Anyone going?

:high:

YOUR CHOICE WILL BE HONORED
by Max Lucado

We donÂ’t like to talk about hell, do we? In intellectual circles the
topic of hell is regarded as primitive and foolish. ItÂ’s not logical.
“A loving God wouldn’t send people to hell.” So we dismiss it.

But to dismiss it is to dismiss a core teaching of Jesus. The
doctrine of hell is not one developed by Paul, Peter, or John. It is
taught by Jesus himself.

We are free either to love God or not. He invites us to love him. He
urges us to love him. He came that we might love him. But, in the
end, the choice is yours and mine. To take that choice from each of
us, for him to force us to love him, would be less than love.

God explains the benefits, outlines the promises, and articulates
very clearly the consequences. And then, in the end, he leaves the
choice to us.

Hell was not prepared for people. Hell “was prepared for the devil
and his angels.” (Matthew 25:41) For a person to go to hell, then, is
for a person to go against GodÂ’s intended destiny. Hell is manÂ’s
choice, not GodÂ’s choice.

Consider, then, this explanation of hell: Hell is the chosen place of
the person who loves self more than God, who loves sin more than his
Savior, who loves this world more than GodÂ’s world. Judgment is that
moment when God looks at the rebellious and says, “Your choice will
be honored.”

To say there is no hell is to say God condones the rebellious,
unrepentant heart. To say there is no hell is to portray God with
eyes blind to the hunger and evil in the world. To say there is no
hell is to say that God doesnÂ’t care that people are beaten and
massacred, that he doesnÂ’t care that women are raped or families
wrecked. To say there is no hell is to say God has no justice, no
sense of right and wrong, and eventually to say God has no love. For
true love hates what is evil.

Hell is the ultimate expression of a just Creator.

I lived in Liberia for seven years during the time of the civil war. It was a very unstable period and indeed, only now is Liberia hopefully coming out of this awful time of insecurity, threat, and lack of basic resources for living. I was part of a pioneering Christian missions team, that worked to develop and train Liberian young men and women in practical Christian discipleship and community development, as well as leadership development. In the end, in true African fashion I ended up with a small group of Liberians who have become like family to me. Liberia has a place in my heart like no other country apart from my own, which is the UK.

During the seven years, I and my American co-worker, were evacuated 3 times, in 1990, by car to Sierra Leone, in 1992 on a 12 seater Cessna to Cote D'Ivoire and again in 1996 by American helicopter to Sierra Leone and then C130 transporter plane to Senegal. The evacuation in 1992 was dangerous but nothing to compare with the situation in 1996.

Over Easter, in April 1996, the then rebels, led by Charles Taylor attacked the capital city of Monrovia for the third time in 7 years, and the peacekeeping troops stood down from their checkpoints. Our little missions team of 2 westerners, 16 Liberians and four dogs were caught in between the two groups of fighters, the " government" chasing the "rebels". For four days we were unable to go out onto the roads, as the rebels held the checkpoints and were looting houses all over our area of town. We called the American embassy who told us to stay put. But staying put became increasingly dangerous as groups of fighters were roaming the neighbourhood in stolen UN pick up trucks, and brandishing their AK 47 rifles. They were fearsome to behold. 3 different groups of fighters entered our property on the Monday and Tuesday after Easter.

On the Monday, they stole our cars, but made no other threat. On the Tuesday two more groups came, stole some of our belongings and threatened to kill us all and also there was a potential rape threat as well. However, miraculously they did nothing. They did not touch us. We were able to be calm and quiet, and did not panic or cry or scream. It was really amazing. I was able to give my testimony of my trust in Jesus to one of the fighters and he eventually left, having shaken my hand and thanked me. We were actually taken out of our house by a rebel general who had been contacted by one of our Liberians. Our brother, Moses, had risked his own life to go out on the road on Tuesday morning to find help. He met up with a young rebel who was from his village and a distant relative. This young man took him to the general who promised to come rescue the missionaries. This he did eventually and took Moses, my co-worker and I plus our 4 dogs by car out of town to the meeting place for evacuees, a big missions centre by the beach. Our other Liberians had already left by foot to walk out to the safe place. They also arrived safely with no harm.

