Nemo and Pictures of gold in apples of silver

Every few months I hope that I'm going to be able to blog a lot more regularly and then a few months later I'm still hoping ... and here I am today still hoping I'm going to be able to blog more.  It sometimes just seems I have too much crammed into the week to find time to blog and just recently I got myself an ipad and for a while it took over my life.  This is what I shared when I had to speak at church one Tuesday evening and I had nothing prepared, the reason being my iPad.

I haven't been prepared at all for tonight and after hearing Sue speak yesterday, I saw how things can keep us away from God and from really studying the word.  It's surprising just how quickly things can get in the way and I've found it to be so true over the last few days. You see I got myself an iPad.

I love it! I've downloaded bible apps, Christian music, games for my grandchildren to play on, word games to keep my mind fresh and alert and games for myself like tennis and bowling but then I found NEMO. 

Yes, a lovely little game for children, or so I thought.  You can help Nemo build a reef and grow algae and marine plants all in the hope of attracting little fish to the reef.  It's lovely, colourful, there's soothing music playing, the plants on the reef sway to the sound of the music and it is sooooooooo addictive.  So much so that I spent 2 hours happily growing plants and adding beautiful things to my reef and really did forget the time on Saturday.  If my grandchildren are on their ipods for any length of time I'm usually telling them they're antisocial or that it will fry their brain and make their eyes go funny .... and yet here I was hours later still building my reef.  When my grandchildren asked if they could help collect the algae I said 'yes' but then proceeded to tell them what they could not press just in case they didn't collect the right things.

For 3 days the thing uppermost in my mind had been my reef and apart from church on Sunday I realised I hadn't spent any quality time with the Lord.  In fact I hadn't spent much time with him at all, never mind quality time, and I certainly hadn't spent any time in the word.

When I realised I was speaking tonight I also realised that because of Nemo, I had nothing at all to share ... how could I, when, for the last 3 days, I had left out Him who I wanted to talk about.

As I searched for something to share my thoughts kept coming back to my iPad and I saw that it was a very useful piece of equipment but in the wrong hands it could be next to useless and not do anyone or anything any good.

A bit like with the, the word of God.  It can calm a soul, help heal the sick, bring a sinner to repentance, it's like Proverbs 16:24 says but even more so ...Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul and health to the bones.

The words of the bible are indeed health to the bones.  We need to study it's truth because even Jesus himself knew the word of God. He quoted many times from what we know as the old testament.

2 Tim2:15 says study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman not easily ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.   We need to study, to memorise it so that it goes deep into the very fibre of our being  so we can draw on the words in times of need.  

I learned some verses of scripture when I was younger and also when I was a new Christian that I can still recall today and it seemed easier to do it then, it takes me much longer to memorise now.

Our own words too can heal or harm - Proverbs 25:11 says a word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.  That's a beautiful verse. 

I looked up the word 'fitly' in the dictionary and it said; in a proper or suitable manner'.

Our words, if spoken kindly or properly in a suitable manner can be like apples of gold in pictures of silver.  When I thought about this I thought that apples of gold would be costly, can you imagine golden apples, very precious and most certainly costly ... so too our words. If we use scripture then very precious indeed because Jesus himself is the word of life and he is above all, precious to those who believe.  Our own words too then need to be precious, we need to put a high price upon them and speak only good. 

Pictures of silver ...  reminded me of being pure and the refining process when it has taken place, all of the dross, the impurities have surfaced and been skimmed off to show the pure silver beneath.  Our words, just like those of Christ, ought to be pure, ought to be truth. 

John 14:6 Jesus said of himself that he was the truth ... I am the way the truth and the life ...his words were truth and all that we say must be truth too.

When his hour was come, Jesus spoke to the Father and one of the things he said in John 17:17 was Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth... He is the word of God He is truth.

Because of using my iPad the wrong way and putting it before the Lord, He really showed me that he wants me to use whatever I have to draw close to him, to put him first and in whatever I say to remember that 'A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver'.

Needless to say my reef is not the centre of my days, Nemo has been deleted and I am using my iPad as it should be used and I am enjoying listening to some of the wonderful Christian music I have downloaded.

