Save Jesus Christ alone

When we once moved house, we had an introductory chat with our new neighbours. I was delighted to learn that the whole end of our street were Christians. This was an answer to prayer because I had been hungry for fellowship.

Whilst we were chatting, my new neighbour told me of the people next door. They were of a different denomination to them. She told me they considered their denomination the *only* real church and that they came across as feeling superior to them. She then went on to discuss the other denominations represented in the street who happened to speak in tongues. They too felt superior to other denominations and Christians who didn't have the gift of tongues or the Baptism of the Spirit. In fact in the next 10 months we were there, they didn't even acknowledge us in the street!

In looking for a new place of worship, we discussed her Baptist Church. I felt that I would like to check it out until she mentioned the factions within about introducing charismatic practices. Sadness flooded over me.

Denominations, factions and superiority ought not to be within the Church. Unfortunately, we all know it is... we all have done it at some time or another. No sooner does one learn that one is a Christian than the judgment starts to raise its ugly head.

Christian, Catholic, Baptist, Spirit-filled, Charismatic, speaker of tongues, christened or baptised by immersion all juggle for precedence in our estimation of a Christians' worth and suitability to befriend and have fellowship with. When in fact, all that should matter is that the person is truly born-again and sees Jesus Christ as the Son of God and Him crucified. There has to be a common bond for Christians and that bond is Jesus.

Because judgments of a persons' church and worship preferences so colour our fellowship, I prefer to see myself as a Christian rather than as a Baptist, Protestant, Charismatic or whatever. Without that willingness to accept each other firstly as Christians, we aren't going to have true fellowship! I mentioned that to my new neighbour and she agreed. So there is still the possibility of ongoing fellowship with her.

Judging Christians by their denomination or manner of worship short-circuits all possibility of developing strong bonds in the Body of Christ. If we do not accept each other purely on the basis of what Christ is and has done, we rob ourselves of the opportunity of fellowship and live outside the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:3

Let's choose to see nothing else but Jesus Christ and what He has done for all of us. Surely that would be a very firm foundation to build a friendship on whilst strengthening the Body of Christ. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 1 Corinthians 2:2

© Glenys Robyn Hicks 

The verse that comes to mind for this post is simple: Jesus wept. John 11:35

When I bow...

America is undergoing severe trials at the moment and a lot of it revolves around racism. Apparently, they are being exhorted to bow their knee to the coloured population and beg forgiveness for being white.

Whilst the majority of  African-American people do not want this and just want to live peacefully with all men, especially white, there are those who are being whipped up into a frenzy and now require it.

Today here in Australia, we are seeing mass rallies protesting "Black Lives Matter" responding to aboriginal deaths in custody, and like in America, it is being contrived by certain people to have political gain and is driven on a false pretext that will eventually end in anarchy.

The spirit of Lawlessness is alive and well and multiplying. The mob mentality is rife. It is what is to be expected and was prophesied to come before the Rapture and second coming of the LORD.

The tone of racism is that we who are white should be ashamed and we should bow to the person of colour in an attitude of repentance and solidarity. It assumes that God has made a mistake in creating the human race in different skin hues and that is insulting to our Creator to say the least.

To require that we bow before another human negates our worth and minimises the beauty of humanity who were created in God's image. Our colour is not our worth: we are all worthy of respect from all races and were created equal in God's sight.

In as much as God considered all humanity equal, Christ died for ALL men. We are His children and He has no favourites.

It will be a wonderful- no, glorious Day when we gather together in front of the Throne of God. We will all kneel before Him- black, brown, red, yellow, white toned Saints unified and bought by the Blood of Christ. Before that great and glorious Day comes, we would do well to love each other and bow to no man. 

I won't say I am sorry for being white any more than I would if I was born coloured- and when I bow, it will be adoration, worship and awe to Jesus Who loves all His many hued children equally.

© Glenys Robyn Hicks        

For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God."  Romans 14:11 

God still owns tomorrow

We are living in a time of global tribulation. Pestilence in the form of the Covid is frightening most of the world and those who aren't taking it seriously are fools. It is a time to sit and ask yourself where your faith lies.

