All else pales into insignificance

One of the things about trusting in the Lord in my trials is that it makes me want to praise Him.  Sometimes I am amazed at how the Lord is able to comfort and strengthen in these times.  If a person was to need comfort in a hard time it is good that a friend comes along with words of comfort.  However, there is something about the Lord speaking to a person that can strengthen more than anything.  He has the ability, because He is omnipresent, to speak through many people and many occurrences which would demonstrate that the voice bringing the comfort has to be something more than the human voice, and when we know that God is in the situation then we know that those words of comfort have an authority that no other words have.

This morning I awoke with praise for the Lord constantly coming into my mind,  I was reminded of how praise is a main factor in attaining victory in our battles as demonstrated in 2 Chronicles ch.20, v22 when all the people had been encouraged to praise the Lord by Jehoshaphat, after he had prayed  for help and been told by the Lord that the battle was His.  When they began to sing and praise, their enemies began to be destroyed.   We are in a spiritual battle where our enemies are not flesh and blood, and we have a great warrior as our Lord who has already won that battle.   Psalm 103 speaks about all the benefits in the Lord but it starts off with these words of praise   'Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise His holy name.  Praise the Lord, my soul.'

I feel to dedicate this post to praising Him, and would like to do it by sharing three songs that I was brought to write at various stages in my walk with Jesus.

Show me Your face Lord

Show me Your face Lord show me Your face
a face full of mercy, compassion and grace
with lips that sing love songs to a world filled with shame
You tell of salvation through Your wonderful name

Show me Your face Lord      

it's all that I seek
It's peace to the troubled 
and strength to the weak
Your eyes see the pain 
that lies deep in a heart
Your ears hear the crying 
of a soul torn apart

So show me Your face Lord
that I might have light
to guide my lame feet
as I walk through the night
to brighten the path
that I know I must take
the one that You took Lord
when you died for my sake

Now I see Your sweet face Lord it's there in Your Word
and 'though for a moment it's just a bit blurred
I know if I only will trust and obey
I'll see You quite clearly one beautiful day



Glory Hallelujah 

Glory Hallelujah I just want to praise Your name
Glory Hallelujah You made me able to stand when I was lame
Glory Hallelujah  Jesus the star of my night
You took me out of my darkness
and brought me into Your glorious light

I was just a prisoner locked in the arms of my worldly desire
sin and degradation burned my soul like raging fire
then I heard You calling - I started seeking Your face
I came to You with sin's death and destruction
You came to me with God's mercy and grace

Now I live in Jesus  -  I'm seated in Heavenly places with Him 
Light is my companion  to show the way to eyes grown dim 
I'm hearing from the Father -  being taught by the Spirit of Life
No more in agony, in pain and in misery
No more in worry and in strife

All else pales

All else pales into insignificance 
as I stand within Your glorious light
all my so called good intentions 
turn from brightness to the darkest night
Every deed I thought was righteousness 
brought before Your hand of grace
slowly changes into filthy rags 
as I stand and look into Your face

All else pales into insignificance 
as I kneel before Your Holy throne
all my plans of self sufficiency 
start to fall and crumble like sand stone
Every thought I ever leaned upon 
now becomes a worthless dream
and I see my own humility 
as I fall before my God supreme

All else pales into insignificance 
as I'm sheltered by Your mighty power
and the strength I once relied upon 
dries and withers like a fragile flower
All my doubt, my fear, my hopelessness 
soon becomes a passing thing
All else pales into insignificance 
as I stand and look upon my King

Believing is seeing

Last Saturday morning I picked up my mobile phone and noticed that one of my granddaughters had tried to ring me.  My mobile was on 'silent' mode, I usually only text messages and that only when necessary, and so I texted her to find out what she wanted.  She texted me back and said that one of my songs had just dropped into her head and she felt she had to let me know.  The song, she went on to say, was 'By grace am I saved, through faith not of myself, it is the gift of God'. 
  

It was part of a song which began

You taught me how to love 
when all else was failing 
You taught me how to love 
You showed me how to care  
You taught me how to love 
You showed me the way Lord  
For when I needed You 
You was always there 

We used to sit on the floor of my granddaughter's bedroom when she lived with us for a year, with my guitar, and sing this and many other songs together.

