Re: Simon Saffron0/ The Challenger

Admin Thu 21 Jan 2021, 1:58 pm

https://the--challenger.blogspot.com/2021/01/come-and-see.html?m=1

It's about Time

We are two weeks into our New Year

and two weeks today will be the end of our first month already. This time last year, we all saw the beginning of a new decade and 'raised a glass'

to new beginnings, only to be robbed

by the crowned virus

within months. Our plans for our careers

‍

our plans for summer breaks

️ our plans for celebrations

all put to an end

. Whether you read this as a sceptic or a victim or a sojourner in this current climate, we are each affected by this momentary pause

in time

and yet united with the desire to see normality return.

This begs the question of....
Q: What is normality?

Is it a realistic goal to seek

️

️ a return to the way things were? or is that just idealistic thinking? denying the past Mad

: and forgetting that 2020 ever happened. Only on a personal level

can we individually deal with reality, the reality that not everything is in our control

. To some, this will be a hard lesson to learn, or will be a lesson that some would prefer to skip like your worst subject

. Despite the fact that this lesson has been taught from the very beginning.....as one of the 'invisible things' that are 'clearly seen' [Rom 1:20] ....

Can we/you control

️

the weather?
Can we/you control growth

and

reproduction?
Can we/you control the actions

of others?
Can we/you control the thoughts

of others?

The answer to each of these questions is that we try, but the reality is that we do through ultimatums

or absolutes. For fans of Star Wars, you would know what I mean when I say that only the Sith

deal with absolutes. For the benefit of those who do not, it is the 'this or that', the 'can or cannot', the 'do or do not', the 'take or take not' and so on. Therefore if I had to define what control

means, it is the enforcing of a will

️ or the enabling of a will. Much like the duty of executors to ensure that the will of the deceased

is carried out, that it must be carried out.

Now on the face of it, control

doesn't seem a bad thing. That is....until you meet his opponent

that is, Free Will

You may be asking

are they not the same thing? To an extent they are, but only when a 'fair' balance

is struck. It is only when control

tips the balance elephant

and adds limitations and restrictions

that we realise that Free Will

is in a losing battle. In a battle of Wills, control

wins hands down

especially when control

has influence in media outlets and academia to manage how we think

. Every sociologist and every psychiatrist will always question

what you as an individual were exposed to and YET it is in our desire to control

our minds, but do we? Can we think freely without limitation? and do we not invoke control

by seeking such limitations?

Consider the above for just a moment.
Consider the effect of banned Free Speech that has now appeared over Social Media.
Consider the deviousness

of contracts that seek to claim your/our 'intellectual property' so the 'bigger man' always wins.
Consider the Anti Lockdown rallies that have taken place throughout this pandemic in the Health VS Liberty struggle.

Whatever your opinion may be, it is by your Free Will

to have it! However you may also see the argument, the tug

of war that requires some form of restriction

to bring about protection

️ and peace

. Now we may also have different opinions on how much restriction

and that is valid

but this is what the Human Rights Act provides for; to promote Free Will

but that control

overrides it where necessary. This proviso of course rests on when Parliament deems it necessary, so it matters come voting time

️ to take the time to put the right people in those life-changing seats!

Now....you may argue, what is the point? They don't listen and

‍� I personally cannot challenge that view BUT it remains the only way to ensure your Free Will

and your needs are addressed at the very least. They are not perfect, but who is? I challenge you to name just one. Whether you read this as a believer or not, I am sure you agree

with the conclusion that there is not one, not one mortal person who is righteous (right standing) by themselves [Rom 3:10].

I shall go further to say, particularly to those who are sceptical of those in faith

because of a Puritan Pharisee attitude, the 'holier than thou', let me set the record straight. No one is perfect. No one is above reproach. No one is without any fault. The Bible says clearly [1Jhn 1:8] that a believer lies to himself if he says he is without sin/fault. So much more so to an unbeliever. The good news however I love you

is that despite doing wrong, God still loves us. What's more, he loves us equally because he treats us the same [Matt 5:45]. What's not to love from a forgiving father?

Q: So, is there a better way?

We are obsessed with

control. However, as has been established, every one of us is not perfect regardless of faith. For that reason, I shall set it aside for a moment. Why? Because I want to focus

on our shared identity as fellow human beings

flesh and blood.