Zoe Challenge - Hope for Justice

This was the month of the Zoe Challenge with Hope for Justice (check out their web site).

 

Hope for Justice exists to see the end of human trafficking and slavery in the UK, in our generation. 

 

This group of guys are cycling from Latvia to Southampton - they hit the UK today - day 16 -  and have 4 days of cycling still ahead of them before they can rest.  They have gone through so much to raise money so that people like Zoe can be set free.   Take a look at the web site or check out their facebook page by typing Hope for Justice into the search box.

 

http://vimeo.com/67104952

 

The Source Youth Club decided to to help - HOW? by doing a sponsored exercise bike ride covering the 345miles of the UK leg of the journey. 

 

We are a small church with a big heart.  Our Youth Club, made up of young people from the community, who are not particularly church goers, cycled, sponsored, baked cakes, painted nails, and cheered on others who were cycling during a 2 hour youth club session and a 4 hour Zoe Challenge event.  They gave up their time and raised over £800 to help end Human trafficking.  I'm not able to put pics of the young people on here but here are some of the leaders of the Youth Club and also the Act for Justice team all doing there bit.

 

Please support this fantastic charity and if you can give please go to facebook or the web site and see what these amazing guys have gone through in their  bid to end Human Trafficking and to make your donation.  It isn'tjust happening in the UK it's in your country too. Thanks

 

Mark and Ruth (leaders of Act for Justice, Cannock) about to start the group off on their sponsored exercise bike ride.

Jean doing her 5 miles

Gary and Ruth (leader of the Source Youth Club) doing their bit

Gary and Mark still cycling

Pastor John happy to be taking part



Ruth has had her nails painted inbetween cycling

Keith giving Vikki a few words of encouragement

Rebekah feeling the heat

Andy having a great time

'We're just about there Ruth, keep going' says Mark



Ruth knows we've made the 345 miles

Source Youth Club leaders -we made it and we're still smiling



Yeah we did it - Act for Justice Team



Sandra (Pastor's wife) came along to encourage and help serve the tea and cake

Mary, Chris, Marlene and Gary enjoying the tea and cakes

Marlene and Gary came along to cheer everyone on


I know I speak for everyone when I say a Huge Thank you to all who took part, especially to the young people who gave their time and, a special thanks to Josh, Sasha, Olivia, Hannah, Steven, Elliot, Tom, Joe, Shannon Charlie, and a whole host of others.  Thanks everyone.  

Just Waiting

I happened upon the blog of a young Christian friend of mine today and what I read inspired me greatly.

 

A  favourite verse in the bible is Psalm 27:14 Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait I say, on the Lord.

 

I read on my friends blog that when things are hardest and our energy is gone and we're tired and weak and feel that the battle is at it's worst, then we know we're nearest the end.

 

It's been like that for me over these last few months.  I've prayed but don't seem to be seeing the answer to any of my prayers.  I have felt some days that I am in the midst of the battle and that it will never end but reading this today has spurred me on.  Spurred me on to be steadfast in my prayer for the situation my family is going through.  You see my friend went on to say that when we feel there's nothing left of us to give, there is because inside us dwells the fulness of Christ and that he gives us the strength to keep going. 

 

In all that's happened, I have forgotten the one thing I often tell others to do.  'Wait on the Lord, be of good courage and he shall strengthen thine heart, wait I say on the Lord'.  How could I forget to wait on Him, forget that in me all the fulness of Christ dwells.  He is my strength, when I am weak, he is strong, when there seems to be no hope, he is my hope.  When I am in the midst of the battle he is right there with me.  In Him, I can do all things and that means not giving up.  My friend said she was waiting on God and I am waiting too.  I am waiting to see how he answers my prayer, I am waiting to see how he brings about the desire of my heart as I delight myself in him.

 

I have so many people that are praying with me that are praying Matthew 18:19 with me

Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven

 

We don't much like the trials that come our way but as my friend said, if we don't have them how can we ever start to be purified into His likeness.  My God is an awesome God, he has not once left me alone to face the trials, not once has he left me to go into the battle alone and I know without a shadow of a doubt that he will bring to pass all that is right, as I wait on Him.

 

He cares about each little detail in what's going on around me and I will quite simply WAIT ON HIM.

 

 

I love this picture