A few days ago I had to collect some medication from the pharmacy of our local hospital. Thinking that it opened at 8.00 a.m I arrived at the Pharmacy only to find that it opened at 9.00, so I was an hour early!
My first thought was to head to the restaurant for a coffee and maybe some breakfast, but felt prompted as I passed the Faith and Belief Room to go in. Although I had passed this room many times, I had never been inside so I was curious to discover what it was like.
As I entered, I felt a wonderful sense of peace and wonder, and the beauty of it was arresting. God’s presence was almost tangible. There was a simple but beautiful display comprised of a rough wooden cross and Nativity figures of the shepherds worshipping the newborn baby Jesus, with a stained glass window of deep blue behind it. At one side was a small Christmas tree decorated with prayer cards written by people asking God for help and healing for loved ones who were ill, awaiting operations or medical procedures. Also on the tree were prayers of thanksgiving, thanking God for physical recoveries and successes either for themselves or others. One card simply said. ‘Thank you, God, for saving my life.’
A simple prayer tree decorated with heart-felt prayers
In this moment I felt the Holy Spirit touching me and found myself in tears as into my mind flashed a fresh realisation of how God had cared for me and my family over the past year. A year ago, my husband had been seriously ill in Intensive care and the prayers of many dear friends and family were instrumental, I believe, in his recovery. I believe God rescued him. I breathed a prayer of thanks for God’s goodness and also for His provision and care through the year for each of my children in their different circumstances.
Another God-thought came to me as I looked at the Prayer Tree. It was as if I was given a sudden download of hope for the world. We are in dark times and in our modern secular society it can seem as though few people have hope in God any more. Yet the little Prayer Tree with its simple but heartfelt prayers proved that this is not the case! I sensed God saying, ‘many people hope and trust in Me. Just look at these prayers! My light is shining in this dark world. I am the hope. Do not be discouraged! Shine your light to those around you, sharing the hope that you have in Me.’
I felt compelled to sit and soak in this moment, drinking in the simple yet profound truth portrayed by the Prayer Tree. I had sensed God’s pleasure in the prayers people had offered and the simplicity of it struck me. God does not need long complicated prayers, but rather He loves the ordinary, sometimes desperate prayers, which come from the heart of those who seek Him. Looking at the shepherd figures in sackcloth depicted in the Nativity display I was impacted by the truth that God revealed Himself first to humble shepherds, the lowest of the low in that society. Social class, position, education and worldly success are of no relevance in God’s kingdom. It is a humble and contrite heart which He requires and responds to.
At the other side of the Nativity display was another prayer tree, this one being more like a branch than a tree. On it were more prayers. As I looked at it I felt prompted to write a prayer offering to God the future for my family in the year ahead, thanking Him for His goodness in 2023 and looking forward with hope and expectation to His leading and guidance in 2024.
I felt prompted to write a prayer offering the future to God
As I wrote the prayer, the scripture Isaiah 43: 18-21 came to mind:
‘ Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. Behold, I am doing a new thing. Now it springs up: do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. ‘ Isaiah 43: 18-21 (NIV)
I chose to leave behind not the good memories of how God had been faithful to us, but the fears and anxieties of the past, and to take His hand and walk forward with Him.
A few moments later I left the Faith and Belief Room and walked a few yards along the corridor to the restaurant, where I had intended to go earlier. I noted with some amusement that it opened at 9.00, confirming that God really had wanted me to go into that beautiful room and spend some time in prayer. I still had half an hour before the Pharmacy opened, so I went into the restaurant and enjoyed some bacon and egg, still pondering over my encounter with God in the prayer room and thanking Him for the prompt to go in. I am so glad that I responded and didn’t walk past.
It is my intention to look for the treasures God has prepared for me each day as I go into the new year. Will you do the same?
It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; He enables me to stand on the heights.(Psalm 18: 32,33: NIV)
A Deer on a Mountain – photo by Marco Forno
Want to scale the heights?
This passage was one of my daily readings recently. After reading it, I prayed that God would lead and guide me along the path He has chosen for me, giving me the strength and ability to be faithful in the tasks He has entrusted me with and enabling me to reach the ‘heights’ necessary to fulfil my God-given destiny.
Pausing, I asked Him if there was anything He wanted to say or show me in response to my request. Expecting something warm and encouraging in response, I was a little taken aback to see Jesus holding out a pair of muddy, tatty old shoes to me, with a look of impatience as He turned as if to walk away.
He was holding out my comfortable old shoes
Time to change
I recognised the shoes as my favourite casual canvas shoes, very old and comfortable, which I use for walking locally. A little hesitantly I asked , ‘Lord, they’re my own old shoes…. what are you saying to me?’ As I waited and listened, I sensed that He was showing me that these shoes, although comfy and familiar, had to be replaced with stronger, more weather-proof ones if I wanted to be properly equipped for the journey ahead. If I was to ‘scale heights’ and travel along difficult terrain I must be prepared to let Him show me changes that had to be made in my thinking and attitudes.
