A rather burning request for prayer.

Okay, so how to be as succinct as possible without skipping necessary information.

My Godfather Russel has been battling arthritis for 25 years now, having had replacement surgery for artificial hips and other parts of his pelvic region. Such was the severity of his condition that it has long since left him with a crooked walk, reduced strength in his legs and the need for regular hospital appointments and medical aid. The recent months have also seen him battle an onset of cancer to which, when met with chemotherapy, he has been responding well…

Until today.
Today it was revealed that a sudden onslaught has increased the number of spots on his liver almost ten-fold, and so it was announced to him that he can expect to live for another 3 to 6 months.

The extremely aggressive last-ditch chemo attempt they are planning will, in all likelihood, have no effect, my father told me earlier as he broke the news.

There are further ramifications. You see, my Godfather also happens to be my parents employer, and it is quite probable that his passing will result in their unemployment. This however, is quite rightly the last thing my folks and I care about at this moment. What breaks our hearts more is a good question - is it the wife and 2 children, 16 and 18, that he will leave behind? That this Christmas could well be his last? Or is it that his parents, who are in ill health themselves will, at this rate, outlive their son? All of these are awful to even begin to contemplate.

News like this often leaves you suspended between not believing that it’s true and not wanting to believe it’s true. I have now had my time of tears over the matter, I accept that it’s very much a reality and now I find myself desperate to pursue the Lord with petition and prayer more than I ever have for anything.

So, I ask you to pray for peace over his family, friends and work associates. Over my family and I. For an abundant release of joy, strength and love to be brought into his unbelieving heart at a time when so many withdraw, distract and self-destruct. Pray for the God of all things to reveal Himself mightily through this trial. Pray for my father who, by his own admission, is now being led to question the extent of his own faith.

I am dwelling in a house of severe unrest and need, friends.

But here’s the thing; the one focus for your prayers that I urge you to cling to, even if you forget everything else I have said up to now…pray for this -

That God would loose the supernatural healing and revival over this broken life that I know not only is He perfectly capable of, but that I fully believe He will. That He will completely restore Russ so that next time he visits the hospital they cannot find a single trace of anything cancerous inside of him. Just imagine the rejoicing that will bring. No way am I laying this to rest and praying for a cosy exit when I can be on my hands and knees, every spare moment of my day if necessary, upholding this precious life before the God who has saved my life, as well as those of countless others in times of peril.

The same power that conquered the grave lives in you and I through our faith in Christ and the sheer, radiant grace of the Lord - ALL things are possible.

Let’s bring my Godfather before God THE Father.

Amen!

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. - 1 Peter 5:8-9

Now as much as it pains me to quote High School Musical;

We’re all in this together.

Don’t ever forget the wonderful support network that we inherit as children of the Living God.

:)

The Meaning of God.

Hold it.

Before you grab your torches and pitchforks and start up a manhunt for my head on a stick, I am not turning my back on my faith and trying to form a perfectly rounded, flawless and earthly reasoning behind the proclaimed existence of our Heavenly Father. Man has tried, and failed, simply because we know He supersedes any such efforts to do so.

So what am I getting at?

By the ‘meaning’ of God, I am referring to His ‘intention’.

…that’s it…just slowly place the pitchfork on the ground (preferably with the pointy bit out of anybody’s way).

You see, God means what He says and does.

Not only that, but the things the Lord promises are even demonstrated in the manner in which He delivers them.

Love delivered lovingly,

Eternally faithful in His promise of faithfulness,

Gracious enough to offer us fresh grace with each new sunrise.

I take great comfort in knowing that.

:)

Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” - 1 Peter 3:13-14

This world and its powers have got nothing on the God who brought it all together, dear one.

Take heart my friend, keep your head up.

:)

In other news -

I just sent my 7,000th Tweet.

You can see it on my blog; thought I’d write something to mark the occasion!

:D

My God is the only constant; storms come, droughts arise, but my Heavenly shelter remains untouched.

He keeps me safe inside.

Could not ask for better. :)

Okay, God -

What are You up to here?

Either things are gonna get real exciting,

or

I’m gonna learn a harsh but apparently necessary lesson and fall flat on my face. Again.