There was great meaning for me in Hayley sending me this text with these words about faith in it, for the Lord has been speaking to me concerning faith for a few weeks.  When I wrote my post called  'I will love Thee O Lord my strength' on 2nd March 2013  I mentioned that the Lord had been speaking to me through the verse about Thomas, where Jesus said to Thomas 'Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.' (John ch.29 v.29)' , mentioning that someone phoned me asking 'Is that Thomas?' to which I answered 'No, this is not Thomas.'  

The very next day after publishing this post I had once more a person, I believe maybe the same one, phone me and ask  'Is that Thomas?' to which I again replied 'No, this is not Thomas'.  I believe absolutely this was the Lord's way of encouraging me to trust in Him for healing me from what I spoke about in my March 2nd post, and not to think of healing from the  carnal aspect of 'Seeing is believing.' but to think of it from the Spiritual aspect of 'Believing is seeing.'  

Now I was feeling that the Lord was actually going to heal me from my ailment after 22 years and when I opened my Bible to read, as I thought about this, I opened straight to the page containing Psalm 103 where the Psalmist is instructing his soul to praise the Lord and forget not all His benefits, including forgiving sins and  healing all diseases.   I asked the Lord that if He was telling me through this that He was going to heal me, then to have me open to this page again, which I did immediately.

After my granddaughter sent me the text last Saturday, I thought about all these things that had happened recently.   I remembered the fact that I had initially asked the Lord all those years ago to teach me about sickness and healing, as I could not understand why healing did not always happen after prayer. When I asked why in a church in Adelaide I had been healed miraculously when someone had prayed for me, He revealed to me that it had been the prayer of faith used at that time.  I wanted to learn more about sickness and healing and after I asked, my trial began.


Saturday night I had a dream in which there were two huge screens in front of me on which were written 'By grace am I saved, through faith not of myself it is the gift of God.' and many voices were singing the song that had dropped into my granddaughter's head that morning.  Once again 'faith' was being emphasized to me.  On Sunday morning I opened my Bible to read and opened straight to Romans ch. 4, a chapter on faith.  Verses 3-5 read 'What does Scripture say?  'Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.'  Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation.  However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness.'

The end of verse 13 declares that 'righteousness' as 'the righteousness that comes by faith.'  So righteousness comes only from believing unquestionably what God has said to me regardless of what my eyes or my carnal mind might try to tell me.  If I, as Abraham did, believe what God has said to me then God will bring to pass His promise to me just as He brought to pass His promise to Abraham.  


I choose to believe the Word that the Lord has spoken to me, not what my eyes see and my carnal mind might try to tell me, and  I demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

I praise You Lord

This morning I have awoken and can not stop singing this little song over and over in my mind so I thought I would include it.

Cause me my God to trust in You
cause me to live in Your will
help me to rest in Your love for me
cause me my Lord to be still

Cast from my heart all doubt and fear
take from my flesh life's pain
fill me with sunshine and righteousness
wash me with faith's gentle rain

Take all the sorrow this world has known
take it - replace it with love
send forth Your Spirit - make us Your own
bring life to this world from above

Just another pebble on the beach

Last Saturday, just after I awoke, something I had written long ago came into my mind.  It was an article I had put in a little booklet that I had entitled 'Days in my life', in which were accounts of occurrences in my life through which I have experienced the teachings of God, and some of the poetry that I have written as a result of those experiences. 

  The teacher that God has used,
   the One whom He uses with all
   who  believe on His Son Jesus
   Christ, is the Holy Spirit, and in
   a sense 'Days in my life' is yet
   another small portion of my own
   personal 'Book of Numbers',
   God speaking to me as I journey
   through my wilderness towards
   the promised land.

   After I had looked for, and found,
   the article in this booklet, I thought
   I would share it in a post

Just another pebble on the beach

I had been cleaning at the local college of further education for about six weeks.  The job required that I rose early in the morning to be in work for five, finishing at eight.  I had taken the job to earn extra money to buy a new computer, which I believed was much needed in order to produce the booklets, cards and laminated poetry wall hangings that I had started to make.  Two years earlier I had registered a small cottage industry which had never really got off the ground, and I thought the few hours work in the morning would provide me with the extra money needed, while also leaving me plenty of time to create the products, and the college was walking distance away from where we lived.   Everything seemed just right.

