CHAPTER 11
SCOTTISH CASTLE WEDDING
Ephesians 4:32
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
In August of 2000, my nephew Andrew, got married to Carla, this took place in a Scottish castle hotel near Edinburgh, which had a church nearby.
The Canadian family came over en masse for this and mum booked rooms in a hotel in a village near the venue.
Now this was going to be a difficult wedding as Philip my eldest brother and Andrew's father was and is not on speaking terms with any of us.
The ceremony was on a Friday and there was a problem, the organist had forgotten, fortunately the vicar was able to play the organ and so he had to do the dual role.
The ceremony over, we headed for the reception, Andrew being a policeman, had invited many of his burly fellow police officers, many of whom were wearing kilts. We even had Haggis, which is sheep's stomach for you Non Scots。 Also there is a tradition that real men who wear kilts, do not wear underpants, I have never tested that theory though!
The whole day was difficult as this was the last time I have ever seen my eldest brother, we are completely estranged and this is a deep sense of hurt and pain to me.
Now I have to say that the fault is not all his, I have caused severe pain to him by my actions.
Years later, I tried to contact him through a third party, but was accused of using that third person and his words were that, in view of the past, please do not contact him again.
The next time, some of us, went into Edinburgh and then all of us, went to the Edinburgh Military tattoo. Peter especially liked the display by the ladies of the Australian institute of Physical education!
He was a great source of fun and laughter to me, I have had so much fun with him and miss him more than words can say.
Devotional thought
Resentment and bitterness are terrible things, they can and will hold you captive.
I am written what I have written above in no way to shame my Brother Philip, I pray for him and indeed tried to contact him when last in the UK but only spoke to his wife, I told her my phone no, but no response, I continue to live in hope.
I used to be very resentful against him, after all, he had hurt me, wasn't I entitled to be angry.
It was only when I dropped all my anger and resentful and forgave him from my heart, that I was able to be healed and made whole.
Forgiveness is about letting me of the anger, we have against that person, the scars remain, but only when you forgive can you receive forgiveness
Matthew 6
14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Ephesians 4
Ephesians 4:31
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour,
and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
Before we can be healed, we need to forgive, this is so difficult, to forgive another who has hurt you is beyond hard, it can only be done through Christ.
One thing to remember, is this, look at all the things Christ has forgiven you, now tell me you can't forgive others.
FORGIVING OTHERS LEADS TO FREEDOM
CHAPTER 12
WHY ARE YOU CAST DOWN?
5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.
I have always been a bit of a lone wolf I suppose, but during the 90's I went through a very bad period of my life and I started to suffer from depression due to various issues.
All through the 90's I was not in church fellowship or in fellowship with the Lord and this was the main cause of the depression, although other issues such as family and unemployment contributed to this.
I began to take anti depressants, these were very counter productive, I was taking them last thing at night and waking up at midday.
They were very powerful, Cipramil 15mg. The doctor just gave them to me, prescription after prescription, I started at one point to take more than one per day, I became very moody and very angry at virtually everything and everybody.
These tablets are not a help at all, if you are on these anti depressants, please try and wean yourself off them, now this is easier said than done, I just finished with them one day and threw them in the bin, never to take them again.
Depression is real, someone said that it is like having no sky at all, you have no hope, it is very real. If you have never had depression, then it is so difficult to understand, you don't need to say to someone "pull yourself together, why can't you find a job".
Depression can lead to suicide, now I am not hear to discuss the rights and wrongs of suicide. I believe it is not right to take one's life, that is God's right alone.
It is a reality to many people, people who have no hope. But here is the reality, there is Hope.
In the film the Sure shank Redemption, Prisoner Andy says Hope is the best of things, but it does depend on what you place you hope in. If you are placing your hope in anything other than Christ, your hope is misplaced.
Devotional thought
The psalmist in Psalms 42-43 and other Bible characters got very depressed, especially Elijah.
Elijah had just come off one of the greatest victories in the bible, but he wanted to die soon after.
Both Depression and Suicide have to be tackled with the gospel, that there is Hope through Christ. We must confront the real problem and that is that people see no hope, that is the devil's lie and we must proclaim that no situation is beyond the reach of God's love and his power to save.