Certainly we can have faith in doctors and nurses who risk their own lives to save those who succumb to this virus. But they cannot save everyone.

We can have faith in the governments of the world who try to contain it. But even so, it is proving difficult to trust them.

We need to take on board that God has us all in His Hand. All we can do is comply with what the authorities are telling us to do and trust that God will allow the virus to dissipate quickly with minimum loss of life.

We can only take on the problems of today... and we can only overcome by acknowledging that God is in control, even when it seems that He is not. He is never taken by surprise.

Jesus told us that we would have tribulation in the world and that sufficient unto the day are the problems of the day. We can't take on more than what we are doing in the present and we can't wish away our life, enduring it and not enjoying it.

We must trust in Him Who bore the sins of the world upon His shoulders. Only His shoulders are broad enough for taking on eternity. We must relinquish our anxieties and trust in Him. He will keep us in safety and carry us through this troubling time.

Our shoulders can't take on more than the worries of today. Only His shoulders can carry us through and we must remember that God still owns tomorrow.

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

 

"The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him, Who shelters him all the day long; And he shall dwell between His shoulders."  Deuteronomy 33:12

I will not be laughing!

Those of us who have been Christians for some time have probably been the butt of jokes of unsaved family and friends. We are often openly laughed at and made fun of. It can be depressing as well as humiliating.

Recently when I was clearing out my mother's belongings after she passed, a little plaque my mother had with "God Is Love" on it was passed down from her display cabinet. People who were helping wanted to throw it out into the give away to charity pile. Then one of them started laughing and said, "Sure, He is! huh, who wants this?" (laugh laugh)- then she said, "Oh give it to Glenys, she'll take it cos she believes in this sh*t!" Feeling a tad hot faced, I took it and put it in my handbag to take home with me. Their smirks weren't lost on me either! (No fool like an old fool, right?)

Likewise, when cleaning out the bookshelf, they saw the old but well preserved Bible and were going to pitch it out. I hurriedly sprang forward and claimed it, much to their enjoyment. It went alongside my handbag to find its way to my home where it would be put in a place of honour and easily accessed.

Just recently I had an irate family member declare that she won't follow my posts on Face Book because they "are too religious" and she "doesn't think it's right to have it up on Face Book". However, I would prefer to see them than her endless selfies and pictures of her rather prominently displayed bust.  Come to think of it, maybe this was the reason my estranged brother unfriended me from his Face Book yesterday. How he describes Christians is unprintable here....

All in all, I sometimes feel that there is a conspiracy amongst unsaved family and friends in keeping our faith at arms length, and any chance to degrade, hurt, ridicule and humiliate us is taken. We are fair game, people. Yet we cannot change our life style, if we truly believe.

If we believe, we will be Christ-like, and to the unsaved, this is a threat. For Christ-likeness shines His light over their darkness, and they are exposed. This is very disconcerting to the person whose heart is far from being saved. But rather than retreat, we must advance and keep being faithful. Who else knows them like we do? Who else but us bearing Christ in us, would want to see them saved? Who would forgive? Who would pray? And yes, even love them?

It's not easy being a Christian today, especially with unsaved family and friends. We will have an extra cross to bear in humiliation, we will have our faith tested and our resolve to be loving will be sorely tried. And if the one who is unsaved and antagonistic to our faith, is our spouse, a sword will pierce through our heart over and over again.

We dare not take this treatment and derision to heart, for if we do, we may never see our loved ones come to Christ. We may not know that the Holy Spirit is wooing that person and that the barbs and derision are coming to the fore because of a spiritual battle within him or her. It often happens like that. No matter what happens, I must forgive and try to forget the laughter at my expense. 

I cannot change who I am now. I am Christ's, Who was also laughed at as He was whipped and stripped and refused to save Himself by coming off the cross. The die is cast for me, my path is clear. I am moving forward in spite of the jests and guffaws. Let them laugh: we'll have the last one!

But I will be praying for them to be saved for the sad thing is that them going to Hell's not funny and I will not be laughing! 

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

And the people stood looking on. But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God.” Luke 23:35

We are the Church!

 

It is no light thing to say that even unbelievers are saying the world is coming to an end: it certainly is a time of darkness and fear. 