I had initially sought the Lord over whether I should try for the job or not, and had felt that He was saying 'no' through the scripture in Isaiah ch. 30 v.1 'Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help' being brought to my attention many times, 'Egypt' meaning the worldly way of doing things.  Part of me had felt that I should go and get the money for the equipment by looking for a job, at the same time realizing that I would have less time to spend on my writing, and part of me had been telling me to carry on doing what I was able to do with the equipment I already had, and that the Lord would provide the extra equipment at the time that He thought I needed it.   After some reasoning the 'go and get the money' part of me won and I took the job, not really wanting to believe that the Lord had actually spoken to me through the scriptures.

By now, after six weeks of working at the job, I had realized that the voice from the scriptures was by far the wisest.   I was so tired from rising at just after four in the morning that I found I was coming home, having a shower and sleeping for most of the morning, too worn out to do any of my writing. 

I had seen two things in the college that reminded me of the Lord and what He required of me.  One was a picture of 'The Light of the World' hanging on a wall, and the other was a sculpture called 'Rebirth by Fire'.  I believed I was being called as a witness for Jesus, through my writing, to be a light in this dark world and to tell of rebirth and salvation through Jesus Christ.  It was not about running a business.

There was also a photograph of pebbles on a beach.  One of the pebbles had an image of a very sad, sleeping face on it.  This photograph moved my heart in a strange way.  I imagined the face on the pebble was dreaming of what might have been, but that the tide would soon come in and wash away those dreams and it would remain 'just another pebble on the beach', never being able to get out from its rut.  I saw myself never being able to fulfil my purpose as a believer if I carried on trying to do things my own way.

The word 'procrastination' had also been brought to my attention several times and it caused me to think that procrastination and time, just like the tide in the pebble's situation, would wash away my dreams if I allowed them to.  I had become a hindrance to what God was trying to do through me and trying to get things done faster by my own methods was actually slowing things down.  My times are in God's hands and every day of my life is written in His book before even one of them was formed, and I am gradually coming to realize that what He requires me to do has to be done in His time, not mine.

I realized two things here, that to simply obey what the Lord is telling me to do without question was by far the wisest thing to do, but I also learned that God knows the way we  will take and that He is patient and long-suffering with us as He allows us to learn by our mistakes, thereby delivering us in our affliction.  Job ch.36 v.15.

Realizing my mistake I sought the Lord for advice, this time with the full intention of acting on it  That morning the reading in my 'Daily Bread' Christian booklet was from Exodus ch.18 vs.17,18 'This thing that you are doing is not good.  You will surely wear out'.  How appropriate!  I read from my Bible in the book of Ecclesiastes ch.4 v.13 'Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who will no more be admonished.'  (That was me well and truly told.), and from the book of Ecclesiastes ch.5 v.13 'There is a grievous evil which I have seen under the sun, riches were kept by their owner to his hurt'.  These scriptures spoke straight into my situation.  I was definitely worn out, and was foolish for not taking the advice not to go after the job in the first place.  I was also being warned about keeping the spiritual riches, which I believed God wanted me to share through my writings, to myself.

The next day I bought some spaghetti that I noticed was called 'Seeds of change'.  That night I had a dream in which I was handing in my notice at work, and the following morning the daily reading in my devotional booklet was entitled 'Changed priorities', and the scripture was 'They immediately left their nets and followed Him.'  The message was loud and clear, I had to leave my own work and follow Jesus, thereby getting my priorities right.

Without hesitation I gave my notice in the next day.  Amazingly, the reading in another daily devotional that I received that very morning was 'He will perfect that which concerns me' and the next sentence said 'Don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow, God will help you deal with whatever things come up'.

Amen.

My journey through the wilderness Part 3

This is the final section of part of my early testimony, shortly after being born again into Christ.  

As I studied the Bible daily I could see that I could be one of two types of believers.  This fact was highlighted to me by the story related in Luke ch.18 vs.10 - 14, which reads:-  'Two men went up into the temple to pray: the one a Pharisee and the other a publican.  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God I thank thee that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.  I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I posses.'  And the publican, standing afar off would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying 'God be merciful to me a sinner.'  There was arrogance and pride in the Pharisee's prayer, but lowliness and humility in the prayer of the publican.  We are told that the publican went down to his house justified rather than the Pharisee.

