Prayer meeting

We had a blessed time at the monthly church prayer meeting on Monday. We spent time praising and worshipping the Lord and then spent several hours in prayer. Hearts were broken for the youth of the area who did not appear to want anything to do with 'church'. We realise they may not want 'church' but we know that they need Jesus. Some of them appear so lost, walking the streets aimlessly with nowhere to go. Please pray they will come through our doors to the youth club that is run each Friday.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16)

Peace Be Still

And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. (Mark 4:39)
A very happy and blessed New Year to you. As I drove home after visiting my family over Christmas (it's a 3 hour drive) I often talk to the Lord on the journey and this time I asked the Lord to speak to me from what I could see around me as I drove.  
Dark clouds covered the sky and torrential rain lashed against the windscreen, the wind was high and it wasn't very good driving conditions. As I peered through the rain I saw in the clouds a small circle of light shining through, it wasn't a brilliant light sort of hazy as if the sun was doing it's best to push through the clouds, but then the Lord showed me that there are many storm clouds in peoples lives, mine included, and often at the start of a new year we forget to leave the things behind us. We take everything that bothered us at the end of the year into the new. Often things like sickness, worry about a job and other burdens that just weigh us down seem like the storm , but I was reminded that no matter how dark the clouds may be the 'Son' can still shine through. The Lord Jesus Christ is the 'light' and He will shine through any storm clouds that come our way. All we need do is talk to him.

I recalled how, when the disciples were with Jesus in their ship and clouds had gathered and a great storm of wind arose and the waves beat against the ship filling it with water, it must have been a terrifying time for the disciplies, a bad night. The disciples were fearful and woke Jesus because they thought they would perish. Jesus showed his care and love for his followers when he spoke those words 'Peace be still' and, the bible says, there was great calm.
Jesus wants to do the same for us today. If we have taken any of the clouds into the new year with us then simply talk to the Lord.

Ask for his help in leaving behind anything that darkens your walk with Him, anything that will be a burden to you in the coming days. His words to you will be as they were to the wind and the sea 'Peace be still' - and there was a great calm.

Incy Wincy Spider and the 3 P's

 I had watched incy wincy spider weaving her beautiful web and here is episode two as the Lord certainly gave me something to think about and I call it Incy Wincy Spider and the 3 P's.

Patience, Perseverance, Peace
First of all the Lord showed me 'patience' - I for one certainly had patience as I stood and watched her weave for half an hour. And Incy Wincy had patience as she must have been weaving for well over an hour.
There are times when my 'patience' wears very thin but I realise that whatever I'm doing, I do need patience. For instance when I'm in the queue at the supermarket and in a hurry. The queue is moving slowly so I decide to change to another aisle only to find this one is even slower or the till jams or someone needs to change an item and if I'd only been patient and stayed at the one that I had been in in the first place I'd have been served by now.
Yes, 'patience' is very necessary. I once heard a little rhyme that went 'Patience is a virtue, virtue is a grace, Grace is a little girl who didn't wash her face'. I have no idea where it came from but whenever I think of patience being one of the fruits of the spirit or rather 'longsuffering' in the KJV I remember this little verse and give thanks for even the smallest amount of patience that I have.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (Gal. 5:22)
Next I learnt 'Perseverance' - this spider persevered in making her web. Despite the wind blowing it too and fro, Incy Wincy hung on in there and completed the task she had started and the Lord again reminded me that at times I start something only to give up after a little while. Indeed 'perseverance' is very much linked to 'patience' in the KJV but some do we persevere.
I once picked up a pair of knitting needles only to find that it wasn't something I enjoyed as much as my mam did. I started a jumper and didn't persevere with it, I gave up and some 10 years later that wool was still on those knitting needles so my mam finished it off for me. It had been a jumper for my then husband but he outgrew it so mam finished it and my younger brother ended up wearing it.
Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them (in other words persevere): for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee. (1 Tim 4:16)
Incy Wincy finished her web and then just rested right in the middle of it. The Lord showed me 'peace, be still'. Oh I know incy was so still in the centre of that web just waiting for her next meal to come along but shouldn't we be like that. After the toil of the day we should be still and wait upon the Lord. Our food is the reading of the word which does indeed bring peace.
We can be in the midst of the biggest storm we've ever been in, but Jesus himself is the one who can bring peace and stillness to the situation. He rebuked the wind and the sea and said 'Peace, be still' and He can have the same effect on any storm that appears in our own lives.
And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm (Mark 4:39).