Our TV shows

is commonly what binds us together, but what is it that comes on our screens? How many shows put our best foot forward 🦶 and how many kick us in the teeth 🦷? The approach we tend to take, especially when things are too good to be true, or when things drastically take a radical turn, that it's only in TV land. I mentioned before how control

influences our media and so I shall share a few:

Speaking of About Time, there was a film of the same name in 2013. As a fan of science fiction, naturally curiosity got the better of me if this was another time travelling adventure. Was I mistaken? Oh yes!

(which fans of Doctor Who may recognise) especially when it explored the life of a family who lived by their Free Choices

but sought control

to travel back in time and correct it. Long story short, a film About Time was actually About a Girl

. How many times do we seek a way to change what we have done, to 'correct' it, when it is no more and no less an imposition of will. Control

I mentioned Doctor Who and for those who watch or have watched the series, it involves travelling across space

and time

, coincidentally in a place/time that requires saving

️. This is the total opposite of the previous film, because here control

is for a positive

outcome, even if it defies modern science for it to even be possible. However the imprint on the series is in the name of the time machine (the TARDIS) that says that Time is Relative. In fact that is an exact quote from the main character and what it means, is that it is comparative

and that it's not absolute/fixed. Although the series cuts off certain events as being time-locked

there have been instances where the untouchable has become touchable, breaking

the rule.

Finally the example that will hammer things home

is my all time favourite, Star Trek. This is set in the future when the errors that we make today are no more in the future, that instead of fighting amongst ourselves, we live out our values as examples

. Sounds good huh? and true because the missions don't always go well

BUT Season 2 of Discovery explored Artificial Intelligence (AI). As with past series, the mission of exploration continued until the AI called Control took control

and practically usurped Starfleet, their values, their identity, their Free Will

to the point that allies attacked each other

Now I am not using this shows to shame them, but to highlight the Battle of the Wills. In fiction, we see Control

defeated, we see Control

rationalised and Free Will

fought for, while identifying the danger

when Control can take over. This is the lesson that we can take from these.

This is no different than the lessons in the Bible. The Apostle Paul goes to great lengths

to emphasise that we are slaves

to what we obey/like/will [Rom 6:16]. How often in romantic shows and movies do we hear how 'I'm a slave to love"

and how often do we hear "You are what you eat"

. It is exactly the same principle.

However the reality remains that many things are out of our control

yet we seek control

. It is by no means the ideal, but it is' the course of this world' [Eph 2:2]

to seek what we can get on Earth [Col 3:2], whether good or bad. Unfortunately the reality too is that people can want good things and bad things, as people can be bad and good to require control

and it's rules

The better way is only what I spoke of last week: to reform Mad

: conform to the way things are. Right now, the Battle of the Wills continue

‍�

Q: What does that mean?

Like with all journeys and missions, Rome wasn't built in a day, neither was a baby

walking before his/her time. Today, the challenge is issued to reform - with Lockdown

we got time; and Time

was given to us by God.

I would be negligent to withhold saying that Time

was created

️ by God, when he made the physical universe [Gen 1:1] that was visible

️, from outside the physical universe that was invisible

[Col 1:16]. It would defy all reason and logic 🧠 to suggest any inventor/creator has to be inside his/her invention/creation while he/she is making it

However that is not all, because while he created Time

and is more 'Timelord' than the Time Lords of Gallifrey

, seeing he is the same yesterday (past) today (present) and forever (future) [Heb 13:8], he does Mad

: control

our Free Will

. Infact, he encourages our Free Will

when he says eternal life is the reward

of whoever believes in him [Jhn 3:16], being why he encourages us to choose this life not death [Deut 30:19]. The operative word there is the fact that we get to choose freely!

Two options on the ballot paper

️
Q: Which do you choose?

1. Reform? Free Will

limited only by the Love of God towards Him and others [Mk 12:28-34] negating need for control Mad

:

so use your time wisely [Eph 5:15-17]

2. Conform? Accepting the reality that Free Will

is limited & that control

is needed to prevent abuse; although all controls are not universally accepted

I will draw one final comparison, time

is 'relative' afterall. This comparison being of Time itself and simple mathematics

365 days in a year. 12 months in a year, with 4 weeks on average in a single month. That equals 4 Sunday services

in a month and 48 Sunday Services

in a year.