It hasn't taken God by surprise and He hasn't kept it secret that in the end times before He comes for us, His Church, His Bride, that troublesome times will come.

We have church meetings cancelled as well as secular events in an attempt to curtail the spread of this virus. It is as if Satan wants to stop the Word of God being preached and of people being within ear shot if it is.

What he forgets is that WE Christians are the Church. It's not a building or hall. It's every true believer. His Holy Spirit dwells in us and there is no way God's Word will be silenced.

Let us pray for boldness and anointing to preach and speak the Word. How can we from home? you ask. By posting uplifting pictures with scripture.  By blogging about God if you blog. By posting of Christ in your Face Book groups.

Let us be Christ's Hands and Mouth and turn this evil pandemic into the biggest opportunity in recent times of reaching the lost for Jesus!

Make no mistake: we are in the end times and the next event on the Christian calendar is the Rapture! We want to take as many as possible with us, but it depends on us as Christ's Church and Bride to continue to live fearless lives and preach the Word. We are not the Holy Spirit, but we can have people hear the Word that plants the seed for the Holy Spirit to work in their hearts.

Rise up, both normal and chroncially ill believers and proclaim in any way you can that Jesus is coming soon. We may be ill, but we are faithful! A faithful Bride and Church of Jesus! 

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. Ephesians 5:23-30

Balancing fact and fiction

I celebrated Christmas in the past in the usual way..trees, lights, gifts and Santa, and I have always been to church Christmas Day with my family and taught my children the real meaning of Christmas. I have known for many years that the traditions of Christmas were mostly pagan in origin, but I feel that as long as one remembers one day a year as the birthday of Jesus, then it doesn't really matter which day it is technically. 

My firm belief was that if Christ dwells in your heart, and your thoughts are towards Him in everything you do, then every day is a day of thanks for Him and His coming to us as a babe. To me the end of Jesus' mission, (His sacrifice and finished work for our redemption) is a more important focus than His birth. 

I believe that 'the earth is the Lord's and all its fullness.' 1 Corinthians 10:26 If one celebrates Christmas with a tree, or giving gifts etc, I think that as long as the focus is on celebrating or remembering Christ's birth, then we would not upset our Saviour. 

However in trying to teach my grandchildren the truth of Christmas, I have to keep in mind that my children do not wish me to tell their children that there is no Santa. I have been warned against 'spoiling' their childhood by denouncing Santa as a lie! I am seen as a potential 'party pooper'. Because they are the parents, I must not go against their wishes. And I won't.

Recent events made me think of ways that I could perhaps now enhance the worshipful meaning of Christmas rather than celebrate in a way that the world in general celebrates it without even acknowledging Christ... I will not actually denounce Santa to my grandchildren but will discuss the origin of Santa as being St Nicholas. 

I will expound on the virtues of giving to the poor etc. I will buy for the older grandchildren a children's Christian book and Bible colouring books for the younger ones. My tree will have only Christian ornaments and no Santas. Likewise my Christmas cards will be of the nativity. And of course, I will worship on Christmas Day with the Body of Christ. These steps may indeed help my personal reflection on the birth of Christ and denunciation of commercialism.

It is important to our children's growing faith that we be honest with them. If we teach about a mythical character with magical powers for them only to learn later on that he does not exist, it logically concludes that maybe Jesus Himself doesn't exist either.

Whilst we don't want to destroy a child's Christmas by denouncing Santa, we can keep him as a tradition born from Saint Nicholas. Telling them of Saint Nicholas as being represented by Santa is a good way of balancing fact and fiction.

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! 2 Corinthians 9:15

Tell me something pretty!

In a film I once watched called "A Farewell to Arms", the Italian doctor was sick at heart with all the death and misery around him. He said to a soldier comrade, "Tell me something pretty!" He just wanted to hear something nice, something hopeful, something pretty! He was promptly executed for demoralising the troops.

Our world has been turned upside down, and there's illness, death and mayhem all around us. You may be like me, sick at heart and dismayed and long to hear "something pretty"...

I cannot change what's happening in the world that must come to pass, but I have something pretty for you to cling to- something hopeful, something true. We have a Saviour Who is coming to take us out of this world to live with Him forever.

