Weekend Words

 

From Be Still and Know...

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace.  In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

Jesus' earthly ministry was coming to a close.  Just before His betrayal, He spent His last evening with his disciples.  He knew they would encounter difficult days ahead, days filled with trouble and trials.  He encouraged them by saying, "I have told you all this so that you will have peace of heart and mind.  Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows, but cheer up, for I have overcome the world" (John 16:33, LB).

Since those words were spoken nearly two thousand years ago, there have been few intervals of peace on earth.  Many conferences have been held to draft plans for world peace, but none have resulted in a state of peace.

Since we have not been promised freedom from tribulation, we need not be surprised when trials overtake us.  The Lord Jesus Christ told us to expect them.  He said, "In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration" (Amplified).

We need not panic when tribulation comes, for we are promised peace.  This peace is in a person.  Jesus said, "IN ME you may have perfect peace and confidence ... be of good cheer - take courage, be confident, certain, undaunted - for I have overcome the world. - I have deprived it of power to harm, have conquered it [for you]" (Amplified).

"IN ME" ye shall have peace.  The source of this peace is Jesus Christ Himself.  We read in Ephesians 2:14, "He is our peace ..."  We can have His peace at all times of conflict, confusion, and chaos; in the midst of insurmountable problems; in times of sickness; in times when our lives are filled with tension, turmoil, and trouble.  Our peace is in HIM, not our circumstances.

In the midst of our trials we can "BE OF GOOD CHEER."  Why?  Because Jesus said, "I have overcome the world."  He accomplished this by His death and resurrection.  In Him we can be triumphant.

In the world - tribulation!!

In Me - Peace!

From Beside the Still Waters...

Facing Perilous Times - Read Psalm 37: 1-25

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me." - Psalm 23:4

Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 3:1 that "in the last days perilous times shall come."  Perilous times are hazardous and dangerous.  David said in verse 1 of today's Bible reading that a common reaction when facing something perilous is to fret.  Then he explained that fretting is something a child of God should not do.

We might respond by saying, "But David wouldn't have understood the extremity of my situation."  So perhaps we should consider what David's lifetime experiences consisted of.  To me they seem very perilous!  Usually our path is not physically perilous, but it certainly has spiritual perils.

Notice in today's Bible reading the great advantage that the godly have as they travel on a perilous path.  Their goal is eternal life whereas the wicked are focused on earthly things.  It is very encouraging to notice the secure stepping stones that God provides for His children during perilous times.

Step 1: "Trust in the Lord."  As we take this step, we also do good.

Step 2: "Delight thyself also in the Lord."  The natural path of mankind is to delight in selfish, carnal activities.  

Step 3: "Commit thy way unto the Lord."  This difficult step of commitment means rolling everything over into the Lord's care.

Step 4: "Rest in the Lord."  This can be the experience of all who are godly.

Consider the path of the ungodly: fear, worry, frustration, hopelessness.  This is in direct contrast to the path of the godly: trusting, delighting, committing, resting.  God has provided clear instructions for a safe journey through perilous times.

- Joseph Kuepfer - Newton, ON

"He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake." - Psalm 23:3

Weekend Words

 

From Be Still and Know...

"Is there any word from the Lord?" - Jeremiah 37:17

One day I took some copy material to our Publishing Department to be proofread.  In a short time one of our staff called me.  She was laughing as I answered the phone.  One section of my material was entitled "Bible Reading Meditation."  In error I had typed it "Bible Reading MEDICATION."  I replied, "Bible reading medication should develop into a good idea for a devotional."

As we administer medication to bring relief to the body, so God's Word applied to our lives can bring relief for our spiritual ailments.  

The Bible is relevant to the personal needs of our lives.  Within its pages are prescriptions that bring spiritual health.  It relieves the pain of the heart; it brings quietness to the disturbed mind; it supplies strength for the body.

As each day is a new day, filled with new needs, we should begin the day by asking, "Is there any Word from the Lord for ME today?"

We can be assured that He does have a Word for us for each day.  However, just reading it, or even memorizing it is not enough.  We must assimilate it and let it become a part of our lives.

Each day as I open His Word, I ask Him for something especially for me.  Sometimes I stop at a single word or phrase.  Other times I read an entire verse, several verses, or a chapter.  Then I meditate on what He speaks to me from it.  I consider how I need to apply it to my life.  I make notes in a notebook on the thoughts He has given me.  Then I pray over it for my life.  It is with excitement that I go to Him for His Word for me.

He has something for you from His Word daily.  Pray as you begin reading that the Holy Spirit will give you what you need.  

Andrew Murray said, "The vigor of our spiritual life will be in exact proportion to the place held by the Word in your life and thoughts."

