No:1 Target.

Stephen.

The first Christian to be martyred, Stephen was picked out by liberal minded men and this is a serious warning to every believer. These men were not able to prove Stephen wrong, so they had no excuses to justify their own sin.

We must be careful when sharing our faith not to button hole or push people and to pull back. But Stephen was only telling them the truth and it cost him his life.

They set him up, just like the religious men set up Jesus. So please don't think that being a Christian is about being a do gooder and it is an easy ride?

Matthew 26:59-61,  Acts 6:9-15.

Crib n Cross. Part-Three.

Born of the Virgin.

It is a miracle the birth of Jesus, He God incarnate came from Heaven and was chosen to be conceived into human flesh by the Holy Spirit to a young virgin girl named Mary. The Angel Gabri'el was sent by God to tell her that she was the chosen one to bear the Messiah. Luke 1:26-35.

After Jesus was born Mary married Joseph and they went on to have normal relations and a big family. We see later on 30 years later His earthly mother coming with His brothers and sisters to get Him.  Matthew 12:46-49.

Roman Catholicism and many branches of the Christian Church venerate Mary, before Jesus and this is a false teaching. Jesus must be and is the only focus for our need to change our mental attitudes and be saved from Eternal Damnation. 1 John 5:20.

Crib n Cross. Part-Two.

Born to Die.

The story of the baby Jesus, does not end after Christmas He grows up helping His earthly father Joseph the carpenter in Nazareth. We learn from the bible that He was a perfect child. John 6:42.

But Mary still had to clean up after Him, when a babe and toddler! He stayed behind in Jerusalem talking to the teachers of the Law. Luke 2:46.

But when rebuked He obeyed his parents.  Luke 2:51.

The story of Jesus life is about doing what mum and dad needed Him to do, until His time was ready for ministry of healing and then He had to go to the Cross/stake/tree for us.  Mark 14:21.

Crib n Cross. Part-One.

Star of Jacob.

Do you ever bother to look up at the night sky and ponder the stars, along time ago the wisemen of three great world powers looked up nightly waiting for that event.

The prophet Daniel, the guy put in with the lions he was the one who trained the Magi and they kept to his words.   
Daniel 6:7, 12.

It is strage how God intervenes in peoples lives? 

There was mad Baalim, you know the one who heard his donkey talking to him. He was given this prophecy and that is why the wisemen came to see Jesus. 
Numbers 24:17,  Matthew 2:2.

What will you be doing this Christmas, drinking, stuffing yourself, music and sex or perhaps its time to let Him who knocks the door of your heart IN.  
Luke 11:9, Revelation 3:20.

Urban Terrorists.

'Guy Fawkes.

(Please note, sorry have had a few Internet connection problems and have missed a couple of weeks).

A very British terrorist who is annually celebrated for his defeat on the 5th November. Today we are under constant threat in Russia and the west from home-grown or 'woodbie terrorism, as was seen in Canada last month.

When people run out of talking they resolve to terror and intimidation to get what they want, but for us this should not be our way.

Matthew 5:10-12, John 18:10-11.

Incest. Part-One.

Lot.

The bible is a great book to read, because it deals with all aspects of the human character and this scares many people off.

Many Christians do not like to mention these subjects that we have been covering, because they have become taboo.

But these things need to be discussed and avoided, because there are always bad out comes for our actions if they are not dealt with and sorted out.

Lot the nephew of Abraham was made drunk and silly by his daughters, who slept with him and produced children. These children later became a problem to the people of Israel in the land.

That could mean in your own life or situation families now hate you and your relatives because of this sin.

Genesis 19:31-38,  Matthew 14:3-4, 1 Corinthians 5:1.

The Bastard. Part-Two.

In the Bible.

There are several acounts in the bible of children born out of wedlock.

Some were the result of rape, adultery or sleeping with a prostitute and God allowed people to have their own way.

Today the world is full of people doing their own things, but the result has consiquences.

