Night time meditation

Evening meditation

Good evening my friends,

I love the verse quoted in the picture above. Here it is in context:

The Promise of Israel’s Return

14 The word of the Lord came to me: 15 “Son of man, the people of Jerusalem have said of your fellow exiles and all the other Israelites, ‘They are far away from the Lord; this land was given to us as our possession.’

16 “Therefore say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Although I sent them far away among the nations and scattered them among the countries, yet for a little while I have been a sanctuary for them in the countries where they have gone.’
17 “Therefore say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will gather you from the nations and bring you back from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you back the land of Israel again.’

18 “They will return to it and remove all its vile images and detestable idols. 19 I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. 20 Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God. 21 But as for those whose hearts are devoted to their vile images and detestable idols, I will bring down on their own heads what they have done, declares the Sovereign Lord.”
Tonight, the following verse came to me too:

13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again,
14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
John 4: 13-14

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. In the name of Jesus Christ Amen

2 Corinthians 13:14

Little Alice fell...

“Little Alice fell
d
o
w
n
the hOle,
bumped her head
and bruised her soul”

an unusual Saturday.. I felt that I was falling down ...

...until my Saviour picked me up again....this morning ..

Praise the Lord for his mercy ...

Did you know that ....?

While a few critics may try to read allegories of doctrinal debates into the work of Charles Dodgson (Lewis Carroll was Dodgson’s pen name), no one would accuse him of writing Christian allegory, although that rabbit hole certainly lends itself to all kinds of fun possible interpretations. 

Perhaps such strangeness explains why neither literary specialists nor Christian readers pay much attention to the relationship of Dodgson’s faith to his work. Maybe they should ....another day....

God wants all people to be saved!

3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

So what does the apostle Paul recommends in his letter to Timothy? 

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 

2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.

A prayer tonight.

Father, we thank you for your word; open our eyes and our hears to your voice, that we may guide us according to your will and pray for those your Spirit leads us to pray. We are your people and you are our Father, we pray that you look after us and that we may feel your loving presence by us all the time especially in the middle of a storm. We ask you to heal us emotionally and physically, transform our hearts of stone in hearts of love and renew our mind so that we see you clearly. We know we can take refuge under your wings and that your grace and mercy abound all around us. We ask you in the name of your son and Saviour Jesus-Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit, our Counsellor. Amen

Blinded by your grace

I'm blinded by your grace
I'm blinded by your grace, by your grace
I'm blinded by your grace
I'm blinded by your grace

Lord, I've been broken
Although I'm not worthy
You fixed me, I'm blinded
By your grace
You came and saved me
Lord, I've been broken
Although I'm not worthy
You fixed me, now I'm blinded
By your grace
You came and saved me

One time for the Lord
And one time for the cause
And one round of applause
One time for Fraser T Smith on the chords
I feel we got one
I stay prayed up then I get the job done
Yeah I'm Abigail's you, but I'm God's son
But I'm up now, look at what God's done
Now I rule tour, look at what God did

Stormzy

You shall be witnesses to ME

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8

When Alfred Nobel discovered an explosive element that was stronger than anything the world had known at the time, he asked a friend and Greek scholar for a word that conveyed the meaning of explosive power. The Greek word was dunamis, and Nobel named his invention “dynamite.”

Dunamis is the same word that Jesus used when He told His disciples, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). In other words, “You shall receive explosive, dynamite power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.”

Think about how this power transformed the first-century believers. Prior to Pentecost, Simon Peter couldn’t stand up for his faith when strangers asked him if he was a follower of Jesus. After the power of the Holy Spirit was poured out on Pentecost, Peter stood up and boldly preached the gospel, resulting in 3,000 people being saved.

After Saul of Tarsus became a believer on the Damascus Road, God led Ananias to go and pray for him. 

He was then filled with the Holy Spirit, and from that moment on, he went out and proclaimed Christ everywhere, turning the then world upside down.

This power is for a purpose. It is not power to make you feel good. It is power to be a witness for Christ. It is power to change your life and change the world. Have you received this power?

Prayer: Ask the Lord to fill you with His Holy Spirit and manifest His power in your life and ministry.

Scriptural Reading: Acts 1:1-11Source: Dunamis

God is love

Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.

