Blind Side

The Blind Side, I would say is this years smash Hit! Its is that good. I loved the film and saw it twice. Lets have a little look at it.
Firstly I would like to quote a friend. When we walked out the Cinema, I asked the standard question about liking the film. She said "It was good to see a film with the Christians being portrayed as normal". What a great quote. I'm not starting a discussion on whether that should be so or what, but the baseline statement is true. Christians are generally portrayed in poor light. Not always but sometimes.....
Yet however the film did have some funny moments, with at one time Bullock offering Micheal, the guy she offered a place to sleep a bedroom. Also how she had to find a room. This is funny for one reason in that she lived a massive mansion, with two kids? How hard can it be?
The film is based on a true story, with a family taking a young black boy from the slums into their home to live and eventually become part of their family. This idea is just what Jesus spoke of in his parable of the Sheep and Goats.
"Come, blessed of my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry, and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me drink. I was a stranger, and you took me in. I was naked, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you visited me. I was in prison, and you came to me."
Should we be living a more outrageous love style to our fellow man? Or is this too extreme?
We don't know the motives of the women(Bullock), but whatever the reasons are; at the end of the film, she says that she has God to thank for him and what he did to her and her family. I'm sure that her Christian Faith had something to do with it. I think though the film shed this fact in a good and positive light, but perhaps more emphasis would be good?
The film was a classic feel good film, based on a true story. I would hugely recommend it. 8/10

Trusting in the Lord

Yesterday I was planning to make a PhoneCall to ask whether a guy would give me a job, and the Holy Spirit prompted me to read a little Devotional Book I picked up in Charlotte Airport USA. Its called Jesus Calling. SO I picked it up and went to the 30th March. This is what it said:
I am taking Care of you. Trust me at all time. Trust me in all circumstances. Trust me with all your heart. When you are weary and everything seems to be going wrong, you can still utter these four words "I trust you Jesus". By doing so, you release matters into my control, and you fall back into security of my everlasting arms.
Before you arise from your bed in the morning, I have already arranged the events of your day. Everyday provides many opportunities for you to learn my ways and grow closer to me. Signs of my presence brighten even the dullest day when you have eyes that really see. Search for me as for hidden treasure. I will be found by you.
Proverbs 3:5, Deuteronomy 33:27, Jeremiah 29:13-14.
The guy on the phone had no job or anything to offer. Maybe we should be on the lookout for times when God speaks so clearly in our lives all the time and not just at pivotal moments?

Adopted

Over the last few weeks I have been very good and been getting my study reading done on time. But I have been struck with a certain Doctrine that makes me cry out in Praise and perhaps write a book(maybe! LOL)
Adoption!!!! We as Christians are Adopted, loved and part of the Family of God. You might be thinking, well that is good, but its not new. Well maybe something I found out might change that.
God did not have to Adopt us!! Saved us yes, but not adopt. As much as he did not NEED to save, he did and the same goes for Adoption.
In Ephesians we see this truth
Eph 1:5 In love he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will.
Jhn 1:12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.

We are now Children of God, adopted into His Family, WE ARE FAMILY. Words cannot describe the glory of this truth.

We have seen that God did not need to do this in:
Gal 3:26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith
1Jo 3:1-2 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.

Being In Christ, gives us this privilege of being a Child of God. But is was possible for God to save us and and yet not be members of His Family. Angels are like this apparently, Heb 2:14-16. We are helped the Angels are not, says the writer of the Hebrews.

Lets look at what we have because of this.
We can call God "Father", he loves us and understands us. He has compassion on us and so joins us in his Suffering and we in His. Takes care of our needs and gives us gifts on Earth and Heaven. We have Him living with us, and he is with us always, as a parent should be. We are disciplined as Children, he rebukes and corrects us because is a simply a parent who cares and loves his Children. He gives us a Family to us all. A first family for some and a new for others. Also like Children Please their parents, we too can please our "Daddy" in Heaven and he rejoices over us. His thoughts towards us as countless as the sand on the sea shore.
A forgiver or Sins!

Lets remember this Brothers and Sisters.

A Tyrant Child to a Loved Child of God

In the evening, of the Sunday night at Above Bar Church, a conversation started that took my attention completely. I was talking about how to ride a Bike, and how so many people can't. It always seemed to me a standard Childhood experience, that most people have. But.........I was proved wrong. We forget the variety of Childhood experiences we as individuals have. My Childhood suddenly came into the conversation, to which I cannot remember how, but I have story, that I would love to share.
As a Child my father passed away from Lung Cancer when I was about 5years old. I didn't know how to grieve; but I did as if by nature assume the Male Dominance role. My mother had a Boyfriend called "Teddy", to whom I hated. I can only explain it in that he walked onto my patch, my pride and my home. Therefore War was declared, with unilateral approval.
I swore, hit and made him feel rubbish as much as I could. Every opportunity I got I made his life a misery and most likely my mothers too. Can this behavior be excused? Understood maybe, but not excused. It was a violated of trust and a show of utter hatred to a man I hardly knew. Now I have a story that should bring a smile to your face, but also a cry or two.
One day he came round, and I obviously decided that calling him names etc was not working. So I had to up the warfare. I decided to sabotage his car. I came to him with a smile and being all nice, to which he must of thought something was up? But allowed me to clean the car. So after getting the Hosepipe out to clean the car, I stuck the pipe up his exhaust. You can imagine the rest.
Shortly after my Mum and Teddy were no longer together, other reasons were part of it also.
But what is the point of me telling you this? Well, over the next few years things started to change, life took a turn for the worse. But fast forwarding a bit, God came into the picture. He came and changed me and adopted me. What Joy!!!! He came and took a tyrant child and lavished his Love on me. I still make many mistakes and need to be forgiven as many as Seventy Times Seven a day, but God is the Father of me the Prodigal Son. I am loved and adored. This is my story, or at least a part of it. I would like to say sorry to Teddy, what I did was wrong, if I ever see you again, please forgive me. Because I forgive you as I have been forgiven.