I Just Want To Write - or do I?

Okay, so today it’s eleven days to Christmas.

Do I have our Christmas tree up yet? No.

Do I have any decorations up yet? No

Do I have our annual Christmas greetings sent yet? No.

Do I have our gifts bought. YES!

Why?

I just want to write! With about three-quarters of Her Outback Cowboy (working title) written I’m now at the stage where the hero and heroine have to get busy resolving their differences. Jennifer has to come to grips with what has happened to her the last few years.

David and her father need to know the truth of her years in Texas with her mother and why, when she became an adult, she never returned even for a visit to see them and the home in the Australian outback her sixteen year old self fought so hard not to leave.

Her Outback Cowboy manuscript has been waiting for years now while I wrote the Baragula series. Now I am impatient and longing to finish it!

 So, today I simply have to get moving. Right now, Jennifer isn’t sure just where her future lies.

I know where mine is – at least the next couple of days.

Jennifer – and blog and Facebook readers – just have to wait!

Past time for me to get busy on preparations. These next days are more important than Jennifer and Dave’s story.

IT’S CHRIST’S BIRTHDAY TO CELEBRATE!

Ray on Monday -Our Debt to Israel

Boycott Israel is a strange and twisted attempt by some to isolate Israel and cripple its economy. Such a view isn’t short-sighted, it is spitefulness mixed with ignorance and prejudice.

We will not agree with all Israel’s policies but we, especially if we are Christians, should be conscious of the debt we owe that nation. This is becoming more and more apparent as our society jets away from the moral and spiritual foundations of the Judeo-Christian faith.

Without Israel we would have no Bible. That in turn would mean we have no understanding of God or any concept of grace, hope and salvation. Why? Because we wouldn’t know of the Messiah who overcame sin, death and judgement on our behalf!

 Without the Lord God choosing the nation of Israel to be guardians of revelations, promises and prophesies, we would have no foundation for:
Understanding the purpose and spiritual significance of marriage.
How the world was created.
The beginning of the nations.
A framework for animal dignity.
Children’s welfare.
The source and curse of the occult.
Personal accountability and the climax to history.

These are but a small portion of the wealth contained in the Bible for our information and benefit.

Any intelligent assessment of our communities at this moment would admit we are in a moral and spiritual quagmire. We have no sense of absolutes, no foundation for marriage, a loss of reverence for God and a preoccupation with self indulgence regardless of how it destroys health and relationships. How has this come about? By a constant, deliberate and rejection of Christ with the undermining and rejection of the plain teaching of the Bible!

This isn’t new. How is it reversed? Not by force of arms but by force of a better lifestyle and faith based upon the Scriptures. When people in the moral and spiritual darkness long for something better, God offers His Word as their light out of darkness. How is that light to shine? When those who have trusted His Scriptures live them out and become Christ’s reflective lights in a dark world.

When we recognise our debt to Israel and accept God’s Word through them and the Church, we will no longer be in the dark about life and living.

Ray (in the Light) Hawkins.

Don't miss out on reading Ray's latest 31 Day Devotional book available from all good Christian Bookshops. Please email Ray on ray.haw3819@bigpond.com if you would like to buy a signed copy from him - via Mary's website and using PayPal. 

This is also available as an E-Book from Koorong and Word Australia as well as other international shops like Barnes and Noble.

Ray on Monday - JESUS IN THE CRITIC’S TOMB

 Ever since the angel said ‘He (Jesus) is risen’ critics have sprung up to say it didn’t happen, couldn’t happen, wouldn’t happen or shouldn’t happen. Among the first were the group who arranged for Christ’s crucifixion. They are the ‘Hysterical Critics’. All they had to do was arrange daily tours to the sealed tomb to prove their point. If on the other hand the claim was the body snatchers had done their work, a trial would have won their day.

Since that first century we could call the next group of doubters the ‘Historical Critics’. As they look back on this event and put it into their perception of events from that era they come to two views. One view is Jesus didn’t exist. The other is He did exist but one way or another He died and His bones are still in the tomb.

Strange how these critics, with their inevitable sense of superior insights, call into question the character, veracity and suffering of those who agreed with the angel’s declaration. Remember, the apostles and others had no vested interest in promoting an untruth. Their conviction that Jesus had risen and ascended to glory, as Scripture foretold, landed them into all shades of strife. Disowned by family, ostracised by their nation, persecuted by foe and friend and ultimately ‘enjoying’ a horrible death must say something.

