Archive for May, 2006
You are currently browsing the Philip K Stone blog archives for May, 2006.
31
May
2006
Maze Stadium
Good New I believe today from the government regarding the new sports stadium for Northern Ireland. Good to see that Belfast doesn’t get everything now! Looking forward to seeing Northern Ireland play at the Maze!
31
May
2006
Our Hiding Place
Isn’t it comforting to know that we can Run to a Hiding Place? To a God who loves us, to a God who wants to carry us all the time.
Psalm 32v7
You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah (reflect on that!)
This morning I was out for a dander and I watched with interest as a Squirel was chased by TWO dogs. I found it interesting that the squirrel ran past a few trees before climbing to safety or its hiding place. I began to think how we also have places to run to hide from evil or attack, But only one Place is Really a Safe place to run to – Gods Arms of Love! The footprints poem helps us visualise what it means to be carried in the arms of God!
How wonderful that we can Hide in God, Knowing that while we are in His arms NOTHING will Hurt or destroy us!
2 Thessalonians 3:3
But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one
Today lets Choose God as our Refuge, our Hiding place! Not just in the Hard times or the unsafe times, but lets be challenged to Live our Lives in Gods Arms!
30
May
2006
True Surrender
I have a confession to make, I have misused the word “Surrender” so many times! In Christian Life “Surrender” is a word that I have grown up to know ‘as a requirement to step into greater things in God’, but for me it has nearly turned into a word that sounds good in my prayers. This morning as I looked over my life I realised that there were many things from the past I had not surrendered to God, So Out loud I started to Surrender these to God! i tell you, the feeling of release was enough to make it a worthwhile experience!
The dictionary meaning for Surrender:
1. To relinquish possession or control of to another because of demand or compulsion.
2. To give up in favor of another.
3. To give up or give back (something that has been granted): surrender a contractual right.
4. To give up or abandon: surrender all hope.
5. To give over or resign (oneself) to something, as to an emotion: surrendered himself to grief.
6. Law To restore (an estate, for example), especially to give up (a lease) before expiration of the term.
My favouite from above is To give up or give back. Surrender must mean that “I’m gonna change regardless of circumstances” In a God Sense it means, “God, I can’t do it, You can, so here it is, take this and help me get through”
Sometimes in life we face battles or storms, to quote the Lyrics of one my favourite songs we need to say from our hearts the words “Today, I choose, To Follow You”.
Mark James wrote an amazing song about Surrender, the lyrics paint for me a picture of the type of Surrender I Desire in my Walk with God!
I’m giving you my heart, and all that is within
I lay it all down for the sake of you my King
I’m giving you my dreams, I’m laying down my rights
I’m giving up my pride for the promise of new life And I surrender all to you, all to you
And I surrender all to you, all to you
I’m singing You this song, I’m waiting at the cross
And all the world holds dear, I count it all as loss
For the sake of knowing You for the glory of Your name
To know the lasting joy, even sharing in Your pain
I lay it all down for the sake of you my King
I’m giving you my dreams, I’m laying down my rights
I’m giving up my pride for the promise of new life And I surrender all to you, all to you
And I surrender all to you, all to you
I’m singing You this song, I’m waiting at the cross
And all the world holds dear, I count it all as loss
For the sake of knowing You for the glory of Your name
To know the lasting joy, even sharing in Your pain
29
May
2006
Power and Purpose!
Amy bought me a new NASB Bible at the weekend! And this morning as one must do with a new Bible, it was time to go back to Genesis ch.1 – wow! How powerful God is, that His word or words can bring so much into being!
My thought pattern as it often does began to drift, lets look at a few of these poweful statements in Genesis.
“3. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.”
No He didn’t say it would be nice if it wasn’t dark, he didn’t speak negative before making it be, there was no great length of words, just straight to the point – “Let there be light” – Why so effective? Because God is in control! He is the creater, He is in charge, He is all powerful!
“26.Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
I was telling a few people about a moment I had several weeks ago looking out the back of Phils house, I was watching the cows eat grass, dump, walk a bit, eat grass ,,,,, (you get the picture) - I said to myself there is Gods Creation – the cow fulfilling its purpose, eating grass to produce milk and one day a few sirloin steaks.
But what about humans, what is our purpose, more to the point, Christians what is your/my purpose. For some reason we need to be in a seen part of ministry, to be on the pulpit, on tv, healing the sick or stuff like that to be fulfilling our purposes in life? Our purpose is maybe as wee see in verse 26 to look after animals, our families, our friends, to Love Gods creation, we are created in Gods image – an image that reflects Love, and likewise maybe our purpose is to use the power we have were we rule in everyday life to Love as well, so for a father to Love his Children, for a manager to love and care for His staff, for a Builder to Love and take care of the buidling that one will inhabit, for a Teacher to Love and care for the children under his/Her care.
Maybe our Purpose is simpler than I thought.
Today make Your Primary purpose in Life to LOVE!
26
May
2006
Passion for …?
What a fantastic word! Passion, We’ve seen and heard this word used in so many things, for Sports, for relationships, in the Movies. What are you passionate for?
Sometimes i like to study words, so hence when I think of the word passion i find it means;
-A powerful emotion, such as love, joy, hatred, or anger
-Ardent love, lust.
-Boundless enthusiasm
-An abandoned display of emotion, especially of anger
-The sufferings of Jesus
-Martyrdom
When you consider some of the words above heres the question, what are we really passionate about? I’m not asking what would we like to be passionate about? but rather What are we Passionate about?
As Christians we all want to “be passionate about Jesus“, We desire for that to get deeper. Pastor Phil a few weeks ago talked about our “roots”, what have we put or roots into, what do we spend most of our time doing. If you put your time and energies and passion into God, then you will not fall in the times of the storm as You will have deep roots, but when we have shallow roots a gentle storm can make us topple!
Lets get rid of sinful passions today – and replace them with Godly Passions
Galatians 5:24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Today lets be a generation of “passionate believers of God”
Lets face it, when its a passion – It’s not ritual!