What does this mean? 317 days to you, 48 days to God as the bare minimum. However if realistically half a day is devoted

to God, then that is 24 days, again as the bare minimum. That is barely a month to God and 11 months to you. God is not asking for much and once you realise that, you will want I love you

to spend more than the bare minimum.

It is why Christ says Himself to come to Him, because his burden is light [Matt 11:28-30]. What's more, you wait until you read His manifesto

which I challenge you to read in Matthew 5 if not.....leading to a comparison of the promises Republicans and Democrats make, of what Labour and Conservatives make.

Some would say and argue that with God, I am wasting my time

. Consider then I'd say, of what you are seeing now

What of the 4 years of time it took to negotiate Brexit amid disunity? What of the second impeachment of Trump 10 days before he leaves office? What of the vote of no confidence in Labour's Keir Starmer for not being 'Anti' enough? What of the vote of no confidence in Prime Minister Boris Johnson for not being 'For' enough to remove lockdown?

I submit to you in conclusion that all this, in the times we are living in, it is this that wastes time. Time

is fleeting and yet time in lockdown offers opportunity, I challenge you to take it

and ask yourself.....

Q: How am I using my time?

Admin Thu 14 Jan 2021, 12:51 pm

https://the--challenger.blogspot.com/2021/01/come-and-see.html?m=1

Come and See

January 11, 2021
Every year and every generation has its own cross

to bear. Across our nation

and across our world

we face the unprecedented reality that the elderly are among our most vulnerable. In times of prosperity, this is often forgotten about in some circles

and yet it is the generations before us that laid the foundations of yesterday, to allow for the next generation to take hold of tomorrow.

I do not believe the above can be disputed, neither the biological fact that our very existence

would not have been, if not for our natural born parents

. This chain can then follow that our parents would not have been if not for our grandparents 🧓

and so on. However biology is only one realm of thought

and if we challenge ourselves further, it is also a social fact that our natural born parents would not have been, if not for what brought them together.

Now you may be wondering

if today's article is going to get all mushy 🥴 when it isn't Valentine's Day yet

but I assure you, it will not

🤭

Like the natural fact that we experience different seasons

at different times

there is a time and purpose for every season [Ecclesiates 3:1-8] BUT the good news is, each season does not always last. We know this scientific fact by observation to the Earth's position

to the Sun sunny

, both of which are under Heaven. Time itself

️ is under Heaven in a likewise manner, considering it takes 365 days for the Earth

to move around the Sun sunny

to create the 'year' we know today.

Q: How much more is under Heaven?

Despite his challenges while in Babylonian captivity, the Prophet Daniel

tells us that it is God who changes the times and seasons, aswell as God who removes and sets up Kings

[Daniel 2:21]. Now this would be a difficult pill

to swallow if we were in Daniel's position, his Kingdom destroyed Mad

: and in the Victor's Court to be an example for his countrymen to fall in line. As far as the Babylonians were concerned, this was the new status quo

‍�

Q: How do we respond?

How did Daniel respond? Did he accept the new status quo? YES

even when under 'the shadow of death' [Psalms 23:4], he did the right thing by interpreting the King's dream when called to do so. While not seeking fame or glory, King Nebuchadnezzar 🦧 promoted him as a result to serve Babylon and that he did [Daniel 2:48]. YET does this not sound familiar? Joseph son of Jacob made Prime Minister of Egypt

under Pharaoh after (you guessed it) interpreting Pharaoh's dream [Genesis 41:37-40]

Now what do we get from these two examples? Obviously not Mad

: waiting for the Queen to dream a dream so we can replace Boris

Not of the sort....and considering recent years and recent times, the office can be a blessing as much as a curse

BUT the point is - they remained obedient, despite them both in situations that they had little control over. Both had beef 🥩 with the authorities; Joseph to not have his case fairly heard after a false allegation of rape

; and Daniel to defend his people from being assimilated by Babylon's Cybermen

attacking their identity and changing their names [Daniel 1:1-7] YET did they raise up arms?