God id very merciful to all who seek Him and His forgiveness and we who accept become His children, but those who do not are rejected.

Deuteronomy 23:2, Judges 11:1, 2 Samuel 11:2-5.

The Bastard. Part-One.

Illegitimate.

Seventy years ago across many parts of this world it was a scandal to have a child out of wedlock, but many young woman fell victim to devious men. Promises were made, but never kept.

Today nearly everyone born here in the U.K. is from couples living together or the product of one night stands and people don't even have any shame about their actions.

When we are dealing with God, it becomes a whole different matter. He says 'Anyone who is not with Me is a Bastard. This verse troubles many religious or ritual following Church goers.

But you have to make your own choices?

Hebrews 12:8.

Sexual Exploitation. Part-Two.

Exploitation.

People sell themselves for sex and money, but this game is not always of choice. Some people are used or pimped off. The pimp taking a cut or all the money for their own benifit.

Today we come across professional escourt services, some seem legitimate but all are about paying for sexual services. This form of exploitation also leads to pornography and the sex industry in film and the lives of those people involved are destroyed for ever.

What seemed a joke or a prank by some on You Tube can never be stopped because the video will be copied multiple times.

As believers this is a very subtle and dangerous area to fall into the trap, which can lead to worse things such as paedophilia and worse still of contacts and a great fall.

Proverbs 2:16-19,  Luke 17:2, Jude 1:7.

Sexual Exploitation. Part-One.

Prostitition.

We normally associat this proffession with woman, and men paying for sex. But it is the bible that tells us that men and boys are also exploited into this game of evil.

Sex was created by God for men and woman to enjoy the reproduction process and it was to be within love and marriage, anything outside of this was to be treated as sin.

Genesis 38:15, 21, Deuteronomy 23:18, Joel 3:3, 1 Corinthians 6:16-17, Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:5.

Flee for your Life. Part-Two.

Sin, Failure.

This our inherited problem Sin, it makes us selfish, greedy, bad tempered.

Failure leads us to make bad decisions, lie, steal, hate, be jealous.

The answer to all of this is Jesus, we need to flee the failures and seek after Him.

Proverbs 6:4-5,  1 Timothy 5:22,  Revelation 18:4.

Flee for your Life. Part-One.

Bad Company.

There is always so called friends and mates out there wanting you to be a part of something they want to do or are doing.

But each one of us are our own selves and we don't have to join with others in what they want to do.

God says 'that we should flee Sin, evil and wickedness for our lives.'

Proverbs 6:4-5,  1 Timothy 5:22,  Revelation 18:4.

'Carnival. Part-Two.

'Nottinghill, London. U.K.

In less than two weeks time millions of people will attend the best street party in the U.K

Nottinghill can be compared to Rio in Brazil and New Orleans in the United States of America.

There are also various other great festivals around the world.

The best one was in the bible, when Jesus came riding on a donkey triumphantly up to Jerusalem, a week before He was executed for us, you and me.

John 12:14-15,  Psalm 9:14,  Isaiah 40:10..

'Carnival.' Part-One.

Party Time.

We all like to have some party time in our lives, wither it is a birthday, some anniversary or just a time to share our culture. 

Music, bands, songs, drinks, food and dancing they make up the best party's?

The bible tells us about parties and celebration feasts, for victory in battles, proclamations of great events.

There are tow kinds of people who like party's and we need to be aware of both of them!

2 Samuel 6:14,  Luke 15:12-14.

'Swords. Part-Two.

If you know its wrong, don't do it.

People who use knives, sword, bats and guns are thugs and they know what they are doing is wrong.

There are laws in every land to keep order and peace.

We know that there is corruption and dishonesty, even in the police and government.

But God says 'if you lift a weapon of any kind, you have now broken the law.'

Mark 14:47,  Ezekiel 35:5-6,  Revelation 13:10.

'Swords. Part-One.

' He who lifts a weapon, will die by that weapon.'

