Keep following

A rainy, windy Sunday afternoon. Once upon a time, when I was younger, oh so much younger than today, rain, wind did not bother me at all. I would come and go as I wished to. Now I am older physically I am restricted, but in Jesus I am truly free, for that I praise God.

I praise God also for those days when as a small 5 year old lamb on this particular Sunday after Easter, I sat for the very first time in a small chapel with a ‘tin roof’ to hear and see Jesus in a film projected on a screen. This was my very first Sunday School lesson, the very first film, the very first story…. It began with some fishermen out on the lake very disappointed that they had caught nothing

Then there was Jesus, my Jesus standing on the shore! I never have forgotten the count, 153 LARGE fish!

Now I am older the conversation between Peter and Jesus has a greater significance with age comes the realisation that no matter what, I shall still be following Jesus. Even in later years there are still lambs to feed, we may not be called to be shepherds, pastors, or preachers but there are always, until Jesus returns, lambs to feed and a commandment –

My first Sunday School lesson in those far off days came about, simply because someone with a name and a face I no longer remember, had heard Jesus’ word to Peter and made it their business to feed his lambs. One can do well, two can do better, twelve better still. It is the cords of love and the carrying out of the commandment to love one another that bring about a great catch of fish, a harvest safely gathered in.

Peter’s Restoration (John 21: 15-19)

“Then when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these do?” He replied, “Yes, Lord, you know I love you. Jesus told him, “Feed my lambs.” Jesus said a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He replied, “Yes, Lord, you know I love you.” Jesus told him, “Shepherd my sheep.” Jesus said a third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was distressed that Jesus asked him a third time, “Do you love me?” and said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus replied “Feed my sheep. I tell you the solemn truth, when you were young you tied your clothes around you and went wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will tie you up and bring you where you did not want to go. (Now Jesus said this indicate clearly by what kind of death Peter was going to glorify God,) After he said this, Jesus told Peter, “Follow me”

If you are young follow Jesus now

If you are old keep following him.

Dread nothing.

Remember that the Shepherd gave his life that his sheep might have eternal life.

Love always from the littlest lamb.

Scripture NET bible.

Goodbye -Hello

“Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection

And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed and after three days rise again.

He spoke this word openly.

Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, “Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.

Mark 8: 31-34 NKJV

Uncle Albert although an uncle was big brother, always there in our lives from the day I was born, pushing doll’s in prams, teaching how to sow seeds, plant and when to dig up the potatoes, harvest kidney beans, cabbages, sprouts cauliflowers at Christmas , birthdays, Uncle Albert was always there

He came to mind this morning as I read this passage from Mark 8: 31-34

Uncle Albert was still quite young, 60 years is not old these days when he became sick, he had a heart problem that could not be fixed and on a visit to the hospital to the hospital told me very bravely that he was going to die. The last thing in the world I wanted, the last thing in the world we all wanted.

So it was me standing in Peter’s shoes firmly declaring that this wasn’t so!

I can imagine the sadness in the eyes of Jesus as he turned around and looked at Peter. The sadness in his voice … perhaps rebuked is better translated as corrected.

There is a time when we must all say goodbye. Uncle Albert, was in the way of love, as was Jesus trying to make this easier. But goodbyes are never going to be easy.

We will find that as the years pass.. that eyes will fill and tears flow freely with the remembering of the great loves of our eyes. We will also find joy mingled with the tears. Joy that we have known and loved each other. Joy in realising that in His goodbye and the laying down of His life, allowing it to be taken so brutally from us the Lord Jesus was opening the door to Hellos in the Eternal Kingdom of God.

Thanks be to God through our Lord Jesus Christ that through His life we have eternal life!

Lord you give, and you take away, blessed be the Name of the Lord. Grant that we always may follow close on the heels of Jesus in the Way of love and shed tears of joy in your Eternal Kingdom not losing our souls but finding them perfectly whole, kept safe, gathered, sharing fully in the great feast and joy of the Resurrection.

Amen

When Travelling Through Lent

Cross in my pocket reminder

Very many believers carry a cross in their pocket to touch it when they need comfort or a timely reminder that however difficult or impossible things may be the Lord is not far away, that nothing is impossible to God.