Overcoming fear
In my spirit I knew that fear is something I need to overcome in many areas, particularly in the area of being afraid to confront or speak truth if it might ‘rock the boat’ or cause people to feel uncomfortable. Also being afraid to share the gospel for fear of what people might think. ‘Lord, I said ,’I’m sorry. Please help me to overcome my fears and have courage. I really want to travel with You and fulfil my destiny. I don’t want to miss out in any way because of fear. Please give me the right shoes.’ In reply, I sensed Him smile and say, ‘Good. Come on then. There is much to d0 and time is short.’
Forgiveness
After further prayer and waiting on Him I realised that there were people I needed to forgive, including myself, from past hurts and situations. I also needed to break agreement with the lie that I am insignificant and have nothing worthwhile to offer and that nothing I do or say will make any difference. The Lord also showed me that there were ways in which I had behaved towards others which it was necessary to confess and ask forgiveness for, not only to God, but to the people I had hurt. This was challenging and humbling, but with God’s help I was able to do it and the result was a sense of freedom and release. I know there is more to do, and I trust God to bring about opportunities in His timing for these conversations, believing He will give me the grace, humility and courage I will need to be obedient.
Dependence on God for strength
Since then, I have found that I have become a little bolder. I was given the courage to give out gospel tracts and speak with greater confidence and authority, hearing God’s voice more clearly, so I believe the change has begun, albeit with small steps. But I believe we must really want to break through and not settle for staying in our comfort zones. It is imperative that we depend totally on God for our strength, as it is all too easy to slip back into independent mode.
For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control]. (2 Timothy 1: 7 – Amplified Bible)
The wonderful truth that , as children of God, we are no longer slaves to fear is beautifully expressed in the song‘No Longer Slaves’ by Tasha Cobbs Leonard. In our ongoing battle we need to renew our minds by believing and declaring this truth, knowing in our spirit that ‘greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world'(1 John 4:4 )
Intimacy is the key
Photo by Ben White Intimacy with God in the secret place of prayer
The key, I believe, is to stay in close relationship with Him, spending time with Him in the ‘secret place’. If we make this a priority in our lives and share our thoughts with Him we will learn to hear what is on His heart as well. Through this will come revelation as He shines His light in every corner of our hearts, showing us areas where He needs to work and steps of obedience we need to take. It may be uncomfortable but He is totally for us, and as we learn to yield to Him we will experience deeper peace, hope and joy as we walk forward into the destiny He had planned for us.
The way ahead
If, like me, you desire to ‘scale the heights’ and fulfil the destiny God has planned for you, then I encourage you to spend time in that ‘secret place’. Just as He revealed to me the steps I needed to take – overcoming fear, forgiving others, repenting of wrong attitudes and mindsets and breaking agreement with the enemy’s lies – so He will also highlight to you the areas in your life which He wants to deal with. It is so wonderful to know that He is on our side and is ready and waiting to help us!
May God bless you in your journey with Him and may He provide you with shoes fit for the purpose!
Christmas is over for another year, yet before we take down the decorations and cards let us reflect briefly once again on the Nativity scene. We can all picture it. It is so familiar to us, with Mary, Joseph, shepherds, angels, wise men, animals, and of course baby Jesus in the manger. We can learn something from all the characters; their faith, trust, obedience and worship. But let us focus on the central character- Jesus Himself, whose birth over 2,000 years ago is the reason we celebrate this season.
photo by Nick Fewings
For many people, Jesus as a baby is how they think of Him, not really seeing much beyond the Nativity story. But the glorious truth of the Christmas message is that Jesus is Emmanuel– God with us.
The Light of the World
The Light of the World by William Holman Hunt
The famous picture ‘The Light of the World’ by William Holman Hunt, depicts Jesus, not as a baby but as a man, standing at a door, holding a light, knocking, waiting for a response. He will not force His way in.
Jesus was God’s gift to us, the Light of the World, the fulfilment of prophecy, the Saviour, Messiah, Emmanuel, God with us. Through His life, death and resurrection He has made a way for us to be forgiven, reconciled with God and to have abundant, eternal life.
‘Behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will come in and eat with him and he with me. ‘ (Revelation 3:20 NIV)
A Life-changing Promise
This is such a wonderful promise! It is life-changing. If anyone responds to Jesus knocking on their heart’s door and welcomes Him in He will come in and have fellowship with them. To think that He loves us that much, uniquely, and when He resides in us He will make all things new. But there is a handle only on one side of the door. We have to actively open the door and receive Him.
In the picture there are weeds and brambles around the door. Probably inside also there is dust, dirt, mess and clutter, representing the sin, fears, confusion and lack of peace which have the upper hand in the lives of those who have not received Jesus. Many people feel that they have to get their mess sorted out and clean up their act before they can ask Jesus in, but He accepts us as we are. No one is worthy, yet from the moment we ask Him in, His presence is with us. As we spend time with Him, talking and sharing with Him, feeding on His word, He works in us and changes us – it becomes a partnership rather than us striving alone to get everything right.
What a change He makes!
He brings grace, forgiveness from sin and an assurance of eternity with Him.
He gives a promise that He will always be with us, loves us unconditionally and He is a perfect Father.
He gives purpose to our lives – and courage to pursue that purpose.
