A Day To Remember!

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge leaving Westminster Abbey, originally uploaded by The British Monarchy.

Crowds approaching the forecourt at Buckingham Palace, originally uploaded by The British Monarchy.

Skywatch #123

Ullswater Calm, originally uploaded by duopastorale.

Rob Bell On Premier TV

He Is Alive!

He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

Acts 1:3

At an Easter service in Bangladesh the congregation wept at the crucifixion scene in the Jesus film. Suddenly a little boy at the back jumped up and shouted, 'Don't worry, He gets up again. I saw it before!' Rejoice, it's Easter. He got up again - and we will too! (UCB Word For Today)

Skywatch #122

Punch Bowl, originally uploaded by duopastorale.

Valley Gardens is one of the must visit places at this time of year. Part of the Great Park of Royal Windsor it is absolutely resplendent with azaleas and rhododendrons. The blue skies make it even more vivid and spectacular. Happy skywatching.

Pray For God's Favour

Find favour... in the sight of God and man

Proverbs 3:4

To fulfil your God-given assignment in life you will need God's favour! How did Joseph go from being a lowly inmate to running the whole prison system? '...The Lord was with Joseph... and He gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison... whatever he did, the Lord made it prosper' (Genesis 39:21-23 NKJV). Why did King Ahasuerus choose a Jewish slave girl named Esther to be his queen? '...She obtained grace and favour in his sight... so he set the royal crown upon her head...' (Esther 2:17 NKJV). How did Samuel go from being a custodian in the temple to being a prophetic voice of the nation? '...Samuel grew... in favour both with the Lord and men' (1 Samuel 2:26 NKJV). 

What did all these favoured people have in common? First, they gave their best effort. They excelled at what God gave them to do, and when the time came He promoted them. Second, they put others first. David served King Saul even though he was a ruthless boss. Ruth worked to support her widowed mother-in-law Naomi, while Naomi's other daughter-in-law Orpah thought only of herself. Third, they sought guidance and had a teachable spirit. God answered Ruth's request by giving her Naomi, the right mentor, Boaz, the right boss, and making sure she got into the right field (Ruth 2:2-3). God's favour will connect you to the right people and get you to the right place. When your chosen field is the field God has chosen for you, you can't help but be blessed in it. No, you won't be exempt from trials, but you'll succeed in what you're called to do.

Used with permission from UCB Word for Today. Free issues are available here for the UK and Republic of Ireland.

Lamentation

Keep your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for the reward for your work will come... there is a hope for your future... 

Jeremiah 31 :16-17

It still takes me aback when I realise that I am not the centre of the Universe. I was born convinced that this was true and everything I did was based on this fact. But then life happened, and I began to see that not everyone realised this glaringly obvious truth. So I relented and consoled myself that at least God knew the truth. Surely He was there to bless me and give me all the happiness I deserved! This started very well, the little glitches were my lack of faith or understanding. But then life continued happening... I started to realise that something was very wrong and God was not co-operating. There was something very wrong with either me or God and it still seems to be taking a very long time to concede that it's not God.

Tim Keller says "If you seek happiness first and righteousness second you will get neither, if you seek righteousness first you will get both". God is not a slot machine to make us feel happy and fulfilled as some Christian teachers would have us believe, but a God who wants to use us to bless others and a God who wants to use us to fulfill His purposes, not ours. He does this any way He can, through things we rejoice in and things we weep over, through times in the blessing and times in the desert, through things we can get our heads around and things we can only shake our heads at.

In this Holy Week we can remember that He demonstrated this perfectly in Jesus. This is the model for us. Jesus lived totally other centered through His love for us and His obedience to His Father. He was a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering Isa 53:3 It is only there in self surrender that we too can find true happiness, and ultimately find that true reward that God alone can give through His immense grace, and what a reward Jesus received! 

I don't believe that God is saying through Jeremiah that we shouldn't weep, but that we should not be tempted to despair when tough times come. This is par for the course and to be expected and as  the book of James says, to be rejoiced in! I am a very, very long way from this but I know it's true because I see it in the Bible and I see it in real life. I am painfully aware that I can write all this and still be tempted to despair when I come up against something that He really needs to sort out now. Let's pray for each other during this special week, that we can fully see the example of Jesus and have our hearts set on the hope we have in Him and the reward that is set before us. Blessings.

Skywatch #121

We have been so blessed with blue skies here in the UK for the last week or so I decided to share more than one photo for this weeks skywatch.  The apple blossom has been lovely... I also received my first photo commission! This landscape photo of All Saints Church and The London Apprentice on the River Thames was made into a metre wide canvas print. I was quite jealous of my customer who got to keep it!

A much needed walk along the Grand Union Canal this week produced some nice snaps. This is the headquarters of Glaxo the big drug company which sits by the waterside...