What do you think it says? They were deluded? All of them, all the time, under all types of testing? They knew the truth, experienced the wonder, and were willing to stand true to the facts!

As you read history and the numerous, sceptical critics comments about Christ Jesus and the empty tomb, one thing stands out! All want to put Him back in the tomb. He is less confronting there. The trouble comes when He keeps breaking out from their prison. Truth seekers still meet Him in the course of their search and rise up, sometimes at great personal cost, to prove the critics wrong.

“He is risen” is the testimony of history.
“He is risen” is the declaration of faith.
“He is risen” is the verdict of research.
“He is risen” is the challenge to critics.

Ray (convinced He is risen) Hawkins

Ray on Monday - Christmas Secret



Haylee's first Christmas



And so, for those of us in this part of our world, we are now trying to recover from our Christmas Day. For those of you here as well as in the far reaches of our planet, Ray and I wish you every blessing you allow God to pour out on you at this special time of the year.

And Ray again shares with us some special thoughts to meditate about during this Season.

A Secret No Longer

We have turned the awesomeness of Heaven’s invasion of Earth by the Christ Child into a childish fun parlour for adults. In the child’s Christmas there’s a sense of mystical, magical mythology which evaporates as a mist through maturity.

On the surface, Christmas is so simple. It’s about a promised baby who has arrived and survived the almost endless complications of birth in ancient times. He grew into manhood, did wonderful things, was hated and loved - and was crucified. Simple!

Trouble is it is not simple. Wrapped up in the Bethlehem baby who became the Nazarene is a mystery. This in Biblical talk doesn’t refer to something hidden which must be searched for. The word “mystery” which means what was unknown, hidden and incomprehensible has actually been revealed, clarified and defined.

Writing to the folk at Colossae, the gospel dynamo, Paul, explained some of the motivation which made him a great missionary, pastor and teacher. “My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Col 2:2,3.)

Do you want to know what Christmas is about? Does your heart long for more than the froth and bubble of life? Is there a hunger for a new and deeper dimension for faith, hope and service? Look no further than the person and work of Jesus the Christ. The more you get to know Him through reading His Word, obeying that which He requires and expressing your faith through worship, the more you discover treasure for the mind, spirit and relationships.

Christmas comes and goes yet life goes on. The Christ celebrated on that occasion wants to go with you into the highs, lows and the mundaneness of your life. He wants to share with you the riches of his grace, the treasures of His heart and the wisdom of His word. Jesus has made no secret of His willingness to do that for you and me.

Ray (a treasure hunter) Hawkins.

And a VERY happy Christmas to each and every one of you!

Ray on Monday -The Christmas Gauntlet

   THE CHRISTMAS GAUNTLET!

In the so called Middle Ages a piece of the knights armour was the gauntlet. This was a leather glove studded with plates of metal. The term “to throw down the gauntlet” was a challenge to an opponent.

Christmas for the Christian is a throwing down of the gauntlet on behalf of the babe born at Bethlehem. Almost the whole of the New Testament, and most especially the Gospel of John, is the gauntlet of the disciple (knight?) of Christ! John 20:31: “These are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.”(NRSV)

In that verse three groups are specifically challenged.

The first is the Jewish people. The Apostle John declares to them that the longed for Messiah of their Scriptures (and ours) is none other than the Babe of Bethlehem, the Man of Nazareth, the Crucified One! His name is Jesus. The glove thrown down calls upon the one challenged to check out the Scriptures and see whether or not the accounts of Jesus life fill out the shadows.

The second group are the followers of Islam. Their claim is that God has no son. The Christian’s response is “O yes He has and his name is Jesus!” When the Scriptures call Jesus the Son of God it refers to his unique birth (check out Matthew 1 and Luke 1-2). It highlights the unique relationship between the earthly Jesus and his heavenly Father. In John 10:30 Jesus declares that he and the Father are one, meaning they are of the same essence. Also in response to Philip’s question, Jesus said, “if you see me you see the Father too.” The term “Son of God” points to a description of His authority, His rule. As the Son of God, Jesus dealt with all the obstacles between us and being acceptable to His Heavenly Father. Read the 1st letter of John and stand in awe at what is encompassed by this description of Jesus being the Son of God.

The third group invited to take up the Christmas gauntlet actually includes everyone else. It is a calling upon all people to give a sustained, intelligent appraisal of the Christmas event in the light of Scripture. The thrown down glove asks, ‘Who is there more outstanding, more worthy, more gracious than Jesus who can make a claim to our allegiance?”

