Love abounds.

Hello to my blogger friends and welcome to you, new visitors.
As I haven't been able to hack into my hubby's computer wanting to 'borrow' his much nice photos of the nut-hatch, this is the only one decent I have. He is turning his back and as you surely know he is a  fast eater. This was shot on a Saturday just before Christmas.
I can get quite involved with things such as reading or even house chores and neglect others even if I like them. So over the Christmas holidays, I took a few photos and I never had time to save them on my computer, ready to be used for later.
Photos tell stories and the girls will tell you that I did not bake any cakes until after Christmas..my excuse, I had to finish buying presents and what started with a sneeze on the 22nd of Dec ended up as a bearable but tiring cold with the unavoidable aches..
So here is the traditional 'buche au chocolat et au café' or log, following my late mum's recipe with coffee and chocolate. My husband is not keen on it so I did try another recipe, and this one contained 'crème de marron' chestnut purée, Imo ate quite a bit but no one else was keen! We were also so blessed to have all the children over Christmas.

 We attempted to a quick walk by the canal and I thought this horse looked so cute with his leopard cover! Finally, Mr Squirrel always comes and pries on the birds' seeds. I hope that you too can look back over the Season with joy. We are counting our blessings and praising the Lord for them. N.

Love one another!

This week has gone so fast and it has been really nice.  As I am now working nearer home, I have more time to indulge in some reading before I tackle marking and planning in the evening. Over the years, I have become a fussy reader, call it choosy, I do not want to waste time to read rubbish, it goes the same with newspapers, magazines or blogs.

Another habit of mine is that if I like a book a lot, I will read and enjoy so much of it and then stop reading and keep it for later..I am not sure why I do that. Do you do that too? Could it be that I need to be reassured that come to the crunch, I have got something really good to enjoy! 

Before Christmas, I read a beautiful book called Song of a Stranger that gives you interesting pointers on how you can be faithful to God in a non-Christian society without compromising your beliefs (I quote) and somehow I stopped before the last chapter, The Best is still to come. 

Before the New Year, I ordered 2 books on amazon, Compelled by Love by Heidi Baker that I have nearly finished and Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer that I cannot wait to start. Also, I have been reading on and off a French book called 'Les Aristocrates', well-written, light and humorous  by Michel de Saint Pierre.

So Tuesday night, I read Compelled by Love and I got very emotional.  In the war-torn, poverty-stricken country of Mozambique, Heidi Baker and her husband have experienced God's miraculous provisions and witnessed the transformed hearts of people caught in desperate life-or-death situations.  (I quote) I could not stop reading and that evening as I still had to do marking and planning, I went to bed rather late! 

So, what is your best read? Do you have any particular reading habits? Have an excellent white week-end!

1 John 4:10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

John 13:34 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

Gladys Aylward (1902 -1970)

Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards;not many were influential;not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 1 Corinthians 1:26-27

Being on holidays, I have indulged in my best hobby, catching up with some reading! So one evening, I had been reading 'Song of a stranger' (Keswick Ministries) and picked it up where I left it, chapter 6, The eternal presence, p 97, I quote: I don't know if you know much the growth of the church in China, but if you look at a graph of the growth of the church it is very level through the 20th c. and up until around 1970 and then graph takes off and goes through the roof. Over diner, I asked my hubby if he could guess why did this happen? In the conversation that followed, he mentioned the names of two Christian missionaries, Hudson Taylor and Gladys Aylward adding that they dressed like the people around her and this was a major factor in making their preaching effective. As I never heard of them, I read their biographies. Here is a short summary of Gladys' biography.