Has some verse or portion from His Word become yours today? 

From A Year's Journey with God...

Amazing Grace

"There is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." - Acts 4:12

How sweet the name of Jesus sounds in a believer's ear!

It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds, and drives away his fears.

Weak is the effort of my heart, and cold my warmest thought;

But when I see Thee as thou art, I'll praise Thee as I ought.

It is almost unbelievable that those words were written by a man who had once been the captain of a slave ship, notorious for his violence and cruelty.  John Newton's mother taught him about Jesus and His 'Amazing Grace' and prayed earnestly for him, but as she lay dying, when John was only seven, she might well have wondered how he could possibly survive spiritually in the care of his godless, sea-captain father.  How she would have hated the diabolically evil trade that became his life; yet her prayers were eventually answered during a terrible storm, when John remembered her faith and cried out to her God.  Later, in his cabin, he committed the rest of his life to serving Him.  I love John Newton's most famous hymn, 'Amazing Grace'; it demonstrates that grace by showing us that God not only saved John for a life of service, but made him His intimate friend.

If you have been praying for one of your grown-up children for years and are feeling discouraged because they have turned their backs on God, let the story of John Newton and his mother's prayers restore your hope today.

On the home front (and a day out)...

 Had Marnie staying last weekend, so we had a day out in Launceston on the Saturday.  We had a fish and chips lunch at Seaport to fortify us for shopping...

I bought a new dress...

A new book...

And 2 balls of wool so I can sew the 35 granny squares together and finish off a blanket...

I was able to get the yellow wool for Hazel's cardigan at the wool shop in Latrobe (The Yarn Inn), and Marnie brought it with her when she came...

Back home, and I've made a start sewing the squares together...

And also on Hazel's cardigan...

Baked more bread...

And another bread and butter pudding, this time using some carrot and oat muffins from the freezer, instead of the bread...

Really enjoying the THIS book...

And picked up these two from the library this morning...

I've borrowed the Down to Earth one before, but didn't get it finished

The weather has been very up and down...

sunny one day

cloudy the next

I thought you might enjoy this little song.  From some folks I know who live in the south of the state.  I've visited them a few times over the years and its always so nice to 'step back in time' with them.  Unfortunately the volume doesn't seem to be very loud, but maybe that's what it was like 'when life was simple'...

Weekend Words

 From More Letters from Ruth's Attic...

Offering Christ

"Many will see it and fear, and trust in the Lord." - Psalm 40:3

Pashi was a student in our local college.  He was from India, and when presented with the claims of Christ, Pashi's devastating reply was: "I would like to believe in Christ.  We of India would like to believe in Christ.  But we have never seen a Christian who was like Christ."

Come to think of it, neither have I.

We believers are all merely pilgrims in progress, encumbered with disagreeable genes, trying - and in the process being found 'trying indeed."  The very term Christlike is confusing.  In what way are we to be like Him?  In His ability to heal, to teach, to cast out demons?  To face His accusers silently?

I think the term has to do with Christ's attitude towards His Father's will.

"I delight to do thy will" (Psalm 40:8, KJV).

Whatever the true meaning, I was feeling we Christians had let the Lord down.  I decided to call our co-worker and friend, Dr. Akbar Haqq, a brilliant Christian who once was president of the Henry Martyn School of Islamic Studies in New Delhi.

"How would you answer Pashi?"  I asked him.

"I would tell him, 'I'm not offering you Christians,' " Akbar answered decisively.  " 'I am offering you Christ.' "

Prayer for the Day: Lord Jesus, I want to be like you in all that I do, but I also want to remember that it is You people need, not my weak imitation of You.  Help those I know to see and receive You in spite of me.

From Our Daily Bread Classic Gems...

The Father's Faithfulness - Read: Psalm 107:1-16

"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail ... great is your faithfulness." - Lamentations 3:22-23

Missionary Hudson Taylor, the humble servant of God to China, demonstrated extraordinary trust in God's faithfulness.  In his journal he wrote: "Our heavenly Father is a very experienced One.  He knows very well that His children wake up with a good appetite every morning ... He sustained 3 million Israelites in the wilderness for 40 years.  We do not expect He will send 3 million missionaries to China; but if He did, He would have ample means to sustain them all ... Depend on it, God's work done God's way will never lack God's supply."

We may be faint and weary, but our heavenly Father is all-powerful.  Our feelings may fluctuate, but He is unchangeable.  Even creation itself is a record of His steadfastness.  That's why we can sing these words from a hymn by Thomas Chisholm: "Summer and winter, springtime and harvest, sun. moon, and stars in their courses above join with all nature in manifold witness to Thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love."