Elijah was deeply depressed, but God provided practically for him, he gave him food and water and then encouraged him to go on.
We all feel down at times, I still suffer from depression at times and sometimes even suicidal thoughts, but the thing that keeps me grounded is hoping and trusting in God.
Are these things linked to sin, yes they are sometimes, but in Elijah's case it was also linked to physical and mental exhaustion.
In James 5, we read these words:
16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.
If you suffer from these things, you need to gather round you a support system, confessing your problems to a person, who can support you in prayer. Knowing and being loved by the Lord is wonderful, but you also need to warmth and support of supportive and empathic Christian believers in a good local church.
You also need to come and confess it to your heavenly father, there is hope, God loves you and does not want you to waste your life stuck in depression and suicidal thoughts.
When we come across people who have these problems, we are not to act like Job's friends and tell them, its because of this or that, sometimes we need just to listen. Many depressed people have been deserted by their families or had some other trauma.
To anyone reading this who is cast down, I have been there, I have been so low, that I have thought about suicide, but God is my hope, he can and wants to be your rock and fortress.
The greatest antidote to these things is to have a real relationship with God through Christ and to have the Precious Holy Spirit living in your heart.
Jesus says these words:
Matthew 11:28
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
MAKE JESUS YOUR HOPE.
SCOTTISH CASTLE WEDDING
Ephesians 4:32
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
In August of 2000, my nephew Andrew, got married to Carla, this took place in a Scottish castle hotel near Edinburgh, which had a church nearby.
The Canadian family came over en masse for this and mum booked rooms in a hotel in a village near the venue.
Now this was going to be a difficult wedding as Philip my eldest brother and Andrew's father was and is not on speaking terms with any of us.
The ceremony was on a Friday and there was a problem, the organist had forgotten, fortunately the vicar was able to play the organ and so he had to do the dual role.
The ceremony over, we headed for the reception, Andrew being a policeman, had invited many of his burly fellow police officers, many of whom were wearing kilts. We even had Haggis, which is sheep's stomach for you Non Scots。 Also there is a tradition that real men who wear kilts, do not wear underpants, I have never tested that theory though!
The whole day was difficult as this was the last time I have ever seen my eldest brother, we are completely estranged and this is a deep sense of hurt and pain to me.
Now I have to say that the fault is not all his, I have caused severe pain to him by my actions.
Years later, I tried to contact him through a third party, but was accused of using that third person and his words were that, in view of the past, please do not contact him again.
The next time, some of us, went into Edinburgh and then all of us, went to the Edinburgh Military tattoo. Peter especially liked the display by the ladies of the Australian institute of Physical education!
He was a great source of fun and laughter to me, I have had so much fun with him and miss him more than words can say.
Devotional thought
Resentment and bitterness are terrible things, they can and will hold you captive.
I am written what I have written above in no way to shame my Brother Philip, I pray for him and indeed tried to contact him when last in the UK but only spoke to his wife, I told her my phone no, but no response, I continue to live in hope.
I used to be very resentful against him, after all, he had hurt me, wasn't I entitled to be angry.
It was only when I dropped all my anger and resentful and forgave him from my heart, that I was able to be healed and made whole.
Forgiveness is about letting me of the anger, we have against that person, the scars remain, but only when you forgive can you receive forgiveness
Matthew 6
14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Ephesians 4
Ephesians 4:31
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour,
and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
Before we can be healed, we need to forgive, this is so difficult, to forgive another who has hurt you is beyond hard, it can only be done through Christ.
One thing to remember, is this, look at all the things Christ has forgiven you, now tell me you can't forgive others.
FORGIVING OTHERS LEADS TO FREEDOM
CHAPTER 12
WHY ARE YOU CAST DOWN?
5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.
I have always been a bit of a lone wolf I suppose, but during the 90's I went through a very bad period of my life and I started to suffer from depression due to various issues.
All through the 90's I was not in church fellowship or in fellowship with the Lord and this was the main cause of the depression, although other issues such as family and unemployment contributed to this.
