BETTER DAYS AHEAD

Job 8:21 He will once again fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.

How do I know there are better days ahead? Because God is a God of Hope, Peace and Joy, not doom, gloom and stress! Scripture says the world will get darker but that the path of the righteous gets brighter and brighter! Thank You Lord.

When we’ve been through tough times and can’t see the end of the difficulty we can become discouraged and down but God never intended us to feel like that. He wants us all to know that there are better days ahead and He has things arranged for us to enter into, that are uplifting and satisfying and will make us shout for joy again.😊

We don’t have to know all the ins and outs or the how to’s, enough to know He is in control and as we keep trusting Him He’ll lead us into His good and perfect plan for our lives.

He wants to see us grow, to become more like Jesus, to see our characters mature in Him and it’s not always a bed of roses but He says it will be worth it!

        So take heart, your valley experience does have a way out which God is leading you to and it may be reached sooner than you think. In the meantime remember God’s love for you has never changed, His care of You will never fail and His plans are always to prosper you and give you a future and a hope. 

Keep believing, keep trusting in the One who is holding you by the hand and watching over you night and day and know He will once again fill your mouth with laughter and joy.😊

Job 8:7 (CEB) Although your former state was ordinary, your future will be extraordinary. 

SEARCH FOR GOOD

Proverbs 11:27 If you search for good, you will find favor; but if you search for evil, it will find you!

God wants us to look for the good in life and believe for the best outcome not the worst. When it looks like things are going wrong we need to go to the Word of God and get ourselves some hope. We can put the Word above our circumstances, and believe it can change them because things are temporary. The Word of God though is eternal and cannot be changed by experiences, circumstances or people's opinions! Jesus is the Word, the same yesterday, today and forever. 

Our verse warns us not to go looking for bad things, not to look for the negative all the time because it says we'll actually draw it to ourselves! We all know people like that who can find something negative to say about anything but what they don't realise is God says they're actually attracting the bad stuff to themselves by their words and attitudes!

If we're positive by nature it's easy to see the good, but it's more of a challenge if we've been brought up in a negative environment with critical, negative influences. But the good news is with God's help we can learn to look for the good in our everyday lives.😊

God always encourages us to expect the best not the worst, and if we'll do as He says He says we'll find favour. In other words we'll attract the good things, the good 'happenings' to us. We'll be at the right place at the right time.

As we begin this new week let's expect and search for the good wherever we go and we will surely receive a reward - favour with God and man.

 Have a 'good filled' week.😊

TIME TO HOPE AGAIN!

 Psalm 119:49-50 (Nlt)

Remember your promise to me; it is my only hope. 

Your promise revives me; it comforts me in all my troubles.

The Psalmist here reminds us that God's promises give us hope, revive us and they comfort us especially when we're going through trials and troubles. In effect he's reminding himself that God cannot lie and when He promises something He is honour bound to fulfil it so he can rely on it totally and so can we.

I wonder what promise or promises you are remembering today? What are you drawing your hope from? Why not get those promises out again and remind yourself of them no matter what dire situation you may be looking at. Write them down and pin them round your house, keep them before your eyes and in your ears, speak them out, because as you do they will rekindle your hope, revive you and comfort you.😊

You see we have our part to play, it's not all up to God. Abraham had to keep reminding himself of God’s promise of a child for 25 years but then when God told him He was giving him a new name which reminded him of the promise every time anyone called his name 'Father of Many Nations', he had the child within 10 months! He was reminded of the promise multiple times a day!

God hasn't forgotten His promises to us, the thing is, are we remembering them ourselves or have we let them slide? Let me encourage you again today with this scripture....

For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us.....was not Yes and No, but in Him was Yes. For ALL the promises of God in Him are YES and in Him Amen, to the glory of God, through us. (2 Corinthians 1:19-20)

Even if you only have time to write out one promise just do it, stick it on your bathroom mirror, and hope again!😊 

Here's a couple to get you started...😊

Jeremiah 30:17 But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds, declares the Lord. 

Psalm 32:8 The Lord says, "I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.

SURPRISE SOMEBODY!

Proverbs 11:25 The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped.

I had a great surprise yesterday when a lovely friend sent me a parcel with cashmere, wrist warmer fingerless gloves inside which are just right for this cold weather, they are so cosy. Brilliant idea! It’s not my birthday she just loves blessing people and giving surprise gifts. I think God enjoys giving us surprises as well because He's behind every good gift. (James 1:17)

I happened to say I’d been feeling a bit down one day and she was right on it, praying for me, texting me and then surprising me. How caring is that! It made such a difference knowing somebody cared at that moment and I hadn't expected any of it which made it more precious. Thank You Lord.

When God wants to cheer us up or encourage us, He looks for someone with a caring heart that He can use to minister to others through. What a lovely ministry that is and as I've said before it’s something we can all do, whether it's by giving a smile, texting, hugging, praying for them or sending a gift.