He brings hope, even in the darkest times. Nicky Gumbel in a commentary in The Bible in One Year says, ‘As we have studied the entire Bible throughout the year, we have seen that we should not expect an easy life. The Bible is true to real life. Life involves many struggles, trials, tests, temptations, difficulties and battles. Yet, in Christ you can be an overcomer, through God’s love ‘. I have some dear friends who have gone through and are currently going through struggles, challenges, traumas and disappointments of many kinds; loss, bereavement, unemployment, debilitating health issues, rejection, relationship breakdown and more, yet each one has testified to the transforming presence of Jesus in their lives, giving strength, comfort and hope.
Life involves many struggles, trials, tests, temptations, difficulties and battles. Yet, in Christ you can be an overcomer, through God’s love
Nicky Gumbel
He gives direction and encouragement when we are in a time of confusion and don’t know how to pray, whether for ourselves or someone else.
I recently watched a talk from Kris Vollaton of Bethel Church, sharing a word he had received from God about living by faith. He said that sometimes, those of us who have been Christians for many years can slip into discouragement over prayers which are apparently unanswered about people or situations which never seem to change. Sometimes to the extent that we have almost given up. The word was to keep going, keep asking, keep knocking, like the Parable of the persistent widow and the judge (Luke 18: 1-8). Keep believing, and He will give direction how to pray.
I have situations like that in my life and I know many others who do too. I will briefly share one situation. Someone very dear to me is currently going through a time of difficulty following a big disappointment which has led to fear, lack of confidence and uncertainty about the future. I have felt helpless, not knowing how to help or how to pray effectively. I brought the situation to the Lord and asked Him to show me how He saw it. He showed me a picture of Himself as the good shepherd, and I was walking beside Him. We were walking along a path in a valley. With one hand He was gently leading me and talking to me and with His other arm he was carrying a lamb, which I realised was my loved one. Although the path was quite winding and hilly in places, I could see that there was a way out and we were walking towards it. This gave me a great sense of peace, hope and comfort to know that Jesus knew and cared and my loved one was safe in His arms.
Jesus is with us in the valley
Jesus Stepped into our World
What a Saviour we have! The Son of God came down to our world, our mess, brokenness, dirt, clutter and lived like one of us. Just as we do, He experienced pain, fear, disappointment, poverty, rejection and even death. Yet He reached out to us, seeking us out personally and rescuing us.
As we transition into another year I really sense that God wants us to take the opportunity to share His love and the reality of God With Us to those who do not know Him. In this age of secularism let us pray that the light of Christ will break into the hearts of many who need to be rescued and have never considered Him before except as perhaps a picture of a baby on a Christmas card. Let us ask the Lord to give us a fresh encounter with the risen Lord Jesus and to show us ways, however small, that we can show His love and bring His light into the lives of those around us.
Invite Him in today
Jesus truly is the Light of the World. He came to save us. If you have never opened the door of your heart and asked Jesus to come into your life, I invite you to do so now by praying a simple prayer. I trust that you will experience true joy and peace as you grow in your relationship with Him.
Recently I watched a TV report on the Australian bush fires which took place in late 2019. The horror of it struck me when a lady described how she and her family received a phone call informing them that they had ten minutes in which to leave their house and drive to safety, as the fires were coming dangerously close.
Image by Karsten Winegeart
I tried to imagine how I would react if I were to receive such an urgent warning. I could picture the panic and terror as I rushed around in a frenzied attempt to gather together essential things and get everyone out and into the car. Unless I had had the forethought to have bags packed, ready and waiting by the door there would be a great risk of not making it to safety in time, as precious minutes and seconds would be lost. The consequences of such a delay would be too awful to contemplate.
Panic
Watching this report reminded me of a dream I had. I rarely remember dreams but this one was particularly vivid. In the dream I was due to travel to Sweden to visit my daughter, but on arrival at the airport I discovered to my horror that I had forgotten my passport. In fact, I have a dread of this happening every time I travel by air. That feeling of desperation at the thought of me or a member of my family not being allowed to board the flight strikes my heart with fear.
Image by Sincerely Media
The Rapture
Yet one day, which could be close, an event will occur for which failure to be ready will be far more devastating than missing a flight. The consequences will have implications for our eternal destiny. The event to which I am referring is the Rapture of the Church. Jesus will call His Bride, the Church, to meet Him in the air and be with Him in Heaven. The Bible says this will happen in the twinkling of an eye. (1 Corinthians 15: 51, 52) (Matthew 24: 42- 44) All across the world people will disappear, and many will be left behind. Unlike the phone call giving a ten minute window for escape there will be no time to rush around getting ready. Our assurance for inclusion in this instantaneous exit needs to be secured in advance. No-one, not even Jesus, knows the day or the hour when He will call His Bride.
How can we be ready?
So, who will be taken? What are the qualifications? How can we ‘be ready’?
My answer may seem simplistic, but this is what I believe based on Bible study, trusted and reliable teaching, and the witness of the Holy Spirit in my heart. Simply put, I believe there are two requirements:
To have accepted Jesus as our Saviour, repenting of sin and receiving God’s forgiveness
To be in relationship with Jesus and seek to remain close to Him, allowing the Holy Spirit to change us
Salvation through Jesus is our ‘passport’.
