Forgiveness

Have you ever come close to forgiving for love? Some wrong that was done to you by another you forgave because there was no other choice. You loved them. Only then can we come close to what God did for us through Jesus. Forgiveness for us through no other reason than love. Not because what we did was right but because we were loved.

Ask and You Shall Receive

Jesus: She loves her daughter so much. I can feel her anguish and pain, I know what it is like to feel that you have lost a loved one. And she has lost her daughter to the devil. What will I say?

The woman: I can't believe I can actually see Him. I've been waiting so long. I will now actually be able to ask Him to help me at last. I will call him by his true title because He is of royal blood.

The Disciples: I can't believe this woman is coming to bother Him. But look He's doing what He said. He's not defiling himself by speaking to her. Well He is our rabbi, he's not meant to speak to Gentile women.

Jesus: How long before they learn! I suppose they don't realise they are going to be sharing the Kingdom with a lot more Gentile women when I am gone. That this will be their task. Well, I suppose I am their teacher so here's another lesson. But I must honour my heavenly father and the task He has given me.

The Woman: He says he is only here to help the Jews but I know who He is and what He can do. I won't be turned away that easily. I'll just keep asking.

Jesus: I'm not going to disown anyone, especially not God's Chosen people, I hope she understands.

The Woman: Yes, I realise you speak the truth, that Jesus the man, has a calling, but there is more. You are also the son of God. I know you can do all things. I know you have enough for the Jews and still have more power, compassion and love to spill over to everyone, even me.

Jesus: She understands, in her pain and suffering, she still has compassion for a people who look down on her, and she sees that if you ask with the right heart and the understanding of who I truly am then I am everyone's provider.

The Disciples: He said that she has faith and that her daughter is healed, even though she is a Gentile. We've got Him wrong again and held him to account by our own laws and ways. How humble was she to accept us as above her. I wouldn't have liked to have been likened to a dog. Perhaps we have more to learn than we first thought.

Laura

An Echo of the Soul

Beware what you say as it only echoes what you truly feel and if said enough times it can start to bind you and shape your beliefs and your heart!  This is what we talked of in our small group on Tuesday.  The power of the spoken word.  And yet really it is the power of your beliefs and your heart's desire that are just echoed in your words and your actions.

Take Herod, at any time if he had put God's desire above his own heart's desire then he would never have killed John the Baptist.  For God asks us in the ten commandments not to kill.  But rather his heart's desire was for power and status and he didn't want to lose face.  So with his words he issued the necessary orders.

Take the pharisees, at any time, they could have embraced Jesus and His words, but rather they wanted to be the ones in charge, they wanted to be the teachers.  And through their heart's desire they continually used words to snipe and argue with Jesus and belittle him and give them an excuse to kill Him.

It's not your eyes that are the windows to your soul but your lips.  So as the old Sunday School song says, 'Watch your lips, watch your lips what they say" as they are proclaiming what you feel and desire.  And it is an important responsibility!  For you could be leading those that look up to you and listen to you and follow you  into a ditch, if you don't!

God change my heart so that my words will change and those that listen to me will only hear words of truth, honesty and love.

Laura

Human Tradition Versus the Holy Scripture

There is a collision here of two very different views of religion and also of two demands of God. This is the way I
see it, first we have Pharisees and the scribes they have,(let us look good with our Sunday best) and the rituals
that have "always been" and all the pompous, ceremonies that go's with them. Second we have Jesus and his
disciples, A carpenter and a hole load of fishermen speaking from the heart,Jesus always keeping in touch with His
Heavenly Father and it is God's word and God's word there is no compromise. It is relationship With God one that is
maintained by inward faith of the Lord Jesus Christ.I wonder how long did it take the Pharisees and the scribes or did
they even want to learn the truth.

God bless love Kenny

Fearless

Going up against THE authorities, the big wigs, must have flustered the disciples… don’t you know Jesus you offended them...THE PHARISEES! You quoted scripture against them, rebuked them, called them hypocrites! Challenged them and pointed out their sin …IN PUBLIC! Wow.  AND then you call us thick!

 

Father we live in a society that slaps you in the face with all its “political correctness” forgive us for being so THICK and for being so pathetically silent when we don’t speak up against the wrong. Teach us to be like you Lord that even if it means offending… we must say what the truth is, according to your word THE TRUTH!

It cost you… it WILL cost us. If God says something is sin … its sin…. period. Basically Jesus said if they teach something other than the truth,  they are going to be ripped up anyway…. Speak out the truth… challenge… rebuke…. We are to be light, salt… just like Jesus. You were fearless, give me courage Lord to be fearless because of the Truth.

 

Jess

 

 

Peter may have got out the boat but Jesus got in!

Wouldn't it be great to have the confidence of Peter. To not care if people think you are a fool for being out there, getting out of the boat, being obedient to God and using your faith.