As much as I hate these creatures the Lord has taught me a valuable lesson through the 3P's and every time I see a spider I will think Patience, Perseverance, Peace.

Incy Wincy Spider ...

was not climbing up the spout .....
(I've shared this over at the KJV blogspot this morning but thought I'd post it on my blessed honeycombs. For those of you who don't get over to the KJV - there are some inspiring writings on there).

I have to admit though I do not like these little creature scuttling about my home but if they are outside and there is a pane of glass (usually the TV screen) in between then that's a little different and I can watch them for hours. This morning was a little different too as I opened the bedroom curtain. There, thankfully behind the pane of glass and on the outside, was a small spider and she was weaving her web.

I watched fascinated as the silk thread was released and she picked up the next strand of the web for it to be anchored to. It was quite windy this morning and I saw her skillfully weave this beautiful web, flawed in places but she persevered as the wind blew her about and she patiently placed each strand of silk where it would hold the best. She worked tirelessly until she reached the centre and then put her legs out and I'm guessing she is now waiting patiently for her next meal. (I will try to get a better photograph)
I was reminded that our enemy sometimes lies in wait for us, hoping to lure us into his web of deceit. We can be so busy doing things that we forget to pray, forget to spend time with the Lord and just as this little spider waits for some unsuspecting fly to come along and fall into her trap, Satan too hopes we will fall into his trap.
Wonderfully though, I was reminded of how the Saviour's hand weaves our lives and how He patiently guides us each day to be the person He wants us to be, persevering with us when we make a mistake and picking us up when we fall.
Watching this spider weave her web has given me a lot of food for thought and I may share more of these thoughts another time but whether I like this little creature or not I saw that the hand of our wonderful creator made the spider and I know he made me and he understands everything about me and I will continue to praise Him as he leads and guides me each day of my life showing me from his very creation spiritual things for me to grow by.

Psalm 139O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.

Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.

Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.

For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.

Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.

If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;

Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.

Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.

For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.

I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!

If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.

For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.

Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.

Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting

Through Gates of Splendour

I've just finished reading a book I was given by someone at church. It's called Through Gates of Splendour and was about the martyrdom of 5 missionaries in the Ecuador jungle. The book was written by the wives of these young Americans who lost their lives back in 1956. They had chosen to to into a dangerous country to try and share the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ with a group of people called the Auca. The book was so moving in reading how these young men tried over a period of 3 months or so to win the trust of the Auca tribe by dropping small gifts to the people. They circled in a plane and let a line down with perhaps a small kettle or some other gift for the people and eventually it seemed to work. They finally decided to land and make contact. This they did and made camp. They then flew over where they knew some Aucas were and invited them to visit the camp. A small few of the people came to the camp but it proved to be their last contact with the Auca's. They had gone out to reach a savage people, to tell and show them the love of Jesus. No-one is sure what exactly happened but these young men were dead by the end of the week. Killed by those they knew the Lord had given them a love for. These young men believed it was their calling and they happily went into Auca country knowing the Lord was with them every step of the way.

The words one of the men (Jim Elliot) had written in his diary ended the book -
"I walked out to the hill just now. It is exalting, delicious, to stand embraced by the shadows of a friendly tree with the wind tugging at your coat-tail and the heavens hailing your heart, to gaze and glory and give oneself again to God - what more could a man ask? Oh, the fullness, pleasure, sheer excitement of knowing God on earth! I care not if I never raise my voice again for Him, if only I may love Him, please Him. Mayhap in mercy He shall give me a host of children that I may lead them through the vast star fields to explore His delicacies whose finger-ends set them to burning. But if not, if only I may see Him, touch His garments, and smile into His eyes - ah then, not stars nor children shall matter, only Himself. O Jesus, Master and Centre and End of all, how long before that Glory is thine which has so long waited Thee? Now there is no thought of Thee among men; then there shall be thought for nothing else. Now other men are praised; then none shall care for any other's merits. Hasten, hasten, Glory of Heaven take thy crown, subdue Thy Kingdom, enthral Thy creatures".