This parable was spoken to some who trusted in their own righteousness and looked down on others.  I knew that I had no righteousness of my own and could only come before Jesus with the attitude of the publican.  I wrote these prayers to Him, and I believe He spoke back to me,  in the form of  songs.

Lord have mercy

Lord have mercy take pity on a poor man like me

I'm unworthy can't you see not holy like the Pharisee

have mercy on a sinner such as me

Some people say 'What good are you

you don't worship God as we'

but humility and honesty 

are what You're looking for in me

So Lord have mercy take pity on a poor man like me

I'm unworthy can't you see not holy like the Pharisee

have mercy on a sinner such as me

I want to dedicate my life to you

I want no fame nor wealth

I want to serve You with a heart that's true

but I can't do it by myself

So Lord have mercy take pity on a poor man like me

I'm unworthy can't You see not holy like the Pharisee

have mercy on a sinner such as me


Lost in the world

Lost in the world
I was entangled in sin and shame
Lord that was when I met You
Then from my grave I heard You calling
calling my name
with a voice that was gentle but true

'Turn around my child and look at me'
were the words that were piercing my heart
'Turn around from your sin - be set free
come to me and make a new start'

Then water so pure 
and crystal clear
was washing away
all my doubt and my fear
and the tears ran free 
as You said to me
'Weep no more child 
I have bought your peace
I have suffered in your place
all the blows the world has dealt you
I have taken on my face
Turn around turn around
and I will forgive
turn around turn around
turn around child and live


For I take no pleasure 
in the death of a soul
turn around seek my face child
and I'll make you whole

Strive no more child, I can bring release

I regained what you had lost

righteousness was purchased for you

when they nailed me to that cross

Turn around turn around

and I will forgive

turn around turn around

turn around child and live

For I take no pleasure in the death of a soul

turn around, seek my face child

and I'll make you whole

Sin no more child - turn and look at me
see that I have paid the price
so that You could have salvation
I became the sacrifice
Turn around turn around
and I will forgive
turn around turn around 
turn around child and live
For I take no pleasure in the death of a soul
turn around seek my face child 
and I'll make you whole

No I take no pleasure in the death of a soul
turn around seek my face child
and I'll make you whole

If we trust in Jesus He will lead us to that promised land.  There is no other way to be reconciled back to God.   1 Timothy ch.2 v.5 says:- 

There is One God and there is one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all.'

My final song I dedicate to that One God and His mediator:-

God sent His Son to us

God sent His Son to us 

ever to rule over us

Jesus came to teach us God's ways

here to take away the lies 

shining in life's darkened skies

evermore to brighten our days

He sent His Son to die

crucified for you and I

full of pain He hung on that tree

'though He was in agony

with words of love He begged for me

a pardon for my sins and set me free

Jesus walked upon the Earth

to buy for us our second birth

that we might see the Father some day

taking all the ridicule

from holy man and Godless fool

for you and me He always would pray

He gave His life so willingly

that I might live eternally

And now I want that I should be

just like the One who died for me

Jesus Lord I call on Your name

Mold me shape me by Your will

tell my troubled soul 'Be still'

take away my sin and my shame

Jesus walk upon those waves

reach out to me the hand that saves

I'm sinking fast and don't know what to do

Lift me from this troubled sea

Oh Father change me destiny

and set me on the road back home to You

Lift me from this troubled sea

Oh Father change me destiny

and set me on the road back home to You

The whole of this three part testimony was written shortly after becoming born again and  being  baptised in the Holy Spirit.   In the letter that the apostle Paul wrote to Philemon he writes in verse 6 'and I pray that the sharing of your faith may promote the knowledge of all the good that is ours in Christ.', and this is what I believe sharing our testimonies does.  

There is a beautiful Welsh word 'dysgu', pronounced 'dusgee' The reason I say it is beautiful is because it means both to learn and to teach, and describes perfectly 2 Corinthians ch.1 vs.3 and 4, which says that we are comforted by God in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 

There is learning and teaching in our trials but both are brought about by the Holy Spirit, and all credit goes to God.

My journey through the wilderness - Part 2

Sure enough, it was not long before I was experiencing all the trials and temptations that the children of Israel had experienced.  The battles were many, just like theirs, only theirs had been physical and mine were spiritual.  Glimpses of an easier time in my old, sinful life flashed through my mind, just like their thoughts had turned to the cucumbers and melons they had enjoyed in Egypt instead of the daily 'manna' they had to eat in the wilderness.