These are the words of Jesus in the garden, as He was being arrested by the mob. Some Disciples drew their swords and cut off the ear of one of the soldiers.

But Jesus said this kind of anger only lead to that person dying the same way, the events of that night had to happen that way.

Today it remains for the use of knives and guns to, this is not God's way. He is the One who Judges and He has the last say.

Matthew 26:52, Genesis 9:6, Psalm 55:23, Revelation 16:6

Ufology. Part-Three.

Mental Illness.

Many witnesses of UFOs have claimed that through their experience they were abducted and experimented upon. While others said they saw and interacted with the aliens both on the ground and on their space ships.

We know that they are not able to prove to us anything, so we could say 'that they were on a substance or they suffer from a metal illness.'

Perhaps some may be having visions of the ever present spirit world, but because they are not born again they try to explain it in their own way.

Deuteronomy 28:28, Mark 5:9, 15, Luke 8:30, Colossians 2:18.

Pirates. Part-Two.

Piracy.

Do you copy music from the radio or films from the net? 

What you are doing may seem totally innocent to you!

But this is still theft, the copying of someones 'Copyright.'

Many people cannot see this, I must admit it even took me along time to understand it.

Its like when you share a video on You Tube, everyone can take it copy and cut it up to create something different.

Unless you refuse them the possibility.

Exodus 20, Job 27:5,  Psalm 73:13.

Pirates. Part-One.

A Licenced Wrecker.

Pirate was the term used in the 17th Century by the British Royal Navy for captains and their ships who hunted down French and Spanish vessels for their booty in the Atlantic Ocean.

This was legalised invasion of other peoples property, that is why today it is used in the sense of the copyright of films, printed Media and music.

Exodus 20:15,  Matthew 19:18.

Ufology. Part-Two.

Military Secrets.

The military are always trying to improve technology, weapons have always been big business. 

There has to be secret trials of aircraft, missiles, ships and vehicles to see how they work under different conditions.

Many people say they have seen strange lights in the sky or out at sea, there are reports of night movements on land and in remote places. 

These are the likely places to do any safe testing, but urban environments could be used to test drones and other security equiptment?

Exodus 7:11,  Job 4:12,  Psalm 78:4,  John 19:38,   Revelation 10:7.

Ufology. Part-One.

'Aliens.

There are many people across the world today, who are convinced that we are neither alone or that the world governments are in contact with Alien visitors.

Many people have claimed that they were abducted by creatures in Flying Saucers?

What can we make from all of these reports? Are some of these folks mentally ill, hoaxers. liers or imagined it?

The bible tells us many thins about space, but it does not tell us of other life forms.

Job 26:7,  1 Corinthians 15:41.

Judgement.

Day of the Lord, Return, Judgement Day.

Do you know that Jesus is coming back!

There are a lot of people out there, including 'Christians who do not believe in the Day of the Lord.

The mockers say' When is this Day coming, it has been a long time.

Booh  'He comes like a thief in the night.

Acts 1:11,  2 Peter 3:10,  Revelation 3:3.

The Invisable Man.

'Holy Spirit.

Every believer in the death and resurrection of Jesus from the dead has an invisable friend, who helps them to share their faith, to speak about Him and God.

You may have heard about Him in Sunday school or  if your grandparents were Church going, as the Comforter?

He is in the Saved to help them read the bible and to prayer in a secret language to God.

May be today someone is praying that you to, will get saved and join them in Eternity!

Acts 1:4-5,  2:4-5.

'Think Your Big?

Unwise People.

There are lots of people who think they are big, important, scary. 

They have the cars, the money the woman and men.

But God lets them know in His many ways if they come up to Him they ain't going any futher.

Our God does not allow the evil people to continue day after day, they have their times and that is it.

Proverbs 21:30,  Isaiah 22:7,  37:34.

Waiting.

Having to...

Wait for that package in the post, results from your GP, hospital, email from a friend or a loved one, it is hard to have to do.

Jesus was gone back home, but he told them to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit to be poured out on them. 