I used to carry a small compass in mine. Ours is a large churchyard, the charts which were drawn up were drawn from varying perspectives so the occasional small arrow indicating north or south comes in handy in finding your way around … small compass…. big help.

So it is with the cross, and the teachings of the Lord who gave Himself on the cross … that lost sheep may be found.

Some get to feel lost so easily when it comes to navigating the vast ranges  of Christian literature.

I am thinking now of the period of Lent kept by more traditional churches who encourage more prayerful reading of scripture and Bible study and often the devotional books available will liken this solemn season to pilgrimage and a journey through wilderness and desert.

Forgive me please, but some of the books and devotional readings assume (perhaps only to my mind) that everyone who desires to take up a journey of this kind are already seasoned travellers with a kind of built in academic sat-nav. But the reverse is often the case and first timers can feel woefully lost, scream get me out of here, Lord and once out, vow never to go that way again!

When the followers of the Lord Jesus asked Him to teach him to pray… He gave them a very simple prayer saying when, when you pray, say

Our Father which art in heaven,

Hallowed be Thy Name,

Thy kingdom come,

Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread;

And forgive us our trespasses,

As we forgive them that trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation,

But deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory,

For ever and ever.

Amen

From The Book of Common Prayer

This prayer was prayed through my childhood years without the need to look at the words in a book. Sadly that no longer applies in very, very many cases the Lord’s Prayer even it’s modern forms is little known by children and even some grown up visitors to church,  For  a Funeral Service for instance  will be uncertain about the words, here and there,

How much more hard going and confusing some find Christian writings of any kind.

You know, I get such a lot from the many WordPress writers I follow, I find WordPress to be a place where I can find fellowship and learn new things, and discover things I had little knowledge of before,there are such knowledgable, readable writers on here  so can I beg please if you are a writer who writes for Lent and Christian publications not to forget the unseasoned traveller, those who have never passed this way before…. Please remind them that just, for that very reason the Lord is with them, in your words speak to them simply and gently.

Lord you called little children,

And those not so learned, the unwise, unlettered, untaught, you pointed all in the right direction, becoming for all the Way itself, You are the Guide of Guides, shelter from contrary winds… Be with all who seek to lead others, and teach others that in gentleness they may help each other on the great Pilgrimage and Journey of Faith with simple words pointing out the right paths  that all may arrive safely

Amen

Grace

I sat awhile watching the Sun rise gently, coming and patterning my wall with golden light, my heart opened gently as Christ came in: settling golden robes around himself , He sat down and I knew his gentleness then. Quietly, oh so quietly the King of Glory came in and sat not on a golden throne in room of state, but in the humble mess of my poor home. On an old and battered chair he sat:

And I was not afraid.

“There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear.

1 John 4: 14

¹⁹ Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. ²⁰ Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

Revelation 3. 19-20

He comes to me so gently, so tenderly and if he should rebuke, or correct it is with such love.

The seasons, have changed both of life, and in the Church, Green of Epiphany has changed to Purple of Lent but the Lord who sits oh so gently, quietly on my chair changes not

Once in the Garden of Eden, Eve reached out and took fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil with fateful consequences but Jesus in the dwelling place of my impoverished heart reaches out his hand, and offers fruit from the tree of life.

Praise to the holiest in the height,
and in the depth be praise;
in all his words most wonderful,
most sure in all his ways!

O loving wisdom of our God!
when all was sin and shame,
a second Adam to the fight
and to the rescue came.

O wisest love! that flesh and blood,
which did in Adam fail,
should strive afresh against the foe,
should strive, and should prevail;

And that the highest gift of grace
should flesh and blood refine:
God’s presence and his very self,
and essence all-divine.

O generous love! that he who came
as man to smite our foe,
the double agony for us
as man should undergo:

And in the garden secretly,
and on the cross on high,
should teach his brethren, and inspire
to suffer and to die.

Praise to the Holiest in the height,
and in the depth be praise;
in all his words most wonderful,
most sure in all his ways!