He has gone to prepare a place for us where we will live with Him. There will be no more tears, no grief, no illness or sin. There will be no more goodbyes, no death, no funerals. Just peace and joy and worship. Lots of worship and joy. 

Our Saviour died in our place for our sins and today He lives forever in victory. He's a Lover- a lover of our souls and He dances over us in joy.

He invites the unsaved to accept Him and love Him and He yearns over us by His Spirit, wooing us unto Himself, longing for our union as His Bride, the Church- believers. Jesus longs for *you*

Through the Eyes of Love,  He sees us, a perfect Bride and His Father is glad that there is restoration between God and man. Restoration that came through the Blood of His Son.

I will tell you something pretty- no fairytale, though some may call it that- but a fact as sure as God Himself- we will soon be changed in the blink of an eye. We will be clothed with a new body that is eternal, and we will know Love unconditional, for God is love...

I will tell you the prettiest thing of all... it's love and joy and peace and hope and forgiveness  and grace encapsulated in one word: I will tell you something pretty- His Name is JESUS! 

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God because God is love. 1 John 4:7-8

Where they come to die

How many of us have received an email chain letter? You know the kind:- if you love Jesus, pass this along to 50 of your friends..... if you don't you will go to Hell...

If you have a heart, you will forward this email to all your friends so that this little girl who needs a life-saving operation will live because Google will pay x amount towards it for every 1000 forwarded emails...

Modern technology has taken over the role of the snail mail chain letter of yesteryear.  You know the one where a 5 cent coin was taped onto the letter, urging you to invest in some pyramid selling technique. If you don't do so, you will live in poverty...

I remember once receiving one at work. The threat was if I- or whoever else it was who opened the mail didn't act on their advice and send out another x amount of copies of said letter, that I would lose my job and end up penniless. My employer would go broke yada yada... my boss said (wisely) to file it in the round file also known as waste paper basket.

We even have the modern form of chain letters on Facebook these days.... LIKE if you want to save the cute little puppy from being flayed alive for its fur in China... LIKE if you love your mother. If you don't LIKE your mother link, you are going to lose your mother.... or have 60 years bad luck yada yada..

These and many other variations of chain letters are designed to pull at the heart strings, elicit a reaction and produce an action. Usually just to delight the initiators of them.  My emails and LIKES on FB won't save the child or the puppy, keep me from going to Hell or keep me in a job. The only power they have is to promote fear. The bottom line is they survive on FEAR and SUPERSTITION.

I got an emailed one yesterday stating that a prayer which was a well known one was a novena from Mother Theresa and if I did not forward it to all my friends, I would not know Gods' blessing... I deleted it!

I deleted it because I know Whom I love and serve. And it is unworthy of Him to entertain even a moments' fear on account of an email from some airhead.  I know my worth and life is in the Hands of a loving Saviour Who has my best interests at heart. I need not fear some intimated threat from an uneducated moron who has nothing better to do with his/her life.  I have a life grounded in faith and service that relies solely on God.

I don't base my life on luck or superstition, and if any email or letter chain or message comes to me, it comes to me to die.

So if  you receive any form of chain letter, disregard it. Delete it. File it in the round file. Forget it. No harm will befall you or your family and interests.  We stand on solid ground, not the shaky sand of fear and superstition.

We serve an almighty God Who keeps us in the palm of His Hand. That's more secure than passing on an email to all my friends...

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Jeremiah 29:11

Fear not!

The world is a scary place right now. If we look at the world and all that's happening, we will be afraid.

If we take our eyes off Christ we will be open slather for the evil one to make our fear palpable. It is of course, the direct opposite of faith.

We need more than ever to pray, read the Word and focus on the Blessed Hope of the rapture of the Church. We must keep the Sword of the Spirit in our hand at all times.

To know the Word of God and what He says in these last days, you have to be in the Word. If we are not, our Sword of the Spirit, the Word is going to be rendered useless.

Our battle in these last days is in heavenly places and the weapons of our warfare are not carnal. But to fight the evil one, we must be clothed in the armour of God and wielding the Sword of the Spirit.

We must remember to Whom we belong and know who we are in Christ. We are His. 