We need to have repented of our sins and received Jesus Christ as our Saviour, believing that He died on the cross to pay the penalty for our wrong-doing. Living a good life, going to church, being baptised and doing good works will not qualify us without having received Jesus in our lives. This is the foundation of our faith and the platform upon which the rest of our lives is played out, after being ‘born again’. Rather than being a single event which we then forget about and resume our old ways, this decision to follow Jesus and receiving Him into our lives is the beginning of a journey of sanctification as we enter into a relationship with Him. A more in-depth consideration of this may be found in my post ‘Why do we need Jesus?’ .
Our Christian journey begins
The Christian journey is like a race Image by Capstone Events
Hebrews 12: 1-3 describes it this way: ‘Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. …..
Keep going
It is clear from this passage that in order to complete this journey successfully, discipline and perseverance are necessary. There will be times when it is not easy and we will be tempted to give up. Everyone’s journey will be unique, with different difficulties and challenges, but the goal will be the same for all of us – to complete the race and receive the eternal reward which is given to those who are faithful.
The Holy Spirit is our helper
Does this sound impossible? The good news is that we do not have to do this alone! God has given us the Holy Spirit to help us. Being filled and led by the Holy Spirit is the key, as we seek to live a life of obedience and surrender to God as our relationship with Him grows.
This is a life-long process, and as we learn to love Him more, He will show us areas in our lives which need to change. All our ‘works’ should flow from a close, intimate relationship with Him and there will be good fruit in our lives; fruit of the Spirit, which are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self- control. It is not so much a checklist of things we must achieve or attitudes we have to adopt, but a change which occurs over time as our relationship with Him grows. Evidence of this will be seen in a number of ways, which will include a quickness to forgive, repenting of wrong thoughts, actions or attitudes, care and concern for others, and seeking to honour God by working faithfully at the specific tasks He has prepared for us, using the skills and talents He has gifted us with.
Do we have to be perfect?
It is not a question of being perfect.. if that were the case then no-one would qualify. I believe it is about walking closely with Him and allowing Him to change us by His love, letting His Spirit work within us. God knows our weaknesses. He is a loving Father and if good earthly parents are patient with their children, providing support and encouragement at every stage of their growth and development, how much more will our Heavenly Father, who is perfect, do for us?
It could be very near
Although no-one can be certain when the Rapture will occur, we can be aware of the times and seasons we are in, and there is no doubt that we are living in a time of turmoil. The End Times is a large topic and it is not my intention to talk about it in detail here. Further information may be found at the end of the article.
Don’t delay
Those left behind at the Rapture will have to endure the most terrible times the world has ever known in a 7 year period of time known as the Tribulation. Of this, the second half, the Great Tribulation, will be the most intense. It will still be possible to repent, believe and receive Jesus during this time, and the Bible foretells that many will do so. But why wait and face the horrors of the Tribulation when the way to forgiveness, salvation and a right relationship with God are available to us now? God longs that everyone should come to Him in repentance and know Him and the way has been made open through Jesus.
Photo by Annie Spratt Make sure you have your passport
When applying for a passport or getting one renewed, often there is a waiting period, and getting documentation for travel can be a stressful and anxious experience, heightened by the fear that it won’t be ready in time. But our passport to Heaven will be given to us the moment we make a decision to accept Jesus as Saviour and Lord and receive forgiveness for our sins. I would urge you to ask Him into your life today – do not delay. He longs for you to come to Him and receive His love and forgiveness. He does not want anyone to perish.
Our passport to Heaven will be given to us the moment we make a decision to accept Jesus as Saviour and Lord and receive forgiveness for our sins.
It is my hope and prayer that you will take this step of faith to ensure your eternal salvation.
‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will come in and eat with him and he with me.’ (Rev: 3:20 NIV)
I love spending time with a close friend or family member. Although it is lovely to have family gatherings or times with groups of friends, there is something very special about a one-to-one with someone you are close to. What I really enjoy is sitting in a café with a cup of coffee and slice of cake, having quality time with someone, particularly one of my children, who are now all adults.
During lockdown I have found plenty of things to do and have started new projects, this blog being one of them. At times I have been rather too busy and have found myself getting stressed, finding it hard to focus on one thing at a time and often not completing anything. My quiet times with God have also become another thing to fit in and at times have felt quite dry.
Then God stepped in: A book had been recommended to me, called ‘Encountering the God who heals’ by John Ryeland of the Christian Healing Mission. One chapter of this book begins with the scripture verse quoted at the beginning of this article – Revelation 3:20: ‘ If anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will come in and eat with him and he with me.’ This verse says that Jesus has said He will eat with us – we will sit together, eat together, enjoy each other’s company; it will not be frantic and rushed, interrupted or cut short by having to dash off. This time with Him will feed us and sustain us through the day. It is, in essence, essential to experiencing His peace in our hearts and to receive His help and guidance in all our activities.
John Ryeland writes, “it is this sense of eating together that is what we miss out on. It sums up the quality of fellowship and friendship that describes what our relationship with Jesus should be like- it should be like eating with Him. This is what Jesus thinks is normal fellowship……. Fellowship is all about an ongoing relationship with Jesus – as close as Him eating with us.”
Fellowship is all about an ongoing relationship with Jesus – as close as Him eating with us.”