Words:John Henry Newman (1801-1890)

However the Lord Jesus finds you during this season of Lent whether in poverty or wealth I encourage you, my friends to leave the door of your heart open, whatever it’s state may be the Lord who courteously knocks brings with him the remedy for all our sins, faults and woes, not all our tears and fervent efforts can put things right. If we do not hide our face from our dear God, neither will he hide his face from us. The remedy to the plight of the world – is a higher gift than grace.

Birthdays and unfinished work

Birthday Flowers

Recently I had a birthday.

With flowers, cards and presents, very many good wishes

I don’t feel older, I don’t, feel wiser, I do feel blessed to have enjoyed the Lord’s good gift of years, the fellowship and friendship of many Christians of many denominations and walks of life all through those many gift years.

The crowning blessing has been the Presence of God in my life, the Lord has truly been with me wherever I have gone. To know your hand held in his His hand, is wonderful especially when you are not the bravest, most confident lamb in the fold… I cannot find words to adequately express that.

Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LordAlmighty.

Zechariah 4:6

Those words from Zechariah have been with me a few weeks now. Perhaps, there are things in all our lives, begun but not completed. The name Zechariah means “Yahweh remembers” or “Yahweh has remembered “ and just as the words of the Lord came to Zechariah to give to Zerubbabel and Joshua they are needed, as we seek to weigh up the cost, to finish what we began,

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The Gold Lampstand and the Two Olive Trees

4 Then the angel who talked with me returned and woke me up, like someone awakened from sleep. 2 He asked me, “What do you see?”

I answered, “I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl at the top and seven lamps on it, with seven channels to the lamps. 3 Also there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.”

4 I asked the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?”

5 He answered, “Do you not know what these are?”

“No, my lord,” I replied.

6 So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.

7 “What are you, mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of ‘God bless it! God bless it!’”

8 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 9 “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands will also complete it. Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you.

10 “Who dares despise the day of small things, since the seven eyes of the Lord that range throughout the earth will rejoice when they see the chosen capstone[a] in the hand of Zerubbabel?”

11 Then I asked the angel, “What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?”

12 Again I asked him, “What are these two olive branches beside the two gold pipes that pour out golden oil?”

13 He replied, “Do you not know what these are?”

“No, my lord,” I said.

14 So he said, “These are the two who are anointed to

serve the Lord of all the earth.”

Scripture from Zechariah 4: 1-14 NIV

What I see when reading this Scripture is that our Gracious Lord has a plan, knows how our unfinished work can be completed and we can how ever many birthdays we have known, be sure that the Spirit working with us is well able to complete that work in us. Nothing is impossible with the Lord, As Abraham, Sarah and others of riper years proved.

The one who called us is faithful.

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1I know not why God’s wondrous grace
To me He hath made known,
Nor why, unworthy, Christ in love
Redeemed me for His own.

Chorus:

But “I know Whom I have believed
And am persuaded that He is able
To keep that which I’ve committed
Unto Him against that day.”

2I know not how this saving faith
  To me He did impart,
Nor how believing in His word
  Wrought peace within my heart.

3I know not how the Spirit moves,
  Convincing men of sin,
Revealing Jesus through the Word,
  Creating faith in Him.

4I know not what of good or ill
  May be reserved for me,
Of weary ways or golden days,
  Before His face I see.

5I know not when my Lord may come,
At night or noon-day fair,
Nor if I’ll walk the vale with Him,
Or “meet Him in the air.”

Light at Evening Time

The world is not a happy place.

The Earth is home and has been home to myriads and myriads of peoples, races, languages, home to numerous creatures, great and small, wondrous creatures, who move through the seas and air as well as the lands… yet the the Earth is not a happy place, it’s species do not exist in harmony.

Yet the Spirit of the LORD has not left it to its own devices – one day Jesus will return, not as a baby born in a lowly place, laid in a manger bed but as Lord, God bringing with him all those who are sleeping in Jesus (1 Thessalonians 4:14)

I find comfort in the old hymns, like Blessed Assurance with it’s reference to watching and waiting, and looking above good to sing and meditate on. As a Christian I can look to the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord not in fear or dread, in chains of fear and anxiety generated by sins, but from a place of submission where all is at rest, assured that I am washed in the Saviours Blood.

