Let’s all be Amaranthine in at least one sense?

Don’t know why, but it seems I am attracted to words that appear to have more than one clear meaning.
Amaranthine, the Word of the Day for Tuesday, August 9, 2011, is also one of them as we see by these three meanings:
1. Unfading; everlasting.
2. Of or like the amaranth flower.
3. Of purplish-red color.
Now of course, all these meanings actually revolve around, and arose from, the one source. And that source was and is the amaranthius plant.
Which according to Wikipedia: “Amaranth is a reddish-rose color that is a representation of the color of the flower of the amaranth plant. The color normally considered amaranth, but there are other varieties of amaranth that have other colors of amaranth flowers.
The color amaranth is similar to printer's magenta (pigment magenta) (but redder). It is the color of the flower of those amaranth plants that have amaranth red colored flowers.
The first recorded use of amaranth as a color name in English was in 1690.”
Thus we see that all 3 meanings of being amaranthine is in fact connected to the one source! But today I am not asking if you are a flower. Or even if you are red? No! What I am asking is, are you amaranthine in the aspect of being everlasting and unfading in your everyday life? Or do you come across in fits and starts, and always changing from day to day?
Of course to be really amaranthine, as in unfading band everlasting for evermore, one can only truly do that though through accepting Jesus Christ as your own personal lord and saviour. If you wish to learn more about that, please just ask.
In the meantime, as much as it is possible for you now though, do try to be everlasting and unfading in your everyday life, rather than volatile and ever changing. Again, over to you for now.

What is your life’s Leitmotif?

Leitmotif was the Word of the Day for Tuesday, May 31, 2011, and has two general meanings.
Firstly, in music drama, it is a marked melodic phrase or short passage which always accompanies the reappearance of a certain person, situation, abstract idea, or allusion in the course of the play. In other words it is a sort of musical label.
The second meaning is, as a dominant and recurring theme. And it is with that second meaning that my mind wandered to my own life and to what was its dominant and re-occurring themes.
Before I became a Christian I don’t know that there was any re-occurring theme in my life except perhaps my Family. Before I became a Christian at 29, I had no real direction or purpose in my Life, let alone a re-occurring theme; but after I became a Christian I had both purpose and direction.
Looking back at my post Christian life, I find that whenever I was in difficult circumstances and needed someone to confide in, no matter where I was, whether in this country or in South Africa, God brought along the right person for that time and circumstance, even if I haven’t seen that person since.
Of course he has blessed me in so many other ways too, but my Leitmotif is that God has continually blessed me with giving me the right human encouragement at the right time.
Well, that’s my Leitmotif! What’s yours?

Holding on to your Call.

(The following is a Talk I gave to Deep Creek Uniting early April, 2003.)

Although I was Christened as a baby and had a few months of Sunday school when I was 12, as well as having had Religious Instruction during both my primary and Secondary School years , I really came from a non Christian Background and so when I finally , at 29, accepted that there was a God and that Jesus was his son and the Bible was His words to us and that I was a sinner in need of His forgiveness, I still knew nothing much about this God I now accepted as mine.

I don’t know about you but I was not happy with my limited knowledge of the one I now claimed to follow; and so I set about learning as much as I could about this God that I now called Father. So I started attending a Regular Bible Study and regularly read my Bible as well as attending all the seminars about prayer and the Bible that I could.

During this time I felt the Lord calling me to Missionary service. At first I resisted this call! Not because I didn’t want to go but because in those days I thought being a Missionary was something special and I wasn’t really sure if it was God calling or simply my pride as a new Christian.

Eventually my wife and I decided that it was God calling us and not our own desires and we approached a Mission society offering ourselves for service, expecting to be accepted almost straight away as the need for Missionaries was so great. Now of course that did not happen and it was a bit of a shock to us to say the least.

How we were led to that particular society is a long story in itself, but we did feel that God had definitely called us to Africa for 20 years or so with them, which is why we approached them and said here we are.

However we never heard from them for a long time and when we checked up with them we found that they apparently had lost our original application, and so we had to apply all over again. During this second approach, we were told that it was Missionary policy that all applicants have hat least one or two years of Bible collage experience behind them and they suggested we go to a Bible Collage in NSW for two years.

Now we were happy to go to Africa for 20 plus years but not happy about going to NSW for two Years. However we felt sure that God had called us to that Society and if that was what they wanted then that was what had to be. Others in our Church were not so sure and wanted us to go to BCV out at Lilydale.

Anyway we applied to NSW and much to my joy but utter amazement we were knocked back, as there, the wife must also do the course and they felt that with 3 small kids, Martha would not cope. Personally they totally misjudged her, but at least we got out of going to NSW. For a while at least! And ended up at BCV.