John Ryeland
The idea of ‘eating with Jesus’ really attracted me, so I put aside my various Bible study guides, set prayers and normal quiet time routines and simply ‘had breakfast with Jesus.’ I would eat my cereal then sit back with a cup of coffee and talk to Jesus. I would ask Him what He would like to say to me. Then I would listen for His answer, which could come in the form of a thought, a sense or impression, a picture, or a scripture. If there was something causing me concern I would tell Him about it and ask what He would like to say to me about it. I would write down the conversations and look back over them. After doing this for a few days I began to find it very real and releasing, finding that I had a greater awareness of His presence with me.
The joy and pleasure of sitting with Jesus is something we need to seek after daily, not only on certain occasions. We need to feed on Him, listen to Him, hear His words of love and encouragement to us. We need physical food regularly, not only when we need extra help or to get us through a difficult day. It is the same with our spiritual food.
We know how it feels to converse with someone who is always clock-watching or not really listening. Maybe we are guilty of this ourselves. Jesus wants us to savour every moment with Him, digesting every word He speaks. He wants us to commune with Him as a friend, sometimes speaking but also listening. He does not want us to rush in with a list of requests, but to simply be with Him, sharing our hearts and letting Him share His.
I have found that this gives me freedom from the ‘have-tos’ – I have to pray those set prayers, do that devotional, read those prescribed Bible passages, etc. Although Bible study aids and prepared materials are useful and the Holy Spirit can speak through them, I am discovering that just ‘eating with Jesus’ has brought a fresh life to my quiet times. I can really tune in to Him and what He has to say to me and the start of the day and I then sense His presence with me throughout the remainder of the day.
Let me encourage you to spend quality time with Him.
Eat breakfast with Jesus.
John Ryeland has produced some beautiful meditations which draw us into the presence of Jesus.
It is delightful to see a vase of flowers, hand -picked, carefully selected and lovingly arranged to create something of beauty, which brings peace, joy and a sense of well-being to those who see it. It brings a lovely touch to any room.
Recently my husband and I celebrated our Ruby Wedding Anniversary. Our children very thoughtfully planned a surprise tea party and presented us with a stunning bouquet as a gift. As I enjoyed the flowers over the next few days a thought formed in my mind: the flowers made me think of a family or group of people. Each flower is unique, a masterpiece. Although lovely on its own, when it is one of a bouquet it is part of an overall effect. The flowers together complement one another to create a specific presentation or image. The designer has a purpose in mind and knows just how to arrange them so that none overshadows another, so colours blend well or contrast effectively, so each flower can be seen to its best advantage.
God is the master Designer. Each member of a family is unique and has a specific purpose which no-one else can fulfil. He planned the gender and unique character of each one, and the position of each one in the family is no accident. However, I also have a sense that the family as a whole has a God-given purpose and destiny; the individual members, like flowers which make up a bouquet, complement one another to make a strong and united unit which God can use for His purposes.
Choosing names for our children can be exciting but also quite challenging as we consider our preferences and also the meanings. In the Bible, great importance and significance is given to names. There are many instances when an individual is given a name which reflects their God-given destiny. Peter is one example of this, when Jesus says in Matthew 16:18, “Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.” (New Living Translation) Jacob, in the Old Testament, was renamed Israel, which means ‘wrestles with God’. (Genesis 32:28) If the names of individuals carry such significance, could it also be that the family name bears a similar meaning? That is an interesting thought, but suffice it to say that God’s desire is for families to be united in love, supporting one another in serving Him together and encouraging each individual to pursue their unique gifting to fulfil the purpose He has for them.
Parents, pray for your children and help them discover their God-given gifts and talents. Do all you can to nurture and encourage them. Pray for them to know and love Jesus as their Saviour, teaching and encouraging them in the ways of the Lord.
Seek the Lord for what is on His heart for your family. Are there hindrances to family unity and love? Pray for healing of relationships and allow forgiveness to flow between you. Examine your own heart for anything which may be preventing God’s love and healing from flowing. Call out the God –given destiny for each person and the family as a whole, that God may be glorified.
Photo by Nathan Dunlao
A prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father,Thank you for placing me in a family and for each member of that family.I offer each one to you, that we may all know You and fulfil the plans and purposes you have for us. May our family bring You joy and delight as we love and serve you individually and together.In Jesus’ Name,Amen.
“It will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. The he went on his journey. The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. So also, the one with two talents gained two more. But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
“After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more’. “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ “The man with two talents also came. ‘Master,’ he said, you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.’ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
“Then the man who had received the one talent came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you had not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you. ‘ “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
” ‘Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ (Matthew 25: 14-30) NIV
In this parable we read of how three servants are held accountable to their master for the way they use the ‘talents’ he has entrusted them with. Two of them please the master with the good returns they have made with his investment, but the third receives an angry and condemning response because of his lack of responsibility and having nothing to show for the talent he had been given. Whenever I read this story I feel at best uneasy and at worse, terrified. Although I know I am a child of God, I struggle to understand how the master’s response equates to the loving, forgiving character of Jesus. I’m sure that I am not alone in experiencing this confusion.
To clarify, the master clearly represents Jesus, who will return to earth one day to claim His Church. The servants represent those who claim to be followers of Christ. The talents represent everything that God has given us. In the story, the talents were sums of money but for us I believe they can mean our time, wealth, skills and abilities, interests, characteristics and personal qualities, spiritual insights and revelation. Our whole lives, in fact.