Born into a working class family in Edmonton, London on February 24, 1902, Gladys became a parlor maid at the age of only 14. Her call to missions came about when she attended a revival when she was 18 in which the preacher expounded on giving one's life over to the service of the Lord In her mid-twenties, she was given a probationary position with the China Inland Mission Center in London but  this endeavor didn't bear fruit. At the age of 26 her probation ended in failure. However, no one can frustrate the will of God."For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. (Rom 11:29) At the age of 30, Gladys begins her missionary career in Yangcheng working with veteran missionary Jeannie Lawson. She helped operate an inn for mule drivers and she learned Chinese. After Jeannie's death, Gladys was unable to financially sustain the Inn. The local officials approached her and asked if she would be willing to be a "foot inspector." The tradition of binding Chinese women's feet had  been outlawed, but it was still being practiced in many places. Gladys began traveling around inspecting the bones in women's feet. As she traveled she would tell stories from the Bible and many looked forward to the days they could hear these strange new stories. During the war between Japan and China, Gladys also adopted war orphans and eventually had over 100 children in her care. In 1940, the war had escalated and she was forced to leave Northern China and head south to Sian through the thickening battle, over mountains and across the Yellow River. When Gladys climbed over the mountains to Sian, she had 100 children with her, that she was taking to a refugee area.  On the twelfth day, they arrived at the Yellow River, with no way to cross it. All boat traffic had stopped, and all civilian boats had been seized to keep them out of the hands of the Japanese. The children wanted to know, "Why don't we cross?" She said, "There are no boats." They said, "God can do anything. Ask Him to get us across." They all knelt and prayed. Then they sang. A Chinese officer with a patrol heard the singing and rode up. He heard their story and said, "I think I can get you a boat." They crossed, and after a few more difficulties Ai-weh-deh delivered her charges into competent hands at Sian, and then promptly collapsed with typhus fever and sank into delirium for several days. After 20 years in China, Gladys returned to England. She was embarrassed to find that she quickly became a celebrity. A book, movie and TV documentary were all made about her life. To many Gladys became known by many as "The Small Women," the title of her biography. She continued to travel and speak about her beloved China, returning to Taiwan in 1957.

What an admirable woman and an incredible story! In one of the websites, some comments are made by people who either heard her speak or knew her so I do recommend you to visit them! Blessings. N.

Credits for these resources in those links:

www.tlogical.net 

http://www.historymakers.info/ 

http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bio/73.html

Merry Christmas to you

Wishing you a blessed Christmas in the peace and joy of our Lord Jesus-Christ.

Jesus, the anointed one

I hope that you are all having a super Sunday. Here, it is a beautiful day the sun is shining. However, the wind is cold so wrap up. I actually walked to church and did not bother to put a scarf or a hat. At the end of the service, my friend Joan asked me if I wanted a lift and after hesitating, I agreed. I am glad I did because the cold wind went through me when I walked home the short distance from the top of our close! 

I discovered a new hymn today, ' Jesus, the anointed one, short but beautiful in my opinion. I haven't stopped humming it since I've been home. Let me know what you think! Have an excellent Sunday. Blessings. N

I am coming soon

Luke 21:5ff but with special reference to vv 25-36

There is certainly one thing that Jesus talks about in this passage that has already happened -  the fall of Jerusalem and what triggered the whole conversation was that the disciples were admiring the temple which had been there for a few years, the third temple and Jesus says is will be destroyed. Around AD 70 it was. As for the other things he talks about in this passage time does not matter and Jesus moves between different eras as though all are the same and in a way they are to him!  Some of these things have happened, some have always happened and some are to come.

I am coming soon.

If you go to the book of Revelation there is this language that can be difficult. However there is a very simple message in Revelation and that is that God is in control and through Jesus has won the victory and one of these days he is coming again in victory and it will be fulfilled in a perfect and satisfying way. When Jesus came, people had expectations of the long expected Messiah and they got it wrong. They expected him to be a mighty leader and ruler who would free them from Rome and bring a mighty Jewish Kingdom. Jesus blew it all out of the water and has established a kingdom that is bigger than expected and bigger than any other in all ages that crosses all boundaries.

Nobody then envisaged that the Messiah was going to hang upon a cross but it is there in Isaiah chapter 52 ...the suffering servant, God's promised one, brings you and me life if we put our trust in Him. He fulfilled all things in OT Scripture beyond expectation and the same will be true when He comes again. We'll turn round and we'll say wow, wow, I never thought it would be like that. God has an eye for detail and it will be right!

Jesus talks about sign in the sun, stars and the moon and we may not see what he means by that – now. These are the sorts of things that confuse us.

But when he talks about nations being in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea we can understand a little better - this millennium we've seen two tsunamis, the demolishing of the houses in Whitby this week, and sea levels are rising- it’s serious. He is coming again whether it's before lunch or later. .who knows!

Jesus draws upon a picture from the book of Daniel, a vision that Daniel had of the Son of man. In the Old Testament it could just mean a person, a man, Ezekiel uses it all the time of himself. If you read Daniel 7, you will see that the person spoken of there is clearly somebody other than an ordinary human being, and it's actually God and Jesus uses the phrase quite regularly of himself through his ministry as it had an ambiguity about it. Here though he is explicit, you will see the Son of Man coming and he draws directly and specifically on the words of Daniel; Jesus sees himself as being God.