But you object by saying Jesus is in the past. You want a modern day, living person to call Lord and Saviour. That is Jesus! According to the Scriptures, three days after his crucifixion Jesus arose from the dead. In doing so he fulfilled what was written. He also put the guarantee of who He is by rising from the dead. Read Romans 1:1-4 and 1 Corinthians 15.

So, every time Christmas comes around God’s gauntlet is thrown down. You can challenge it and accept the consequences, or you can yield and know what is wrapt up in the gift of life.

Ray (the yielded one) Hawkins.

Ray on Monday: Different Christmas Candles

On Sunday I shared in a Church service where candles had a feature role. These were not so much referring to the Light of the world at Christmas. Rather, they were candles of remembrance for those who had died. People had an opportunity to light a candle and reflect upon a loved one and pray to the Lord, thank Him for the person’s life, faith and influence.

Christmas has so many emotional stirrings and not all of them good. The loss of a loved one especially around Christmas can turn a joyful event into one of grief. When I read the first Christmas story I find that the coming of Christ was into a world of sorrow, fear and anger. (Sounds similar to today doesn’t it!) He came as Saviour yet the forces of this World fought against Him, even in His childhood. In Luke’s account, a man named Simeon told Mary she would have an experience as though a sword had pierced her soul.

Christmas doesn’t cancel out the loss and sorrow of life. Its promise is that the Lord God has come to stand with us in it. To achieve such a relationship Jesus had to become our personal Saviour. Only then could the swords which cut, hurt and maim be blunted, resisted and their cuts healed. In effect, one of the features of celebrating Christmas is to take heart in the fact of our Lord sharing in our history.

Christmas in our History

Christmas time they tell me

Is for peace, joy and family.

All I can see is rampant misery

Across homes, hearts and countries.

Christmas faces the darkness

With its message of forgiveness

Christ’s unfading light

To guide us through life’s long night

Christmas time has its crosses

When again we taste our losses

With memories bitter sweet

Our minds determine to keep.

Christmas candles cause reflections

Calming sorrow’s hypertensions

The symbol of its flame?

Christ’s comfort in our pain.

Christmas the Bible tells me

Is God sharing our history

With love’s testimony

To hallow all our memories

©Raymond N. Hawkins 2011

Exciting when New Books arrive!

Ray’s devotional books arrived last week.
My Justice at Baragula arrived last Monday so we have several boxes of books to store away until they are all sold – or given away, so watch this blog! I just checked one Christian bookshop on the internet and Ray’s books have started to arrive on their shelves in cities across Australia while mine are still to make their appearance.

I even eventually managed to work out how to “create an event” on Facebook to let folk know about the book launch we are organising – or at least the first one in Melbourne, Victoria, on Saturday, June 4th at 2.30pm at Ringwood Church of Christ. This will be followed by afternoon tea and the friends of our daughter, Gaylene, are kindly catering for us and would appreciate an RSVP so there will be sufficient goodies.

Now we can also announce the names of the kind folk who are going to launch our books.

John Sharpe, the minister at Ringwood will launch From Eden With Love. We do thank John for all his support.

We are thrilled our dear friend, Jacquiline Purnell, will be home from Bangkok and is launching CHILDREN: God’s Special Interest. She has worked for years with children and has written the forward to this book for Ray. Jacqui and her husband David have worked for many years with World Vision and he is currently their South-East Asian Development Manager.

Delightful, talented author Amanda Deed  will be launching my Justice at Baragula. I was not at all surprised when her challenging Christian novel, "The Game”, won the 2010 CALEB award for Christian Fiction.

Ray is donating the royalties from his devotions about children to the Khayelihle Children’s Village in Zimbabwe, and those from his devotions for married couples to the Australian Christian Lobby which supports Christian Marriage.

As well as all the excitement about our books we have been busy with other activities this last week. It has been very encouraging to receive feed-back about my talk last Thursday at the local Women Aglow meeting. As Ray teases me, I spend days preparing a talk but then get away from my notes as my heart takes over. How could anything else happen when talking about the outward appearance of Christians and their inward appearance that should shine the beauty and fragrance of Jesus to those we meet. As Isaiah 53:2 (NIV) says about the promised One, “He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him...” yet despite the horror of Him dying on a cross, for those of us who have learned to love Him as Keith Green’s song says,
“O Lord, you’re beautiful,
Your face is all I seek.
For when Your eyes are on this child,
Your grace abounds to me.”