But what strikes me tonight is that Jesus in all His majesty didn't need to get into the boat. He could make His own travelling arrangements but He chose to get into the boat with His disciples.

And because Jesus was there with them, ALL were saved that night, but only Peter was blessed. He was given a time to remember and cherish. A special time with His creator where He did wondrous things, all because he got out of the boat.

God, don't let me stay sitting in the boat thinking that guy is a bit of a fool. Open my eyes to see that the foolish ones are the ones left behind in the boat because they are missing out.

Laura

Oh you of little faith...

How impulsive, how OTT, just like you Peter to push yourself to the front! 

How wonderful, how inspirational, how I love your heart Peter that follows so hard, that seeks to imitate your Jesus and walk on water. 

Oh Lord, how small my faith!

Like Peter I pray, “command me…!”

Brian

Faith Tested

 

         Well that was some picnic;could we have a church picnic like that? (please) Well back to the story we she Jesus,

        Having to dispense the crowds he would have given them a blessing and send them on there way. But pryer to that

       he sent his disciple on before Him, Jesus would know what his disciple where thinking after witnessing the feeding 

        of the 5000; They would be thinking guy's this is it Jesus is going to announce He is the King of Israel and we are going to help him run things. So he sent them away saying  I well finish things off here I will catch you up and I will go and 

      Pray to our Heavenly Father to keep you safe and to get instruction whats next. So there are on this boat in the middle 

     of the loch so we all know what happens next  life gets a bit rough.Where,Jesus guys whats he up to the very time we need him you can here them saying. Peter see's  Jesus walking on the water, Peter gets out of the boat  at that point his 

    Faith was hugh. Then the wheels come off; Folks how many times do we take our eyes of the lord? how many times 

  do we disbelieve that we cannot do the same as Jesus ?Yet it is one of His promise. 

Amazing God

Hi Blogging at last (with the help from Kenny,s Mac..... Thank you Kenny)

I love the project! I love that we are all disciples together,digging into God,s word together. It brings a sense of
being trained up; discipled so we can disciple.

At the last prayer meeting Zephaniah 3;9 came up " then will I purify the lips of the peoples,that all of them may
call on the name of the lord and serve Him shoulder to shoulder" Amen lord! SO may it be among us!

So today, to Matthew 14. I'd never realised before that the feeding of the 5000 came so immediately out
of such tragedy and bereavement for Jesus; His cousin and forerunner beheaded. So He went to find a
quiet place (cue a diversion; may we be a people of the secret place.....cue a bible study on the secret place....
wow psalm 91 for a start) Back to Matthew 14... I was struck by how fully human as well as fully God Jesus was.
Our painful times make us feel so vulnerable, but also so much more in touch with others pain.And Jesus, in His
grief, seeing crowds of sick people He had compassion on them and healed them. Though fully God,could Jesus
be feeling more acutely at that moment the realities of human sufferings; the transient nature of live; the really
important issues of eternal life?And then isn't it just so human to go of our food when grieving....no wonder Jesus
just kept on ministering without giving food a thought. So everyone got hungry. But somehow all along did He
also know He would do a miracle that demonstrated something of how His broken body would be enough to feed the
souls of the world,with loads left over? Wow, our amazing God.

God bless Love Muriel Forman

One of the Crowd

Can you imagine being there? 5000 men, never mind the women and children. All waiting to see Jesus and some waiting to be healed.

How easy would it have been for Jesus to say - not today! Too busy, or I'm on holiday, or it is my day off, or even I'm mourning the death of my cousin, or I'm grieving for one of the most celebrated men of our time! How many excuses or reasons did He have to just ignore the crowds? But He didn't. He had compassion for them and it moved Him to tirelessly work for these people. So much so He worked until it was late. Then what? Could He not then say - I've done my bit, I need a rest? No! He saw that the crowds still needed His help so He fed them. That was some church picnic!

How often do we have a good reason not to chip in or do our part. How often do we put our own needs in front of others. I know I'm always doing it. Don't I deserve a rest Lord I say, I've done my bit, or it's my day off. Jesus humbly shows us that the Kingdom's work is never done and if you want to see His Kingdom on earth then you need to be driven by compassion for other's needs and not for your own.

God knock me to my knees with your compassion for others, make it my soul desire to want to help.

Laura

Good Intentions

As we read about Herod it is clear that we are meant to realise that vows are serious things. That something that begins as seemingly harmless, based on good intentions, can go horribly wrong. The bible constantly reminds us that making promises is not something to be done lightly and look where it left Herod! By trying to please others He ended up doing something he didn't really want to do and in the end it haunted him. Why else would he be worried that John the Baptist had come back to life! Not the first assumption most people might spring to.

In the end his words bound him. Something harmlessly said had lasting consequences.