Our prime example of course is Jesus

himself, as he instructs us to do what he does [John 13:15]. His message remaining the same from start

to finish

as he says "Follow me" to each disciple, the same message

that is called today in 2020. Then, when it came to his arrest

‍� despite the false charges, Peter naturally resisted his arrest

️ to his defence BUT despite having full control of the situation to summon 'twelve legions of angels'

, he submitted to death [Matthew 26:51-54]. This was in total contrast to Daniel and Joseph who had little power. IF God himself would give to Caesar and submit to the Caesar of the world then [Matthew 22:21], what does this mean for us in the world now?

Q: How are we to be?

This now reaches the heart I love you

of what has been on my mind for today's article. Thinking about the Mission Statement of The Challenger and the recent events of this year and last year. On social media platforms, I....see it over and over of the divisions

that separate us BUT it is my firm belief that we cannot shy away from everything.

Apostle Paul through the inspiration of the Holy Ghost tells us, that we ought not to conform but reform

[Romans 12:2]. Putting it in its simplest terms, as a 'reform' requires a change like a renewed policy

or restructure

to transform the way we do something. There is a movement

that takes place from what was

️ to what is

. However if there is Mad

: change,

: movement, we remain subjects/slaves. We live a lie. This is after all what 'con' means if we conform, we con ourselves. Can we con a con?

Let me share with you the reality, as over and over we see the media

and raise questions

if the full truth is being given. If the full truth is even being given by those who we put our trust in (and by that, I mean here on Earth), making it all the more important to have that Blessed Assurance

and to look out for one another. It is why Jesus commands us to love I love you

and to treat each other equally. Christ wants us united

but this world system wants us divided

Coronavirus. Listening to the Queen's Speech, Her Majesty

spoke of what kept people apart actually had the opposite effect. To an extent that is true BUT from the conspiracy theorists and anti Lockdown rallies that this is all a lie - we are disunited at a time that we should not. Such as the fresh talks of an Independence Referendum in Scotland

???????????????????????? however your feelings towards this may be, now is not the time

️

This isn't the only example.....as we cast our minds back to the year of open eyes (2

️2

️) to George Floyd (RIP) and the justified displeasure at the treatment of the Black Community

. What makes this worse?! How susceptible the Black Community is to Coronavirus. It is only by treating people equally irrespective of race or gender, all the protected characteristics in the Equality Act 2010, that the world

can become a better place, can become united and can allow us to live long and prosper!

What has also been significant in causing division has been Brexit. However I will hone in on what I mean

that Brexit itself is not the problem, but lack of respect. Let's just consider a family eating dinner at Christmas, all able to sit down and eat together, but do we start throwing knives and forks because one wants turkey

and one wants fish

. PLEASE forgive me those of you who have followed the negotiations, purely an example

to emphasise the ridiculous display from our political elite. However a more wide analogy is being in a restaurant and you order fish

BUT you get crab

instead! You want what you asked for, right?!

Just as we didn't want BRINO; Brexit in Name only Mad

: Neither do we want EINO; Equality in Name only Mad

:

If we had respect for ethnic minorities, would we have injustices and racism?

If we had respect for gender, would we have misogyny and sexism?

If we had respect for people's vote

️, would we seek to overturn the result or storm the Capital? Yes I'm being blunt!

Why?! Because there is a better way! and that is why I challenge you. I need you to understand because with God's unconditional agape love, I love you

and God wants us to love one another [John 15:12] whether you believe him or not!

You know what's more? God don't want us divided

. He says himself that any Kingdom

any City

️ any House

that divides against itself will not stand [Matthew 12:25] - is God a liar? Is that not true, even taking this from a human perspective? If you are reading this as an atheist or agnostic, you can follow this principle + the principle of Divide and Conquer? This is what the enemy at work is doing!

This is the biggest con today and we have even our politics to fan the flames

for that. Left VS Right, Republican VS Democrat, Labour VS Conservatives, Trump VS Biden

I opened this article addressing the fact how we are biologically and socially connected with history. We face different problems but in one way or another, history gets repeated

. You would think by 2020 that we would have learnt our lesson by now, but have we? or are we too proud puffing up our chest

that it's the 21st Century now and things are different?

Let's think of politics for a moment....