When he comes all will see him come and I don’t think it will be television – God is better  and bigger than television and he’ll use his own means!

Jesus won't be coming as a vulnerable babe who people can argue with, He will be coming as the King of all ages and before him every knee will bow, (Philippians 2:11), people who believe and people who don't believe, He will have total and utter authority. The son of Man is coming. So He goes on to say:  stand in confidence, lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near. So many things squish us, even as Christians, we can get pessimistic, but Jesus says: put your head up in me, look at who I am, look at what I have done; whatever happens in this world, whatever happens in this human frail Christian church, there will be people there when Jesus comes back and the saints go marching in.

Jesus words are secure. My words will endure even though heaven and earth pass away but His words will be fulfilled completely and in a satisfying way. He says, read the signs, you see the fig tree budding, we know that spring is coming, when those signs are taking place, you know that the Kingdom is coming. We can see those signs around; we need to be ready for that day when He comes. He is saying be ready at all times, that is the emphasis. Are you ready for the Lord of eternity? Maranatha, Come Lord Jesus, come!

Rev. Steven Abram

Hello bros and sis, this was said at Millwich church last Sunday. Don't you find this message full of joy and light! May the Lord bless you. In Jesus'name. Nicky.

Picture at: http://www.ldolphin.org/Sadvent.html

The Gospel of Luke

Sources Luke May Have Used In The Course Of Writing His Gospel

Luke was not an eyewitness who had seen and heard for himself the things that Jesus had said and done. Luke stated in the prologue of his gospel (Luke 1:1-4) that many before him had undertaken to compile an account of the things regarding Jesus that had been accomplished among them. Luke wrote that having investigated everything most carefully himself from the beginning, he, too, had set out to compile those things of Jesus in consecutive order for Theophilus. Luke relied on eyewitnesses and written sources for the information he included in his gospel. He consulted the documents previously compiled. He interviewed the eyewitnesses who could tell him first hand about Jesus' teachings and activities.
Above all the ultimate, true source behind Luke's gospel was the Holy Spirit--the Spirit of truth who taught his inspired penmen all things and brought to remembrance all that Jesus had said (John 14:16,17,26). The Spirit's inspiration of his penman does not rule out the writer's use of material at his disposal to document under the Spirit's guidance what he was writing. In using those materials the Spirit's guidance would have led the writer to leave out any chaff of error and to preserve only the wheat of what was the truth.
Paul was a source for Luke's gospel. As stated in the section about Luke the writer, Luke was a companion and assistant of the apostle Paul, who had seen Jesus and had been instructed by Jesus. Luke thus learned from Paul the gospel of Jesus Christ that Paul preached in his missionary endeavors.
Mark was another potential source of information for Luke. Luke associated with the gospel writer Mark. Luke first met Mark in the church of Antioch, where Luke was a member and where Barnabas and Paul had brought Mark in A.D. 44 to assist them (cf. Acts 12:25).  Luke was also with Mark, as well as with Paul, in Rome during Paul's first imprisonment there and when Paul wrote his prison epistles, (cf. Colossians 4:10,14; Philemon 24). Luke and Mark were again together with Paul in Rome during Paul's second Roman imprisonment before his martyrdom (cf. 2 Timothy 4:10,11). Mark had heard and learned the gospel that Peter had preached (cf. An Overview Of The Gospel Of Mark). It is thought that since Luke was in Rome with Mark during both of Paul's Roman imprisonments, and since Mark wrote his gospel in Rome in the mid A.D. 60's, Luke is likely to have obtained a copy of Mark's gospel very soon after it was written and followed it in the course of writing his own gospel.
Peter himself, whose preaching was the basis of Mark's gospel, may have been a source of information for Luke in preparing his gospel. Luke's whereabouts between Paul's first and second Roman imprisonments in A.D. 61 to 62 and in A.D. 67 is unknown. If Luke remained in Rome for those five years or so, he is likely to have had contact with Peter. Peter was in Rome and there wrote his first letter around A.D. 62 to 64 and his second letter around A.D. 66 to 67. Assuming Luke remained in Rome during those years, he had the opportunity to hear from Peter the gospel of Jesus that Peter preached.
Luke traveled with Paul to carry the collection of the Gentile churches to the poor Christians in Jerusalem. While there Luke met James the brother of the Lord Jesus and the elders of the church, (cf. Acts 21:18). He would also have had the opportunity to interview the apostles who were in Jerusalem, plus the many other Christians who had witnessed Jesus' teachings, miracles, suffering, death, and resurrection. There were many such Christians, for Paul noted in 1 Corinthians 15:6 that Jesus had appeared after his resurrection to more than five hundred such disciples at one time, many of whom were still living. Luke also spent the two years of Paul's imprisonment in Caesarea near Galilee and Judea. It would have been a simple matter for him to travel those areas where Jesus had conducted his ministry and talk with the eyewitnesses.