Is there anyone you've spoken to recently who's a bit down and could do with an uplift? Why not ask the Lord if you can be a blessing in some way, surprise them, and see what happens.😊 

I hope we can all encourage each other to continue to be a channel for God to use, to be a blessing to others. You may never know how important your act of kindness is to the person receiving it. If it puts a smile on their faces, if it warms their heart, if they feel uplifted even in a small way then you have done something wonderful, something noteworthy - you’ve made a difference, you’ve been a blessing!😊

Have a blessed, being a blessing, weekend everyone.x

Genesis 12:2 …and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.

Matthew 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before people, so they can see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven.

Hebrews 13:16 Don’t forget to do good and to share what you have because God is pleased with these kinds of sacrifices.

IT WAS TIME TO LET IT GO!

Ephesians 4:23-24 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God - truly righteous and holy.

This old tricycle has brought many happy hours of fun to my children and grandchildren but yesterday it was time to let it go after forty two years! Sigh!! 

There are things in all our lives I suspect that have been with us a bit too long. We’ve been holding on to them for years and it’s not only things. 

We carry attitudes and prejudices, old hurts, unforgiveness, maybe even bitterness about past situations which God says we are needing to let go. Are we willing to let Him help us do it?

We may have thought one way about something so long that it’s worn a little groove in our brains but God tells us to be renewed in our minds in order to know His perfect will. The trouble is, we get so familiar with our thought patterns or the way things are that we find it hard to let things go but we can.😊

Just as it was time for our family tricycle to go to make some space in the garage, so it’s time for other things to go in all our lives to make room for the new plans God has for us. We need to clear some space for new ideas, new thoughts, new dreams, space for God’s peace and joy instead of resentment or hurts. God never designed us to have the space for both!

Let’s ask the Holy Spirit to show us those things, both physically and mentally, He thinks are holding us back, cluttering us up, and let Him help us to let them go, even if we have had them over 40 years!!😊

Romans 12:2 ...but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

GOD HAS A STORY TO TELL US

Proverbs 15:8 The Lord ……He delights in the prayers of the upright.

This verse caught my attention the other day and I thought how wonderful to know God is delighted when we pray.😊

His arms are open wide to welcome us. He tells us to come to Him with praise and thanksgiving which is a great way to begin because it takes our minds off ourselves and focuses our hearts and minds on the One who holds everything together. He encourages us to come to His throne with confident boldness, to pray big prayers and know nothing is too hard or impossible with Him no matter what it looks like.

God is delighted when we pray! He’s listening! It’s a bit like when a child is invited to come and sit up on his father’s knee; his father wraps his arms around him, and he’s delighted to hear all the exploits the child has been getting up to and sometimes he tells him a story.  Perhaps God wants to tell us a story too, the story He has planned for our lives.😊

If we can just hold the thought in our heads that God is delighted when we go and talk with Him it will be a big encouragement. God wants to hear what we, His children have to say, and to allow Him input into how we’re thinking so our minds can be renewed where they need to be, to gain His great wisdom and insight into our daily affairs, to know He will rescue us if we need rescuing.

Psalm 18:18-19 They attacked me at a moment when I was in distress, but the Lord supported me. He led me to a place of safety, he rescued me because he delights in me.

God delights in you! Why not go to Him and let Him tell you a story, the story of Jesus and His love and the story of what He has planned for you too. 😊

GREAT POTENTIAL IN YOU

1 John 5:4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith.

The word of God tell us that we are born of God and that we have world overcoming faith living on the inside of us. It reminds us that greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world. (1 John 4:4)

In other words there is great potential inside each one of us, inside you, and it might help us to tell ourselves everyday just what we have and who we are! We may not feel like it or look like it which is why we need to get it down on the inside of us, in our spirit, so we shall believe it and behave as though it's true, because it is!😊

Instead of listening to the belittling lies of the enemy we can turn round and declare "God says I am a world over-comer because I have the faith of God living in me. I am above and not beneath. He says I can do all things through Christ who is empowering me. I have the joy of the Lord strengthening me. I have the greater One living in me and He is greater than the devil or anything that comes against me."

The more we declare the word of God over our lives the more our faith will grow. Jesus says He's given us the ability to lay hands on the sick and see them recover, the power to cast out demons. He says we can do it.  Maybe He wants you to write a book or a song; to start a business or a work for God.😊 You have the potential!

I don't know about you but I'm challenged by that. It's like when you see a young person with great potential to become something great but they never believe they can, so they never do. The potential is wasted. I don't want to be one of those people! God wants us to believe and use the potential He's put in us for His glory.

Lord help each one of us to realise the potential you have placed in each one of us and to use it. Help us to follow Your prompting to do what You ask and see people delivered and healed in Jesus name. Amen.

Mark 16:17-18 These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe. They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages. They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won't hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed.

WE WERE SEALED

Ephesians 1:13 (Nkjv) In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.

Yesterday we looked at being Accepted and Approved by God but it gets even better because we're also Sealed with the Holy Spirit.  In New Testament days a seal meant 'to stamp with a private mark'  in order to keep something secret, or protect or preserve the sealed object.

