Real Life Training

I recently qualified as an AIIM ECM Specialist, however personally I will not go shouting about that as I feel I have not yet got the “real world experience” I feel need to be able to consider myself a specialist on ECM (Enterprise Content Management). Yes, I’ve been on the courses and passed the associated exams, but would my current level of ability reflect this?

This got me thinking about training in general and classifications we assign ourselves and others. In particular I was thinking about the fact that I call myself a Christian...yes I’ve read the “manual”, the bible, and I’ve been getting the “real world” experience ever since I was born, but is that enough to say I'm a Christian?

No it's not! As well as gaining the "real world" experience and reading the bible, we as Christians must live our lives according to God's plan for us. i.e. we must act as Christians in all we do and say, we must continue to read our bibles and most importantly we must pray regularly.

So, have you passed the Christian exam? I would love to say that I do, but if I'm honest, I do not always read my bible, pray or follow God's plan for me as often as I should.

Maybe we should treat our life as an exam, which if we pass will result in us spending eternity with God in heaven. If this is what you want, start your Christian training today and receive eternal life!

Place In This World (Michael W Smith)

The wind is moving

But I am standing still

A life of pages

Waiting to be filled

A heart that's hopeful

A head that's full of dreams

But this becoming

Is harder than it seems

Feels like I'm

Looking for a reason

Roamin' through the night to find

My place in this world

My place in this world

Not a lot to lean on

I need your light to help me find

My place in this world

My place in this world

If there are millions

Down on their knees

Among the many

Can you still hear me

Hear me asking

Where do I belong?

Is there a vision

That I can call my own?

Show me, I'm

Looking for a reason

Roamin' through the night to find

My place in this world

My place in this world

Not a lot to lean on

I need your light to help me find

My place in this world

My place in this world

Lookin' for a reason

Roamin' through the night to find

My place in this world

My place in this world

Not a lot to lean on

I need your light to help me find

My place in this world

My place in this world

Lookin' for a reason

Roamin' through the night to find

My place in this world

My place in this world

Checkout Michael W Smith's website: http://www.michaelwsmith.com/

Never Again

We all do things which we later regret and go on to say "we'll never to that again!". Have you then found yourself doing that same thing again another time, despite having promised not to do it? I know I have.

We often make promises which we don't keep, however God has made many promises but keeps them all. When God says "Never again", he really does mean never again.



When we experience God's faithfulness, it helps us to trust him more. Life's experiences help us to look back and see that God's promises and judgements have come true.

After a cataclysmic event in your life, it helps to reestablish your devotional life. I certainly found during the last few years when health issues seemed to take over my life that is is more important than ever to listen for God's "never again" and start looking for His rainbows. Spend time reading the promises of God in the bible - I found highlighting them was helpful to me, as it made it easier to refer back to them later for reassurance.


But what exactly can we be sure about?

God promises that sin need never again control us (Romans 8:9-11).

He promises that we need not be afraid ever again (John 14:27).
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

He promises that his peace will guard our hearts and minds (Phil 4:7).
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

He promises that we need never be ignorant of his will for his word will be a "lamp" and a "light" to our path (Ps 119:105).

He promises that we need never again be defeated Christians (Rom 8:37).

As we read our bibles, God's rainbows colour our perspectives.
Be encouraged! God's promises never fail.

TV versus Prayer

So how many of you just came to read this blog because of its title?

Even if it was just the title that got you here, I hope you read on...


I've spent some time in the last few days, rereading some of my previous posts, and found myself focusing on my post entitled DVD Players versus Bibles.

While that post was all about how many DVD players we have in relation to the number of bibles we possess, I got thinking about how much time we spend in prayer.

So, on average, how long do you spend watching the television each day? Now be honest, as I think if you are like me, you might be embarassed about how much time you spend watching the TV!

Have you done your calculations? Are you surprised how much time you send watching the television? I certainly was! I then wondered how many of programmes that are on when you're TV is on, that you actually watch! I know in our house, the TV is often on, but niether of us are actually watching it - it's just there as a noise in the corner!