I found those facts so interesting (If you click on Luke this will take you to the website) I have not got much more time tonight as I need to get on with some work. Have a blessed evening or day depending which side of the planet you live!
Picture: Luke, 1360–64 Attributed to Master Theodoric, Prague

Hurray, it's Friday

As much as I love my job, I long for the week-end as I suffer at the moment of sleep deprivation. However, I cannot complain too much as it is partly my fault. I should go to bed at 10:30 instead of midnight. Tonight is the same but I don't have to get up so early. 

My sister-in-law, Pauline, has travelled all the way from Wales and she will stay with us until Tuesday. She is a great sister and I am so pleased to have her here with us. As we weren't sure at what time she would be there, Steven prepared a hot pot, various beans (soaked overnight) and pork shanks, mushrooms, onions and lots of garlic, the kind of stuff that can be left to simmer.  It was very tasty. 

On the way home, I heard on the radio that the Bishop of Durham, Justin Welby had been nominated as the new archbishop of Canterbury, and what is pleasing is that he said:  I think, I hope, I am defined because I love and follow Jesus Christ.” He is also clear about his position on the two hot potatoes: he supports women bishops and I quote ' warned that the established church must have “no truck with any form of homophobia” but reaffirmed his support of a statement by the church this summer that was sharply critical of the legalisation of gay marriage and described the move as “deeply unwise”.' " The Independant' Will you join me and pray that the Lord guides him and blesses him in his new position.

The Lord will fight for you!

The Lord will fight for you, you need only to be still!

Exodus 14:14

I have been really busy these last weeks, not only with school work but also family business.  In the evenings, various problems have come up from nowhere, and after the tempest, I was left wondering why on earth was all this turmoil about? Peter himself warns us:  Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around  like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.  Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.  (1 Peter 5: 8-9) When a lion is injured, he becomes furious and is called 'a roaring lion', thus he will kill anything that is in contact with him. On Easter Sunday, when Jesus-Christ came out of the tomb and won victory over satan, at that very moment, he crushed satan's head and defeated him, giving back man's right to life, authority, and dominion. Thank you Jesus. I praise the Lord as He has brought solutions to one of my major headaches and surely He is working out on the rest.  In the midst of trials, I like to think of  the above verse and I cast my burdens onto Jesus. Nothing is impossible for our God!  

Tonight, I heard extremely pleasant news, the orphanage school built in Uganda by Give Hope Ministries  is taking shape. It will open in December and host 150 orphans. (See previous video clip) Alleluia! 

Brothers and sisters, keep us in your prayers as I will pray for you too. Have a blessed week-end. 

Give Hope ministries- Orphanage in Uganda.

Do not worry about your life...

 Matthew 6:25-33

When I was a youngster it was meat and two veg, by and large. There were no curries, pizzas, spaghettis - unless it was from a tin, no Chinese meals and some of the fruit and veg was delivered by Mr Jarvis with his horse drawn trailer and the horse ate oats from it's nose bag. The veg we got were the more traditional; carrots, peas, cabbage, cauliflower, various beans and I am not sure about broccoli - don't think that was around much.

 We didn't have a TV until I was six and there were two channels with 405 lines - no 625 lines or pixels or colour for that matter and it wasn't all day and night. We didn't have a phone until I was about 13 and I didn't have a mobile phone till I was 50 and it was a phone and had text and nothing else.

 It was only in the mid 60's we started to try curry and from that time that the world started to shrink in a variety of ways and it wasn't because I was getting bigger. It was the advent of what we might now refer to as instant global communications - I remember Sputnik 1 the first satellite and a few years later the first transatlantic satellite broadcast which lasted about 30 minutes. Men going to the moon, the first digital watches in the 70's. I started with computers - if you could call them that - in 1984; 1k of memory!