When we believed in Jesus God put His seal on our lives which means we're owned and protected by the Most High God Himself, there is no-one greater or higher. What an honour He has given us!

A seal carries authority and the Holy Spirit seal has God's authority and stamp written all over it. It declares we have a blood bought covenant with Almighty God written in Jesus' blood and it will never fail, never fade away, it can't be broken and it belongs to us and we belong to Him. The importance of the seal on us is huge and it's recognised by all the principalities and powers that we belong to God.

Apostle Paul says we've also been sealed by the Holy Spirit for the day of redemption. (Ephesians 4:30) By the grace of God He is preserving and holding us safe through every trial, through every high day or low day, until the day the Lord Jesus comes back to take us all up to be with Him. What a day that will be and it may be sooner than we think!😊

What a privilege - we are Accepted, Approved and Sealed! What a Saviour we have in Jesus. Glory to God! Thank You Lord.

Ephesians 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

APPROVED AND ACCEPTED

Ephesians 1:6 (Nkjv) to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved,

God wants us to know beyond a shadow of a doubt today that He has approved and accepted us. We know it's not because of our performance but because of Jesus.

We may be tempted to think God doesn't approve of us if we've not been doing very well, or think we're not doing enough. Sometimes the enemy accuses us of things and they may even be true but they've been covered by the enormous grace of God in Jesus. The blood of Jesus cleanses us of all our unrighteousness. I thank God for that.

Romans 3:22/25 (GW) Everyone who believes has God's approval through faith in Jesus Christ....God showed that Christ is the throne of mercy where God's approval is given through faith in Christ's blood....

God no longer sees us as guilty sinners but as Redeemed by the blood of His own Son and Righteous in Him. How wonderful that is!😊

We may look for approval from family and friends and it's nice when we have that but they don't always understand us! So even when we don't have their approval we can be secure in the knowledge that God has already approved of us. We have our confidence in Him regardless of how others may see us. I hope that helps somebody.😊

So as we go out into our new week we can have a smile on our faces as we remember we have God's approval and His acceptance, His love is enfolding us wherever we go, and His favour surrounds us like a shield. We thank You Lord and give You all the glory.

Have a blessed, amazing week 'In Him'!😊

SOMETHING WE CAN RELY ON

Psalm 13:5-6 (GN )

I rely on your constant love. I will be glad because you will rescue me. 

I will sing to you O Lord because you have been good to me.

I wonder what we're all relying on to help us through each day? Is it our own abilities, is it a family member or friend, or maybe our job? I love the fact that the Psalmist says he's relying specifically on God's constant love. Another version says he trusts in God's unfailing love but I like the thought of relying on it because I can relate to that in a way I can understand. 

We're leaning and relying on the fact that God loves us unfailingly, unconditionally even when we blow it, and if it wasn't for His love we would be bereft. Although everything else can be taken from us, no one can take His love away from us!

His love always sees the best in us, always gives us the benefit of the doubt, always forgives, is long-suffering and kind and never gives up on us. No wonder we need God's love so much and can rely on it, and His promise of rescue! Whether it's physical rescue we need, mental health issues, financially or socially we can turn to the God who loves us and know He's bringing about our rescue.

So I think we can all say we've got something to sing about today because the Lord has definitely been good to all of us. We can all sing a song of praise in our hearts whatever day it is, and scripture reminds us that we're to put on the garment of praise to dispel the spirit of heaviness we all experience sometimes. God has given us the antidote.😊

So let's do some roof raising praising wherever we are and give the God who loves us, all our heart felt praise and thanks today. Amen.😊

LISTEN AND YOU WILL FIND LIFE

Isaiah 55:3 (Nlt) Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life. I will make an everlasting covenant with you. I will give you all the unfailing love I promised David.

We’ve just had to buy a new landline phone as the old one kept going wrong but I find the volume isn't quite as loud. It’s a lovely phone but I do have to really listen to hear what’s being said!

I think it’s a bit like that when we’re 'on the phone' to God and we have to really listen to hear what He’s saying to us. If we’re not careful we dash into His presence, tell Him what’s been going on and how we need His help, but we forget to ‘Be still and know He’s God’, the Great I AM with all the power and wisdom we need and really listen to hear what He thinks about it all!

We’re happy to spend half an hour on the phone talking to family or friends, listening to what’s happening in their lives, in their kingdom, but perhaps you're like me and struggle to spend a bit longer listening to what God’s got to say to us about His kingdom and His answers to our problems or how much He loves us.😊

Jesus said His sheep hear His voice and we have to believe that by faith when we seem to have gone deaf! On those days when we think we’re not hearing Him maybe it’s because we’re too distracted by everything else. It’s like the person who came to God and said "I really need an answer God but I need it in the next three minutes because my favourite TV programme is coming on."!!

