Pressing On

I was recently challenged by reading through the book of Haggai. To set the scene the Old Testament prophet was speaking to the people of Jerusalem following their return from exile in Babylon - ie. post-deliverance from their bondage. So how does this speak to us today you might ask? For the purposes of my thoughts I was comparing their situation to mine, and to that of any Christian, we live post-deliverance ... Having been delivered through faith in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, from darkness into light, from bondage into liberty to live an abundant life in Christ. The question Haggai poses, and one we should all ask, is "What do we do with that freedom?" The phrase "Give careful thought to your ways ..." occurs a number of times. This comes as a challenge both to reflect on 'how your life actually is', and 'how your life should be'. This is what we must be doing as we seek to grow as disciples and mature in our faith. Questions such

I have nothing to add ... Suffice to say I trust the integrity of the source. I only publish these to give you the opportunity to "see" what God is doing around the world to draw people to Himself ... you may disagree with them, or you may have another plausible explanation - that is fine. What matters is what God is doing in someone's life due to the external circumstances as much as the external circumstances themselves .... He is at work to bring forth eternal life! I am often troubled by a verse in the book of Jonah in the Old Testament which says “Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs." As it demonstrates how strongly we can cling to things, practices etc which we hope will bring us peace, grace, mercy and love etc. and insodoing refuse to receive what is being offered so freely, Salvation in Christ, the receiving of which gives us the very things we are trying so hard to achieve ourselves. This in from a friend in Cambodia, a