Faith to let God

Matthew 7:7-14

There is something that I think God has been wanting me to do for years, actually two things in particular but the circumstances never seem quite right. I am often in a state of anxiety and perplexity that I might be letting God done by not doing his will.

Yesterday two unrelated readings seemed to give me the same peace. the first was the Wordlive reading of the day, which in itself was interesting because i read this very irregularly.

http://www.wordlive.org/Session/Classic/2013-04-27

Scroll down to the deeper bible study and you find

But faith is what this crowd lacks, because faith involves being willing to receive, rather than to achieve through our own efforts. Those who come to Jesus in faith come with empty hands. The very question, ‘What do we have to do?’ prevents them and would prevent us, from hearing Jesus’ answer.

Then in the evening I was reading some more of Andrew Murray's With Christ in the school of prayer. I think he was expressing a similar idea. We need to grow our faith so that we can be open enough to receive good gifts from God.

God, our father, wants to give us good gifts. He spends all his time planning our next gift. Can I believe this?

Smile

Colossians 3:12-17

Whatever you do, do it in the name of Jesus and for Jesus. 

I do not feel like smiling today but this morning I read a quotation from Mother Teresa of Calcutta. I will try to smile.

"Some people came to Calcutta, and before leaving, they begged me: 'Tell us something that will help us to live our lives better." And I said: 'Smile at each other; smile at your wife, smile at your husband, smile at your children, smile at each other- it doesn't matter who it is smile - and that will help you to grow up in a greater love for each other.' And then one of them asked me: 'Are you married/' and I said: 'Yes, and I find it difficult sometimes to smile at Jesus.' And it is true, Jesus can be very demanding also, and it is at those times when he is so demanding that to give him a big smile is very beautiful.

From A Gift for God by Mother Teresa.

Prayer results

Luke 6:27-38

I like mathematics. I find doing sums fun. Whilst I was doing my degree, which took quite a few years, one of the books which  I read was Adventures in Prayer by Catherine Marshall. I prayed that God would allow me a good second class degree. That would be quite hard work. 

I did my sums diligently. I got my results, a first. That was more than I had requested, that had just been a glimmer of hope in the back of my mind.

We went to the degree ceremony. With a name beginning with a B I was not surprised that I was given number 14 and my seat was on the front row. But I discovered that this seat was due to my results. I am still tickled by all this. 

Sometimes you just do not know what God has in his storeroom for you.

Teatime

Luke 5:27-39

I am still without a computer, hence the spasmodic posting and lack if link to the bible passage.
Do you know the children's song about Jesus calling Matthew down from the tree? Yes I know this story is Levi and he was at his table and not in a tree, but Jesus still went to his house for a meal.
An I prepared to have Jesus to dinner today? What is preventing me from asking him?

Praise him

Psalm 150

Praise him!
Where? Anywhere
Why? For everything
How? In thought, in voice, in writing.
Praise him!

Images

Daniel 3:1-18


It was a big statue. Everybody was kneeling and looking as if they were worshipping though I wonder if some went home and had secret discusions about how silly it was to worship an irrational king.

But what norms do I conform too just because klife is easier that way?

Devoted to God

Daniel 2:1-16

To be a Queen's Guide it was necessary to serve a community. I became a Sunday School teacher. I did not know where to start so I had an excursion to Cardiff and visited a Bible Bookshop. I discovered Scripture Union teaching materials; An idoits guide to teaching Sunday School. What to say, what visual aids to make, appoximate timing. The help was wonderful. I remember the stories to this day. Daniel and his friend's devotion to God  were the first lessons. I vividly remember the stories. That is not all. I still daily read Scripture Union Bible reading notes in my life which I ghope is gradually becoming more devoted to God.

stepping stones

1 John 1:1-10
I have told you before. The reason I write this is to share my experience of the living God.


Daniel 1:1-21


This passage is one of the building stones in my faith, but more later

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Spiritual food

1Peter 2:2-11

Some things just stick in your brain. For me a bible study on Peter's milk for babes is one of those events. It was in an evening during a school half term. The study was led by one of the Thomas girls, I cannot remember which, or their names. They lived in the same housing estate as us but we were not particularly friendly. They were Baptists, I was not. I was a young wannabe Christian.
I thank God that he found me and has gently -led me into- a living relationship with him. The journey has not been easy or straight forward. I have often gone my own way.
But I thank God for all the people that he has placed by way to help me to know him more closely.

Blog postings may be spasmodic over thenext asI have computer problems. Please keep watching this space. I hope that by sharing my life with God with you, I might be able to share my spiritual food and together we can grow in our spiritual life.

Hate Evil

^{Psalm 97
10} The Lord loves those who hate^* evil;
   he guards the lives of his faithful;
   he rescues them from the hand of the wicked. 

We live in an age of acceptance. Some people are less accepting and not condone sin. I am in the acceptance camp. This morning when I read these verses I began to think that I should really change my stance. I should call evil by its name. I should not accept the murderer or the thief. And there are the lifestyle sins too. I am not guilty of any of these, just of turning my blind eye. 
These were my thoughts this morning. Now I realize that the sin which God wants me to hate is the evil in my own life. Arrogance and self-centredness, slothfulness and greed, these are evils which I can hate but do not want to accept.

Growing together

Acts 2:26-47

But our favourite verse is verse 42. It is one of the foundations of our faith- fellowship. These people have become our brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles. Eating and meeting, praying and sharing, growing together towards Christ; these to me are what builds the body of Christ in more ways than one.
I could talk at length about the loving share shown to us by people from within our church communities, especially people with whom we have met during the week in Fellowship groups. Baby sitters, cooks, taxi -drivers, house sorters, hand holders in time of trouble and party givers in time of celebration. There are just too many examples to name them.

Now I need to go and be a friend.

Mighty Waves

Psalm 93

We went for a walk. It was a calm and sunny day but the waves were impressive.

Later in the week we went down the same road again. Continuous waves, roaring so much that conversation was at times impossible.

Our God is indeed a mighty and awesome God blowing where he wills.