The devil knows we are His and would love to snatch away our salvation if he could. But he can't take it, but he can take our peace and joy.

The days are dark, but The Day is approaching. Cling to Jesus. Take thoughts of fear into the captivity of Christ and fight the evil one with the Word.

We are born again- conquerors over evil through Jesus Christ our LORD.

Let us hold fast to our faith and not grow weary.

Let us speak of our hope and exude strength so that the lost will see that we serve a mighty King Who is coming soon.  Pray for the lost that will come to know Jesus as their LORD and Saviour.

All that is happening is coming to pass as it must. Jesus is coming for us, but while there is yet time, let us pray for a revival with many coming to Christ.

Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us. Hang on to Truth. Devour the Word. Cling to what is good.

Above all, fear not!  Maranatha! 

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

John 14:1-2 Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 

We are His faithful Bride!

So much is happening worldwide right now with nearly every country impacted with the Corona Virus. 

Most countries are being put under lockdown but that doesn't preclude us from reaching out to each other via the internet and phone.

It is no light thing to say that even unbelievers are saying the world is coming to an end: it certainly is a time of darkness and fear. 

It hasn't taken God by surprise and He hasn't kept it secret that in the end times before He comes for us, His Church, His Bride, that troublesome times will come.

We have church meetings cancelled as well as secular events in an attempt to curtail the spread of this virus. It is as if Satan wants to stop the Word of God being preached and of people being within ear shot if it is.

What he forgets is that WE Christians are the Church. It's not a building or hall. It's every true believer. His Holy Spirit dwells in us and there is no way God's Word will be silenced.

Let us pray for boldness and anointing to preach and speak the Word. How can we from home? you ask. By posting uplifting pictures with scripture.  By blogging about God if you blog. By posting of Christ in your Face Book groups.

Let us be Christ's Hands and Mouth and turn this evil pandemic into the biggest opportunity in recent times of reaching the lost for Jesus!

Make no mistake: we are in the end times and the next event on the Christian calendar is the Rapture! We want to take as many as possible with us, but it depends on us as Christ's Church and Bride to continue to live fearless lives and preach the Word. We are not the Holy Spirit, but we can have people hear the Word that plants the seed for the Holy Spirit to work in their hearts.

Rise up, both normal and chronically ill believers and proclaim in any way you can that Jesus is coming soon. We may be ill, but we are faithful! A faithful Bride and Church of Jesus! 

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. Ephesians 5:23-30

God loves womankind

Women hold a very special place in God's Heart. Many feel that He is a misogynist or woman hater, but nothing could be further from the truth.

God knows that women are entrusted with an eternal purpose of life: to serve Him, love their husband and nurture their children. And to be keepers of the home. "Therefore I desire that the younger widows marry, bear children, manage the house...' 1 Timothy 5:14c

Jesus in fact respected and loved womankind, and entrusted His first visitation after His resurrection to Mary: a woman.Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.  Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brethrenm and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. John 20:16-17

He interceded for the woman who was chided for breaking forth the alabaster jar of precious and expensive ointment, anointing His feet with it and drying them with her hair. It was He Who said that what she had done for Him would be spoken of forever. Love. Respect. Mercy. Grace. (Luke 7:37-50)

Forgiveness and grace were shown to the woman caught in adultery: respect and love from God meant her life was spared. (John 8:3-12)

He created Woman to be loved, to be loving, to be nurturing, to be protected and to be respected. To us He gave to us the ability to bear a child and then to raise it for His glory.  Any man can father a child, but it takes a loving woman to bear and raise it. No small matter. It takes a woman.

God knows that He can entrust women with eternal treasures, that's why He gave us the protection of marriage and the creating and keeping of a home: godly foundations on which to build a new generation of sons and daughters for Him.

Whilst men go to synagogues in Judaism, whilst men go to work and whilst men go to war, it is the women who carry the home, teach the children and bring them up unto Him. A worthy calling.

It is here that God meets with women in the mundane things of life, for He knows that the mundane is of great value, and so is a woman's service. And from love for womankind, comes a God Who meets us where we live: in our kitchen. In our baby's nursery. In the laundry.