 The world has got smaller, in a way, and we know more about what is happening; what people eat, how they live and we hear more about earthquakes, famines, storms etc. and all very quickly. We see graphic pictures from far and wide and a lot of the world comes to our living room or even mobile phone!Hence, knowing so much about our world and being able to enjoy a much wider variety of what is produced our Harvest Celebration can take on something bigger and with that has to come our care for planet earth which we realise has been increasingly abused since probably the late 17th century and the start of industrialisation. Of course, some things have improved in our corner of the world: beaches are cleaner, rivers that had lost fish have them again and the old pea-souper fogs seem to have gone. But we hear of climate change - is it or isn't it? Who knows except I can't help but think we are doing some damage and that therefore part of our husbandry - a duty given by God in the first pages of Genesis  and which should naturally arise from Harvest Celebration - is something we should take seriously as a matter of course and not because of fear.

 Planet earth is awesome and what it can produce - often with a little (or much) help from our friends - is incredible, and, today we have the opportunity to enjoy more of it . Wearing it, eating it, going to It, experiencing it etc.

 Thanksgiving is good and proper; appreciation is helpful and the two should lead us to respect and use aright, as best we can, what is here so that whatever changes are taking place, natural or otherwise, we and others can continue to enjoy the good things that are around.

   There is no point worrying about the basics of life as life is more than this.

 Jesus was speaking into the materialism of his day which compared to ours was very different. However, materialism is not about how much or what we can get and have, it is an attitude of mind and anyone in any society in any age can be materialistic. What Jesus is saying is that there is more. Having it all, whatever it all is, does not make life or indeed happiness.

 There is much in the world that looks after itself very nicely

And he gives some simple examples of birds and flowers and the wonder of what they are without toil and the like. He is not laying down concrete facts but is being illustrative. We know that much in the world about us can be devastated by adverse conditions and Jesus knew that too. But he doesn't dot i's and cross t's because he is using broad pictures that are meant to make a simple point to us, and if we let them, they do. He is also saying that this life is passing and not lasting so why look to things that are and which will perish and fade.

 The Priority is God, his Kingdom and what he wants

 Here we come to the focus and pattern of Jesus and what he calls us to and that is, above all, to be in tune with God and His ways, His rule and His priorities.

In Jesus' book here we have a focus that is beyond the passing and of the things that fade and perish. More, this is a regular thrust from him in one form or another. Don't get it wrong, Jesus isn't anti the material world. He made it and enjoyed lots of the good things in life whilst he was here. What he is saying is there is more . . don't miss is, don't lose sight of it.

Thanksgiving, such as we are doing today, giving, receiving, sharing and celebrating are an antidote to being materialistic  because then we are appreciating the giver rather than what is given in a wrong way and being bound to it.

We live in a material world but we don't have to be bound to it. It is a world God loves and for which Jesus died so it and those within it can be restored and made new.

Conclusion

 I wonder - if we could look at the world, life, what we have and don't have more as Jesus would have us look - how would it be different? Would we be more chilled, a little less held by the growing grip of consumerism. Liberated more to see the beauty and wonder of the natural world as we see how it is and the awesome way it is held under God's creative care and love?

S. Abram

The Harbinger, fact or fiction

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.James 1:5 

This week-end, I have had to think about organising my time so that I can do a bit of blogging..and it seems to work.  I have been back at work for the last two weeks and I haven't had much free time. This afternoon, Steven and I went biking to Shrugborough then going through Colwich and coming back on the A51. It's been a beautiful day, warm and sunny, so we thought that we'd make the most of it.

Tonight, I was watching an interview of the author Jonathan Cahn talking about his book The Harbinger. Have you heard about it or have you read it? 