So where am I going with this? Given the amount of time we spend watching the television, I wonder how that compares with the amount of time we spend in prayer.


So, some questions for you to consider:

Do you spend time praying each day?
How much time do you spend praying each day?
Do you watch the TV more regularly than you pray?
How often do you listen to what God is saying to you?

Now I've thrown a number of questions at you, what's your reaction to your answers? I was quite shocked by my answers to the above questions. We spend a lot of time these days watching tv, dvds, playing computer games, using pcs/laptops, but do we spend enough of our time reading our bible and praying?

Because of my own answers to the above questions, I'm re-evaluating how I spend my time, do you need to do that too?


Enjoy the music but also acknowledge the message presented in the following video: "Pray" by Rebecca St James

Pray

(by Rebecca St James)

Jesus I am broken now

Before you I fall I lay me down

All I want is you, my all

I cry out from the ashes

Burned with sin and shame

I ask you Lord to make me whole again

For you say if I will come and will

Pray to you

There's forgiveness when I

Turn from me and pray

For you say if I will come and will

Pray to you

You hear me and heal me when I pray

Your ways are not my own

But I long for them to be

So this what I pray

One with you you'll make me

Melt me away 'til only you remain

For you say if I will come and will

Pray to you

There's forgiveness when I

Turn to you and pray

For you say if I will come and will

Pray to you

You hear me and heal me when I pray

Jesus I am broken now before you

Take me I am yours

What If?

For anyone who finds it difficult to openly share the hope of Jesus, with a friend, then you might find the song "What If" by Nichole Nordeman, helpful.

Nicole wrote “What If” for a friend who wasn't a Christian because she felt it was important to have people in our lives who don’t speak our same faith language. She felt it important to be able to talk with them about it without feeling the pressure to say the right thing, to point to the right book or to argue with them to force them to accept God. At the end of the day, to enter God's kingdom, we have to do so because we love God, not because we've been forced into it.

I've mentioned in previous posts that I find it very difficult to talk openly to others about my faith, as I can never find the right words to say. However God has directed me to the medium of blogging, for which I am so thankful as I have been deeply moved and encouraged by the feedback I've received about my blog. It's so humbling to realised God is using me to reach others.

I do not expect that I will ever be able to openly discuss my faith and beliefs verbally with others in a way I feel comfortable. However I know God has, and will continue to, give me opportunities to share my faith with others in other ways.

Even in the short time I have been blogging I've found my own relationship with God has grown stronger. I'm sure we all have "What If" questions about God and what He stands for, but I'm happy to say, He's answered so many of my questions over this last while, often directing to passages in scripture that answer my questions directly, or to songs or bible verses that get me asking deeper questions. Many of which you'll find I've used in my blogs!


Nicole Nordeman says that,"“What If” is a heavy song, because there’s a lot wrapped up in that, but it’s probably one of the more important songs, I think, that I’ve written to date."
That's quite a recommendation from someone who's written so many songs!

I pray that if you have any "What If" questions about God and what He can do for you, that you let God direct you to the answers. Don't have lasting doubts about God, get rid of those "What If" questions, and give yourself to God.

What If (by Nicole Nordeman)

What if you’re right?

And he was just another nice guy

What if you’re right?

What if it’s true?

They say the cross will only make a fool of you

And what if it’s true?

What if he takes his palace in history

With all the prophets and the kings

Who taught us love and came in peace

But then the story ends

What then?

But what if you’re wrong?

What if there’s more?

What if there’s hope you never dreamed of hoping for?

What if you jump?

And just close your eyes?

What if the arms that catch you, catch you by surprise?

What if He’s more than enough?

What if it’s love?

What if you dig, What if you dig

Way down deeper than your simple-minded friends

What if you dig?

What if you find

A thousand more unanswered questions inside

That’s all you find

What if you pick apart the logic

And begin to poke the holes

What if the crown of thorns is no more

Then folklore that must be told and retold

But what if you’re wrong?
What if there’s more?
What if there’s hope you never dreamed of hoping for?
What if you jump?
And just close your eyes?
What if the arms that catch you, catch you by surprise?
What if He’s more than enough?
What if it’s love?

