I can change - for you

I'll get right if you want it
Go to church
Get baptized if you want it
Girl you opened my eyes and I'm gonna
Be much better for you

Baby believe me
Baby believe me

I can change (you know I can change baby)
I can change (know I can change baby)
I can change
For you
I can change
I can change
I can change
For you

(the great John Legend)


Haha, funny thing happen today, was meandering up some road in south with my shopping, minding my business and enjoying the sun when this guy pops up out of nowhere. Nice looking guy, dont get me wrong. Then he starts with the lyrics.....the usual, so pretty, made my day etc etc..........

The he says so tell me about yourself. So I tell him I'm a Christian. The point isn't acknowledged in any way and he goes on asking other questions about what I'm doing, where I live, who I live with etc etc. Then eventually he gets to

"Yeah so, I was thinking if you're not busy I can take you out tonight innit, go see a movie or something and get to know you better" and asks for my number.

By this time the dude had walked with me quite a way down the road in the opposite direction to where he was going and had been really polite and not thuggish or anything at all so I felt a bit bad saying, nope, sorry, not gonna happen. I explain how I'm really only interested in getting to know Christian guys that way.

Then the guy gets creative.

"Yeah you know I've been wanting to get to know more about being a Christian you know, maybe you will be a good influence and can encourage me."

I say, you never said anything about this before when I told you I was a Christian.

And he's like, "Yeah my mum's a Christian and she wants me to change, so I go to church innit. I mean, you know, like I wanna change gradually though innit so I'm just seeing...so, is it ok now?"

Me: "No, I dont think so I'm sorry, like I said I'm only interested in getting to know Christian guys."

Him: "I'll be straight yeah - I'm a Muslim. See I didn't have to tell you that, did I?"

Me: "Oh, so you're a muslim? Sorry, no."

Him: "But I'm open cos of my mum and I will change eventually, you know, just gradually, but I don't wanna change all the way though you know. Cos I'm a Muslim. But you could help me though innit? So can I take your number then?"

Me: "No, sorry......"

Why do guys try this kind of scenario? :-) I mean really, it's funny though. Once upon a time, back in the day when I was very young and very naive, I might have thought "Oh no, but I should exchange numbers with him so we can talk about Christ - I'm supposed to be a fisher of men!"

But time and experience taught me that more often than not, a guy chirpsing situation is hardly ever fruitful. Not ONE convert have I made in that kind of scenario, and if anything they probably had a worse influence on ME!

I even had a situation where someone I was in a relationship with claimed he was wanted to give his life to the Lord, and claimed to have done so - and then had an apparent change of heart when he realised that him being saved was not going to result in us being together again. He was angry. I was shocked.

Sort of.

I mean, I remember at the time him suggesting that we get together for bible studies and to go to church when I did not feel comfortable doing so or being his personal tutor because I knew him well, although he claimed it really was just because he wanted to learn about Christianity and that we could learn together.

I'm not saying that successful teaching and conversion doesn't come out of these situations, because I know it can, but sometimes I wonder in situations where an unsaved member of the opposite sex approaches or befriends you because they're attracted to you, are we obligated to invest time in them to hopefully share the message and bring them to the knowledge of Christ? I feel we should, but in reality these things can sometimes prove to be unfruitful or messy.......:-/

A song in the night

I've just come back from the praise and worship session, and I can say it was truly a blessing. There were people of all ages, right down to little kids singing and offering praises to God. I felt like I'd come home.

Maybe I've found my church.........we'll see, time will tell....

The house on a hill

So, I went y'all. I went to this church and it was lovely, it was really really nice. The people were so loving, open, friendly and approachable, it was a a refreshing and promising experience.

When I arrived out of the train station I tried to figure out where I should be going and most people couldn't help me. Then I met this old lady on the way who pointed me in the right direction of the church I was looking for, and said, to me "Yes, its up there, up on that hill. When you get to the top you will see a church but it's not that one, turn in and keep going and you will see it." She told me she was going to the same place as me, but was going to get a bus up that hill instead. I was so happy to be on the right track, and started walking up the hill. It was ok at first but then it turned into the steepest hill I've ever walked up - seriously, I couldn't believe it! Then the wind started blowing grit into my eyes and it was hot and I was exhausted and it was taking ages but I just kept going because I knew it couldn't be long now, I knew I was in the right place. So I kept on going and the hill got flatter. I saw the church the old lady had told me wasn't the one I was looking for so went past it until I got to my destination, and it was worth it.