Essentially, this parable is about stewardship. We are told that each of us will be required to give account of our lives and how we have stewarded that which the master has blessed us with. On this basis will be decided our eternal reward.
Each of us will be required to give account of our lives and how we have stewarded that which the master has blessed us with.
As we unpack the meaning of this parable we will consider WHY we should use our talents, WHAT our talents are, WHAT MIGHT STOP US from using them, and HOW we can use them well, living our lives in a way that is pleasing to the Master.
WHY should we use our talents?
We have already seen that we will have to give an account of our lives. When we receive Jesus as Saviour, our lives are no longer ours – they are His, and we are accountable to Him for how we live and use the talents He has gifted us with. Are we using them only for our own pleasure, or to extend His kingdom and for His glory?
The scriptures make it clear that God knows and loves each one of us and that we are unique individuals with a specific calling on our lives that no-one else can fulfil. Psalm 139, a well-known and well-loved Psalm, says ‘When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be’. (Psalm 139: 16). In Ephesians 2:10 we are told, ‘For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do’.
We are unique individuals with a specific calling on our lives that no-one else can fulfil.
WHAT are our talents and how can we recognise them?
Here are some questions to ask ourselves:
What blessings do we have? What has God given us and blessed us with? Do we have a home, food, a job? Christian fellowship, teaching and resources? Not everyone has these things. Let’s be thankful for what we have and ask how we could share them with others and use them for God’s kingdom.
What are our responsibilities? Raising a family, managing a home, earning a living, serving in church will all feature largely for most of us. I believe responsibilities and duties can be fulfilled with an attitude of joy and are an important part of serving God and using our talents.
What are we naturally good at? Is it administrating, organising, teaching, practical skills, technology? Whatever it is, it is a gift from God which He wants us to use.
What tasks and activities give us joy? When am I in my element? For some, it might be a creative talent such as gardening, cooking, designing, painting, or music. For others it might be helping and encouraging, serving, visiting or giving practical care and support. Again, God will have put this passion in us and wants us to use it.
As we reflect on these things a picture will emerge of just how much God has blessed us and also the things that make us uniquely the person God created us to be.
I will share a bit of my own story here: One Sunday, about ten years ago, my vicar preached on this parable. I felt the Holy Spirit convict me that I should use my gift of music and songwriting to extend the kingdom of God. I am naturally quite reserved and do not like being in the spotlight so it was a challenge, but I spoke to the vicar and shared what God had put on my heart. He gave me opportunities to use my songs and music in church and I began to place my musical talent in God’s hands and allow Him to use it as he desired.
WHAT MIGHT STOP US from using our talents?
There are many reasons, I believe, but I think most will fall into one of the following categories:
FEAR: The third servant did not know the master; he had no relationship with Him and allowed fear to direct his actions. Fear of failure resulted in him making no effort and therefore producing no fruit. Could it be that we too do not use our talents because we are fearful? Perhaps we are afraid of failure or rejection, or of not being as good as others? Maybe we are afraid of being punished for not doing well enough, as the servant was. But the Bible tells us: ‘There is no fear in love, for perfect love casts out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.’( 1 John 4: 18).
The third servant did not know the master; he had no relationship with Him and allowed fear to direct his actions.
Sometimes, fear may stem from condemning or critical words spoken over us in the past, words such as ‘’you’re useless, you’ll never amount to anything”. We may have been harshly criticised or punished for making mistakes, resulting in damaged confidence and a crushed spirit. In order to protect ourselves from further hurt we may play it safe and not do anything which takes us out of our comfort zone. If we have been crushed in this way, there is healing available through the Holy Spirit.
LOW SELF-WORTH – I have nothing worthwhile to offer: You may feel you can’t do anything particularly well. Or poor health and limited capacity may restrict what you are able to do. But I believe everyone, no matter what their situation, can do something. My dad, in his later years lived in a care home, and although he couldn’t go out due to his poor mobility, he chose to devote time each day in praying faithfully for his family, the Church, the nation, and the carers and patients in the home. He also befriended another elderly resident, praying with her every day and talking to her about Jesus. He really let his light shine.
TIME PRESSURE: Being over-pressurised and too busy is a very common reason for not using our talents to the full. Do you ever feel that your life is so busy that you are trying to keep dozens of plates spinning? The question to ask in this situation is; why am I doing what I do? Does God actually want me to do all these things, or am I doing them for the wrong reason? We saw earlier that we have a unique role to play and purpose to fulfil. If we are too busy then we may miss the thing God has really called us to do. This topic is a whole subject in itself, but if we are over – pressurised, over- stressed and over- committed then we should stop and take a good long look at what makes us so busy and ask the Holy Spirit to show us which of these tasks and activities He wants us to continue and which we should put to one side or stop. This is an area in which I struggle and I am working through it with the Holy Spirit, to attain the peace and freedom He wants me to enjoy.
Do you ever feel that your life is so busy that you are trying to keep dozens of plates spinning?