We read it was only ten days, but to them it must of seemed a long time.

Psalm 25:5,  33:20,  39:7-8,  52:9,  Luke 12:36,  Acts 1:1-11, James 5:7.

Ascension.

Going Home.

For some Christians Easter is the end of the bible story, Jesus rose from the dead and the victory was achieved.

But the resurrection, was only the beginning for believers in Jesus by faith.

Jesus spent forty days on the earth and was seen by over 500 people, then He ascended back to Heaven with the promise that he would return for His own.

Many nations today who claim that they do not believe in God fear this statement.

DO YOU?   

Acts 1:1-11.

Proof. Part-Two.

500.

They normally don;t tell you that over five hundred people witnesed the resurrection of Jesus.

Many people like to think it was only the elite few, His Disciples and maybe a few friends.

Matthew 28:16-20,  John 21:1-3,  Acts 1:3-8, 
1 Corinthians 15:6-7,  Hebrews 13:20.

May Day.

A Day for....

The workers, traditional European May festivals, the call from a sinking ship. All of these are associated with this one day.

Socialism and Communism mark it as a day for the workers and most workers in this world are poor people, doing all the menial or dirty jobs. From the toilet cleaner/Janitor to factory worker, construction, steel industry, farming.

Others mark May Day in its European traditional of dancing around the May pole, with ribbons and flowers.

For others it is the distress call of the sinking ship, perhaps their first opportunity to cry out to the God they don't believe in ' Save Me.'

Amos 5:4, John 3:16, Hebrews 9:27, Romans 3:23, 6:23, !0:9, Psalm 111:19, Acts 4;2, Proverbs 9:10, Philippians 2:10.

Proof. Part-One.

Resurrection.

They say today 'that if you want proof, it is a case of seeing is believing.' But faith does not work on what is seen, but what is unseen and hoped for.  Hebrews 11:1-3.

All the Disciples had seen Jesus after he arose from the grave, but Thomas had not and he wanted to see it for himself.  John 20:24-28.

Today we have to believe in these Easter events by Faith. Hebrews 11:6.

Hammer n Nails. Part-Three.

Death and Resurrection.

They got Him killed, and they though that was the end of it?

But that was actually the beginning of it!

People think murder is the means to an end, but actually it is the beginning of their end.

Death could not keep Jesus in the grave, he died for us and he arose with the promise.

That if we believe in these works and say sorry, really meaning it we will be saved.

Mark 15:22-38, John 20:1-10,

Hammer n Nails. Part-Two.

Arrested and set up.

There are many people, who arrested and set up, framed by the police, false witnesses and end up in jaol or go to death row. And that is just not in the United States, but many other countries to.

Jesus was arrested, betrayed, had false accusations made against him and then when they felt it was the right time. They handed Him up.

They passed the buck on to their rulers or occupiers to do the killing for them

Luke 22:47-53,  Matthew 27:1-2, 11-14, John 18:37-19:16.

Hammer n Nails. Part-One.

People Change.

Have you noticed that! People, they are nice and then they are not or vise versa. 

Strange, Jesus to saw that in His last days, days before He died on the cross/stake/tree for you and for me.

He came riding on a colt into the city of Jerusalem and the people were praising Him.

But soon those same people would change and be shouting 'Crucify Him!

Zechariah 9:9, John 12:12-16, Matthew 27:22-23.

The Fool.

Say's in his heart, 'there is No God.'  Psalm 14:1.

There are plenty of people today in our societies, clever, intelligent and arrogant who would make the same claim openly.

Here we have a man, who is saying it in his heart and it is only God who knows our hearts and minds, our thoughts. Hebrews 4:12-13.

God tells us to wise up and not bother listening to the fool, the unwise and silly people. This is because they will lead us into their own folly.  
Proverbs 1:7, Isaiah 9:17, Matthew 25:3.

What we need to do is seek God and His ways to get a better life. Amos 5:4, 14-15.

Who Do You Think You are?