A little further on and the canal becomes beautiful...



Framed in blossom...

Sunday afternoon was time for a stroll and a visit to a farm shop with some good friends...

And finally a visit to an inspiring place of worship, lazing on the grass outside for a few minutes before the service starts...

Have a great weekend!

Become God's Friend

I have called you friends

John 15:15

David desired to know God above all else. He used words like longing, yearning, thirsting and hungering. 'I ask only one thing of the Lord. This is what I want: Let me live in the Lord's house all my life.' (Psalm 27:4 NCV). Again he said, 'Your love means more than life to me...' (Psalm 63:3 CEV). Jacob's desire was so intense that he wrestled with God all night, saying, '..."I will not let you go unless you bless me"' (Genesis 32:26 NIV). And the amazing thing is, God, who is all powerful, let Jacob win. Why? Because wrestling requires personal contact; it brings us close to Him. 

Paul was another man who was passionate about his friendship with God. '...[My determined purpose is]... [that I may... become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him]...' (Philippians 3:10 AMP). You say, 'I'd like to have a closer relationship with God, but I'm so busy.' The truth is, you are as close to God as you desire and discipline yourself to be! Friendship with God must become your passion. You must intentionally seek it. That means answering questions like, 'Do I value it more than anything else? Is it worth giving up other things for? Is it worth developing the habits and skills required? Am I willing to say, 'Lord, more than anything else, I want to know You'?' God's answer to that prayer has always been: '..."When you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I'll make sure you won't be disappointed"' (Jeremiah 29:13-14 TM). 

Used with permission from UCB Word for Today. Free issues are available here for the UK and Republic of Ireland.

Psalm 25 - Draw me Close To You

Vigorous Defender

Fear not for I have redeemed you... 

Do not be afraid you will not suffer shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood. For your maker is your husband - the LORD Almighty is his name - the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer... I have swept away your offences like a cloud your sins like the morning mist. Return to me for I have redeemed you... with the precious blood of Christ... So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand... Yet their Redeemer is strong; the LORD Almighty is his name. He will vigorously defend their cause... My Father who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. 

Isa 43:1, 54:4-5, 44:22, 1 Peter 1:19, Isa 41:10, Jer 50:34, John 10:29

Loving Others

Everyone who loves is born of God

1 John 4:7

Recently, a 12-year-old boy in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, hung himself. Why? Because the next day was his first day at a new school, he was overweight, and he dreaded being taunted by other children. Few things are more painful than shame. One of the greatest kindnesses we can show others is to take away their false shame through love and acceptance. When the disciples met a man who was blind from birth they asked Jesus, '..."Was it because of his own sins or his parents' sins?"' (John 9:2 NLT). They weren't concerned that the man needed help or that he'd spent his life in total darkness. No, they started discussing his shortcomings - right in front of him!

It's easier to label people than love them. We label things because we think we know what's inside, and we label people for the same reason. We'd rather debate homosexuality than befriend someone who's gay, condemn divorce than help its victims, argue about abortion than support an orphanage, or gripe about social services than help the poor. Jesus didn't see this blind man as a victim of fate, he saw him as an opportunity waiting to happen. He said to His disciples, '..."You're looking for someone to blame... Look instead for what God can do"' (John 9:3 TM). If you don't love people, you don't love God; actually, you don't even know Him! You need to pray, 'Lord, remind me today that the greatest gift I have to give others, is Your love.' When you get serious and begin to pray that way, people will open up to God's help and healing.

Used with permission from UCB Word for Today. Free issues are available here for the UK and Republic of Ireland.

GodPod On Forgiveness

Some time ago I sent a question into the Godpod podcast. It went like this:

I have been thinking about forgiveness and the difference between forgiveness and reconciliation. We know that we should always forgive those who have hurt us, but is reconciliation always a must? eg. How does that work out in a serious situation like sexual abuse. Indeed, are we even always required to forgive when the person admits no wrong? Is there a difference between having a forgiving spirit and the actuality of forgiveness in a particular situation? God always holds out forgiveness to us but isn't that dependent on repentance on our part? When Jesus prayed on the cross 'Father forgive them', were they automatically forgiven or is it possible that they were not forgiven because they did not repent of what they did?

I was delighted when they responded on the following show. You can listen in your reader or here.  Forgiveness can be tough and I don't think there are easy answers to our difficult situations, but I do believe that God guides us through them to bring peace.

Always Welcome - Lakewood

Come close to God and He will come close to you...
pray for one another, so that you may be healed

James 4:16,18

Dynamic Blogger Views

Hey this is a cool new feature from Blogger... Posts can now be seen in a whole new light from flipcard to mosaic, sidebar, snapshot and timeslide. All good fun :)