I began to take anti depressants, these were very counter productive, I was taking them last thing at night and waking up at midday.
They were very powerful, Cipramil 15mg. The doctor just gave them to me, prescription after prescription, I started at one point to take more than one per day, I became very moody and very angry at virtually everything and everybody.
These tablets are not a help at all, if you are on these anti depressants, please try and wean yourself off them, now this is easier said than done, I just finished with them one day and threw them in the bin, never to take them again.
Depression is real, someone said that it is like having no sky at all, you have no hope, it is very real. If you have never had depression, then it is so difficult to understand, you don't need to say to someone "pull yourself together, why can't you find a job".
Depression can lead to suicide, now I am not hear to discuss the rights and wrongs of suicide. I believe it is not right to take one's life, that is God's right alone.
It is a reality to many people, people who have no hope. But here is the reality, there is Hope.
In the film the Sure shank Redemption, Prisoner Andy says Hope is the best of things, but it does depend on what you place you hope in. If you are placing your hope in anything other than Christ, your hope is misplaced.
Devotional thought
The psalmist in Psalms 42-43 and other Bible characters got very depressed, especially Elijah.
Elijah had just come off one of the greatest victories in the bible, but he wanted to die soon after.
Both Depression and Suicide have to be tackled with the gospel, that there is Hope through Christ. We must confront the real problem and that is that people see no hope, that is the devil's lie and we must proclaim that no situation is beyond the reach of God's love and his power to save.
Elijah was deeply depressed, but God provided practically for him, he gave him food and water and then encouraged him to go on.
We all feel down at times, I still suffer from depression at times and sometimes even suicidal thoughts, but the thing that keeps me grounded is hoping and trusting in God.
Are these things linked to sin, yes they are sometimes, but in Elijah's case it was also linked to physical and mental exhaustion.
In James 5, we read these words:
16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.
If you suffer from these things, you need to gather round you a support system, confessing your problems to a person, who can support you in prayer. Knowing and being loved by the Lord is wonderful, but you also need to warmth and support of supportive and empathic Christian believers in a good local church.
You also need to come and confess it to your heavenly father, there is hope, God loves you and does not want you to waste your life stuck in depression and suicidal thoughts.
When we come across people who have these problems, we are not to act like Job's friends and tell them, its because of this or that, sometimes we need just to listen. Many depressed people have been deserted by their families or had some other trauma.
To anyone reading this who is cast down, I have been there, I have been so low, that I have thought about suicide, but God is my hope, he can and wants to be your rock and fortress.
The greatest antidote to these things is to have a real relationship with God through Christ and to have the Precious Holy Spirit living in your heart.
Jesus says these words:
Matthew 11:28
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
MAKE JESUS YOUR HOPE.
CHAPTER 11
SCOTTISH CASTLE WEDDING
Ephesians 4:32
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
In August of 2000, my nephew Andrew, got married to Carla, this took place in a Scottish castle hotel near Edinburgh, which had a church nearby.
The Canadian family came over en masse for this and mum booked rooms in a hotel in a village near the venue.
Now this was going to be a difficult wedding as Philip my eldest brother and Andrew's father was and is not on speaking terms with any of us.
The ceremony was on a Friday and there was a problem, the organist had forgotten, fortunately the vicar was able to play the organ and so he had to do the dual role.
The ceremony over, we headed for the reception, Andrew being a policeman, had invited many of his burly fellow police officers, many of whom were wearing kilts. We even had Haggis, which is sheep's stomach for you Non Scots。 Also there is a tradition that real men who wear kilts, do not wear underpants, I have never tested that theory though!
The whole day was difficult as this was the last time I have ever seen my eldest brother, we are completely estranged and this is a deep sense of hurt and pain to me.
Now I have to say that the fault is not all his, I have caused severe pain to him by my actions.
Years later, I tried to contact him through a third party, but was accused of using that third person and his words were that, in view of the past, please do not contact him again.
The next time, some of us, went into Edinburgh and then all of us, went to the Edinburgh Military tattoo. Peter especially liked the display by the ladies of the Australian institute of Physical education!