'Im Someone.

There are many people out there telling us all sorts of different things about who they claim they are?

Look at me, im' related to this one, his my cousin, I know that person and so it goes.

We all like to follow someone, a Star, music, culture, personality and there are many of them who will do their best to get us to join a group, a following.

But we really need to be very careful who we follow!

Jesus is the only true one to follow, because He knows our future and He sees the best in us.

Jeremiah 29:11-13,  Acts 5:36-37,  1 Peter 1:3-5.

Patrick. Part-Two.

Impression and Reality.

Many of us think we know a person, like the stories and the legends that surround them. But the reality is that we do not know the truth.

Many people think they know who Jesus was and what he did, they have picked up info from TV, films, Sunday school, even Church. But they never really listened!

Patrick was a born-again Christian, who believed in Jesus as his Lord and Savior. Patrick could be described as the father of the Western Celtic Church, he founded eight schools of learning, translated the New Testament and the book of the Psalms in to Gaelic, Welsh, Cornish and Brigantic.

Many of these languages of the 6th Century had never been written down before. He was quite a humble man, but he established missionary work to Wales, Scotland, Cornwall, the Isle of Man and Northern-England.

Today you might want to discover who the real Jesus is?

Patrick. Part-One,

Saint Patrick.

Perhaps one of the most Internationally well known Saints around the world from the U.S. to Ireland, but he is also the patron saint of Nigeria. Things are done in style and taste in the United States in relation to St. Patrick's day, by the large and long standing Irish community.

The 17th March will be marked by parades, dances and music and drink, but all of this actually has very little to do with the man himself and he probably would not approve of some of it.

We have a traditional story, filled with shamrocks and many other legends of the man. But much of what we claim to now about him is not true.

What is known about him, is that he was a born-again Christian, who first arrived in Ireland as a slave from south west England, at the age of about sixteen years old.

1 Corinthians 15:8-10,  1 Timothy 1:15-16.

Braggers.

Boasting.

You meet a lot of them out there, they like to boast and brag about 'I have done, 'I own, 'Do this, take that!

They are full of themselves and if you have to listen to them long enough, they make you sick.

'So that is why they don't talk to me anymore, that's why he or she or then is avoiding me?

God does not like Boasters and Braggers, He wants us to seek Him and to only Boast about what He can do for us.

Jeremiah 9:23-24,  Romans 2:28-29,  2 Corinthians 10:17.

'Do You Want to be. Part-Two.

In My Gang too.

Put on your TV or Radio today and you will hear plenty about Nationalist, Neo-Nazi gangs roaming the street of Kiev attacking people who do not fit their ideology.

Gangs come in different forms and levels from a group of local thugs to organised crime families.

Many of the organised families were set up with looking after interests and providing legitimate protection.

A normal society does not need any long term gangsterism, because it has the police and a fair legal system.

God wants us to respect and obey the government that we are under, there are exceptions like Fascism which is still prevalent today.

Exodus 23:1, 9,  Matthew 28:18,  Romans 13:1,  Jude 1:8.

'Do You Want to be...Part-One.

in My Gang.

These are the words of a 'Rock song, but the reality today in our cities is that many are joining up as earlyas they can to be in the Gangs.

Being in a Gang, Posse, Crowd has always given the sense of protection, this does stem from the past when most people belonged to the Tribe or Clan.

But there is a great difference between the Tribe and the Gang. The tribe gives identity to a race and culture or family. The Gang has a sinister element, it has loyalty to a leader for bad and not for good.

Jesus had His Disciples or/and followers, an intial 12 plus about 100 others. Today believers in Jesus belong to a Spiritual building and we move in the power of God, not weapons and guns.

Psalm 68:27,  Matthew 5:1,  10:25,  Mark 14:48,  2 Corinthians 12:20,  1 Peter 2:4-5.

Valentine. Part-Two.

Saint Valentine.

All twenty men with this same name are remembered for their works and good deeds. 