I am older now, closer to Evening Time than the Dawn, or even the Noon but also closer to the Lord, as I look down the Advent Road I feel when blessedly assured that there is light a evening time

It shall come to pass in that day

That there will be no light;

The lights will diminish.

It shall be one day

Which is known to the Lord –

Neither day nor night,

But at evening time it shall happen

That it will be light.

Zechariah 14: 6-7

Read and listen to these well known words by Frances Ridley Havergal, I pray they may be a blessing to you as they are to me.

DEAR Lord, Thy good and precious Book seems written
     all for me;
Wherever I may open it, I find a word from Thee.
My eyes are dim, but this one verse is pillow for the
      night,
Thy promise that  ‘At Evening Time it shall be’ surely
     ‘light.’

It was not always light with me; for many a sinful year
I walked in darkness, far from Thee; but Thou hast
brought me near,
And washed me in Thy precious blood, and taught me by
Thy grace,
And lifted up on my poor soul the brightness of Thy
face.

My Saviour died in darkness that I might live in light,
He closed His eyes in death that mine might have the
     heavenly sight;
He gave up all His glory to bring it down to me,
And took the sinner’s place that He the sinner’s Friend
     might be.

His Spirit shines upon His Word, and makes it sweet
     indeed,
Just like a shining lamp held up beside me as I read;
And brings it to my mind again alone upon my bed,
Till all abroad within my heart the love of God is shed.

I’ve nearly passed the shadows and the sorrows here
below;
A little while–a little while, and He will come, I know,
And take me to the glory that I think is very near,
Where I shall see Him face to face and His kind welcome
hear.

And now my loving Jesus is my Light at Eventide,
The welcome Guest that enters in for ever to abide;
He never leaves me in the dark, but leads me all the way,–
So it is light at Evening Time, and soon it will be Day!

*Written to accompany an engraving:–An old man, worn, but peaceful, sitting at his cottage door in evening sunlight, with The Book on his knee.

Frances Ridley Havergal from THE POETICAL WORKS

In Him was life, and the life was the light of mem

The Coils of the Beast

People worshipped the Dragon Rev. 13:4

Caught in the Coils of the Beast

Lord, your word says,
That no one could buy or sell, unless,
He had the mark of the Beast.
The Beast and I have never been friends,
And I don’t have his mark.
I neither wish to buy or sell,
Nor to make a profit,
You know, Lord from the start
My prayer has been that all that I could do for the spreading of your word
Might be done freely at no one’s expense but my own.

“Freely you have received,” Jesus says, “Freely give”

By your grace, I have lived to these days, when
The Beast has an Iron Grip,
Holding in loathsome tightly wound coils and
Steely claws, –
governments, financial institutions,
The bank in the high streets (well not many of those left)…
For why on Earth should the Beast want to possibly help,
His victims)
His it is to amass wealth and keep it!
No matter to whom it might belong,
To breathe out threats,
To keep what is not his to keep.

No wonder the stewards of your household scratch their heads,
Tear out their hair!

Lord, help me today,
With whatever encounter I shall have with the servants of
The Beast to do everything in the manner of a wise steward of your household.
Lord, grant me wisdom and grace to succeed that my heavenly Master’s household may not suffer loss,
For the mark and seal which I bear,
Is the mark of the cross.

The conversations I have,
Each person I speak too
Let them be seasoned with salt and grace.

Amen

Just thoughts shared with whoever has an interest in the Kingdom that is to be when finally the kingdoms of the world become the Kingdoms of our God and His Christ.

With love as always, Jean

Discover

Discover

‘Nothing is hidden, that cannot be found’
Look for it. and you will find it,
All good things are hidden with you,
Father, of my delights.
You do not hide your secrets away that I may never find them,
You hide them until the time has fully come.

For everything there is a time and a season,
For every purpose under the heaven.
There is a time for finding what is lost,
Even Eden,
The Garden where you placed Adam and Eve –
Children of your happy making.

O, dear God, dearest God,
The scent of earth,
After rain, sprinkled diamonds on emeralds-
Reddest rosé hips, Rowan berries, Garnets,
Autumn, that is a time of finding the lost-
Secret of innocent childhood play.