Let’s not be too busy or too distracted to listen! He says 'Listen, and you will find life.' Do you need to find life? God may have something to say that will change our perspective on things and change our lives but we’ll not know if we don’t really listen and come with our ears wide open as our verse says. 

I need to go and do some listening. How about you?😊

Have a blessed weekend everybody.x

A GATEWAY OF HOPE

Hosea 2:15 (Nlt) I will return her vineyards to her and transform the Valley of Trouble into a gateway of hope......

What a great thought - a gateway of hope speaks of good things to come, of having an expectation of good. Our God is a good God and He always wants us to have a sense of joy, not a feeling of dread about our future. 

My daughter in law is an artist and she’s just finished a new painting called 'Cathedral' which is bright and cheerful. She explained she was expressing a pulling of joy from the future with a great expectation of good, with a sense of burdens lifted. I was inspired by that because it is such a positive outlook and it lifted my spirits too.😊

If we know Jesus as our Saviour then we can draw joy from our future because God has it stored up for us too. It’s like He’s put it in the bank with our name on it and we can draw out from the 'joy and hope' account by faith any time we like. 

It’s a deep inner awareness that God is for us, that He loves us so faithfully, that His peace has been planted in our hearts no matter what trouble we’re in. Our verse says He transforms our valley of trouble into a gateway of hope.

Are you in some kind of trouble today? If so, take heart because God is about to transform your valley of trouble and He’ll show you the gateway for you to walk through to better days ahead.

Jesus said nothing is impossible to him who believes so let’s believe for great joy and peace in our futures and draw some of it out today.😊

Romans 15:13 I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Here is the link to the painting I was talking about if you'd like to see it  https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/colourwayatelier

THE HEAVENLY POST BOX

1 Peter 5:7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

Do you ever get so fixated on a problem that you can't seem to think about anything else? You've prayed and asked the Lord for the solution but the more you try to decide what to do the more you go round in circles! I've come to the conclusion the best thing to do is just leave it all alone for a while, cast the care of it once more onto the Lord and go and do something else! Go and make pancakes! 

The more we fret about something the worse it becomes, the bigger it gets, but the more we trust the Lord the more it releases faith for the solution to manifest. At the end of the day God knows all about it and He already has the answer but when we worry away at it, like a dog with a bone, the less likely we are to receive the answer because we're not in faith about it. God tells us not to worry for a reason, it's because worry and fear clog up the pipes of God's supply!

So next time you feel like worrying yourself silly about something, imagine putting that worry or fear in a parcel, addressing it to God our Father, put a stamp of faith in the corner and imagine you're putting it in the heavenly post box for God to deal with it. Believe God will reply and thank Him for giving you the solution when He knows you need it, and that He's dealing with it. Until then, let it go! 

If the enemy comes and whispers in your ear "What are you going to do?" Just say you've already done it, posted it and given it to God and until He shows you what to do you're just not worrying about it!

Now and then do a little faith check. Am I clogging up the pipes? Am I worrying about something, because if I am I'm not in faith about it and repent and ask the Lord to take over once again because we know He cares about us. I'm just off to do that now as I have some parcels I need to put in the heavenly post box!😊

BEING SPECIFIC

Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

The rag doll I showed 2 days ago was requested by a little girl who asked me to make her one with a blue dress in a purple box! She had a picture of it in her mind and that little girl knows exactly what she wants and she's not afraid to ask!😊

As I thought about that I remembered a pastor who asked the Lord for a desk, a chair and a bicycle when he was starting in ministry. The Lord told him to be more specific as he hadn't said what kind of chair, desk and bicycle he wanted! So he described what he wanted and that was exactly what the Lord provided.😊 Matthew 7:11 ...how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

I wonder if our prayers are too vague sometimes! Years ago we were moving house and I'd learned this principle of being specific, so I asked the Lord for a house with big windows. The Lord was very kind and we did move into a house with big windows.😊Thank You Lord.

When blind Bartimaeus called out to Jesus for mercy Jesus asked him what he wanted Him to do for him. It seemed obvious to everybody, but Jesus asked him to specify! (Mark 10:51)

He says the same thing to us today. What do you want Me to do for you?  He invites you to the throne of grace and says come and talk to Me about what you have a picture of in your mind (like the little girl) be specific and receive by faith My grace for everything you need, no matter what it is, new job, new home, provision for a project, healing in some area, or whatever.

May I encourage you to visit the throne of grace today?😊

Philippians 4:6 Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

I thought you might like to see the end result of dolly in purple box!😊

PRICKLY HEDGEHOGS!

1 John 3:1 (NIV) See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!....

I was thinking about hedgehogs yesterday as I’d been trying to draw some for a card and wondering how such prickly little things get together without hurting each other! 😊            

Some people can be a bit prickly too about receiving God’s love especially when things seem to go wrong and they want to say “God how come You say You love me but You let this awful thing happen?” When that happens we need to know God still loves us, He's not mad at us in any way and He's not punishing us. He is still in control and we can still trust Him and hold tightly to His promises of healing, restoration, provision or whatever it is we need.