This is its promotional ad: Is it possible...
• That there exists an ancient mystery that holds the secret of America's future?
• That this mystery lies behind everything from 9/11 to the collapse of the global economy?
• That ancient harbingers of judgment are now manifesting in America?
• That God is sending America a prophetic message of what is yet to come?
"Before its destruction as a nation, ancient Israel received nine harbingers, prophetic omens of warning. The same nine harbingers are now manifesting in America.... 'Hidden in an ancient biblical prophecy from Isaiah, the mysteries revealed in The Harbinger are so precise that they foretold recent American events down to the exact days. ... IT’S REAL." In the days and weeks after 9/11, one could hear or see the words “God bless America” almost everywhere. And yet in the years since 9/11, the words “God” and “Under God” have increasingly been under attack or, worse, hidden away from American culture. It was not long after 9/11 that a case arose challenging the words “under God,” in the pledges of Allegiance. A federal judge in California ruled that the words “under God” in such a pledge were unconstitutional.
In more recent days, other controversies rose around the same issue. The president was addressing a Congressional Caucus and quoted from the Declaration of Independence. He stated
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that all men are created equal,
endowed with certain inalienable rights: life liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
It sounded right – except for one thing – something had been taken out. Here is the actual text of the Declaration of Independence with the missing words restored in bold:
“….that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights: life liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
I cannot comment on the book myself as I have not read it, as a fiction book, it seems interesting. However as Johnathan Cahn talks about facts and new prophecies, you may want to read those two websites that examine the book in the light of the Bible The Harbinger: fact or fiction and what's wrong with the Harbinger's ancient mystery. 

I will endeavour to post more often..Have a blessed week-end. In the name of Jesus. 

May the Lord bless you in abundance...

There comes a time when actions count more than words but also you may want to count your blessings.  When things go well in your life it is equally important to recognise that the Lord is blessing you and that your cup is full. When you feel that you are experiencing trials and tribulations then you may need to think hard and ask the Lord to help you get things right. Hopefully, your situation can improve quickly, whatever your downfall is, it may pick up again in a matter of months. However, you may not be off the hook so easily. You may have forgotten that the Lord is also your Heavenly father, Abba, and therefore entitled to train you in order to equip you for your calling.

Of course at the time of the trials, it does not feel anything like that.  I remember that last year from September to Christmas  I only worked for 2 weeks  even though I regularly checked the papers and rang my agents   The Lord showed me that I’d done something wrong earlier that year when I finished a contract abruptly for another one.  I had to humble myself and put things right. I recall that at the time I’d found a whole pile of reasons why I was entitled to end things abruptly, still I was in the wrong.  Later one my agent found me a great job, unexpectedly better in all areas..

Puzzled by the intricacies of blogging!

A few days ago, I decided to change the template for this blog and I thought that it would be a short process. However, as you may have realised, it seems to take me ages. First, the navigation bar disappeared and I could not find any answers on how to put it back. Eventually while I was skimming through comments of other bloggers, some helpful soul told us to delete the 'don't appear' implicit htlm code and thankfully I could manage that! In this new template, I was attracted by the slideshow, however the format of my pictures is different!. Last night, I thought that I'd crack it, I found this website called www. wowslider.com, downloaded it. So this is where I am now..If you are  IT-minded and you can help, let me know.

It is a blessing to be on holidays! Saying that Steven is not on holidays yet and this week Cam is doing an internship, Imogen has been working in the tea-room. In spite of that, we have managed to spend quality time and see our friends. We are getting ready to go to France on Sunday, Valras plage precisely. Steven tells me that yesterday the temperature there was 38 degree Celsius so I should not forget to take sun cream lotions, a hat (I am the only one to need one!) and mosquito cream!

Not sure that I will be able to post again. Have a blessed August month and keep us in your prayers. Your sister in Christ. N.

March for Jesus

This morning, in church, my hubby talked about the 'March for Jesus' in Brazil. Between 1 and 2 million Brazilian Christians coming from all over the country took to the streets of Sao Paulo. The above photo says it all: it was a complete success. They were singing to gospel music and though it was organised by evangelical groups, other denominations were there too. This march has been held since 1993. Well, I'd loved to see the same thing happening here in the UK. Wouldn't it be fantastic! What are your views on this? Have a blessed week. N.

Who edits your church bulletin?

I write the church bulletin each week. Last week by complete accident instead of putting in "Pastor Vill will be giving this weeks exciting messages" I wrote: "This week Pastor Vill will be giving this weeks exciting massages."

Another time I was supposed to write "Forgiveness can send you to hell" and I accidentally wrote: "Forgiveness will send you to hell."

Needless to say that now my work is checked before the bulletins are printed and passed out in church.