Another old song should be our daily prayer. “Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me, all His compassion and purity.” If only that could be true!
Our prayer is that at least though our writings we may share snippets about the Lord Jesus Christ that will encourage readers to want to know Him as their Saviour and Lord  - and also intimately as their best Friend.

The winner of last weeks giveaway, Outback From Baragula, is Michelle Dennis Evans. Congratulations! Please send me your postal details to mary@mary-hawkins.com and I will have it in the mail for you.

Mediatation Moment

Well, Ray and I have been a team now for nearly 46 years. And yeah...I'm the one with her mouth open - the talker - and Ray the patient listener! I am so grateful he shares this blog with me from time to time.

He has more of his 31 Daily Meditation books being published by Even Before Publishing next year. These are "extra" meditations he writes for my blog. I do trust you not only "enjoy" them but they draw you into a deeper, loving relationship with God.

The Graffiti Artist’s Plea.

Reading…1 John 4:7-19.

…faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13.

The brick fence had become a billboard. A graffiti artist had vented his anger, or longing, in huge white letters.

‘Where’s the love?’ it shouted.

What drove him to do this? Was it a judgement on world events or a longing of the heart? Was the writer merely asking the question without wanting an answer? Some are like that. There is an answer, and down the road that day it was on another wall. It was a poster.

It read, ‘the passion of the Christ.’

Did the artist ever read it? See the film? Open the Bible and find it?

According to John chapter eight, Jesus did a bit of Graffiti . When some leaders tried to trap Him about a woman taken in adultery He simply wrote in the dirt. The Law required stoning. What did Jesus recommend? We know not what He wrote but He did say the one without sin could cast the first stone. From the wisest to the youngest - and probably the most impetuous, they left. Jesus, who could have thrown stones didn’t. He simply said to go and sin no more. She had experienced forgiveness.

Love is the person of Jesus, not a theory or emotion. His love is expressed in the cry from the cross, “Father, forgive them…” Although its location is specific, such love is unconditional. The love God has for you and me is bound up in the person and work of His Son Jesus. To know love and all it offers on Heaven’s behalf requires a personal response to the invitation of Jesus to go to Him by an act of faith.
The great thing is Jesus will not say “No” to us but will receive us.

Raymond N. Hawkins

Music and Song Blessings

Last weekend our little church fellowship was challenged, refreshed and blessed by Stephen Atkins . Do click on his name to go to his website and have a taste - mind you it is only a "taste" - of his great voice and songs.
His songs are played on local radio stations at different times and his goes on tour, speaking and singing messages in song with accompanying Power Point images to churches big -and small like us - as well as many other venues. He presents the news of our Christ of the Cross so very, very well.


For some reason, over the years songs have always ministered to me personally in very special ways. Okay, perhaps it is my creative nature that God uses to create stories, perhaps it is the fact when we were growing up we had a piano in our house. The piano had belonged to my grandparents but neither Mum nor Dad could play it. Living on a farm a long way from music teachers in the city, the only way I could learn to play was work out for myself what the notes on the music meant. The first music I ever played was the old hymn, "Throw out the lifeline across the dark sea..." I only realised years later that it sounded "right" when my one finger played it because it had neither sharps nor flats and was all played on those beautiful white ivory keys. But the words of many, many old songs and hymns from those days are still deep within me.

What a feast of music and song we enjoyed first of all at a dinner concert on the Friday evening, then a concert Saturday and a "musical" service with challenging talks on Sunday.

All the songs Stephen Atkins has written himself brought me to praise and prayer. We joined Stephen in singing Amazing Grace - the extra "My chains fell off" version. Perhaps the song that challenged and blessed me the most was the song he sings on his on his Mercy CD, "He Raised Me Up." They both reminded me of all God has done for me in Jesus, and all He continues to do in my life today with my writing efforts. Only HE could have given me this wonderful, wonderful life of joy and love I enjoy. Only HE could have opened the doors for my books to be published - to even be a finalist in the CALEB awards!