(1 John 4:8 and 4:16b)

Apostles John and Peter race to the tomb on the morning of the resurrection.
Eugene Burnand 1926

The early Christian church was afflicted with doubts, persecution, and false teaching, and the Apostle John addressed all three in his encouraging book of 1 John.

He first established his credentials as as an eyewitness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ, mentioning that his hands had touched the risen Savior. John used the same type of symbolic language as he did in his Gospel, describing God as "light." To know God is to walk in light; to deny him is to walk in darkness.

Source, click here

Hope you all had a lovely week-end!

Blessings to you my friends!

Jesus cured many

Prayers needed

Monday the 8th of October

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, I have been diagnosed with a hyperthyroidism and tomorrow I will have a iodine tablet treatment at Poitiers hospital.
Please pray that the treatment is successful. I must not have any contact with children or pregnant women for two weeks so this is going to be very strange indeed. I will miss teaching my lovely pupils at school. Steven is looking after me. 
I put my trust in the Lord, he will keep me safe under his wings. Even though we know that tests are allowed so that we are refined as fire, it was a bit of shock! My Father in heaven will see me through this storm, I let him in charge of my ship, he will calm the sea and bring me to a safe harbour. Thank you Abba for your all the amazing blessings you pour on us. Thank you Jesus. Amen

A fig cake

My friends, I want to share those verses with you. Sometimes, we feel lost, we don't know where we are, everything is new and unsettle us. However, the Lord our God loves us and He will pursue us with his love because we are his creatures, his beloved children. We know that when He promises something, unlike men or women,,He keeps his promises. 

You may wonder why I chose these verses! Our fig tree has brought us plenty of figs, we've shared them around and there are still so many. What a blessing among others. Simple things in life are actually important, such as being able to meet friends, some who are Christian friends, some who are on a journey! Have you wondered in which part of your journey you are? Are you rushing around, not knowing where you are, maybe you have heard of those Christians who are despised because of their belief! Maybe you could pause for a while, checking things out properly, i.e. one question stands out, who was He, this guy who was innocent  but ended up crucified! His name, Jesus-Christ, God incarnate, meaning He was (is forever) God, son of God who made sure that He told us He 

7 For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks and fountains and springs that flow through the valleys and hills; 

8a land of wheat, barley, vines, fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of olive oil and honey; 

9a land where you will eat food without scarcity, where you will lack nothing; a land whose rocks are iron and whose hills can be mined for copper.…

I have tried to bake something different for our meeting tomorrow, Filling station, at Villefagnan, near Ruffec.

250g unsalted butter at room temperature
100g walnuts
100g hazelnuts
250g golden castor sugar
3 large eggs
125g plain flour
8 ripe figs

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180c/350f/gas mark 4. Grease a square cake tin (approx 21 cm). Mix the hazelnuts, most of the walnuts, the sugar. Add the butter until the mixture starts combining together, crack in the eggs.Add the flour and mix till well combined.

Scrape the mixture into the prepared tin, top with the figs sliced into 1/2 cm thick slices. Put in the oven for 45-55 minutes, check with a skewer to see if it comes out clean – if so, the cake is ready.

Inspired by
Sue Mitchell who is owner of Cafe Musa on the Mound, 16 North Bank Street www.cafemusa.co.uk Twitter @musaonthemound Facebook.com/Cafemusa

I am the least in my family!

In the Old Testament, Judges 6 show us that in the middle of disasters, the Lord is still among us and He hears our cries. Moreover He is not insensitive to our plea!

This passage takes place 

Forever God is faithful!

Forever God is faithful

His love endures forever

Sing praise, sing praise

Father, we thank you for a new day in your grace and mercy. We thank you Jesus-Christ, our Lord and Messiah, for what you have done on the cross, when you died you took our sins, you redeemed us, you broke the bondage of our sins and gave us freedom As 1 Peter 1:18-19 explains, it took the greatest price that could ever be paid to free us from our bondage to sin . . . “you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, [the blood] of Christ.”
Chris Tomlin

45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”
Luke 1:45

32 “We tell you the good news: What God promised our ancestors

33 he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm:
“‘You are my son;
today I have become your father.’
34 God raised him from the dead so that he will never be subject to decay. As God has said,
“‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David.’