You’ve been running as fast as you can

You’ve been looking for a place you can land so long

But what if you’re wrong?

What if you jump?

And just close your eyes?

What if the arms that catch you, catch you by surprise?

What if He’s more than enough?

What if it’s love?

You can find out more about Nicole Nordeman by checking out her website: http://www.nicholenordeman.com/index.aspx

The Book

How many "How To..." or "... for Dummies" manuals have you used over the last while?

Whenever we're tackling a new task or trying to work out to the best way to tackle a new job we all tend to find a helpful reference manual to guide us through the steps to succeed.

But what about life? Do you use a reference manual for that?

The following is an extract from the best Life manual ever written...
"Study this Book of Instruction continually. mediate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do"

So what book is the above referring too? It's the Bible. The above is taken from the book of Joshua chapter 1 and verse 8. Within the Bible you will find directions/guidance for all situations you will face in your life - Follow the instructions in the Bible and I guarantee you'll experience the full extent of God's love and support.

Michael W Smith's song entitled "Ancient Words" is all about the Bible and reinforces the message I was trying to give to you - that the answers to all we face can be found in God's book, the Bible. I personally find the words of the chorus very encouraging and very reassuring:

Ancient words ever true
Changing me, and changing you.
We have come with open hearts
Oh let the ancient words impart.

No matter whether you have never read the Bible before or whether you've read studied it before, I hope and pray that as you watch and listen to the following video, you are encouraged to open God's word.

Ancient Words (by Michael W Smith)

Holy words long preserved

for our walk in this world,

They resound with God's own heart

Oh, let the Ancient words impart.

Words of Life, words of Hope

Give us strength, help us cope

In this world, where e'er we roam

Ancient words will guide us Home.

Ancient words ever true

Changing me, and changing you.

We have come with open hearts

Oh let the ancient words impart.

Holy words of our Faith

Handed down to this age.

Came to us through sacrifice

Oh heed the faithful words of Christ.

Holy words long preserved

For our walk in this world.

They resound with God's own heart

Oh let the ancient words impart.

Ancient words ever true
Changing me, and changing you.
We have come with open hearts
Oh let the ancient words impart.

We have come with open hearts

Oh let the ancient words impart.

Get reading now!

Find out more about Michael W Smith at: http://www.michaelwsmith.com/

DVD Players versus Bibles

So how many of you just came to read this blog because of its title?

Even if it was just the title that got you here, I hope you read on...

This whole post was instigated by a discussion that started at work today, when somehow or other the conversation got round to how many DVD players we each had in our houses. So we each got counting and came up with a number...compared our results, wondered how some had got so many, only to find we'd forgotten about some types of DVD player we had ourselves!

So how many DVD player do you have in your house?

Here's some of those you need to remember to count:

• DVD player
• DVD recorder
• pcs
• laptops
• games consoles

Well did you get them all? Are you surprised how many you have? I certainly was - the other guys at work were also surprised.

Well when I realised just how many DVD players we all have, I wondered how many of them we actually use on a regular basis. For us we certainly do not use all our DVD players on a regular basis, some we do, others I couldn't tell you the last time we used them!

So where am I going with this? Given the number of DVD players I'm sure we all possess but don't use very often, I wondered, is the same thing true of the Bibles we possess!

So, some questions for you to consider:

• How many bibles do you have in your home?
• How many of your Bibles do you use regularly?
• Do you use your DVD players more regularly than your Bibles?
• How often do you read your Bible?
• How long do you spend reading/studying your Bible?
  

Now I've thrown a number of questions at you, what's your reaction to your answers? I was quite shocked by my answers to the above questions. We spend a lot of time these days watch tv, dvds, playing computer games, using pcs/laptops, but do we spend enough of our time reading our bible and praying?

Because of my own answers to the above questions, I'm reevaluating how I spend my time, do you need to do that too?

We only grow spiritually when we read and understand God's Word, and spend time praying and listening to God speaking to us.

Enjoy the music but also acknowledge the message presented in the following video: "Thy Word" by Michael W Smith