When I arrived up in Switzerland a week later for debriefing, I discovered that many people had been praying for us around the world. In particular, 3 of our leaders in Lausanne had prayed that Tuesday morning against rape and murder. When we compared notes, we discovered that it was at the same time approximately that we were being threatened that our friends were praying for us. I believe God answers prayer.

Sometimes we go through difficulties, and life does not always happen as we think it will. But mysteriously in it, I have discovered that God is my ever present and loving reality who keeps me safe in the storm. I also realised that our Liberians had stayed to protect us as westerners, and risked their own lives in the process. How grateful I am to the Lord and to His people in Liberia for this demonstration of Christlikeness to me in the crisis, and to our friends who prayed for us.

Please can you keep my little boy in your thoughts today as he is going into hospital for a little operation. Its nothing serious and I am not worried but as with any procedure and a general anaesthetic things could go wrong but hopefully he will be back to normal within a few hours.

Am I A Fireman Yet??

HOW BIG OUR GOD IS

Stop telling God how big your storm is.
Instead tell your storm how big your GOD is!

In Phoenix, Arizona, a 26-year-old mother stared
down at her 6 year old son, who was dying of
terminal leukaemia.

Although her heart was filled with sadness,
she also had a strong feeling of determination.
Like any parent, she wanted her son to grow up &
fulfil all his dreams.
Now that was no longer possible.
The leukaemia would see to that. But she still
wanted her son's dream to come true.

She took her son's hand and asked,
"Billy, did you ever think about what you wanted
to be once you grew up?

Did you ever dream and wish what you would do with
your life?"

Mommy, "I always wanted to be a fireman when I
grew up."

Mom smiled back and said, "Let's see if we can
make your wish come true."
Later that day she went to her local fire
department in Phoenix, Arizona,
where she met Fireman Bob, who had a heart as big
as Phoenix.

She explained her son's final wish and
asked if it might be possible to give her 6 year
old son a ride around the block on a fire engine.

Fireman Bob said, "Look, we can do better than
that. If you'll have your son ready at seven o'clock
Wednesday morning, we'll make him an honorary

fireman for the whole day.

We can come down to the fire station, eat with us,
go out on all the fire calls, the whole nine yards!

And if you'll give us his sizes, we'll get a real fire uniform

for him, with a real fire hat - not a toy --
one-with the emblem of the Phoenix Fire Department
on it, a yellow slicker like we wear and rubber boots.

They're all manufactured right here in Phoenix, so
we can get them fast."

Three days later Fireman Bob picked up Billy,
dressed him in his uniform and escorted him from

his hospital bed to the waiting
hook and ladder truck.

Billy got to sit on the back of the truck and help
steer it back to the fire station.

He was in heaven.

There were three fire calls in Phoenix that day
and Billy got to go out on all three calls.
He rode in the different fire engines, the
paramedic's van, and even the fire chief's car.

He was also videotaped for the local news program.

Having his dream come true,
with all the Love and attention that was lavished
upon him, so deeply touched Billy,
that he lived three months longer than any doctor
thought possible.

One night all of his vital signs began to drop
dramatically and the head nurse, who believed

in the hospice concept - that no one
should die alone, began to call the family

members to the hospital.

Then she remembered the day Billy had spent as a
fireman, so she called the Fire Chief and asked if it would
be possible to send a fireman in uniform to the hospital

to be with Billy as he made his transition.

The chief replied, "We can do better than that.

We'll be there in five minutes.
Will you please do me a favour?
When you hear the sirens screaming and see the
lights flashing, will you announce over the PA system,

that there is not a fire?
It's the department coming to see one of its finest
members one more time.
And will you open the window to his room?

About five minutes later a hook and ladder truck
arrived at the hospital and extended its ladder up to

Billy's third floor open window--------
16 fire-fighters climbed up the ladder into Billy's
room.

With his mother's permission, they hugged him and held him

and told him how much they LOVED him.

With his dying breath,
Billy looked up at the fire chief and said,
"Chief, am I really a fireman now?"