Now I don’t believe in doing something just for the sake of going through the motions of fulfilling their requirements, so I started looking at what I would do there and the only course that appealed to me was a 3 or 4 year course. Now it was bad enough having to do two years but to spread it out to 4 was pushing it a bit. Never the less I decided to apply for it but was told that as I didn’t have my Matriculation Certificate (Now the VCE, I believe!) Anyway whatever it was, I didn’t have it, so I wasn’t qualified for the course I wanted to do. There were two others I could have done but not the one I felt strongly about.

We were told that as I was a mature aged student that I may be eligible to try the first year and see how I went, but they weren’t sure. So we ended up at BCV a week before the year started still not knowing what course I would be doing. To cut a long story short I did the course, passed the first year and graduated 3 years later with a Bachelor of Theology.

But still things were not made easy. Half way through the course, we were told that this was great but now the Mission wanted us/me to have some practical Church experience, so during our last year at Collage I was helping the Minister at Wandin Uniting Church where I preached for the first time. When we finished at BCV we went, finally to NSW, to be Associate Minister at the Wagga Ashmont Baptist Church. Soon after our arrival there, their was a mass departure of the leadership and although I was supposedly the Associate pastor learning from others above me, soon I found I was the only one in leadership, with half the Elders and Deacons we started with.

It really wasn’t my fault, they all just took the opportunity of a new Pastor to leave. Anyway, we were there for 12 months and it was a sharp and difficult but ultimately a good learning curve. The mission wanted us to get some Church experience and believe me we got it in spades during our time there. Yet we still look back at that time with fond memories.

During our time there the Mission finally accepted us for Missionary service in Madagascar. It had only taken some 6 years and a couple of applications to get that far. So we returned to Melbourne for a few months expecting to head for the Mission field within 12 Months. Again it is another long story that I won’t go into here but it was two years later and to a completely different part of Africa that we finally went to.

During our time in Transkei and South Africa, we had our own litany of travails. The Apostle Paul lists his in second Timothy 11. Well ours may not be as impressive as we have never been whipped, shipwrecked or imprisoned but we did have a stone thrown through the car windows hitting the wife on the back just missing her head. Our house was petrol bombed twice. The Car was stolen, never to be returned although we did see it once. I have been mugged at knife point and had at least 3 pick pocket attempts, the fence cut and the dogs let out in an attempt to break into the house. There are a few other incidence, but these were the main ones.

Throughout all this we felt strongly God’s protection for us there and rather than being hindrances to our ministry, these attacks against us actually helped our ministry as people saw that we both believed and practiced what we preached about our trust in God and his concern for all who believe and follow him.

We did not stay there the 20 plus years that we expected but ended up leaving after only 12 years as God again made it clear to us that our time there was at end and it was time to leave there.

And so, 4 years later, here we are with you tonight. Still following God’s call for us. It is no longer in Africa but in darkest Croydon, but God is still calling and we are still walking in His call to us. It hasn’t always been easy, but it has never been too hard, and there have been many, many good times too. It’s just that the good times don’t make as good a story as the bad things do they?

To sum up, I would encourage you to make the most of every opportunity to learn as much as you can about your father God and be as involved with your church as much as you can and follow God’s call at the speed He calls you. If you have to make detours, even to NSW, to get the needed experience, do so. Don’t rush God’s call to you, but don’t drag your feet either.

Thank you and good night

What is your true colour as Christ’s light in this world?

Was walking up the street the other day, when I saw a black Ute* coming towards us. But before it got to us, it did a u-turn and while it was doing so, the sun reflected off it and I saw that it was not black at all, but a funny shade of Green. Then having completed it’s turn, it again looked black out of the direct sunlight.
It very much reminded me of my previous car. Just after I bought it, I visited my parents and of course showed it off. Then the next time I visited them, I was asked to settle an argument between them. It seems one insisted it was black and the other blue, and both wanted me to declare who was right and who was wrong.
Of course me being me, promptly declared them both wrong! Which they were, as the car was actually and officially Green. Just that in various light and shades, it did even appear black and blue, despite actually being neither. With further reflection and upon seeing my car in different lighting, I could also clearly see where they were looking from.
All of which got me to thinking that often that is also true about us as Followers of Christ and being His lights to the world and wondering if people really see us as Christ’s light to them, or simply see us reflecting, not Christ’s light, but the murky light of the world?
Sadly many people often only see a lot of so-called Christians reflecting a light other than Christ’s. Thus never see His true colour, nor the colour that Christ wants them to see in us!
Yes, some others may see Christ’s followers in one light or another. Thus we can sometimes be seen as all good or all bad, when in fact we are really in between those “two extreme Colours”, and in Christ. And, neither the worst nor the best, just being Christ’s lights into this otherwise darkening world. So what Colour are you really now? And are people really seeing your true colours as a forgiven follower of Christ Jesus all the time?
* Utility or Light Commercial Vehicle or Bakkie!