Here in the UK, we recognise the Conservatives and Labour. However in the 17th Century, the two main parties were the Whigs and Tories, whose ancestral 'fathers' were the Roundheads and Cavaliers in the English Civil War in defence of Parliament and the King respectively. The two political parties were more political factions as the ERG (European Research Group) in a bipartisan attitude to the business of Government. In the National Interest, a bipartisan attitude is one that unites Parliament and we only see glimpses of this today

However, we are locked

into the same historical rhetoric, evident by colloquially calling the Conservatives 'the Tories'

The clue is staring us right in the face, how each election is choosing a side and provoking verbal combat from the other. Same with the US of those who did vote Trump with those who did not, leading to the conclusion that the Civil War has not entirely been fizzled out.

Q: When will it end?

When we change

‍� when we reform and not Mad

: conform to what it is that we want, neither the status quo that we 'must' accept. We do not have to!

Leading me to the scripture that came to me in John 1:38-39 when I prayed

about this. Reading it literally, it seems to be that John and Andrew want to know where Jesus is staying, because they want to be with him. I don't dispute that. However, with the understanding that the Greek word used for 'dwell' also means 'abide' and 'stay', the question also could be translated as 'where do you stand?'. These disciples after all are coming to Jesus, recognising him as Rabbi, as Master and Teacher.... and what is HIS response?

"Come and See"
(Repeat with me)

Israel itself was divided in political factions between the Conservative Pharisees and Liberal Sadducees, both questioned Jesus' teaching. What did Jesus do? He commended them when they did right but was critical of them when they did wrong

[Matthew 23]. He did not Mad

: plant his flag

in the Pharisee camp and neither the Sadducee camp.

So what is my point?

Jesus led by example. He remained true to his beliefs without contamination and avoided picking sides. He saw virtue when there was virtue and error when there was error YET how alienated are we in the world when we are forced to pick a side and get off the fence?!

Christ's answer? Come and see
Let his actions, his beliefs, his life do the talking. His life being awe inspiring that many followed his footsteps

, as should we. When the times and the seasons are all under Heaven/him

Someone ask you whose side you are on? Someone ask where you stand? Don't be forced into choosing a side, but invite them to see what you believe and let your life and your values do the talking.

--

God Bless us all

as I apologise for such a weighty read but I felt it important to set the record straight and set forth the template each article will go by. I don't know who will read this and they may be influenced by what side I am on. I pray that that question is now answered and that you find rest in your soul. I love you

lie love respect truth

Admin Thu 14 Jan 2021, 12:44 pm

https://the--challenger.blogspot.com/search/label/Christmas?m=1

The Challenger

New Year New Beginnings

January 04, 2021
Making this shout-out to one and all as we enter 2021

following the tumultuous year of 2020. Where Christmas celebrations have passed

and the New Year has been greeted by the welcome party of ooooh's and ahhhh's lighting up the sky. You know what I'm talking about

🧨 with some being lighted up hours earlier for the new year to come sooner

which I cannot blame at all....

However what is common at each New Year is the making of New Year Resolutions. That moment of intraspection when we look back at the past year and consider what we would like to change about ourselves or what we do

and I imagine this question is being asked...not just on an individual level

but also on a collective level

a country level

and a global level

with our shared experiences in this pandemic and in lockdown

2020 presented us with its challenges, let 2021 be the year we meet them

OR from what is said in the 'Joker' (Batman) meme that is being shared recently, 2020 opened our eyes

and now in 2021, we are coming back

hopefully with the knowledge to help us to do better

and NOT how to take over Gotham

That said...the point still stands as the famous proverb goes that with knowledge comes power

and with that power, we can make informed decisions. We pray

that 2021 will be a better year, a peaceful year BUT there are still Q's to ask....and there are still Q's to answer.

Q1: What does the season of Christmas mean to you?
Q2: What do you want from this New Year?
(Repeat these questions as you are reading)

Now the obvious question you'd be asking...or the thought that is across your mind, why am I talking about this now?! Am I just too late to the Christmas celebrations

that I must miss out on the Christmas Pud and must eat Humble Pie 🥧 instead....or even worse! Christmas has passed so the gift/present

under the tree is beyond my reach!

My answer? Not a chance

OR as the Apostle Paul would say, God forbid! HOW can we, as man, constrain and limit the season to a single day and then contradict ourselves when we say/sing

'I wish it could be Christmas everyday'

when it CAN! That being the reason why we should broadcast it still!