Acts 13:32:34

The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
2 Peter 3:9

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;

Hebrews 10-23

But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.

2 Thessalonians 3:3

Praying for peace in Yemen.

Lord I lift your name on high

My prayer tonight

Our Father in heaven, 

I pray that you protect all people in Yemen 

 and give peace in the area, 

wisdom to all the leaders involved. 

Have mercy Lord, 

and anoint them with your Holy Spirit,

 speak to them o gracious Lord 

I ask you that other countries send 

humanitarian help very quickly 

and that nobody stops help 

from coming to those who need it. 

 I pray that no leader interferes

 for their own interest 

but think of the good of the people there. 

I ask you Father in the mighty name 

of our Saviour and King 

Jesus-Christ 

That's dat Jesus!

That's dat Jesus

 brings Jesus to you!

King of Kings, Majesty.

Good afternoon my friends,
I hope that you are having a beautiful day.
This beautiful worship song always makes me emotional. When I fist heard it in January 2007 in Bolton when Steven and I were dating,  it brought tears to my eyes.

King of kings, Majesty

God of Heaven living in me 

Gentle Saviour, closest friend
Strong Deliverer, beginning and end

All within me falls at Your throne 

Your Majesty, I can but bow 

I lay my all before You now 

In royal robes I don't deserve

I live to serve Your Majesty 

Earth and Heaven worship You 

Love eternal, Faithful and True

Who bought the nations, ransomed souls 

Brought this sinner near to Your throne 

All within me cries out in praise. 

Your majesty, I can but bow

I lay my all before You now

In royal robes I don't deserve 

I live to serve Your Majesty 

Your majesty, I can but bow

 I lay my all before You now

 In royal robes I don't deserve

 I live to serve Your Majesty

I share this interview I found in Cross Rhythms website
Tony: You must be used to having the whole of your ministry summarised in one song.

Jarrod:To some it's still coming through as a new song. I've heard some amazing stories about it. I've got a friend who went out to India - a very rural part - and the Gospel had just reached there four months before. This community had heard the Gospel for the first time and had just started to gather as a church. When this friend of mine walked through the door into their worship service, they were singing "King Of Kings, Majesty" in their own dialect. That's wonderful. Somebody once asked me, 'What's it like to be a one-hit wonder?' I said, 'Better than a no-hit wonder.' I wrote "King Of Kings, Majesty" in the room next door. (Jarrod momentarily stops to gesture to the adjacent office in the New Life Christian Centre where we sit.) There used to be a recording studio here; there was a reel-to-reel here on the desk. All the walls were carpeted; we ripped it out about 10 years ago.

Tony: During those years that you were leading worship at Colin Urquhart's Faith Camp and then those subsequent years when you were establishing the church in Hull, you seemingly wrote hundreds of songs. Then it seemed to suddenly stop. Did the Lord impress on you to lay your songwriting down and do other things?

Jarrod: That would be part of it. For the last decade I've been leading a church; administration, leadership, organisation is a really valuable valve to the engine of who I am. I do write, I just write a lot less. I used to write hundreds of songs - many of which awful: for every hundred, I'd write two or three good ones that would end up on an album. 10 years in, my life is beginning to get a little bit of space, so the creativity is starting to stir again. But you're right: for about a decade I've not written or recorded much. That's been down to leading a church.

Tony: In 2012 a number of your earlier recordings made between 1988 and 1998 were released on a couple of compilations.

Jarrod: Yes, there were two download only releases, 'Dreaming' and 'Shine On Me'.

Tony: I was surprised to see your name by only one song on the Revive Church album 'One Hope' - and even that song was an oldie.

Jarrod: That's right - "Faithful God", which I wrote in 2005. Even then, one of our young lads sang it. I was going to go in and sing another one of the songs on 'One Hope', but I was ill. So I didn't even make it onto the album. 'One Hope' is a good snapshot of where Revive Church has been in the last few years. We are surrounded by creatives here and there's plenty of them doing worship music better than I ever did. I've just enjoyed encouraging them and learning a different set of skills with the stuff that I've been going through. I am still songwriting a little, but nothing like I was.

