise and worship the teaching, they wanted life in a service, and I must admit so did I.
Following a bit of 'surfing the net' I discovered that there was another church in Derby in England that ran 'Alpha' courses called the 'Community Church Derby'. My wife Hazel & I 'checked out' this church before the girls arrived for the summer. The praise and worship was wonderful and best of all the people were wonderful.
I had found my second spiritual home, A place & people that would have a huge impact on me as I started our on my walk with the Lord. How big an impact I will cover in the next couple of posts.
Finally .......... a thought for to-day
Salvation is given, not earned.
Back then, as it still is to this present day, I still find it difficult to concentrate during prayer time, and back then as happens now the enemy of my soul is always in full attack mode. During prayer my mind seems to flit all over the place.
One particular night as I tried to pray my mind was full of chatter’. That goes no way close to explaining what was going on in my head. It was not a normal level of random thoughts but a screaming mass of noise. I thought that my head would explode.
I cried out to the Lord for help and immediately my mind cleared. Now that word 'cleared' does not adequately explain the experience. No noise, nothing. Pure silence. Intense clarity.
I realised that my mind was sharper than it ever had been. I was amazed, and I knew that the Lord had done this for me. From chaos & confusion to peace and tranquillity. It was a ‘twinkling of an eye’ moment.
Then I did the most amazing thing, a thing I regret to this day, a thing that pains me every time I think about it. I said "Thank you Lord" and got up off my knees and returned to the 'old man' status. What might have happened next I will never know!
Why? Why did I do such a stupid thing? I cannot answer. What might have happened next, always comes to mind when I recall this event. I have said, sorry many times to the Lord, when I remembered this event, and writing this down makes me say ‘sorry Lord’ one more time.
During the summer holidays my girls (my daughters) came over to England and stayed with me and my wife travelled over each weekend. I knew that the difference between the church back home and the local churches (including the one in which I attended the Alpha course) was huge. The differences were in praise and worship the teaching, they wanted life in a service, and I must admit so did I.
Following a bit of 'surfing the net' I discovered that there was another church in Derby in England that ran 'Alpha' courses called the 'Community Church Derby'. My wife Hazel & I 'checked out' this church before the girls arrived for the summer. The praise and worship was wonderful and best of all the people were wonderful.
I had found my second spiritual home, A place & people that would have a huge impact on me as I started our on my walk with the Lord. How big an impact I will cover in the next couple of posts.
Finally .......... a thought for to-day
Salvation is given, not earned.
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