Oh, You do like to keep me guessing. Good thing You know the desires of my heart, and I’ve every faith in Your power and promise. :)

It’s all too easy to be a spiritual apparition, as opposed to a spiritual body.

I can say this, because I’ve been there many times. It takes comparatively little effort to appear to be doing a great job; saying the right things, singing the songs, praying the prayers. The real hard graft comes when your heart is in it; when you strive for your love and hunger for God to course through every vein, when His very presence elevates your pulse, and when you are determining for the life you live in the company of solitude to match up to what you seem to be doing in the eyes of others.

It’s easier to be an apparition than a body.

Thing is, my friend, we were called to be bodies.

God puts things on my heart at the strangest times and in the coolest ways..

Friday at work is a prime example.

I’m sitting in the corridor hearing one of the children in my class read; I hear her read every day (or try to; sometimes a busy schedule makes it difficult), in an effort to try and boost her sub-average reading age.

Anyway, yesterday she picks out this book about explorers, and I think,

“Cool - I love the idea of travelling and adventure, so hopefully this won’t be too tedious to sit and listen to!”

How little I knew of what God was about to do.

She began reading the introduction and there, in front me, painted amongst a glorious plethora of printed word, was a sentence that I will always remember. It went like this;

“Explorers are people who set out to discover more about the world, usually putting their lives at risk in the process.”

As those words found a permanent place in my heart, I thought about them in the context of exploring the wonders of a relationship with God:

As followers of Christ, we should set out daily to explore and discover more and more about the world of God, both through His Spirit within us, His works in our lives and the Scripture.

…The thing is, that second part of the sentence; ‘usually putting their lives at risk in the process.’

Which begs the question; are we living in dangerous faith? No, I don’t mean running into a community of Atheists and throwing Bibles through their windows while yelling the words to ‘Yes, Jesus Loves Me’ (or maybe it does, depending on your calling!).

I mean, the sort of danger where you’re literally on the brink of going into the complete unknown and you’re crying out to God,

“God, if You don’t step in now, I’m a goner…but y’know what? Still even on the verge of calamity and meltdown, at a point where everything could unravel or plummet, I still trust You completely to pull me through, and to do it in style, just like always. Lord, either reinforce my faith so it’s like titanium, or show me I was a fool to ever doubt at all.”

…Only when we have faith like that, I believe, can we truly discover the secrets and wonders of God that He has waiting for those who pursue Him like wildfire through a forest.

It is my prayer tonight for you and I, friends, that we hunger for faith like this, and a passion to explore and unearth more of Him and His ways.

Bless you all,

your brother in Christ,

Shaun. :)

Where you’re looking is where you’ll end up.

So, you’re fixated on getting yourself a boyfriend/girlfriend, based on the premise that people aren’t falling at your feet right now and therefore you reckon you’ll be alone forever? Well your logic is a little misaligned, but that’s nice, I hope all works out if or when you get one.

You want to become a key member of that popular bands/artists fandom? That’s kinda cool that you want to show them support; you’ll get there I’m sure if you talk to the right people, scratch a few backs or post the right words/pictures and go to enough live shows.

You really can’t get enough of that TV show, eh…talking about how you miss it all the time, and how the characters, what with their successes and failures resemble your life in so many ways? Perhaps if you keep on blogging about it day and night, and constantly re-watch all the current series, the network might commission a new series even sooner as a reward for all your hard work.

If those goals hit a little close to home and that sounds like you, that’s fair enough, I’m in no position to condemn, but tell me this -

How is that going to grant you a ticket into the glorious eternal afterlife awaiting those whose gaze is fixed fully on Christ? Sure, we can talk about the things we enjoy in the world of media and whatnot, a series of books or films, great when enjoyed as entertainment…they’re life’s small pleasures, but that’s how they must remain - little. Are they diverting our attention from the cross on which the Prince of Peace died for you and all your life encompasses?

Is your sight set on Christ?

“And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joyawaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.” - Hebrews 12:1-2

‘Initiates’ and ‘perfects’…Jesus began the process on the cross, and he alone will finish it…

What I’m saying in a nutshell is that glueing your stare on Jesus is the only way you’ll get the prize that we all claim to look forward to and strive for as children under the grace of God, friends!