I oversee the worship at the church, help set the culture and the values, but I largely let them get on with it. I said to someone the other day, 'You've been with us two years; have you ever seen me lead worship?' He'd never seen it. Those that have would have to go back probably seven years to when I last got up at the front and led from the piano. The thing is, when you're not leading worship regularly, you get out of practice. It's not just that sense of anointing - your prayer-life, being close to God - you've got to be relaxed enough in your skills. I am not relaxed enough in my skills to get up and play: I'd need to be doing a lot behind the scenes, getting old muscles operating again. But anyway, we've got a great team growing, a full-time worship pastor, Phil Buston, setting in some new creative coaching structures to increase the amount of worship pastors. We need lots of different teams around the region, leading at different times of the day across a Sunday.

Continue here

Here I am to worship!

Light of the World
You stepped down into darkness
Open my eyes
Let me see
Beauty that made
This heart adore You
Hope of a life
Spent with You

Here I am to worship
Here I am to bow down
Here I am to say that You're my God
You're altogether lovely
Altogether worthy
Altogether wonderful to me

King of all days
Oh, so highly exalted
Glorious in Heaven above
Humbly You came
To the earth You created
All for love's sake became poor

Here I am to worship
Here I am to bow down
Here I am to say that You're my God
You're altogether lovely
Altogether worthy
Altogether wonderful to me

I'll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross
I'll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross
I'll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross
I'll never…

Highly exalted is the Messiah!

Ram Venisa Ha'Mashiach - Lyrics and Translation.

My friends, let me confide in you: 
being a disciple of Jesus-Christ fills me with joy 
and I am so grateful to be part of our family of brothers and sisters
in Christ. 

The following verses in Romans 5:8-9 jumped at me when I read them the first time:
8 But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

9 Therefore, since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from wrath through Him!…

Before my encounter with my Lord, I thought that I was a good person; what I was doing was to bury everything dishonourable (my conscience told me so) I'd done in a part of my brain and I was getting very good at that. 

Unknown to me, the Lord who was pursuing me with his love,  He used different people in my life to plant seeds in me. When I taught in a Christian high school in the Isle of Man, I attended church twice a week. Also a Christian colleague invited me and my two daughters to attend her Baptist church but it still wasn't the appointed time. We stayed in this school for five years when I decided to leave. We moved to Manchester where I found myself in a pit, knowing that I'd made a wrong decision. I called out to the Lord. This was a memorable moment, He heard me and though I had to go to a women's refuge, He gave me strength and helped me out of this disastrous situation. 

A few months later, I felt I had to confess my many sins which all came back to me. A few months later, I met Ty Brando, an American musician on a dating Christian website who told me about Jesus-Christ on one of our many long phone conversations. Every day, he would answer my questions and he'd explain them then I would read the corresponding passages in the bible. Eventually, I said the sinner's prayer and accepted Christ in my heart, through the grace of the Lord. My view of things got completely changed. Scales fell off my eyes! 

So my soul will exalt Jesus my Saviour for ever and I will praise Him and declare what He has done for me. He's taught me how to love others and filled my heart with compassion. He has transformed my heart of stone in a heart of flesh. 

Still, don't get it wrong, it takes time, I was saved in November 2006 and I am still a work in progress and far from being perfect. The transformation still goes on. He is by my side and helping me out. 

Those verses come to mind: 
So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord--who is the Spirit--makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image. 2 Corinthians 3:18

Have you yet accepted the Lord Jesus Christ in your life? 

When the storm is raging...

When the storm is raging and your heart is sinking low, do not give up, call out on Jesus-Christ, the son of God and invite him in your life; he will be there for you forever.
The Lord is so good and He loves you so much.
Our Father in Heaven keeps his promises, He does not change.
He will help you! Whoever you are, no matter what you have done in the past, wherever you are, ask Jesus-Christ, the King of Kings who died willingly on the cross so that you can have eternal life, that is if you follow him.
In the bible, the Gospel of John (ch 8 v12) says: When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Bless the Lord oh my soul!