He was a great source of fun and laughter to me, I have had so much fun with him and miss him more than words can say.
Devotional thought
Resentment and bitterness are terrible things, they can and will hold you captive.
I am written what I have written above in no way to shame my Brother Philip, I pray for him and indeed tried to contact him when last in the UK but only spoke to his wife, I told her my phone no, but no response, I continue to live in hope.
I used to be very resentful against him, after all, he had hurt me, wasn't I entitled to be angry.
It was only when I dropped all my anger and resentful and forgave him from my heart, that I was able to be healed and made whole.
Forgiveness is about letting me of the anger, we have against that person, the scars remain, but only when you forgive can you receive forgiveness
Matthew 6
14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Ephesians 4
Ephesians 4:31
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour,
and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
Before we can be healed, we need to forgive, this is so difficult, to forgive another who has hurt you is beyond hard, it can only be done through Christ.
One thing to remember, is this, look at all the things Christ has forgiven you, now tell me you can't forgive others.
FORGIVING OTHERS LEADS TO FREEDOM
CHAPTER 12
WHY ARE YOU CAST DOWN?
5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.
I have always been a bit of a lone wolf I suppose, but during the 90's I went through a very bad period of my life and I started to suffer from depression due to various issues.
All through the 90's I was not in church fellowship or in fellowship with the Lord and this was the main cause of the depression, although other issues such as family and unemployment contributed to this.
I began to take anti depressants, these were very counter productive, I was taking them last thing at night and waking up at midday.
They were very powerful, Cipramil 15mg. The doctor just gave them to me, prescription after prescription, I started at one point to take more than one per day, I became very moody and very angry at virtually everything and everybody.
These tablets are not a help at all, if you are on these anti depressants, please try and wean yourself off them, now this is easier said than done, I just finished with them one day and threw them in the bin, never to take them again.
Depression is real, someone said that it is like having no sky at all, you have no hope, it is very real. If you have never had depression, then it is so difficult to understand, you don't need to say to someone "pull yourself together, why can't you find a job".
Depression can lead to suicide, now I am not hear to discuss the rights and wrongs of suicide. I believe it is not right to take one's life, that is God's right alone.
It is a reality to many people, people who have no hope. But here is the reality, there is Hope.
In the film the Sure shank Redemption, Prisoner Andy says Hope is the best of things, but it does depend on what you place you hope in. If you are placing your hope in anything other than Christ, your hope is misplaced.
Devotional thought
The psalmist in Psalms 42-43 and other Bible characters got very depressed, especially Elijah.
Elijah had just come off one of the greatest victories in the bible, but he wanted to die soon after.
Both Depression and Suicide have to be tackled with the gospel, that there is Hope through Christ. We must confront the real problem and that is that people see no hope, that is the devil's lie and we must proclaim that no situation is beyond the reach of God's love and his power to save.
Elijah was deeply depressed, but God provided practically for him, he gave him food and water and then encouraged him to go on.
We all feel down at times, I still suffer from depression at times and sometimes even suicidal thoughts, but the thing that keeps me grounded is hoping and trusting in God.
Are these things linked to sin, yes they are sometimes, but in Elijah's case it was also linked to physical and mental exhaustion.
In James 5, we read these words:
16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.
If you suffer from these things, you need to gather round you a support system, confessing your problems to a person, who can support you in prayer. Knowing and being loved by the Lord is wonderful, but you also need to warmth and support of supportive and empathic Christian believers in a good local church.
You also need to come and confess it to your heavenly father, there is hope, God loves you and does not want you to waste your life stuck in depression and suicidal thoughts.
When we come across people who have these problems, we are not to act like Job's friends and tell them, its because of this or that, sometimes we need just to listen. Many depressed people have been deserted by their families or had some other trauma.
To anyone reading this who is cast down, I have been there, I have been so low, that I have thought about suicide, but God is my hope, he can and wants to be your rock and fortress.
The greatest antidote to these things is to have a real relationship with God through Christ and to have the Precious Holy Spirit living in your heart.
Jesus says these words:
Matthew 11:28
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
MAKE JESUS YOUR HOPE.
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