 

Sometimes it was very hard to put into practice God's word, even though I knew it was for my own good.  I knew that I had to let go of all the things that were sinful in my nature, the things that opposed God.  I had to leave behind my old life, I had been born again of God's Spirit and now had to learn His ways.  I had to have my mind renewed in Christ.  My old way of life had brought separation from God, the spiritual death that all mankind had inherited through Adam.

As I was shown scripture in Colossians ch. 3 vs.5-10, telling me to 'put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming.  In these you too once walked, when you were living in them.  But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.  Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.'  my natural mind told me 'impossible'.  However, by then I was already being shown that what was not possible with man was possible with God and my prayers to Him, and even what I felt were His instruction to me, had been coming out in a way which was completely extraordinary to me, in song and poem form.  



There were other scriptures which I was shown that the natural mind might interpret as harsh, as in DON'T DO THAT!!, but which my renewed mind was beginning to see more as a loving voice saying 'Child, I don't want you to be deceived into walking away from the blessings in Me'.  One of those scriptures was Hebrews ch. 6 vs. 4-6. 'For it is impossible in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the Word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding Him up to contempt.'  

  

The more I prayed to God to help me on my journey, the more He kept feeding me with the Word to instruct me, and giving me songs and poems of encouragement.  

The following are a song and poem that were written at particularly difficult stages of my Christian walk, and a scripture of encouragement that was given to me during that time.

Let go

Let go of the things that are holding you child

the things that will keep you from Me

each sin you hold onto is forming the crown 

that was placed on My head can't you see
Let the chains round your heart be unlocked by My love
let the light of My truth enter in
there's no longer a sentence of death on you child
if you'll only let go of your sin

Let go, let go of your burden my child
lift your eyes and look into My face
see the blood running out from the wound in My side
as I'm nailed to this cross in your place
see the water that flows from beneath My torn heart
it's a river of life to you now
but while you're holding on to the things of this world
there's a thorn pressing deep in My brow

So let go of the things that are drawing you back
to this world and its pleasures again
for although they appear to be joy for a while
they can only bring suffering and pain
I was wounded and pierced for the sins of this world
My stripes show the terrible price
and if you turn again from what I've saved you from
there remains no more sacrifice  


Put away the mirror child

Put away the mirror child  lay it on a shelf
it won't reflect perfection  it only shows you self
look into the well of life and see another face
the face of God the Father - full of truth and grace

This water  - it will cleanse you from the filthiness of sin
throw off the rags of this world - come son of Adam step in
Yes put away the mirror child and lay it on a shelf
lest you forget what God's making you 
.......... and become your former self

'Therefore brothers and sisters, we have an obligation - but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it.  For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.  For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.'  Romans ch.8 vs.12-14 

Thank You Father for sending us Your Holy Spirit which we could only receive through the amazing sacrifice of Your Son Jesus.  'By this He meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive.  Up to that time the Spirit had not been given since Jesus had not yet been glorified'. John ch.7 v.39  


Easter Poem

Forever grateful Father
that You gave your precious Son
who, knowing His awesome destiny
said 'Not my will but Your will be done'
Yet it pleased You to bruise Him Father
so that I might have peace and be healed
for through this one act of sacrifice
was Your gift of salvation revealed

Forever remembering Jesus
that You hung upon that tree
taking the pain and punishment
that was meant for a sinner like me
Yet You chose not to open Your mouth Lord
and call on the Heavenly host
to come to Your aid on that lonely day
No...... You suffered and gave up the ghost

Forever Yours Holy Spirit
while You teach me and make all things clear
chastising me when I go astray
and wiping away each tear
Oh Father I love and respect You
and Jesus I want to obey
so guide me great Spirit and keep me
'til my Lord returns for me one day

Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift.  2 Corinthians ch.8 v.15

My journey through the wilderness- Part 1

I came across some older writings of mine containing part of my early testimony and thought I would share it on my blog.  Although we put posts on our blogs, we can sometimes know very little of one another's testimonies so I thought it would be nice to share a little of mine on this post.   It will be in two or three parts because of the length of it.