The good news is that we do not have to live perfect lives in our own strength! Although we may struggle and fail many times, God gives us grace, mercy and help along the way. Despite all the obstacles we looked at, there is hope. The Holy Spirit is there to help us all the time! If we ask Him He will show us how we should be using our talents and how to do this without striving and being over busy. We can and should repent of failure to be good stewards and with the Holy Spirit’s help devote ourselves wholeheartedly to running the race He has set before us.
The most fundamental thing, I believe, is that we have a close personal relationship with Jesus. From an intimate relationship will flow love and trust and it is from this that our good works should come. Everything we do should come from a heart of love and a desire to serve Him, rather than from a sense of duty or fear of punishment. The things we do for Him should be a joy, not a drudgery. If we do not have this joy, we should ask Him why and receive the healing that He offers. If we spend time with Him we will know His heart. He will put His desires into our heart so they become our desires! So, if you have a desire to visit the sick or lonely people, help the homeless, write poetry or arrange flowers, God will have given you this desire.
From an intimate relationship with Jesus will flow love and trust and it is from this that our good works should come.
God has set us up for success
The Lord knows our potential and abilities and will not ask us to do anything He has not equipped us for. The three servants were not all given the same amount, so this suggests that the master had different expectations for each of them. The third servant failed because he had no relationship with the master. But we have been given every opportunity to enter into relationship with our Master through His sacrifice on the cross and His resurrection. The way is open for us. Let us choose to spend time in His presence and experience His love and grace as He helps us on the journey. Let us find the joy and peace that is available to us when we surrender to Him and gladly become partners with Him in extending the Kingdom of God. No matter what our weaknesses and failings are, or how old we are, it is never too late! He has set us up for success! I want to focus on the race God has set before me and not be distracted. I want Him to say to me, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” I pray that this will be true for all of us.
We have been given every opportunity to enter into relationship with our Master through His sacrifice on the cross and His resurrection. The way is open for us.
Prayer:
Father God, thank you that you know me intimately, you love me and have made me a unique individual with a special set of skills and talents. I surrender all that I am and have to you and ask that you will help me to use my God-given talents for your glory and complete the particular tasks that you have given me to do. I break agreement with fear and believe that your Holy Spirit will guide and equip me as I step out in obedience to you.
Jesus said, “Come unto Me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. “ (Matthew 20: 28-30) NIV
Are you trying to keep too many plates spinning?
There may be things which we long to do and we may desire to honour God by serving Him, but somehow the busy-ness of our life with its many pressures crowds in and we feel we are just surviving rather than truly living. Doing all the right things and ticking all the boxes can be exhausting, like keeping dozens of plates spinning or trying to juggle dozens of balls without dropping one, while in our heart we know that it is impossible to do everything right all the time. Yet Jesus said we can find rest. So how can we find this rest and remain in it?
‘Come unto me, all you who are weary and burdened‘
So take Him at His word and come to Him. Tell Him honestly how you are feeling, what your frustrations are, what you find difficult and ask for His help. Sit quietly and let Him speak to you. Focus your mind on Him
It is important, I feel, to take an honest look at how we spend our time and energy, evaluating our motives for doing what we do. It might be helpful to make a list of all tasks or activities that occupy your time on a regular basis. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you the true motives behind each one, then sort them into categories:
a) Essential activities: Which of them are things which are essential, such as caring for home and family, or work commitments?
b) Shoulds and oughts: Which of them are things that you do because you feel you should or ought to? Are there some that you do to impress or win approval from others, including God? Are you performance orientated, always feeling you have to tick all the boxes?
c) Activities for self – protection: Do you keep busy in order to fill a void in your life, or because you need to be needed? Maybe you want to avoid being alone with your thoughts. Maybe you think you have to hold everything together so you have no choice but to keep everything going, or your world may fall apart. Which of these tasks drain you or leave you feeling unfulfilled?
d) Things you want to do: How many of the things you do give you real joy and peace? How much time do you spend doing things you love because you know that is what you were born to do?
e) Things you are called to do: Which of your activities do you feel are a genuine calling from God?
Now look at the shoulds and oughts and the activities for self protection. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you the reasons behind why you feel the need to be over-busy.
Ask Him to show you if He wants you to continue with all the things you do, or if there is something you should stop. Is it time to take a different direction, share workloads or take a time of rest? Is there something you should be doing but are not, because you are too busy doing things you have not been called to do? When we come to Him in trust and surrender everything He will show us by His Spirit and give us a sense of what to do or not to do.
‘Take my yoke upon you’
A yoke is a piece of equipment which kept two oxen together, working side by side. While often thought of as being cumbersome and restrictive, when the two move in synchronisation with each other it is easy and effective. I believe this is what Jesus meant when He said ‘take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart’. When we are close to Him He will put thoughts and desires into our heart which we know in our spirit are from Him.
Sometimes the things we find challenging are things God wants us to persevere with and if this is the case He will equip us and give strength for the task. I feel it is a question of discerning when He is calling us to keep going and trust Him because He is shaping and refining us, and when He is saying it is time to stop. Again, this comes from intimacy and walking closely with Him. Often we do not yoke ourselves to Him, but live independently of Him, hearing these words and knowing them in our heads but not in our heart.