We only have to look at the Cross to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God loves us.

God says He wants to lavish His love on us but if we hold Him at arms’ length then we can’t receive what He so willingly offers. Sometimes we feel we can't receive His love because we feel condemned or guilty about something, and forget Jesus took it all away.

It’s wonderful to know God knew the very worst about us before He chose us so He’s never shocked if we get it wrong. I think it’s on those occasions He holds out His arms to us even more and offers us His love again.

I pray that not just on the good days but even on the difficult days, the sad days, the days we make mistakes, we’ll always run to God and not from Him, and not be a prickly hedgehog but someone who’s open to receive His love all the time, we need it so much.😊

Let’s receive His love afresh today and feel His loving arms around us.💕

HELD IN THE PALM OF HIS HAND

John 10:28-29 And I give them eternal life and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand.

I've just finished making a tiny rag doll for a friend.

As I held her in my hand I remembered how God holds each one of us in the palm of His hand too and so does Jesus. Any way you look at it God is holding us safely and securely and He wanted us to know there's nothing anyone can do to change that! How safe that should make us feel.😊

Not only that but - Isaiah 49:16 Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands.....

Isn't that lovely. God knows each one of us by name and every morning when we wake up He says Good morning .............. and you can write your own name on the dots. He's whispering His love in our ear if we're listening. He's telling us how He knows what's going on in our lives, how He's going ahead of us, protecting and providing for us. I wonder if we're listening, cause if we are we'll go out feeling uplifted and secure, ready to deal with our day whatever it may bring.

Wherever you go and whatever you do today hold that picture in your mind of being held in the palm of Almighty God and that He knows you personally by name! As you do, remember He measured the waters of the oceans in His hand, He measured off the heavens with the span of His hand and laid the foundation of the earth with His hand. (Isaiah 40:12/Isaiah 48:13) That's how powerful He is and that's whose hand you are resting in. Glory to God!

Have a great, secure, blessed week in His hand.😊

JESUS OUR CHIEF SHEPHERD

1 Peter 5:4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.

We’ve been looking at Jesus as our Good Shepherd and our Great Shepherd but today we're looking at Jesus who is also the Chief Shepherd. God has given Him the name above all names, the highest place, and all authority. He has been given the preeminence, the first place.

Colossians 1:18 (Nlt) Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything.

Apostle Peter also reminds us that it’s when Jesus, as our Chief Shepherd appears, that we will receive a crown of glory which wont fade away. What an honour He gives us! God sees us so differently to how we see ourselves and it’s not the only crown He gives us.

2 Timothy 4:8 And now the prize awaits me - the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.

If we know Jesus as our Saviour that verse includes you and me, and God is reminding us today, to encourage us to keep going, never give up because He rewards those who diligently seek Him. He obviously wanted us to know there are crowns coming!😊

So wherever we are, remember we not only have a Good Shepherd who gave His life for us and cares tenderly for us, but we have a Great Shepherd who completes and equips us for service. And as we eagerly look for Him He’s also the Chief Shepherd who is coming again especially for you and me and He's bringing crowns of glory and righteousness with Him. 

What a truly amazing God we have! We give you all the praise and all the glory Lord for ever and ever. Amen.

OUR GREAT SHEPHERD

Hebrews 13:20-21 Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

On January 31st we looked at Jesus our Good Shepherd but today we're looking at Jesus our Great Shepherd which is different. 

If you can, take time to read our verse a few times because the word 'great' there means mighty. Jesus is our Mighty Shepherd, all powerful, and nothing and no one can defeat Him. He has overcome the world and the devil for us and it was His shed blood that enabled God the Father to give us the new covenant where we are forgiven, made righteous and accepted in His eyes because of what Jesus did. No wonder God calls Him our Great Shepherd! Thank You Lord. We give you all the glory for ever and ever.

He tells us it's through our Great Shepherd that God makes us complete. The margin of my bible says He perfects us. What a lovely thought that is, to be complete as far as God is concerned, not lacking or less than, but perfect in His sight because of Jesus. 

I am so grateful we have a Great Shepherd who completes and perfects us, equips us and produces in us all the good things He wants us to do that please Him.

So just to remind us:

John 10:10-11 our Good Shepherd laid down His life for us, to give us abundant life

Isaiah 40:11 He cares for and protects us 

Hebrews 13:20-21 our Great Shepherd completes us and empowers us to please His Father. 

Tomorrow we're finding out about Jesus our Chief Shepherd if you'd like to join with me.😊

Have a blessed weekend everyone.x

JUST ADD MILK!

Luke 1:37 For nothing will be impossible with God.

I came down to breakfast the other day and found my bowl with one sugar puff and a little note which said “Just add milk” which started my day off with a laugh!😊 

It made me think of how God gives us an idea or a thought probably only the size of a sugar puff to start with and then says "Just add faith". He never seems to give us the finished product but just something to start off with. Then it's up to us whether we run with it or not, whether we have the courage to get out of the boat, or leave things as they are, always wondering 'what if I had done it!'