This leads me to think about what we enjoy at Christmas time

and what we find at Christmas time. While in any other time in the year where acts of kindness and being jolly raises questions

of 'what's he after?' or 'too good to be true' or 'that's totally fake', it's more permissable at Christmas. It's reaction is much more warm and we enjoy the Christmas spirit

and companionship, of the coming together

....of the food

...and love in the mistletoe

(imagine the right leaves 🤭)

Why though? To an extent, Christmas is like every other day in the year to be potentially fake with our 'happy face'

and alternating with 'mister grumpy face'

(like Alex the Lion on Madagascar) to question what is our true face? I'm

% certain that if attendees to your party only participated for the food and other guests, you would be dismayed when the party is yours. Likewise you would be upset if your guests gave each other presents and you were given none...

Now I'm not saying that Christmas Day is Christ's Birthday for no man knows

‍� However it is widely recognised as the Season for remembering when

"A blessed Angel came"

"While Shepherds watched their flock by night"

then "Christ is born of Mary"

(Otherwise known as the Nativity). This however is NOT the end of the story as the Twelve Days of Christmas lead onto Epiphany at its climax,

"Then entered in those wise men three"

upto Lent and Easter to remember Christ's death, burial and resurrection

However, you may notice that commercially, the 'Twelve Days' end on Christmas Day and you will find now in your local supermarkets your chocolate eggs and bunny rabbits rabbit

for Easter. I mean that's bizarre

and I really don't understand that! I challenge you that if you read but one of the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke in particular), you will find the support of Jesus flourishing to the point that the Jewish rulers had to tread carefully around him during his 3/4yr ministry.....only for Jesus to not be 'profitable' anymore and call for his crucifixion right at the end

YET hardly a week can go by before WE crucify Christ!

(Take a pause)

Q1: What does the season of Christmas mean to (me) ?
Q2: What do (I) want from this New Year?

You will find above the questions I asked earlier but personalised. I will invite you to do the same, whether you share it with me or let it settle in your mind, it is your free will that will decide I love you

However for me, the Christmas season is the beginning of everything. This is where we learn that God himself came down from his throne on High, entering the physical realm and suiting himself up in flesh and bones as Jesus [John 1,14] to sustain his life on Earth. Same way we need a Spacesuit to sustain our life in space

‍

and we learn that this Act of God (recognisable in real legal terms) was a gift giving exercise, given out of love [John 3]. The original present & the original mistletoe & like all classic shows/movies, you can't beat the Original

I mentioned before how I might be late in writing this and that it was like missing Christmas Day and the presents that was beyond reach. However with the Original, it is never beyond reach! and what's more...if you unwrap this PRESENT

it's got what inside?! Is this not profitable?!

1. Life eternal [John 3] which Roman Emperors could only dream of....
2. Blessing; as his birth fulfilled earlier prophecy in the Old Testament [Genesis 12]
3. Peace; as he was prophecied as the Prince of Peace [Isaiah 9]

What do I want in this New Year? I want peace with whatever may come....and to give me confidence, I need his blessing especially when confidence in World Leaders is at

"an all-time [low]"

+ this can only be achieved by a 24/7 hotline

BUT while you may be open to the baby Jesus in the manger at Christmas in December ....and the crucified Jesus on the cross in March/April....you need to be open to the living Jesus to provide for you throughout the year. Where is the Peace once you've crucified the Prince of Peace?

He is the Christ in Christmas.
He is the X that marks the spot, the X to which I mark my ballot

️ in Xmas.
He is the dependable friend that while he may not be your best friend, he's your fallback guy always and forever. He promised that [Matthew 28] even when he appears to not be the 'cool kid' in the back of the classroom.

Boris Johnson spoke of Christmas as Hope but

"In Christ alone all hope is found"

and so if you are looking for Hope this year? if you are looking for Peace this year?

This year that we enter with anxious minds and YET how can we forget of 2.6M cases of Coronavirus in the UK alone (more if consider worldwide), 75K did not make it through the year. You did.

I don't know about you, as I don't know who will read this

but I give God thanks for you that you are alive

that I am alive

and I will pray

that he will comfort the brokenhearted as he said he would [Psalms 34] to all those who have lost loved ones

, give rest to the weary as he said he would [Matthew 11] to those who are struggling...and strength to your hearts [Psalms 27] that I need say no more

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