Spiritual Time Machines

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. Ecclessiastes 3:11

What would you do if you were paid a visit from your future-self? I guess your reaction would depend on what your future self had to say? Or how good they/you looked? Either way it would be an interesting experience...

How often we wish to be in another time than now. Do you ever yearn for days gone by, or wish you lived in another era? Or maybe you're always watching the clock during tedious moments, hoping for the minutes to move like seconds. This seems to always have the reverse effect for me.

I hope it's more than mere boredom that makes you want to jump into a weird looking machine and escape to another day. God has placed a deep yearning for eternity inside of all of us. So how can you experience it today? It all starts with trusting God. I mean, really trusting Him. Proverbs 3:5

Your future-self is actually waiting to meet you somewhere between Genesis and Revelation. Our problem is not believing it. There are so many promises and prophecies in the Bible and they're not just for scholar's to argue over. God's words are a like time machine, moving you forward in your walk with Him. But instead of owning these eternal words were just renting them as second hand suggestions for someone else.

This week I dare you to read from one of the books of the Prophets (Isaiah through Malachi) this week. They were all inspired by a God who lives outside of time, but can move within it. Read, realise and remember that God speaks into all situations. Will you hear Him in yours?

Now is the time to trust the Lord with your now, so He can entrust you with His future...

Sincerely,
Brandon & Pamela and your fellow time travelers @ Freedomhouse

PS: We are taking some BIG steps forward as a fellowship lately. Let's walk together in all that He has planned...

ChChChChanges...

As long as the earth remains, there will be springtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, day and night. Genesis 8:22

This picture was taken in Cantelowes Gardens off of Camden Road in Autumn 2004. Pamela and I had just spent my first summer in London. We started Freedomhouse under the purplish tree on the left, we've seen some people come to know Christ and many who didn't. I remember being very scared and confused around the time of this photograph.

"So what next God?" Was my constant prayer...

Not only as I unsure about my ability to plant and lead a church, I was also about to be a first time father in 6 months. Heavy stuff.

I was in the midst of big changes and I could either embrace them or hide away. I thank God for His grace and strength through that Autumn and beyond. Just think of all the amazing things I would've missed, had I tried to hide from change.

If your going through a season of change right now, I want to encourage you, don't run or hide from this great opportunity to grow. It may be a season of financial or emotional drought. Or it may be a time of confusion and challenge. Whatever it is for you, just remember that sin will always stunt your growth with God. It gives us the illusion of control and lies to us, stealing our hopeful future with Him. To "repent" actually means to "change one's mind".

So if your mind has been fighting change, leave sin like the dead leaves on the road and embrace the unchanging Jesus (Hebrews 12:1-2). Wouldn't trees be so ugly if they kept the same dirty, brown, dead leaves all year? We'd never get to see the new spring glory that God made them for. But too often we do the just that.

Let the leaves fall and the changes be made, cause God has so much more for you up the road...


Yours through the seasons,

Brandon, Pamela and the family @ Freedomhouse

The Monday Message: Evening Edition

Be self controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8

This Sunday, Mark spoke on 1 Peter 5:8, reminding us that there is a vicious 'roaring lion' out there looking for us. Not a timid, imaginary one, but one that makes alot of noise whether we hear it or not.

Just being a Christan is hard enough, but when we begin to discover God's unique plan for our lives, the stakes get raised. Because now you are a threat to Satan's plans for for this world. He'll do whatever it takes to keep you asleep. The Bible speaks so much about this adversary. It's time to pay attention.

Let's keep our eyes open this week, knowing that we don't have to fight our battles alone. We can easily find ourselves becoming the isolated prey of a a hungry enemy. God is with you and so are we. So if you notice that the phone always rings when your about to pray or that something always happens when it's time to go to service, just realise that our enemy is not stupid. He hides silently in any situation waiting to catch you off guard (alone).

Remember, the 'roaring lion' is very quiet most of the time,

But the Lion of Judah is with you always...

Stay close to Him.

Sincerely,

Brandon and Pamela and Your Friends @ www.freedomhouse.org.uk