As we know every journey starts with one small step and I believe God just wants to encourage you today to think 'possibilities' not impossibilities. So often when we're presented with a thought of starting something, or moving somewhere, believing God for a new opportunity in some way, we then find every excuse under the sun why it wont work for us and we talk ourselves out of it! Ever been there?

If God has given you the idea or the thought, or if it's something bigger and He's put a vision, a dream in your heart, then He will provide the where-with-all to be able to pursue it, whether it's financially or the ability you'll need. 

God says I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.(Phil. 4:13)  I looked it up and that word strengthen also means enable and empower so we could say I can do all things He's given me the idea for, through Christ who will enable me and empower me to do it.  Notice God made it personal, it says 'I' and 'me', not somebody else! So it's for you.😊

If we keep the thought in mind that Jesus is doing the enabling and empowering in us then we wont feel as though it's impossible any more. With God's help we'll be able to take that first step of faith and see where it leads, bearing in mind He can do exceedingly, abundantly above all we ask or think. So go for it! Just add milk faith! 😊

LIGHT BULB MOMENTS

Proverbs 4: 20 My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen carefully to my words. Don't lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart, for they bring life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body.

It's good to hear some things over and over again. We never grow tired of hearing someone say they love us whether it's family or friends. The more we hear something the more we believe it and God designed it that way. 

He says in Romans 10:17 So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. It means continuously hearing over and over again in the present tense in that verse. It works with everything we hear, faith to believe God's word but also faith to believe negative reports. 

When we hear a thing often enough we begin to believe it which is why God said to keep His word in front of our eyes, in our ears and in our mouths rather than the negative reports of the world😊

It's just possible God has something new to show us if we'll keep our hearts and minds open to His Spirit. How often have we read a verse loads of times, then one day we suddenly 'see' some new truth in it we've never seen before? We've had a light bulb moment!

It's a bit like God is saying "if you didn't get it the first time, I'll say it as many ways as it takes till you get it." We all need light bulb moments so we find out what God is trying to get through to us. The trouble is, we sometimes hear something put in a different way and religious tradition jumps in and says "that's not the teaching I grew up with so it can't be right!" Maybe we need to examine it again and keep our minds open, to keep 'hearing and hearing' what God is saying. I had to do that when I first heard about the Baptism of the Holy Spirit because it was new to me at the time. I'm so thankful the Lord kept teaching me till I got the revelation of it!

The Holy Spirit wants us to be open and teachable to let the Lord speak fresh revelation from His word, maybe in a different way, that will open up new paths of understanding. If we think we know it all already then we're being prideful and hard of heart. I know we don’t want to limit God in any way, so let's ask for more light bulb revelation moments.😊

EXPLOSIVE BLESSINGS

Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.

Over the years we've held lots of firework parties in our back garden which were great fun. The kids would love choosing the next firework to light and all would be well till one of them seemed to fizzle out! No one enjoys a fizzled out firework!

I was reminded this week that God didn't bring us this far for us just to fizzle out, or to stay stuck at the same level we've been at for the last 20 years. He wants us to grow and mature in our faith.

The day we were saved God began a good work in us and Philippians 1:6 says He'll complete it. We may have been discouraged, distracted or knocked off course but if that happens God lovingly wraps His arms round us and brings us back on the path He wants for us.

As we know fireworks will suddenly explode with colour and stars to light up our night sky. I believe God has explosive blessings still to come for all of us too; things that will take our breath away, things He's been planning and preparing since before the world was made for those that love Him, things we've never even seen, heard or imagined. (1 Corinthians 2:9) 

I hope we're grabbing hold of that because God's plans are bigger and better than we ever thought possible. They're part of the exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think which can be ours because of the power at work in us.

God has doors He's getting ready to open, but He's waiting to see if we're believing Him to do the 'above and beyond'. 

So as another month unfolds let's make a decision to believe God for the impossible, for Him to do things for us we can't do for ourselves. Let's believe for our path to get brighter and brighter and start expecting things to happen - reaching out in faith, because all things are possible with God.😊

We're not going to fizzle out, but as we believe we're going to sizzle with explosive blessings!😊 Thank You Lord.

THE SINGING DRYER!

Luke 19:40 He replied, "If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!"

I was reading about a museum in Mansfield, Ohio where a local factory manufactured all kinds of electrical equipment and one of the items they made in the 1950’s was called a Singing Dryer which sang the tune "How Dry I Am"! Can you imagine putting your tumble dryer on and having it sing to you? It made me smile.😊

When I read about this dryer singing, it reminded me of the day Jesus was walking in His triumphal procession on Palm Sunday and the Pharisees complained about all the singing and praising going on. What a miserable bunch they were! Jesus told them even the stones would start singing and praising if the people stopped!

If a clothes dryer can sing, if stones can burst into cheers, how much more can we burst into praise too! We have so much to praise and thank God for, to thank Jesus for all He has done and given to us. How wonderful to have the Spirit of the living God living inside us! Do we forget sometimes? 