When I got to the church everyone I encountered acknowledged and greeted me. I went to the bathroom and met a really friendly woman who decided to take me under her wing and get my details and introduce me to another girl who invited me to a worship team music thing this evening.

I listened to the pastor preach a message about God's grace. He said that God would not necessarily deliver us from every thorn in the flesh, and that ultimately such experiences are not designed to defeat us, but to shape our characters. As God is in control there is only a limit to how much circumstances and the enemy are allowed to affect us, and so in the extent that they do challenge us we should recognize that God's grace is in effect. I liked the way the pastor took the time to explain the underlying Greek interpretations of various words to expand upon their meanings, and seemed to share what he already understood with the congregation.

He also made some interesting comments about how leaders should follow the leader-servant model, whereby they serve God first, the church second, and themselves last. He said this model is basically the world's model turned upside down. I found this pretty interesting.

So far so good I guess ....................

Can you make it on your own?

Being a Christian can be a lonely road. We all have our own personal battles to fight and to overcome, although the victories are often the result of a team effort. But the resolve and the effort and the fortitude has to be your own. I often wonder if we can make it on our own. If there wasn't someone out there praying for us, or advising us or guiding us, could we make it? I'm sure we could, as God makes provisions for all His children, and I'm sure there are people we don't even know who make regular prayers for all the saints.

So, ultimately, although we may be alone in person, we are never really alone. And what's more, God said He would never leave or forsake us.

That said, should Christians seek to fellowship with others professing to be Christians as a matter of great importance? And if so should this be in the context of "church"? I ask this because I know many churches today have issues that some believers feel they can do without, and prefer to avoid, whether they be doctrinal or otherwise. In such circumstances should Christians still try to join in fellowship and solve perceived problems from within, or are we justified in separating ourselves from particular fellowships under such circumstances?

Personally, I can accept that churches have their problems as they are inhabited by people who are subject to human weaknesses just as I am, but my concern is whether the spirit of God is operating in that place, and whether the people that I depend upon to pray for me and help me fight my battles are subject to the spirit of God, rather than to the flesh or worse still to some false spirit masquerading as God.

It's so very important, and being a "better safe than sorry", "if in doubt, leave it out" kind of person when it comes to spiritual matters, I've tended to shy away from congregations I'm not sure of. I've visited a few bracing myself against any rabbish and in the end grew tired of looking for that glowing city on a hill.

Well, after some encouragement from friends, I've decided that today I'm going to give it another try, I know it's citizens are out there somewhere :-)

Welcome to The James Project

Greetings y'all,

I decided to call this blog The James Project, because as a young Christian I always found the book of James to be an encouraging summary of Christian conduct as it ought to be.

Also, in the name James, I wanted to highlight the importance of finding truth in an era where the plethora of Bible translations with "simpler" and "accessible" interpretations of God's word can sometimes introduce confusion and even deception.

In such an age of "Chinese whispers" and revisionism, my choice is the King James authorised bible of 1611, translated from the original, spiritually inspired Greek and Hebrew texts by 47 Protestant scholars, with all their richness of meaning and related understanding preserved for the believer. Although dismissed as archaic by some, it is my belief that the Holy Spirit makes clear God's word to the hearts of men hungry for spiritual truth.

Finally, King James, although responsible for the production of the bible that bears his name, and himself a talented scholar deeply esteemed for his knowledge, is said to have used his own personal gifts to little effect. For this reason he became known as "the wisest fool in Christendom".

Bretheren, let us use the gifts that God has given us for His glory, and let us act upon the knowledge and wisdom He gives abundantly to those who seek it. As we seek, learn, understand, share and grow, let us strive to live a life that is pleasing to Him and that enables us, and others, to endure to the end.

God bless