What an encouragement to live for Him!  Our strength for the present and hope for the future are not based on the stability of our own perseverance, but on the fidelity of God.  No matter what our need, we can count on the Father's faithfulness.

Reflect and Pray: Thank You, Lord, that we can trust in Your faithful presence at all times.  Help us to wait patiently for You to manifest Your steadfast loving presence.

The best reason for hope is God's faithfulness.

- Paul Van Gorder

Weekend Words

 From More Letters from Ruth's Attic...

Pure Refreshment

"Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; on You I wait all the day." - Psalm 25:5

It could be merely a piece of plywood stretched across two saw horses, but you should have a special place for Bible study - a place that doesn't have to be shared with sewing, letter-writing or bill-paying.  For years, mine was just an old wooden table between an upright chest of drawers and a taller desk.

On my desk I have collected a number of good translations of the Bible for reference, a Bible dictionary, a concordance and several devotional books.  I also keep a notebook, a mug full of pens and a special pen that writes on the pages of my Bible without smearing or bleeding through.

When we were in school, we also kept a notebook handy to take notes on the professor's lecture.  How much more important is it to take notes when God is teaching us!

If we have to clear off a spot for Bible study during a crowded day, we are likely to put it off.  But if we have a place where our Bible is always open and handy, whenever there is a lull in the storm, we can grab a cup of coffee and sit down for a few minutes or more of pure refreshment and companionship.

Prayer for the Day: In the midst of each day, Father, may I pause and allow Your Word to refresh and strengthen me.  Let the Scriptures speak to me in a new and deeper way as I study and seek to understand what You are teaching me.

From Amish Peace...

Finding Rest

Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." - Matthew 11:28

Do you find yourself ready to get off of your feet at the end of the day?  According to the New York Times, the average American takes 5,117 steps a day; the average Amish man takes 18,000 steps a day, and the average Amish women takes 14,000 steps!  If anyone needs rest it's the Amish...and they take it.  The Amish community considers Sunday a day of rest.  They eat simple meals, prepared the day before, and give their bodies time to rejuvenate.  They may read, sit and visit with family, or write letters.  Their feet do not have to worry about all those steps!

For many people Sunday isn't so different from any other day.  They shop, they cook, and they even squeeze in work.  I can't tell you how many times I've told myself, Answering a few emails won't hurt.  But it does.

In Matthew 11:28, above, God tells us He will give us rest.  The question is, do we take it?  Do we rest on the Sabbath?  More than that, do we go to God - every day of the week - and ask Him to lift our burdens?  Isaiah 28:12 adds, "God has told his people, 'Here is a place of rest; let the weary rest here.  This is a place of quiet rest.'  But they would not listen."

I don't know about you, but sometimes I find it easier to complain about my burdens than to take them to the Lord.  Sometimes it's easier to feel overwhelmed with my work than it is to push it all to the side for an hour and just relax with my family or a friend.

The question is not whether we have burdens and weariness.  The question is, will we take them to God and still our minds and our hands for Him to do His refreshing work?

On the home front...

Slowly getting back into 'normal' mode after the family visit.  It's still very cold here, especially nights and early mornings, but some of the days have been warming up a bit and hopefully Spring is not far away.  The grass seems to think so, as it has started growing, so after not having to mow for the last couple of months, it will be time to get the mower out again soon.

I've finally finished the sweater I was knitting for Hazel and will get it in the mail to her tomorrow...

she has now requested a yellow cardigan :)

Meanwhile, I am going on with the knitted squares for the Wrap with Love blanket...

And if I get sick of knitting, I can work on my crocheted blanket...

I need to get my supply of blankets back up, as Natasha took 3 of them home with her when she was here recently.  I forgot to take a photo of them, so will get her to send me one (for next post).

Vicki asked me for the recipe for the bread and butter pudding I mentioned making in my last home post.  This is the original recipe...

But I didn't add the honey, apple or banana.  I've made it a few times since then, simplifying each time, and the last one I made I used some of my fruit cake that I had in the freezer (instead of bread) and just added milk, eggs and vanilla.  The cake had fruit and sugar in it so I didn't need to add any more.  I did sprinkle some nutmeg on top before cooking...

so simple!

and so good!!

Here's another recipe I've made a couple of times recently.  Vanilla slice...

Put a layer of Sao biscuits in a dish/cake tin...

Make up a VERY thick custard (custard powder/milk/vanilla), allow to cool slightly, then pour over the Sao biscuits...

place another layer of Sao biscuits on top

When completely cold, ice with passionfruit icing...

and then try not to eat too much :)

From my walk this morning...

And remember...

"Almost everything will work again if you unplug it a few minutes, including you." - Anne Lamott

xx