Doing good is a good thing to do especially for others, but this does not get us points for heaven.

God wants all peoples to call on Him for their Salvation and not think they can do it another way.

Psalm 51:10,  Romans 7:18,  2 Corinthians 13:7.

Valentines. Part-One.

Love, Romance.

This is the times of the year to post you car to someone that you really like or Love and hope that they send you one too. For others it's the special date, the candle lit dinner or just a box of chocolates and a bunch of red roses.

Many things are occurring in the one day event marked on the 14th February every year, appreciation, love, kindness, and passion. 

But many people forget it all on the 15th, they have had their fun or disappointment! 

God has a love for us too, He showed us this Love through His Son Jesus. The great thing about this Love is that it is unconditional.

God only asks us to have a mental change of attitudes and believe and live in the works of Jesus.

John 3:16,  Ephesians 4:31-32,  5:1-2,  1 John 3:16-17, 4:11.

Zyclone-B. Part-Two.

Chemical Weapons.

The news is full of Syria and how the government there is using these chemicals on his own people. But how do we know the truth?

Many people say, 'even the pictures on our TVs and the net are not real.'

It is hard sometimes to know who is telling the truth. 

This was seen recently in the U.K with the Mark Duggan inquest. What people fail to see is, it was not the fault of the jury. They could only make a Judgement of the facts that the police presented to the enquiry.

At the end we will all have to face the Judgement seat of God and then we will be tried by Jesus. It is upon this evidence that we will be sentenced to Eternal Life in Heaven or to outer darkness in Hell.

Psalm 85:10-11,  89:14,  Proverbs 8:7,  John 8:44-46.

Zyclone-B. Part-One,

Holocaust Denial.

There are plenty of people in the world who like to tell lies.

They like to refuse to admit the truth, they refuse to admit the Holocaust (1938-45) happened.

They have their own agenda and in that agenda, they also show us their contempt for other races just as their leader Adolf Hitler did.

The bible tells us that this is nothing new, the bible has a history of violent, bitter, hatefull and jealous people who did the same things.  

Exodus 1:3-9, The book of Esther, Daniel 1:1-8, Matthew 2:3-13.

But this is not God's way. 

God is not intoerant of humans and the races, He only hates the Sin that stain's us.

Exodus 23:8,  1 Thessalonians 5:22,  Revelation 10:11, 17:15.

'I have a Dream.' Part-Two.

Rosa Parks.

The Civil rights movement in America in the 1960's has been the inspiration to many key historical events world wide since. It was Rosa Parks who was really the fuel behind this fire, this challenge to white authority in the 'Deep South.'

It is always ordinary people who come to the fore in world history, like Jerry Adams, Lec Valensa, Winnie Mandela and so forth. 

We remember Luther-King, because he and two of the Kennedy family were assassinated, Nelson Mandela imprisoned for a long time and many others elected into leadership after long periods of persecution.

Jesus to was an ordinary man, He was not attractive as continues to be falsely portrayed. He was misunderstood and gravely persecuted for us.

Psalm 69:10-12,  19-20,  Isaiah chapter 53,  53:3,  John 1: 10-11,  Acts 3:13-15.

'I Have a Dream.' Part-One.

Dr. Martin Luther-King.

'I have a dream are perhaps the most profound words to be spoken in the 20th Century, spoken by a black man the descendant of slaves. Slaves who where brought to America in the 17th-18th Century by European white plantation owners from the Caribbean islands,

Slavery has always and continues today to be big business. When anyone is forced to do work and imprisoned against their will we are dealing with slavery.

Black Americans and Black British West-Indians know their roots, from the cotton fields of the Southern States and the sugar cane of the Caribbean. 

Not all Europeans in these regions kept slaves, in fact many German and Dutch Christians bought slaves and set them free, within their confined communities. Christianity replaced a mixture of pagan beliefs and has proved to both the establishment and white society their hypocritical and double standards that continue to this day.

Acts 2:17, Isaiah 40:5.