My thoughts from my own little wilderness garden, gets wilder every day as I get older… posted in gratitude to our Heavenly Father who made and gives all good things and gave Jesus Christ the Lamb of God to open the way into the Lost Garden of Eden, that we might be born again and discover and know for ourselves the joy of being God’s Children

Everyone who asks receives, the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks the door will be opened.

Matthew 7: 8 (N.I.V.)

What a Sticky Mess

Spider kind

It’s Autumn, and the spiders are building
Webs, sticky, and deadly, if you should happen to be an insect
Of the smaller, curious kind.
You get caught in, wrapped up in even worse, stickier mess and wait,
Just wait until your spider host decides it’s time for dinner,
Guess who is on the menu!

The world, the world which isn’t part of the Kingdom
Is a messy, sticky place to be in.
Human kind, are not so kind as they like to appear.
Like the spider, also a mammal, an invertebrate
With a backbone?
Some would question that?

Hmm. Spiders have eight legs not two.
That makes them pretty dazzling on their feet,
They move pretty quick, when it suits
Pretty deft at hiding out of sight, careful not to give
Dinner a fright, not the least hint of a warning,
A spider is pretty careful not to end up as brunch.

Once, a Man, truly a Man,
Came from the Kingdom, where God alone is King,
And being wise the Man observed and sadly spoke like a Man, about
The Kingdom from whence he came and the world, which rejected the King.
The world which spiders inhabit, taking pride in building gossamer palaces,
Awesome, sticky mini kingdoms with large pantries.

Beware, the Man from God’s Kingdom said,
Stay awake, Beware of those who are not what they appear to be
On the outside, beautiful but not on the inside,
Builders, creators they may well be, but they are not the Creator, the
Divine Architect of the True Kingdom does not lie in wait for an
Unsuspecting lunch to consume with poisonous relish!

“Ah!” Says, the Spider. “That Man was not so wise. Spider kind got him
In the end!” Smirks and scurries away.
Lunch is on the way.

Oh! Oh! The Man from the Other Kingdom, is drawing breath,
without a
Word,
the Man true to his word,
the King’s Word,
Blows webs, spiders and all away.

Lord, the Kingdom’s Lord,
Come quickly and blow the worldly kingdom’s sticky mess away,
Webs, gossip, intrigues, the fabricators of lies, spiders away!
Deliver us from all evil. Your Kingdom come.

Simply a reflection from my own notebook, sometimes spider kind and human kind have things in common, often we can find ourselves in a sticky mess or feel we are being drawn into one, perhaps then we should pause, reach out in prayerful way and just simply watch as The Lord blows intrigues, web and spider away. Posted here for all who feel trapped in a sticky mess with love

Always, Jean

Kindling a Passion

My Kindle

My friend surprised me at the beginning of the year in revealing how many books he had read on Kindle during 2022. A visit to my home reveals that I am a Book lover of long standing. Most beloved amongst my books are Bibles, Prayer Books, Dictionaries of every kind, books about trees and plants, books with maps, charts … my list could run on and on , but in no wise could I match the number of books I had read through in 2022 with my friend’s. He revealed that they were mostly very short ones, most costing less than £1 and that he would read while his wife watched her favourite television programmes.

This is not an advertisement for Kindle by the way, although I own the one above. Oh yes and on it I have several Bible Versions and lots of deep reading from Bible Scholars … a kindle like this can be tucked easily into my bag where a paper volume of any size can be awkward but in the main my Kindle was only used whilst on holiday, largely unused until Mike reminded me of it. Now it’s used a lot, although there is still nothing so wonderful as turning pages over in a paper book.

We just happen to live in an age where some children have never owned even a simple story book, that causes me sadness especially when I consider my treasured bibles. We also live in an age when very little is spoken of Christian things in our schools an age in which the children do not sing of Jesus the friend of little children. In an age when an elder person might well have forgotten the words to “Tell me the old, old story of Jesus and his love” I had older ones sing this to me.

So, how might love of God be kindled in young hearts.

I do not know the answer to this question.

How do we kindle a passion for the Word of God.

How do we encourage people to take up and read the Greatest Story Ever told.

Starting at the Beginning