To believe that women are forgotten by God is a gross misrepresentation of His love. It is we who keep the homefires burning and keep it all together when the world falls apart. No wonder God loves womankind.

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

“Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.” Proverbs 31:10

Only His shoulders can carry us through

We are living in a time of global tribulation. Pestilence in the form of the Corona Virus is frightening most of the world and those who aren't taking it seriously are fools. It is a time to sit and ask yourself where your faith lies.

Certainly we can have faith in doctors and nurses who risk their own lives to save those who succumb to this virus. But they cannot save everyone.

We can have faith in the governments of the world who try to contain it. But even so, it is proving difficult.

We need to take on board that God has us all in His Hand. All we can do is comply with what the authorities are telling us to do and trust that God will allow the virus to dissipate quickly with minimum loss of life.

We can only take on the problems of today... and we can only overcome by acknowledging that God is in control, even when it seems that He is not. He is never taken by surprise.

Jesus told us that we would have tribulation in the world and that sufficient unto the day are the problems of the day. We can't take on more than what we are doing in the present. 

We must trust in Him Who bore the sins of the world upon His shoulders. Only His shoulders are broad enough for taking on eternity. We must relinquish our anxieties and trust in Him. He will keep us in safety and carry us through this troubling time.

Our shoulders can't take on more than the worries of today. Only His shoulders can carry us through.

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

Painting by Nathan Greene

"The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him, Who shelters him all the day long; And he shall dwell between His shoulders."  Deuteronomy 33:12

Poppycock!

We gave such a lot happening today in this world that is frightening. It's no use trying to pretend that we are not at all concerned about what's happening: we would be fools not to be concerned about it.

I won't lie and pretend that I haven't been fearful, but I make myself remember God's promises to be with us no matter what, and I can bring the fear into the captivity of Christ.

We must cling to God and His promises if we are to have any peace about world events. We have to run to Him and not from Him.

Some people feel that if a Christian is afraid that they are not truly saved. That is a lie from Hell. It is just another way that the enemy gets to us when we are down. God does not turn away from us if we feel fear. He wants us to run to Him. He's a loving Father.

In running to Him, we will be comforted and have peace and that is something the evil one does not want. Those who judge the fearful Christian by saying they are not saved because of being afraid are doing the evil one's bidding: causing defeat, misery and false guilt.

The Word says that nothing can separate us from the love of God. Jesus calls Himself the Good Shepherd.

And our Good Shepherd laid down His life to save us. He's not going to turn us away because we are afraid.

To suggest that a moment of fearfulness means we are not saved is dangerous. It denies our humanity. It presumes to judge. It spreads falsehood. It negates the work of God. It upholds the work of Satan. It seeks to nullify the Blood of Christ.

I am sure that God would approve of my judgement of this false teaching by using one word to describe it: poppycock!

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.  He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. Psalm 23

Anxiety isn't sin: it's an emotion

Panic attacks and anxiety make us fearful of everything. Even of God.  

Wherein we are the strongest of Christians, hormones can trip us up, and there is nothing we can do. So know I am not speaking of constant lack of trust in God but a freak of chemistry that temporarily over rules that trust.

We can be the most trusting of Christians, but sometimes our bodies create too much cortisol and not enough seretonin, and we can find ourselves, against our own belief and trust in Christ, becoming overwrought and anxious. 

We can find ourselves teetering on the edge of panic and the Pit Of Despair is beckoning. We feel guilty for being anxious, but we can't seem to stop it.

We know we are told to not be anxious and not to fear, but here it is: anxiety has raised its' ugly head again. Is there no hope for us? Oh yes, our hope as always is in the compassion of Christ! 

In times like this, we can find ourselves doubting that God loves us and we are totally miserable. But it is at this time that we need to hang on to Jesus's hem and stay still. In spite of our feelings, He is still there with us.

Our accuser, Satan is anything but stupid and if he can get us to feel guilty about being anxious, then he has succeeded in causing us further pain. 

Jesus never makes us feel guilty: the Holy Spirit will convict us of sin and with true repentance, comes freedom. 

Satan is the accuser who leaves no room for repentance or mercy or grace or forgiveness. 

Guilt is a nail through the heart, conviction is a softening of the heart. 