Coming out of Egypt

I had not long come into the church and many Christians, wishing to help me in my Christian walk, brought me books and tapes on Christian doctrines, so many in fact that I began to feel swamped.  Up until that time I felt my teaching had been very pure, from the Holy Spirit, just God and me and the Bible.  Now I had all these different voices coming in from different directions, and when I tried to learn from these tapes and books they appeared to contradict one another.  So I asked God to show me what was true.  My prayer came out in the form of a song.

Crossroads

Father I ask You which road do I take
which sign points the way to Your throne
I'm stood at the crossroads of life and death
and I can't find the way on my own
I can't find the way on my own, my own

I can't find the way on my own                                         
I'm stood at the crossroads of life and death
and I can't find the way on my own

Show me the way Lord to blessing and life
I ask You to open my eyes
There's so many voices saying 'This is the way'
I can't tell the truth from the lies
I can't tell the truth from the lies - the lies
I can't tell the truth from the lies
There's so many voices saying 'This is the way'
I can't tell the truth from the lies

So take my hand Jesus and lead me along 
the road leading back to my God
I want no great riches in this world of sin 
I need only Your staff and Your rod

I need only Your staff and Your rod my Lord 
I need only Your staff and Your rod
I want no great riches in this world of sin 
I need only Your staff and Your rod

God answered me through several scriptures that I knew the Holy Spirit was pointing out to me.  I was shown that when the Israelites were coming out of Egypt they were told to eat only unleavened bread (Exodus ch.13 v.3).  I could see that as a newly born Christian (part of God's spiritual Israel) I was at that stage spiritually, just coming out from the slavery of the world, so I too had to eat unleavened bread.  I wanted to know what these words meant spiritually, as the Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians ch. 2 v.14 'But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.'  I wanted to know what God was telling me here.  

^{I could see from Matthew ch. 16 vs. 6 - 12 that the word 'leaven' referred to 'man added' doctrine.  'Be careful', Jesus said to them.  Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.'  They discussed this among themselves and said, 'It is because we didn't bring any bread.'}  Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, “You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? How is it you don’t understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

The whole of John ch. 6 is about Jesus being the bread of life.  He is also portrayed as the 'Word of God'  in John ch.1 v.1.  I felt the Holy Spirit was telling me that I had to receive the undoctrined word of God.  Some of the books and tapes that I had been given appeared to have teachings that were additional to, and which appeared to me to contradict, the scriptures.  The words that my father often spoke to settle arguments when issues arose amongst we his children, 'Let's see what the Lord says',  constantly came back to my mind, so I sought the Lord for His guidance and wisdom in my trials.   I also realized, as the Bible says, that the gate would be narrow and hard would be the road that led to life,(Matthew ch. 7 vs. 13,14), and there could be no compromising with the world if I was to serve God and work out my salvation. 

The children of Israel, on their journey to the promised land, had gone through many trials and temptations, and many had fallen on the way.  I would travel a similar journey and they would be an example to me of what to do and what not to do as I learned.  The Bible confirms this in Paul's first letter to the Corinthians in Corinthians ch.10 vs. 1 - 11 which reads 'For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea.  They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.  They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiriutal rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.  Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.  Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did.  Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: 'The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.'  We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did -and in one day twenty three thousand of them died. We should not test Christ, as some of them did and were killed by snakes.  And do not grumble, as some of them did and were killed by the destroying angel.  These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come.'

I did not want to fall so I prayed to God constantly to help me.  One of my prayers took the form of a poem which I called :-

No compromise

Father keep me faithful 
to all that I have heard
while listening to Your Spirit 
ground me in Your Word
Keep me on that path Lord 
upon that narrow road

no matter how hard the journey 
no matter how heavy the load
Lord keep me obedient 
to all You're telling me
release me from all worldly bonds
Father set me free

And Lord if I should grumble
saying 'Manna every day'
remind me of Your sacrifice
and the price You had to pay
Open up my ears Lord 
to all You're telling me


for Lord I know Your discipline
can only set me free
and God forbid that I should fall
because of unbelief
when seeking after worldly things
can only bring me grief


So if a soul should say to me
'Just a little compromise'

remind me that a little sin
is still sin in Your eyes
and who am I to tamper
with the perfect Word of God
when I know the One who holds the staff
can also use the rod
So Lord prepare that place for me
that mansion in the sky
for although I've not yet won the race
.... I'm really going to try