"Billy, you are, and the Head Chief,
Jesus, is holding your hand," the chief said.

With those words, Billy smiled and said,
"I know, He's been holding my hand all day, and
the angels have been singing.."

He closed his eyes one last time.
:cloud9:

Almal het dit, ook dié wat spog hulle “ly” nie hieraan nie. Ek praat van stres. Stres maak jou kop seer, vat jou slaap weg, laat jou skouers krom trek. Nou die dag vertel ‘n dokter vir my dat meer as die helfte van haar pasiënte aan ernstige stres ly. Miskien is dit hoekom die Amerikaners al van ons samelewing as ‘n “Prozac society” praat, ‘n gemeenskap wat ernstige medikasie nodig het net om min of meer “normaal” te probeer leef.





Godsdienstige stres – dit ook nog!



Godsdienstige stres? Bestaan daar nog so iets ook? Is godsdiens dan nie veronderstel om ‘n teenvoeter vir stres te wees nie? Jesus is immers die groot antwoord - so preek die kerk. Hy is die Een wat vrede en rus in jou lewe moet bring soos wat Matteus 11 sê. Stres is mos nie ‘n ding wat jy met die kerk assosieer nie. Wel, gewoonlik nie. Maar dis net hier waar die probleem lê. Baie kerkmense sit opgeskeep met stres oor hulle verhouding met die Here. Hulle voel hulle doen altyd te min te laat. Hulle is gedurig tot niks goed in staat nie.

Die Here het bedoel dat ons geloof ‘n vreugde moet wees... Regtig!


Jou geloof moet jou strate makliker laat leef. Immers: die ewige lewe wag op jou, en tot jy by die Here aankom, is Hy tree vir tree by jou. Hoe kan jy dan moeg vir die lewe wees in die hande van so ‘n God? En tog gebeur dit.



Hoe ontsnap jy uit die greep van godsdienstige stres? Wel, deur ‘n paar feite in die oë te kyk:



God is nie op die oorlogspad teen jou uit as Christus die Here van jou lewe is nie. Hy het al sy woede oor jou lankal op Jesus laat afkom (Rom 3:21-24). Alles wat jy gister verkeerd gedoen het, vandag nog verkeerd doen, en môre weer gaan verkeerd doen, is kant en klaar op sy skouers afgepak. By Golgota was God so verskriklik kwaad vir Hom (en vir jou) dat Jesus (en jy) dood is (Rom 6; Gal 2). Maar gelukkig het Jesus nou in ‘n splinternuwe lewe opgestaan ... jy ook.



Jy kan elke dag in vrede met God leef wat met sy arms vol liefde by jou is. Hy is ‘n partydige God. Hy’t kant gekies, en sy keuse het ook op jou geval. Glo dit en leef sonder godsdienstige stres (Rom 8:31-39).



Jy moet weer ‘n slag die Evangelie se basiese dinge reg glo. Jy moet die Goeie Nuus aanvaar dat Jesus namens jou dood is. Jy is vrygespreek. Jy’s ‘n begenadigde, nie ‘n sukkelende sondaar nie - in elk geval nie in Christus se oë nie. Jy is nou deel van sy hemelse familie.



Gebed



Heer, dis ek, u kind, wat by u deure opdaag.

Ek is swak en klein

Boonop bekommer ek my dood of ek genoeg in u oë doen

Nee, ek weet ek stel U keer op keer teleur.

Maar nou hoor ek opnuut dat Jesus volledig al my straf gedra het.

Help my om dit regtig te glo...... en vry te word.

Help my om te weet U stap as ‘n Vader saam met my

Laat my U vrede opnuut beleef



Amen
:engel:


Ek geniet die e-pos so, as jy graag meer wil gaan lees klop bietjie aan by
http://www.ekerk.co.za/ :thumbs:

Let's start with a trivia question

What did a crude chalk drawing of a top hat on a building or sidewalk signify to a wandering hobo during the Depression era? How about a drawing of a cross?

What is the gavel used by the presiding officer of the U.S. Senate made of?

Gold was the currency used during the period oh Kublai Khan's rule.