By taking hold of God's promises by reading scriptures of hope you can climb out of the Pit. 

Please don't feel guilty for being down or anxious with panic attacks. It is what it is. But it's not a sin. It's a chemical imbalance. And it's an emotion. 

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

"For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee. " Isaiah 41:13

The cat among the pigeons

We are currently living in a caravan park for long term residents. Most of the people who live here are down and out and unsaved. Life has been far from kind to them, and most are living on low incomes or pensions.

Not sure how long we will be here, we are slowly getting to know the people dwelling in mobile homes and caravans alongside us in our RV. To say that most are a little rough is an understatement.

Chris and I have had many conversations about how to handle the foul language and so on without alienating them. We do want to live peacefully here while Chris recovers from his surgeries and we catch our breath. We are both very tired. 

Now, even though these people are rough, we have had them over for tea and a chat and, as to be expected, the language can get pretty salty. The F word is a particular favourite one and it is dropped with no regard to a lady being present. 

We are letting it go because making an issue of language which they are used to, would have us ostracised, so we are not taking it on board. After all, how can we witness to them and give them hope if we come across as "holier than thou"?  How would they have the ability to ask us for a reason of the hope within us if we came across as prideful? 

To be honest, colourful language generally doesn't faze me. After all, it is just a lack of proper English expression, but when they blaspheme, it really gets to me. And blasphemy is as common as dropping the F word here.

They know we are Christians and they can see the picture of Jesus in our living area. It is no secret. Yet, as is common with unsaved people, taking the LORD'S Name in vain is still engaged in, and we think perhaps it is even more so than normally. We let it go.

"Why do you let it go?" you ask? Because God knows our heart. He knows how we esteem His Name and He knows that we believe that He has placed us here to be a light in a dark place. We are living in a place of no hope. Of poverty. Of unbelief. And like Jesus, we associate with these poor folk who are no different to us, except they don't know Jesus yet.

Speaking of salvation, we have discussed that we believe we are to show God's love to these people, live out our faith in a way that is not prideful, and help minister to and show respect for these folk. That is our priority.

We are sinners saved by grace. We are not the Holy Spirit. His work is to convict and woo these people- all the unsaved, not just those who live alongside us. Ours is to live out our life with authenticity so that it makes the love of God manifest to them.

Each time someone takes His Name in vain, I have to bite my tongue and keep silent. It takes a lot of prayer and quite a lot of strength. Some days it feels like they do it to get a rise from us, knowing that we are Christian. But love and acceptance will win out if it is God's Will that someone will come to know Christ through our witness.

Meanwhile, I simply bite my tongue, put the kettle on and offer a cuppa to what seems to us to be the cat among the pigeons.

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; 1 Peter 3:15

Don't feel guilty for being a woman

As a friend of mine  said,   women  are  made to feel so guilty for being women-   wanting  to marry,   stay   home and  keep  house and  mother  our  children!    We  have  nothing to  thank  the  feminist movement for. .. our identity as women  has  been  trampled  on  and  we who  wish to stay at  home  have had  that dream sullied by strident women who have penis envy!

We women are created to nurture. It is in our nature to pick up a dolly and embrace her from the time we can grasp her and bring her to our chest and lips... it is entirely natural for us to offer that dolly sustenance from a toy bottle or even our breast, in imitation of our mothers feeding younger siblings...

How many of us have received a cup of tea from tiny teacups, sipping it slowly to delight our little hostesses who are still too young to be entrusted with real teapots and teacups?  Or watched the toddler girl trying to tuck her baby into her tiny dolly's pram, covering its head completely and far too young to really tuck her in? -yet her tenderness and concern is charming to watch...

Now the feminists try to tell us that we are responsible for training our daughters to become servile, and meek and weak, forcing them into a life of subservience that thwarts their potential both personally and financially.  It is easy to see that the majority of these feminists have not mothered sons who will toddle up to a dolly and proceed to poke at her eyes and twist her joints and disrobe her in an attempt to see how she works... his interest is one of inquisitiveness.... he too is doing what comes naturally to him. Working things out in a practical way...