When the affairs of life press in on us and we get a bit grumpy or sad, do we maybe forget how we're totally forgiven because Jesus took the punishment for all our sin, guilt and shame, how righteous we are because He's given us His very own righteousness and how we have a home in heaven to look forward to? How Jesus has also redeemed us from the curse of the law so we can be blessed now. (Galations 3:13-14) I hope they put a song in our hearts because without them we really would have something to feel sad about and nothing to look forward to.😊

So this is just a gentle reminder from a Singing Dryer, throughout our day, let's start singing "How blessed I am!" or "How forgiven I am", or "I praise you Lord", and put a smile on God's face today.😊

*****

Maybe you don't know Jesus as your Lord and Saviour yet and you'd like to, then may I invite you to say out loud this prayer. "Lord Jesus, I ask You to forgive me for all my sins, I believe You died on the cross for me and that God raised You from the dead. I make you my Lord and Saviour. In Jesus' name. Amen."

If you prayed that prayer from your heart I'd like to welcome you into God's family. Please tell someone about it as soon as you can. I'd love to hear from you too. God loves you.😊

MULTI COLOURED MONDAY!

Matthew 19:26 But Jesus looked at them intently and said, "Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.

Welcome to multi coloured Monday! It's not Monday morning blues it's Monday morning red, yellow, turquoise, pink, any colour you want it to be because any day we start with Jesus is full of hope and possibilities.😊 With God all things are possible!

If the enemy tried starting you off with doom and gloom, God is saying the opposite this morning. He says starting the day with Jesus get's it off to a start which is ahead of everybody else's because He is the greater One and He lives in you.

God tells us He has surrounded us with His favour, that He is for us and not against us, so it doesn't matter if the boss or a colleague or a family member is not for us we know God is, and that is what is the game changer for all of us. We have the One who split the Red sea by our side, fighting our battles.

God says He's going ahead of us making those crooked paths straight, that He's behind us watching our backs. He's provided angelic beings to minister to us throughout our day, our week, so we have supernatural help when we need it. It's getting better isn't it?  

God says in Deuteronomy 28 that He will bless all the work you do and guarantees a blessing on everything you do and that wherever you go and whatever you do you will be blessed.

God says you can do everything He gives you to do through Christ and the Holy Spirit is right there with you to help you, counsel you when you don't know what to do or say, and to strengthen you.

I hope all that has encouraged you to see Monday morning, and every morning, in a brighter light. God wants to put a smile on your face and remember this week is full of hope and possibilities, even if things look impossible, because you're in Jesus and He is in you. You can go out and knock their socks off knowing you're a child of the Most High God and He loves you beyond your wildest imagination. Thank You Lord.😊

Enjoy your week being blessed in Him.😊

ONE IN 7.8 BILLION

Ephesians 2:10 For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

God reminded me the other day that although we may be tempted to think we're just one in 7.8 billion, He has made each one of us unique, His masterpiece. He not only loves us but He chose us before the world was made. He sees us as individuals and we matter to Him more than we will ever know.

He knows how many hairs are on our heads, when we get up and when we sit down, He knows how we feel and has stored ever tear we've ever shed in a bottle because they are so precious to Him. (Psalm 56:8) So we need never feel unloved, or that no one cares about us, because God does.

He understands every struggle, sees every heartbreak, enjoys every giggle and is continually giving us all good things.(James 1:17) God wants to enter into every part of our lives and Jesus died and shed His blood just so He could.

No matter what anyone else has said or thinks about you, He wants you to know you are not average, not mediocre or less than, but He has made you in the likeness of His own Son. He has given you gifts and talents which are unique to you and they're still unfolding. He has anointed you to do what He wants you to do. He says you are one of His sheep and you hear His voice (John 10:16) and He wants your company, to be with you.😊

What a wonderful, loving and compassionate God we have. Lord we love You and praise You for all Your goodness, love and kindness towards us today. Amen.

FILL YOUR TANK WITH JOY AND PEACE

Romans 15:13 I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Paul's prayer for us all today is that God will fill us completely with joy and peace. When the enemy tries to fill us with despair or discouragement we need to remember God's plan is for us to be filled with joy and peace instead so it must be possible despite the circumstances. God wants to put a smile on our faces and peace in our hearts as we keep believing in Him. So I'm here today to stir up your believing no matter how discouraging things may look! Keep believing!😊 

Our verse says our God is the source of hope, so we wont find it anywhere else. He is the 'go to' person to get our hopes up again if someone or something has knocked them flat. He says the Holy Spirit will give us His power to overflow with confident hope. He'll remind us, very often through God's word, that God wants us well and to prosper us, that nothing is impossible or too hard for Him, that He wants to deliver us from whatever is trying to mess us up. 

I like the fact that if our tank has run a bit low on joy and peace lately we can ask God to fill us up again because we trust in Him.😊 So that's my prayer today and maybe you'd like to join with me and make it personal?