Lyrics

Bless the Lord oh my soul
Oh my soul
Worship His Holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I'll worship Your Holy name

The sun comes up
It's a new day dawning
It's time to sing Your song again
Whatever may pass
And whatever lies before me
Let me be singing
When the evening comes

Bless the Lord oh my soul
Oh my soul
Worship His Holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I'll worship Your Holy name

You're rich in love
And You're slow to anger
Your name is great
And Your heart is kind
For all Your goodness
I will keep on singing
Ten thousand reasons
For my heart to find

Bless the Lord oh my soul
Oh my soul
Worship His Holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I'll worship Your Holy name
Bless You Lord

And on that day
When my strength is failing
The end draws near
And my time has come
Still my soul will
Sing Your praise unending
Ten thousand years
And then forevermore
Forevermore

Bless the Lord oh my soul
Oh my soul
Worship His Holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I'll worship Your Holy name

Bless the Lord oh my soul
Oh my soul
Worship His Holy name
Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I'll worship Your Holy name
Yes I'll worship Your Holy name
I'll worship Your Holy name

Sing like never before
Oh my soul
I'll worship Your Holy name
Jesus I will worship Your Holy name
Worship Your Holy name

#Jesus-Christ died for our salvation, he #reigns on high and he will #come back

Songwriters: Jonas Myrin / Matt Redman

10,000 Reasons lyrics © Capitol Christian Music Group

Artist: Matt Redman

Album: 10,000 Reasons

Released: 2011

Genre: Christian/gospel

Awards: Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Christian Music Song, MORE

Esther

After Aert de Gelter

Where are we?

The events in the book of Esther occurred from 483 BC to 473 BC, during the first half of the reign of King Xerxes, who chose Esther as his queen. During this time period, the first remnant of Jews who had returned to Judah were struggling to reestablish temple worship according to the Law of Moses. But Esther and Mordecai, along with many other Jews, had chosen not to make the trek back to Judah. They seemed content to stay in Susa, the capital city of Persia, in which the story is set.

The book was written no earlier than 470 BC and probably no later than 424 BC, during the reign of Xerxes’ son Artaxerxes.

Why is Esther so important?

Esther is the only book in the Bible not to mention the name of God. But that is not to say that God was absent. His presence permeates much of the story, as though He were behind the scenes coordinating “coincidences” and circumstances to make His will happen.

Much like the book of Ruth, this book stands as one of the most skilfully written biblical books. Using eight feasts to systematically build and resolve suspense, the author constructed the story chiastically—using a Hebrew literary device in which events mirror each other inversely. Early listeners to the story would have recognised significant events and followed the rising tension with understanding.

Haman, the king’s evil second-in-command, was a descendant of Agag, king of the Amalekites, who were ancient enemies of God’s people (Numbers 24:7; 1 Samuel 15:8). He cast the lot, called “pur,” in order to determine the day that the Jews would be exterminated (Esther 3:7–9). The feast of Purim, still celebrated by Jews today, commemorates the Jews’ deliverance from Haman’s plot (9:24–32).

God is sovereign

While the primary purpose of the book of Esther was to relate the dramatic origins of the feast of Purim, a greater theme shines through the story. The sovereignty and faithfulness of God permeate each scene. Nothing is truly coincidental, the book of Esther says to us. God’s sovereignty is best summarised in Mordecai’s exhortation to Esther: “Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?”” (Esther 4:14).

When events seemed out of control to Esther and Mordecai, when the king dictated ruin for their people, when evil was poised to triumph . . . God was at work. 

He worked through their dark days (Esther was taken to the harem [2:1–16]), their faithful obedience (Esther risked her life before the king [5:1–3]), and their victories (Esther revealed Haman’s plot and the Jews’ destruction of their enemies [7–9]). This message is clear: God is sovereign even when life doesn’t make sense.

God is also the great Promise Keeper. Mordecai’s words reflected his faith that God would honor His eternal covenant with Abraham and David.

Source

My tears, your tears...

When our King comes back

And we will be with Him

Forever

The One who died for us

And overcame, 

Victorious in every way

Loving and compassionate

His name is Jesus-Christ,

He is the only way

the Truth

and the Life.

Experiencing trials

Matthew 11:29 

Type here for the link to CrossPointe Church Westerville Ohio

29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

1 John 16:33

33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

 1 Thessalonians

1 Peter 1:6 

6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials

James 1:2-4

2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,

3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.

4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.