I Like Guns

Guns.  You either love them, or you hate them.  You think everyone should have them, or you feel no-one should have them.  They are either a murderous weapon, or they are a means of protection or food gathering.  All in all, most people seem to fall into one of two catagories- the gun lovers or the gun haters.

I am, most assuredly, in the first of these two catagories.  I had my first gun at 16, as soon as I was old enough to get my firearms licence in New Zealand.  I enjoy hunting furry little animals that are considered a pest (I really am a Green's worst nightmare), and even eating some of them.

I am a proponent of the "Right to Bear Arms", something sadly lacking in the countries of Australia and New Zealand.  It seems that the only people down here that are allowed to have any sort of weapon, are the criminals!  In New Zealand it's even worst though, as the Police don't even have guns (usually).

In my opinion, when you allow the criminals to arm themselves, while forbidding the law abiding citizens to hold arms for protection, you are inviting trouble.  For every shooting, the Govrnment strengthens the firearms law (forbidding even more law abiding citizens from holding a gun, but still allowing any and every crim to have whatever weapon they wish).

I was asked what I would do if someone broke into my home while my family was in it (buy the Police Officer interviewing me for my firearms licence application.)  I suggested that the person would not live through it, if I had time to deal to them.  If I could unlock the gun cabinet, assemble the rifle, retrieve the bolt, unlock the chamber containing the magazine, unlock the ammo cabinet, load the magazine, load the gun, and then shoot the intruder, they would be dead.

The Policeman suggested that if that ever happened, I should drag the body into the street, away from the scene of carnage.  He also recommended that I put a couple of rounds into the ceiling to show intent to warn, not kill.  I might of just buried them.

So, you may consider me a Red-necked, Repuplican styled, conservative, narrow-minded, pig.  However, I am really just your ordinary family man who wants the right to protect myself and my family.  Can you really begrudge me that?  Come on Australia- get rid of the over stated gun laws, and let us look after ourselves- the crims will get the message eventually (hopefully some time just after their numbers have dwindled.)

Jim

Fruit of the Spirit

Galatians 5:22-23 says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."

Something I heard on the radio recently made me stop and think about this.  I was wondering about the manifestation of this fruit in the lives of Christians, and what it means if this fruit is missing.  I believe that if a person is 'Born Again', then there will be some sort of manifestation of that in their lives.  I am not saying that they will suddenly become the great Christian who can do no wrong, what I am saying, is that, in some way they will be different.

The difference may just be a nagging when they are doing wrong- at the point of Salvation, the Holy Spirit begins to dwell within you, so you have an additional conscience poking you in the heart when you know you are doing wrong.  Maybe it's a sudden desire to make things right with other people, or maybe the activities you enjoy just loose a little of their gloss.  Whatever it is, there will be something.

As a person grows in their relationship with God, there ought to be an obvious change in their lives.  This is shown to us in Galatians 5, when we read what the Fruit of the Spirit is.  I wonder how many of us (myself included) are showing some, or any, of these fruit?  A Christian should have an underlying joy in their lives- even in times of sorrow and hardship.  A Christian should be gentle (I don't mean soft, there is a difference between being a coward, and being gentle,) humble, and slow to anger.

After reading Galatians 5, I started to wonder about the world of Christianity in today's day and age.  I was wondering if we exhibit these Fruit of the Spirit, or is their no difference between us and the world.  Do our Facebook posts honour God, or when our children read them in years to come, are they going to be ashamed or hurt by it?  I have, in the past, been guilty of some harsh words, but I know, when it comes down to it, our actions will typically be a representation of our walk with God.

I hope this will encourage you to think about what your actions are saying concerning your walk with God, and how the Fruit of the Spirit is reflected in your life.

Jim