‘For my yoke is easy and my burden is light’
Many Christians I have discussed this with say that they know if a decision is right because they have a sense of peace, whereas they have no peace if their decision is not in line with God’s plans and purposes. This discernment is only to be found when we are in that place of intimacy with Jesus and in close relationship with Him. Walking in partnership with Him is a joy. We will have a sense of rightness in our spirit, and even when things are busy there will be a sense of purpose and excitement. This is what we will experience when we take His yoke upon us and the promise will be realised; You will find rest for your souls.
I have gone through two periods in my life where my employment was stressful and difficult. In the first of these, even though I wanted to quit, through prayer and spiritual counsel from Christian friends I felt that God would have me keep going because He was using this as a time of training in my life and strengthening of character. With His help I persevered and the result was greater skill, greater confidence in my work and a deeper trust and reliance on my Heavenly Father.
The second period of difficulty contained a different lesson and a different outcome. Again I was finding my work challenging and exhausting but this time God asked me to make a change and demonstrate my trust in Him by surrendering my work to Him. About two thirds of the way through this difficult year I attended a Christian conference where the speaker was teaching on Abraham and the test he faced of sacrificing his only son, Isaac, in response to God’s command. The speaker discerned that God was asking us to lay our ‘Isaacs’ on the altar and surrender them to God. The following day, in the presence of two close friends, I lay my job on the altar, offering it to the Lord as a sacrifice and trusting Him to give back whatever He chose, even if that meant nothing. I experienced great peace after doing this. Two days later I spoke to my employer and asked if I could reduce my days, adding that if this was not possible I would be prepared to hand in my notice, as I was finding my present commitment untenable. Amazingly, he replied that this might well be possible and a few days later he confirmed that I could work two days a week as another colleague also wanted to reduce her hours and her request fitted perfectly with mine, so we could job-share! What is more, it would be in an age group which I loved. The Lord had given me back the perfect amount of work, and the bonus of having my preferred age group was the cherry on the cake!
‘And you will find rest for your souls’
Following this decision I felt deep peace and the outworking of it confirmed to me that this was the Lord’s will for me at that time. The work was more manageable and enjoyable, providing space for me to rest and also to pursue other areas that God was prompting me to be involved in.
It is my hope and prayer that you too will find rest and peace as you allow the Lord to give you His perspective on your daily tasks. May the ‘burden’ that you carry be the one that He has tailor-made for you.
A Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
I thank you for the promise that Your yoke is easy and your burden is light. I place all my tasks and activities at Your feet and surrender them to You. Please show me clearly by Your Holy Spirit which of these are priorities and which I should consider putting down. May I have the courage to do this and experience peace and rest as I walk in close relationship with You.
Since the outbreak of Coronavirus there have been many prophecies and thoughts expressed about what is happening in the spiritual realm and what it means for the nations of the world. These include the following opinions:
It is from the Enemy and we must come against it in prayer.
The Church is being called to account – it is time to repent, wake up and stop teaching only what people want to hear at the expense of Biblical truth.
We are in the End Times and this is a warning that we must be ready. Darker times are ahead.
It is a judgement from God
God is allowing it and using it as a means of bringing people to Him
There is a huge spiritual harvest and revival on the way and the Church must be ready to disciple new converts.
While these varying messages can be confusing and even overwhelming there is no doubt that the world situation is frightening at many levels. I feel that there may be truth in all the above, but let us remember that all prophecy is in part. No-one, not even the most renowned prophets, has the complete picture of the future except God; not even Jesus knows the exact date of His return. The news and media focus only on what we see happening in the natural world, whereas prophesy is from the spiritual realm which the natural mind cannot understand.
Let us remember that all prophecy is in part.
So what should our attitude be?
Stay close to the Lord and focus on Him
Be mindful of prophecies but test them and do not make them into a doctrine.
Hear and discern what God is calling you to do and focus on that wholeheartedly.
Be aware of what is going on and what the Enemy is doing but don’t make it your focus.
Do not live in fear but receive strength and peace from the Lord.
The Labyrinth
While thinking about this I had a ‘picture’ of a labyrinth, an underground maze of dark, twisting tunnels. It was as though I was walking along these dark, confusing tunnels with no idea of which direction I was heading in or how to get out. Yet, I was holding onto a golden thread which guided me along the right path, and at each turn or fork I would follow the direction of the thread. The thread was all I had to give me any hope of coming out into the light. This is a powerful analogy, I believe, of the darkness and confusion our world is currently in. but our faith and trust in God as revealed in His Word, the Bible, and a close relationship with Him, together create the ‘golden thread’ which leads us to safety.
Our faith and trust in God as revealed in His Word, the Bible, and a close relationship with Him, together create the ‘golden thread’ which leads us to safety.
Hold on to it tightly!
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with its surging…Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. (Psalm 46: 1-3; 10,11) NIV
Here is a simple prayer that you can pray if you would sincerely like to receive Jesus as your Saviour and receive God’s forgiveness for sin. If you pray this from the heart then you will receive forgiveness, peace and love that will transform your life.
Dear God,
I admit that I am a sinner, living independently of you, and I need your forgiveness. I believe that Jesus Christ died in my place paying the penalty for my wrongdoing. I choose right now to turn from my sin and accept Jesus as my personal saviour and Lord. I commit my life to you and ask you to send the Holy Spirit into my life, to fill me and to help me become the person you want me to be. Thank you, Father God, for loving me.