God help me to see that I need to please you and not people. When I please you, the consequence will be that I will please others, because you will honour my loyalty. Thank you.

Laura

Jesus compassion for other's

Jesus hears of the death of his cousin, his forerunner, John the Baptist. So Jesus says to his disciple Hi guy's I need,
rest I need to find some solitude, Jesus needed to spend time in prayer to His Heavenly Father. He needed to get away
from public ministry. So he gets into a boat with his disciple, went to the other side of the lake seeking some solitude.
Can you imagine what Jesus's emotion's where like, you have just lost a dear cousin in a horrific murder,He is also having to get him and his disciple away from Herod. They new that Herod could do the same to them,and it was another reminder
from God to him that his hour was coming and coming soon. So what was Jesus's response when he saw the crowds
He put his own needs behind him, to the needs of other's His compassion to heal their sick and the need to teach them.
So there are two thing's I need to look at here, Do I like Jesus put other's need's before mine, And do I like John The
Baptist stand firm in God's word and live it with no com-premise, and would I be prepared to die for his word.

Kenny

Eavesdropping on Jesus

Imagine being the last one on that mountainside and staying unnoticed to see what Jesus did after the disiples had got on the boat and all the crowds had disapeared down the road.

Did Jesus sigh a huge sigh of relief to at last be alone.. no one crowding around asking for this or that begging and touching , pressing and shoving for attention everyone with their needs each one trying to get something from Him... How many bowed before him just to worship or pray thanks or to bless him in Gods name because here He was... Messiah? 

What did Jesus do then... walk further up the hill to get a better view?or sit down exhausted, did he fall to his knees and pull his prayer shawl over his head as he immediatly turned to Father to spend time with Him? What did they talk about? was he worshipping God feeling the awe of a man used by God to do these miricles? Was he too pleading for the miricle of divine strength to continue to complete THE MISSION. Did he weep for the pain of those he saw who were so vulnerable, lost and fearful? Did he pray for each of his disiples by name bringing each one before Father knowing their deepest needs and for their Mission once he was gone and for their growing to understand things of the Spirit? Did he pray for the Pharisees and his enemies... did he see Judas already pulling away....

 Did He and Father have a laugh as they shared the funny stuff that happened and the plan to walk across the water in the storm and how it would really ruffle the guys more than the wind they were battling against.... how the time flew past ... those hours there on the hill with Father getting more instruction , more strength, more empowering to go the next step closer to that terrible but necessary costly sacrifice.

Did he get up and walk down to the beach with a smile on his face as the moon shone, the wind in his hair and his feet wet with the waves tugging at his robe as he strode across to the lads.

Alone now on the hill in the deep of the night were you on your knees before Father giving thanks as your faith in Him soared and you knew you will follow him too.

 

Jess   

God, do You love me?

Did You call me…did You really?  So where are you now?  Is Your hand so short?  Haven’t I given up everything for You?  Didn’t I serve You faithfully?  Did I ever let You down?  So why am I in this dark place?  What about Your Kingdom…and Your King.  Where is He whilst I’m here?  God, where are You?

Such love!  Even if we tried, we couldn’t invent it.  Such love…that God would ask us to lay down our lives.  Such love, that my dying, others might live.  Only You could have thought of that Father.  Yes Lord – have Your way – take my life!

John (the Baptist)

 

If I must be like Jesus...

If following Him is walking in His footsteps, then I too must love my neighbour enough to show and offer him out of this treasure…even though it offend him.  This is Jesus loving His neighbour, the men he played with in the street when they were boys together, their mothers and fathers…though they’re that offended they would be reaching down for stones to throw at Him.

Lord forgive me…I tell myself I am respecting my neighbour by hiding my treasure from him.  Give me Your heart.

Brian

Treasures of the Kingdom for You to Share

There are so many little gems of information in this passage but the ones that stick out for me are:

Whether you are searching for the Kingdom of God or not, when you come upon it, you realise what it is and how precious it is. Then you will not stop until you get it. This is a lovely passage for those who know of people who haven't encountered the Kingdom yet. But also a word of warning to myself. If I am living my life but people are not seeing the Kingdom then I need to stop and look at what path I am on and whether I am wheat or a weed.

I also love Jesus words to the disciples. If you are true scribes and disciples of the Kingdom then you will give out treasures to others. This was a promise to the first disciples that echoes down to us. These men/boys were disciples of Jesus, and so the Kingdom. They were students of the Old Testament. When Jesus said this He knew where their lives would go. He knew they were going to build the early church and either write elements of or share stories that would become our New Testament. They didn't!

Who knows what gems we will give to others. But what we do know is this, if we are true disciples of the Kingdom and we study the bible, then we will have security (own our spiritual house) and there will be treasures to share. Just you wait and see.

Laura