Feminists have been instrumental in promoting contraception and abortion on demand.  They have stolen a lot of women's dreams of being mothers and have often lied to them about consequences that they say are  detrimental to them- mostly career achievements that in the end leave them with empty arms and ashes in their mouth. 

Even the married woman is convinced that her desire to be a mother is misplaced, especially if her desire is for a large family, and sadly even in some churches, this is seen to be an ambition that is frowned upon.  Yet God Himself has placed the desire to bear children and to bring children up, in our hearts.  Yet many feel guilty that they have these desires.... desires which are God given and good.

What God considers of great importance, creating a happy home for the raising of children unto Him, with the blessing of marriage and a committed father, is being destroyed by feminists who are often self-proclaimed lesbian man-haters... women who see marriage as a male invention of tyranny and control, and pregnancy as the undesirable biological entrapment of their gender...

From an early age a little girl will often be fascinated by brides and all the trimmings of a wedding, and again this is natural.  Yet feminists have now managed to influence girls to delay getting married or to cohabit without expecting or even wanting to be married, and again we find the women of today who secretly long to be married feeling guilty for desiring something that really is their birthright as women.  Feminism has taken away that which is precious to our identity as women- being a wife and enjoying the security and esteem that being married brings to a woman who loves her man...

Whilst some feminists did marry and have children, most divorced as their feminist ways weren't conducive to a happy marriage.  Still others cohabited but remained voluntarily childless... many took lesbian lovers..

Now not everyone is called to be married and mothers, but these feminist women have so trampled on our natural identity as women that young women and girls are feeling guilty for being women! They are so confused with what they want in life that they are not only guilty that they want marriage, home and children  but that they are also afraid.  They are often forced to excel at school and university in order to provide for themselves, and are often in the position of finding out that even though they do now want marriage and motherhood, that they have left their run too late.

Thanks to feminism making women guilty and afraid of their womanhood, many women who in the natural scheme of things, should already be wives and mothers, are doomed to remain single.  Or, hearing the biological clock  ticking, they find their only option to at least become mothers limited to a one night stand or artificial insemination.... hardly ideal for the foundation of a new family...

I know this is true because I have an acquaintance who has fallen for the feminists' lies and who now has found herself in exactly that position.... we are waiting to see how she approaches being childless, which reportedly happened to Germaine Greer after she discovered she did in fact want a child but was unable to have one....

All this feminist clap-trap has done nothing for womankind but heap coals of fire on young women's heads. What should be a natural God-given course of life for a woman has been thwarted and defiled... Countless women have actually become victims of feminists' lies and are destined to live out lonely sad lives... lives rich in worldly possessions but poor in those things of eternal value.

I am sorry for the young women today who feel guilty for being a woman.... I pray that they will come to realise that they are victims of feminist women who tried to liberate them from the good things God had for them, but who instead bound them up in chains of regret and longings that they will have to endure for the rest of their lonely lives...

Please ladies, don't let feminists make you feel guilty for being a woman...

 © Glenys Robyn Hicks

Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. Psalm 127:3

Do you know who does?

It is said that the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world and I am a great believer in that. After all, most of a mother's values are instilled in her child as she raises him or her.

Medical science tells us that the first seven years of a child's life shape their values, attitudes and habits. So much so that Hitler was quoted as saying, "give me a child until he is seven and he is mine!" The Catholic Church also believed in teaching children in the first seven years and one recalls the old saying, "Once a Catholic, always a Catholic!" The mould has been cast...

During the first years of a child's life, great care should be taken to instil right attitudes and beliefs and the training of that child does indeed shape that person's life. Proverbs tells us that we train up a child in the way he should go and afterwards he will not turn from it...we have to raise them for Christ.

A stable home and marriage and a loving mother who invests her life and efforts into training as well as loving her child is serving the LORD as much as any missionary or preacher. Because of her mothering, there is every chance that her child will accept the LORD at an early age and go on to serve and love Him.

But in today's society many mothers relinquish that role to paid carers and daycare centres. We can only guess what is being instilled by them as they firstly do not love the child and secondly for the most part are secular run institutions.

The hand that rocks your child's cradle does rule the world. Are you rocking the cradle and if not, do you know who does?

© Glenys Robyn Hicks

Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6