The work these 5 young men started did not stop with their death: their families and others carried on the work. Nine years later the gospel of Mark was published in the Auca language, and finally the Auca Indians accepted the message of Christ.

Cast Thy Burden

This is my recent post over at the KJV blogspot but for those who don't get a chance to take a look I've repeated it here.
Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee; he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved (Psalm 55:22)
I have just returned from visiting my family up in the North of England for 2 weeks. I only get to see them two or three times a year so it is always a special time being with them all and I get to visit my childhood church while I'm there too which is an added bonus. I was talking to one of the elders and the preacher about a tract I'd been given some 23 years ago when they were doing an outside ministry and although I was a Christian and said to the girl who handed it to me 'it's OK I'm a Christian give it to someone who needs it', she assured me it was for me - and it was, it was just the words I needed to hear to let me know just how much I mattered to God. The preacher said that his message that morning was on a similar theme about how the Lord cares for us. In his message he talked about casting your burdens on the Lord and mentioned the story about a man who was carrying a very heavy load. He couldn't remember all of the story just that the man had continued to hold onto his load, and he used this as an illustration as to how we can be with the Lord.
When I got back to mam's after the service I was looking through some old photographs and came across a letter or rather little booklet my sister in Texas had typed and sent to my mam back in 2004. The booklet was newspaper style and gave my mam an insight into what my sister and her family were doing in their recent move to Texas.
I couldn't quite take my eyes off the back page because it relayed the story of the man carrying the heavy load - A poor man in Ireland was plodding along toward home, carrying a huge bag of potatoes. A horse and wagon finally drew up alongside him on the road and the driver invited the man to climb aboard. After getting on the wagon, he sat down but continued to hold the heavy bag. When the driver suggested that the man set the bag down in the wagon, he replied, "I don't want to trouble you too much sir. You are giving me a ride already, so I'll just carry the potatoes".
I love to see God's hand at work like this and I realised the Lord was trying to tell me something. I'd had a few worries and anxieties about some things and I'd spoken to the Lord about them but each day I got up I clung onto those worries and ofcourse they just became a burden to me again and again. Even though I'd given it to the Lord I was like the man with the potatoes I just hung onto my anxieties day after day. The Lord was trying to tell me that once I had passed on these anxieties to Him I was to simply let him deal with them and not to be like the man with the bag of potatoes. It was amazing how easy it finally was to just let the Lord take my burdens and I certainly felt the worry I was bearing become lighter.
It reminded me too that sometimes we don't realise the things we write can have a ripple effect. We write them only for that moment in time when we put pen to paper or fingers to the keyboard but the Lord can use the very words we write several years down the line to speak to someone else. I'm sure my sister didn't realise when she wrote those words in her notes to mam that her big sister would be reading them 7 years later and having her prayers about a certain situation answered.
If you're worried or troubled about anything think about the man with his bag of potatoes and let the Lord deal with the burdens. Peter puts its simply 'Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. (1 Peter 5:7)

The Nail File and the Comb

I came across something I'd written some years ago now, as my son was very young at the timeand is now a married man but I thought I'd share it. Marc came back from a school trip with a present for me. It was a comb in a pouch with a nail file in a side compartment.
As I looked at the nail file and then my finger nails it made me aware of how much time I took on shaping them to look half decent, taking extra care to get the shape just right; and it reminded me of my walk with Jesus. How wonderful to think of the time HE took in shaping me, not just to look half decent, but to be more like him. He took extra care to get me right, to shape me into the person he wanted me to be, not the person I wanted to be.
As I reflected on this I thought of the scripture verse in 1 Cor 3:18 'But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even by the Spirit of the Lord'.
Here I was trying to change the shape of my nails and yet here was God's word telling me I was changed into the same image from glory to glory. Not might be, but He says we ARE CHANGED. How wonderful - it has nothing to do with me changing or shaping my life but all to do with JESUS and how he changes and shapes us all.
I also learned a new lesson on sharing as Marc said to me "Oh mum, it's a shared present, the comb is mine ......"
Our Lord is so wonderful to teach us things in such a simple way and through the eyes of a child. I am still grateful today that the Lord continues to mould and shape me to just how he wants me to be and praise God he is doing the same for my son who is a Christian man married to a wonderful Christian girl and they have 3 beautiful children who are being brought up in the ways of the Lord.