I've been so busy these last weeks preparing for speaking appointments at the Word Writers Fair next Saturday in Queensland, reading manuscripts ready to tutor writers of them at a mentorship programme organised by Omega Writers . Then of course, there is my talk too at the Toowoomba Library at 10am on Saturday, November 13th.
This is going to be very much a "working holiday." When my first book was published, little did I dream how God would open doors as He has these past years. With all my "busyness" lately, I really needed to be reminded that God IS in control, and what He has done and continues to do in my life! How thankful I am that from a very young age I started to get to know the God and Father who loves me, who continues to "raise me up, set me on mountains."
Do go to Stephen Atkins website. One of his songs starts playing straight away. He is also on Facebook and I have just become one of his "friends" there.
If you too can share incidents when God blesses you through praise and worship songs, do tell us about it by commenting here.

Life’s unexpected twists of the road

This last week and especially the last few days we have been experiencing one of those “unexpected” times that come in each of our lives from time to time. 

Our dear daughter-in-law’s mother was diagnosed only about three weeks ago with an inoperable, aggressive cancer of the pancreas.

This is Mavis Holstein between her sister and Rachelle last Easter when she visited Tasmania.

In God’s wonderful timing and providence, quite some time ago her family reunion had been arranged and our son’s family of seven had been booked for a long time to fly interstate to New South Wales. So a few days after the shocking news, they had a lovely couple of weeks up there with Rachelle’s mother and family. Only a couple of days after arriving back here in Tasmania, dear Mavis, still only needing minimal pain relief, suddenly went to be with Jesus in her sleep. Although still trying to catch up on all the work they have to do in their Seahorse Australia and Seahorse World businesses, Rachelle immediately flew back with the baby and three year old, with our son following her today to be there for the funeral.

We are so thankful Ray and I are able to be here to help where we can – especially with the three schoolboys it was impossible to arrange at such short notice to travel back too.
The one thing that has really hit home to me is the many ways we can see God’s forward planning and loving care of all of us concerned. There have been far too many “coincidences” none of could possibly have planned except our loving Heavenly Father who knows our needs before we ever know or can ask. These are indeed what we have learned over many years are simply “God incidents.”

These last few weeks have been busy for Ray and I too with our writing, helping at the businesses and doing several tasks up at our family’s home while they were away.

And with this sad news I need to also tell you some good news.

Remember my husband’s Neurotic Rooster devotional book? Ray has signed a contract for three more of his 31 Days devotional books with Even Before Publishing in Queensland. These are themed books and the first one, God’s Special Interest, a daily meditation on children is being scheduled for fairly early next year and the other two to follow after several monthly intervals.

The narrow road we travel in this life does have twists and turns. It travels up hills and down into dim valleys, but with our constant, faithful Christ dwelling within us by His Holy Spirit, we need never fear “the valley of the shadow” and we can rejoice as HE walks each step of the way with us.

The Lord IS my shepherd, I shall not want... through the twists and turns of life, through the dark valleys - and the mountain tops also!

Meditation Moment

White Feather Horror

A picnic lunch on a warm, sunny day beside a river is a great way to spend a Saturday. I’ve just had a look at a small plaque however and the beauty of the day suddenly became marred. There, at the base of a giant Norfolk pine on the otherwise treeless area of land were the words of a grieving father for his son. The sixteen year old lad had been killed in the first world war of 1914 -18. What had saddened my day were the words indicating the underage boy had joined up because at least two unknown ‘friends’ had sent him white feathers, a sign of cowardice.

     The tree had been planted by his father in memory of his son. Now the breeze continues to play a sympathetic lament through its leaves as an unending requiem.

    
     Standing alone and silent before the plaque, I wondered at the folly of war and the stupidity of anonymous ‘friends’ with their insinuations. My heart asked a question which could not be answered. Did those who sent the feathers ever grieve over what they had done? Did they seek forgiveness?
     I know this tree will cast a shadow over my soul for weeks to come. Every time I drive past it I will remember the grief it silently honours and the unmentioned stories it hides. Standing here just before I leave, I acknowledge the bravery of that young man, and the millions he is part of. In so far as it’s within my power, may I protect the young people within my care from the ignorant and judgemental attitude symbolised in those white feathers.

I cannot help feeling, Heavenly Father, that you would have had a soft spot for the father of that boy. He planted a tree to honour his son. You have given to the world a ‘tree’ that honours your Son. The lad gave his life in the cause of freedom from earthly tyranny. Jesus gave His life to free us from eternal tyranny. You have given us more than a plaque. You have given us the Communion service to remind us of the death burial and resurrection of our hero and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Thank you once again, Ray, and I knew I should take a photo of that memorial tree one day for you.