Heavenly Father I come to You because You are the source of all my hope and I ask the Holy Spirit to cause me to supernaturally overflow with confident hope in You so that I bubble over with it, because I believe nothing is impossible with You. I ask for a fresh awareness of Your joy and peace pouring into me again today. In Jesus Name Amen.

Have a blessed weekend everybody.x

BECOMING ALL GOD INTENDS US TO BE

2 Corinthians 3:16 &18 But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord - who is the Spirit - makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.

Our grandson was showing me his new crocodile soft toy and how it arrived vacuum packed, totally flat with all the air sucked out for easy posting. When they cut the packaging open the air flooded back in and the crocodile started to fill out again. They gave him a push and prod here and there and he became all he was intended to be - a great big cuddly crocodile!

In the same way until we meet Jesus and make Him the Lord of our lives it's as if we've been vacuum packed with all the life sucked out of us because our spirits are dead. When He comes and breathes His resurrection life into us our spirit comes alive and we begin to fill out. Jesus says that as we read the scriptures they are life to us, (John 6:63) they breathe God's resurrection life in, so we can become all we were intended to be as well.

God says He will complete what He started in us. (Philippians 1:6) There may be days when we feel a bit flat, as though some of the life has been sucked out of us, but can I encourage us all by saying that as we allow His word to transform us, with His gentle pushing and prodding here and there, He has assured us He will transform us to be like His Son the Lord Jesus.(Romans 8:29)

We are being changed day by day into His glorious image, it doesn't happen all at once, it takes time. So why not relax and spend some time with Him as you read His word and see yourself being transformed, beginning to 'fill out' again, believing Jesus when He says His word is breathing resurrection life, health, wholeness and strength into your body, soul and spirit.😊

Philippians 1:6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

Thank You Lord, we believe it and we receive it in Jesus name. Amen.

WISDOM IS A TWO WAY STREET

Proverbs 2:6-7 For the Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest. .....

We all know we need wisdom every day of our lives and God encourages us to ask Him for the wisdom we need. James 1:5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. It seems we do have to ask for it, it doesn't just happen! 

When I had my first baby I was asking God all the time "Lord give me wisdom I don't know what to do!" and I've never stopped asking over 44 years later!😊

The best place to find some of our answers is in scripture itself where a lot of what we need to know is already there if we'll search for it. Our verses remind us that wisdom always comes from God Himself and sometimes He uses other people for that moment, to bring us the information we need. 

For instance, in Exodus 18, Moses' father in law Jethro, was watching him dealing with all the disputes of the people everyday and how exhausted he was. So He told Moses to divide the people up into much smaller groups and then appoint honest men who feared God to deal with each group and only bring the difficult cases to Moses himself. Jethro more or less told him he'd wear himself out otherwise, it was common sense! Thankfully Moses did have the wisdom to do as Jethro said.

You could say wisdom is a two way street- when God gives us the wisdom through someone else, through scripture, or however He gives it, and then we need His wisdom to do it, like with Moses and Jethro.  

We asked God about doing something once and I was dithering. As we were driving along the road that day a lorry came past which said "Just do it!" We took that as a word from the Lord and did it! 

So next time we ask for wisdom be on the lookout for the answer. It may be through scripture,  a God appointed person who is God's mouthpiece or it may be a lorry! May we have the wisdom to obey what God has said because it could be life changing, but let's always check first that it agrees with God's word.😊

STAY CALM AND GET MOVING

Exodus 14:14-15 (Nlt) The Lord himself will fight for us. Just stay calm. Then the Lord said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to get moving!..."

Have you ever seen those signs 'KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON'?  Well whoever wrote that must have read our verse because God said it first through Moses!😊 When we choose to stay calm we're actually telling our fears to be quiet, we're choosing to listen to God's voice instead of what the fear is saying.

The Israelites did panic though when they saw the Egyptians, all 600 of Pharaoh's elite chariots and charioteers, who were thundering after them to overtake them as they left Egypt. They thought they were done for, but God already had a plan!

When it looks like we're stuck we're not stuck at all because God already has a plan for us too! He says "Stay calm and move forward. Don't just sit there, get moving. Step out in faith, believe Me for the next step. Let me deal with what's behind you and let me lead you to what I have prepared in front of you."

There is always something better in front of us no matter how old, how young, how disadvantaged we may think we are - not enough money, not enough qualifications, don't know the right people, etc. Listen if God is for us (and He is) then no one can successfully be against us. God is the Way Maker, the Miracle Worker if we'll just trust Him to do what He has planned.

Our best days are always ahead of us no matter what has been before whether it's victories or defeats. Our God is the God of all hope and comfort, (Romans 15:13) not the God of all despair and misery!😊 

So whatever may be trying to overtake us whether it's sickness, financial, legal or work issues or maybe family troubles, God is saying to us that He is bigger than it all and He already has a way out which leads to victory, just like He did for the Israelites, if we'll just stay calm and move forward with Him. Thank You Lord.