Viral Video With a Christain Message

The conversations of young people intrigue, bewilder and sometimes confused me. “You’ll have to watch this video it’s so funny, you will enjoy it.”

It’s usually a cat or dog doing something weird and on one occasion it was a squirrel on water skis.

Usually the children are bent over laughing, and I’m left holding onto the phone with a smirk on my face at how little amuses the innocent.

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One day last week I opened the local paper, and there was a story about a video that had 1 million views, the man in the video was power hosing an old white patio chair.

I read on expecting an animal to knock the hose out of his hand or for someone to play a prank on him but nothing. That was it. A video of a man power hosing a dirty old chair.

The story concluded with the fact that people find satisfaction watching something been cleaned and coming up as new.

It reminded me of my favourite job growing up on the farm at home. The satisfaction I got from power hosing the street in front of our house from all the gravel and dirt carried in by the cars and machinery.

Dirt on a tarmac surface or a patio seat is easy to see but what about the mess on the inside of our lives.

How much more satisfying is it to know that the metaphorical dirt of our lives can be washed clean by our creator who’s laws we have broken.

The bible teaches that when a person realises what they are like on the inside and come to Jesus for forgiveness, he has promised, as far as the east is from the west so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

The thief on the cross beside Jesus realised this; he knew that he deserved to be there but Jesus the son of God did not, and in full realisation of this he said, “Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

In that instant, his sin was washed away forever.

What satisfaction there is in knowing that God will cleanse your spirit when you ask for forgiveness with the intention of never repeating the same mistakes.

He can’t remember

There was a pastor in Texas who carried the burden of a secret sin he had committed many years before. He had repented but still had no sense of God’s forgiveness.

In his church was a woman who claimed to have visions in which she spoke with Christ and he with her. The priest, however, was sceptical. To test her he said, “The next time you speak with Christ, I want you to ask him what sin your pastor committed while he was in seminary.” The woman agreed.

A few days later the priest asked, “Well, did Christ visit you in your dreams?”

“Yes he did”, she replied.

“And did you ask him what sin I committed in seminary?”

“Yes”

“Well, what did he say?”

“He said, ‘I don’t remember.’”

Video with 1 Million Views

Who’s that hiding behind the screen?

screen

The other day having a coffee a group of college students walked in and took a seat, without a word they took their phones out and scrolled for a few minutes. Then they started chatting; it was as if the phone was protection, used to fuel the conversation, when it got going the phones went down for a few minutes, then it was back to the phones.

This pattern seemed to continue on repeat.

Technology is amazing, but for many, it’s the screen they hide behind.

Have we got so afraid of who we are that we need facebook, snapchat and other apps to fuel our conversations?

It got me questioning what are we searching for in all these apps? Is it meaning, is it approval, is it acceptance?

For me, life is about connecting with people; it’s about listening, it’s about helping each other.

We all crave attention we all want to be accepted by others, so much so that sometimes we can forget the only relationship that matters. Our relationship with God.

The problem with our spiritual connection is, it’s subtle. So subtle that many take it for granted. Plus it takes relaxation, calmness and peace and when do we have time for that?

I have nothing against technology; only for it I would not be talking to you today, but it’s so important that we take time to switch it off.

When I started to do this, I found myself feeling very sleepy and often fell asleep. Smartphones laptops and tv continuously stimulates the mind; it’s unable to rest. Over weeks and months, it can wear you down.

When you don’t give your mind a rest, all the tension and stress builds up, which can lead to illness and pain.

If you feel overwhelmed at this time, I highly recommend trying the following. Take time today, whatever you can spare and close your eyes.

Feel the world around you, the noises, the sensations in your body, feel Gods presence and know that you are loved, and accepted.

Be still with no distractions. It could be in the form of prayer, a walk in nature, or a lay down on your bed.

When you give yourself this time stress, and tension will subside, you will see problems and difficulties from a new perspective.

Done regularly you will see significant changes in your life.

Take-a-Break

I have a no phones rule when I meet a friend for coffee or lunch. One to one meetings gives others an opportunity to open up to you with anything that might be troubling or worrying them. Continually checking notifications can come across that you’re not interested in what a friend is saying, and this is not an impression I want to give.

Remove the screens and have more profound connections.

Thanks for reading.
Rev J Martin

 

 

 

 

Stop

Cartoon-stopI find it almost impossible to STOP; while others seem to take relaxation in their stride.

My mind is always racing with ideas, all the things that I convince myself, I must do. All this added pressure doesn’t help. I want to do so much but have so little time.

Im sure I am not on my own.

The only solution that I can come up with is allocating time to rest. Just time each week that you turn everything off and unplug from the world. Phone off. Laptop off. Take time just to be.

I visit certain people who live a relaxed lifestyle, just being in their presence I feel a calmness within my soul.

It is in this calmness that most of my ideas, wisdom and mental clarity happen, so why do I not spend more time there?

In these moments I see the world so beautifully, then I’m off on the road again.

In this busy world, we need to make conscious effort to slow down. If we don’t— the stress and pressure can build up to illness and pain; the body can only take so much.

Our bodies slowly break down.

I regularly have sore backs, sore throats but rather than Stop; I carry on. My body is giving me messages, but I refuse to listen.

Waking this morning, I didn’t feel good at all. This idea, STOP, shouted louder than anything else, so I decided to write it down. Maybe its time I stuck this up on the wall as a reminder that if I don’t slow down, I will STOP.

I’m beginning to realize that I need to take time for myself each week. I can’t reply to every message or email, and even when I do the tiredness distorts my judgment.

When you are at full strength, only then can you give others the energy that they deserve, and need.

thank you for reading and have a good day.