~Linda

---

Photo Justin Thomas

Not ashamed of the cross

Last week, I received three postcards to support Shirley. I will send them to David Cameron, the House of Lords and the House of Commons. I think that we should have total freedom to wear a cross if we wish to therefore I support Not ashamed of the cross, an initiative led by Christian Concern..for the benefit of church and nation.
If you want to find out more, click here. http://notashamed.org.uk/.
I quote:
The high visibility of the campaign should also give rise to many opportunities to explain to others why Jesus is such good news for individuals and for our society. We hope that wearing the distinctive Not Ashamed logo, backed by the national profile will help in this. We’d love to hear encouraging stories – contact us here
Also on the same website, you can read, listen and watch Christians who are hugely involved in serving their communities, fuelled by their faith in Jesus Christ. Listen to Jonathan Bellamy who founded Cross Rhythms, a local radio.

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May the Lord bless you. Yours in Christ. N.

A bit of humour...

An atheist professor of philosophy speaks to his class on the problem science has with God, the Almighty.He asks one of his new students to stand and…..
Prof: So you believe in God?
... Student: Absolutely, sir.
Prof: Is God good?
Student: Sure.
Prof: Is God all-powerful?
Student: Yes..
Prof: My brother died of cancer even though he prayed to God to heal him. Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But God didn’t. How is this God good then? Hmm? (Student is silent.)
Prof: You can’t answer, can you? Let’s start again, young fella. Is God good?
Student: Yes.
Prof: Is Satan good?
Student: No.
Prof: Where does Satan come from?

Prof: That’s right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world?
Student: Yes.
Prof: Evil is everywhere, isn’t it? And God did make everything. Correct?
Student: Yes.
Prof: So who created evil?  (Student does not answer.)
Prof: Science says you have 5 senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Tell me, son…Have you ever seen God?
Student: No, sir.
Prof: Tell us if you have ever heard your God?
Student: No, sir.
Prof: Have you ever felt your God, tasted your God, smelt your God? Have you ever had any sensory perception of God for that matter?
Student: No, sir. I’m afraid I haven’t.
Prof: Yet you still believe in Him?
Student: Yes.
Prof: According to empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your GOD doesn’t exist.
What do you say to that, son?
Student: Nothing. I only have my faith.
Prof: Yes. Faith. And that is the problem science has.
Student: Professor, is there such a thing as heat?
Prof: Yes.
Student: And is there such a thing as cold?
Prof: Yes.
Student: No sir. There isn’t.
(The lecture the after becomes very quiet with this turn of events.)
Student: Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat, mega heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat..But we don’t have anything called cold. We can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no heat, but we can’t go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold. Cold is only a word we use to describe describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat is energy Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it .
(There is pin-drop silence in the lecture theater.)
Student: What about darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as darkness?
Prof: Yes. What is night if there isn’t darkness?
Student : You’re wrong again, sir. Darkness is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light…..But if you have no light constantly, you have nothing and it’s called darkness, isn’t it? In reality, darkness isn’t. If it were you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn’t you?
Prof: So what is the point you are making, young man?
Student: Sir, my point is your philosophical premise is flawed.
Prof: Flawed? Can you explain how?
Student: Sir, you are working on the premise of duality. You argue there is life and then there is death, a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can’t even explain a thought.. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one.To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life: just the absence of it.
Now tell me, Professor.Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?
Prof: If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, yes, of course, I do.
Student: Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?
(The Professor shakes his head with a smile, beginning to realize where the argument is going.)
Student: Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a scientist but a preacher? (The class is in uproar.)
Student: Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor’s brain?
(The class breaks out into laughter.)
Student : Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor’s brain, felt it, touched or smelt it? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain,sir. With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your lectures, sir?
(The room is silent. The professor stares at the student, his face unfathomable.)
Prof: I guess you’ll have to take them on faith, son.
Student: That is it sir… The link between man & God is FAITH . That is all that keeps things moving & alive.The student was none other than APJ Abdul Kalam, the former President of India.

The King's problem

Jeff Reynold tells us about the King's problem. 

Serving the King

At the end of the Jubilee mission, on the Sunday 20/05, Rev Adrian Stone who is the vicar at St John's Littleworth in Stafford preached on 'Serving the King'.

Everybody who came this week enjoyed listening to those messages and many said how they were touched by them. If you are still searching for the meaning of your life and have questions, I hope that these messages will answer directly or indirectly some of your questions. As we are off to Norfolk for half-term, I hope you will have a blessed hols. If you are still working, have a blessed week. In the name of Jesus. N.