Are you a Kenspeckle Christian?

Kenspeckle was the word of the Day, for September 7th, 2010. It is Scandinavian in origin and means: “Conspicuous; easily seen or recognized.”
Now I have never come across this word before and now that I have, and not planning to visit Scandinavia ever, I probably will never use it either, but I couldn’t help but think about its meaning and relevance to us Christians in our daily walks with God.
Yes, how many of us are truly “Kenspeckle Christians”? That is Christians that are conspicuous, easily seen and recognised in our respective communities?
Just something for all of us to reflect on I believe. Meanings, to both reflect on and then to put into action in our lives, even if we never use the word itself!

Carry your own lantern.

While down the street recently I came across a sign outside a shop that said, “ Carry your own lantern and you will never need to be afraid of the Dark.”
Very good advice I feel, for not only will you never need to be afraid of the dark, but you can also provide light for others as well, So instead of always being dependant of others to show or lead the way for you, you can do so by yourself if necessary.
Yes, with you own light, you can also choose for yourself which is the right road, rather than being forced to follow someone else’s road right or wrong! Or having to wait till someone else with a light of their own and heading your way, comes along.
Of course carrying a lamp of your own is one thing, carrying the right one, is another. As we come to this Christmas Season, let us all remember He who was born to be the light of the whole world.
And remembering Him alone, let each one of us take hold of this Light of the world, as our very own, so that we not only always have “The Light” with us, but so that we can always see and find the road or path down which we are meant to be headed. And then head in that right direction too. And hopefully even guide others in that direction too.
Will you do that? Will you carry the light of the world for yourself from this point on and also use it to guide others to Christ too?

Incarnadine.

The Word of the Day for Friday, October 2, 2009 was a real doozy. Not only had I never heard of it before, but upon reading it’s meaning quickly, figured I would probably never would use it anyway. What about you? Would you be likely to use a word with the following meanings, in any likelihood?
“Incarnadine \in-KAR-nuh-dyn\, adjective:
1. Having a fleshy pink color.
2. Red; blood-red.
transitive verb:
1. To make red or crimson.”
However, upon reading further, I found it is from the same Latin rootstock as three words in very common usage in some circles today, including mine.
One common and known to almost anyone with even just a rudimentary Knowledge of Garden plants and flowers. And the other two, although probably not used as much, are common to most religious folk and specifically Christians.
So, to you gardeners and Christians out there today, can you tell me what these three relatively common words (with totally different applications today) are?
Maybe the following will help you out?
“Incarnadine comes from the Italian ‘incarnatino’, which came from the Latin incarnato, meaning something incarnate, made flesh, from in + caro, carn-, "flesh." It is related to carnation, etymologically the flesh-colored flower; incarnate, "in the flesh; made flesh"; and carnal, "pertaining to the body or its appetites."
So, although like me you had probably no idea what ‘Incarnadine’ meant and unlikely to ever use it in its proper form, you have moist likely seen and heard, if not used, its related words. You may not use carnal and incarnate as much as I would, but I am pretty sure you have all seen a Carnation Flower before, even if not in its original incarnadine colouring!
Not sure how the above will help you today, but it has helped me to understand where some of the common words I use have come form and truly gives more feeling to Christ becoming incarnate or in the Flesh, particularly with the blood red connotations too!

Are we really focusing on the Christ?

Recently received the following reply to my previous few blogs in this section: “This has been an excellent series of blogs from you and I agree with you entirely. For a start we must analyse the word CHRISTIAN and the first part of the word says it all. CHRIST IS AND ALWAYS SHOULD BE WHAT THE CHURCH IS ALL ABOUT. Again I agree that we must focus on the sacrifice Jesus made for us when we were completely unworthy of this sacrifice and try in every way to make our lives so that we can get closer to being the people Jesus wanted us to be.
I am not ashamed to admit that when I read about the sacrifice He made for us it brings tears to my eyes because I see the wickedness in the world and it makes me sad to think that this most perfect of all beings died for us and we still turn our backs on Him.”
As stated in my previous blogs, I struggle with the concept that people can call themselves Christians, yet don’t follow his teachings nor believe in Christ as Lord and saviour!
So this blog is asking, what is your focus in regard to Jesus Christ?
Yes, “What image do you get when you hear the word Christ?” Is it just of a good man by the name of Jesus who some call the Christ? Or is it of God’s Christ or Messiah? Messiah, by the way is the original Hebrew word translated as Christ in Greek, for the long promised Saviour from God!
So again in closing whom or what are you focusing on when you hear the word “Christ”? Just another man? Or the Son of God and Lord and saviour, who came and died in your and my Place as the perfect sacrifice for our Sins? And who because of, are now assured of eternal life in Him In God’s Kingdom, even after physical death?
Your thoughts please?

Why is Jesus not seen as central to Christianity?

In an earlier Blog: “5 kinds of Christians: Which are you?” I mentioned an article I found in a Net article called: “Leadership Journal. Net”. In it, it discussed the notion that there were 5 Kinds of people in the world today who called themselves Christians, and often in the same church or denomination too! There were quite some differences in some of these groups particularly in regard to belief in Jesus. So much so that the article then asked this question: “What About Jesus?” Which I then discussed in my blog: But What about Jesus? Where we discussed how it was that: ”For a vast number of people who consider themselves Christian, Christ is not the central figure of their faith.”
So the next question that needs to be asked is, “Why is this so? Why is Jesus the Christ, not central to the faith of all who call themselves Christian?
According to the original article in: “Leadership Journal. Net”: “Leith Anderson, senior pastor of Wooddale Church in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, believes that the high value placed on tolerance in this country is partly to blame. "'God' as a term is transferable amongst different religious sects, but 'Christ' is not. It seems intolerant. What we need to do is reintroduce people to Jesus, his story, his life and his teachings. Not by forcing people to agree with us, but by giving them adequate examples and reasons to believe in Christ."
Hunter agrees that trying to provide intellectual arguments for the Christian faith will only go so far. "Christianity is about Christ, and it is about that personal relationship. We have to not focus on explaining Pauline theology, but on the person and ministry of Christ. We have to be people who live out the life of Christ. People aren't generally interested in theological teaching. But everyone has a heart for the one who had a heart for us."
From the above and also my own personal experiences, I believe the main reason that Jesus is not central to many who call themselves Christians is that they have never really been properly introduced to Christ. Nor have they seen Him properly mirrored in the lives of those claiming to Be Christians and their leaders.
But again, here it is very easy to caste stones at others, but what about ourselves? Do we truly believe in and follow Jesus as the Christ, Lord and saviour of all mankind?
And do we fully and properly teach this to all including our own families, in everything we say and do? And by teach I also mean, do we model Christ in our lives and not just in our words.
Just another little thing for you to think on here. A little thing with a profound impact if truly followed through, I think. What think you?

5 kinds of Christians: Which are You?

This blog is based on material I found in a Net article called: “Leadership Journal. Net”. In it, it discussed the notion that there were 5 Kinds of people in the world today who called themselves Christians, (and sometimes in the same church or denomination too)!
This information is from a new national survey co-sponsored by Leadership. And reported by Helen Lee and posted 10/01/2007 in an attempt in Understanding the disparity of those who call themselves Christian in America.
The five groups, and their percentage of believers, and their basic beliefs, follow:
1. Active Christians 19%:
· Believe salvation comes through Jesus Christ
· Committed churchgoers
· Bible readers
· Accept leadership positions
· Invest in personal faith development through the church
· Feel obligated to share faith; 79% do so.
2. Professing Christians 20%
· Believe salvation comes through Jesus Christ
· Focus on personal relationship with God and Jesus
· Similar beliefs to Active Christians, different actions
· Less involved in church, both attending and serving
· Less commitment to Bible reading or sharing faith
3. Liturgical Christians 16%
· Predominantly Catholic and Lutheran
· Regular churchgoers
· High level of spiritual activity, mostly expressed by serving in church and/or community
· Recognize authority of the church
4. Private Christians 24%
· Largest and youngest segment
· Believe in God and doing good things
· Own a Bible, but don't read it
· Spiritual interest, but not within church context
· Only about a third attend church at all
· Almost none are church leaders
5.Cultural Christians 21%
· Little outward religious behavior or attitudes
· God aware, but little personal involvement with God
· Do not view Jesus as essential to salvation
· Affirm many ways to God
· Favor universality theology
In addition to these findings about the church, we found a most defining dichotomy over the Jesus question: Active and Professing Christians said "accepting Christ as Savior and Lord" is the key to being a Christian (almost 9 in 10), while Liturgical, Private, and Cultural Christians favored more generally "believing in God" as the main element in being a Christian. So, for a vast number of people who consider themselves Christian, Christ is not the central figure of their faith.”
The above defining of so-called Christians, helped to understand/explain that while many people claim to be followers of Christ (which is what the word Christian means,) many are not true Christians, because they only follow the name and not Jesus.
I will probably be called intolerant and pigheaded here, but for the life of me, I cannot understand how a person can believe that they are a Christian, if they don’t believe in or follow Jesus the Christ!
Whilst I won’t be judgemental of you, I would love to know which of the above categories you truly see yourself in and what you truly believe about Jesus? Over to you for now!