How can the Bible help us overcome life’s problems?

We often become discouraged and bogged down with life’s cares. The fact that both the Old and New Testaments address this problem the same way indicates that God knows problems and worries are inevitable in this life. Thankfully, He has given us the same solution in both the Old and New Testaments:

“Cast your burden on the LORD and He Shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.” Psalm 55:22

“Casting all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

Contained within these two verses are some amazing truths:

· God will sustain us

· He will never let us fall

· He cares for us

Taken one at a time, we see first that God declares both His ability and His willingness to be our strength and support—mentally, emotionally and spiritually. He is able (and best of all, willing!) to take everything that threatens to overwhelm us and use it for our benefit. He has promised to “work together for the good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28. Even at times when we doubt Him, He is still working for our good and His glory. And He has also promised that He will allow no trial to be so great we cannot bear it and that He will provide a means of escape “God is faithful who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape, that you will be able to bear it” 1 Corinthians 10:1). By this, He means that He will not let us fall, as He promised (Psalm 55:22).

The third statement—“He cares for you”—gives us the motivation behind His other promises. Our God is not cold or unfeeling. Rather, He is our loving Heavenly Father whose heart is tender toward His children. Jesus reminds us that just as an earthly father would not deny his children bread, so God has promised to give us good gifts when we ask Him, (Matthew 7:7-11).

God reveals to us through His Word, the Bible that we can be of good “cheer,” that we can rejoice in our problems because God will use them to our benefit. “Knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope” Romans 5:3-4. We can see our “worries” as an opportunity to practice. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

So, each day, taking one step at a time, we should pray for God’s Word to guide us, read or listen to God’s Word, and meditate on God’s Word when the problems, worries, and anxieties of life come along. The secret to giving things over to God is really no secret at all—it’s simply asking Him and Jesus to take our burdens “Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest”. Matthew 11:28

God loves us so much that He sent His son “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” John 3:16

God is bigger than any of our problems.

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God’s love letter to us

Consider these five ‘Valentines’ from God’s Word:

“My love for you is faithful.”

“Know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commands.”

Deuteronomy 7v 9

“My love for you is forever.”

“Oh give thanks to the Lord, because He is good;

His mercy endures forever.

Oh give thanks to the God of all gods;

His mercy endures forever.

Oh give thanks to the Lord of all lords;

His mercy endures forever.”

Psalm 136 v 1-3

“Nothing can stop us from loving God.”

“For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come.

Nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. ”

Romans 8 v 38-39

“My love for you is greater than you could ever imagine.”

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

John 3 v 16-17

“I want you to share my love with others.”

“A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all know that you are My disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

John 13 v 34-35

As we celebrate Valentine’s Day with those you love, let us take time to reflect on God’s enduring love for all, and ask ourselves how we might give God’s love to others in return.

All quotations from New King James Bible.

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The World we live in

At this time of year we see great changes as a new season, Autumn comes in. Have you ever considered the world we live in and this on a larger scale?

There are such lush green lands yet there are vast barren deserts.

There are peaceful countries, yet there are countries at war and conflict.

There are extremely wealthy countries, yet there are extremely poor countries.

There are people with great wealth, yet there are people with nothing. The list could go on.

We may be moved by the sight of captivating scenery, a beautiful garden or a starlit sky. On the contrary, we might feel disgust and anger at the sight of a litter-filled street, a land-scape blighted by industrial waste, or the prospect of increasing damage to our environment by global warming.

Our sense of injustice might have been aroused by the thought of the wealth enjoyed by a few in comparison to the desperate poverty suffered by millions in the world.

Occasionally we hear of the selfless love shown by people who work with the sick, the under privileged and the deprived.

Although unfortunately, we hear far more about the bad things around us, the greed, crime, violence, wars, terrorism and corruption.

Wouldn’t it be nice to live in a world of peace and equality for all, where everyone could live securely, where our bodies wouldn’t be subject to frailty and death.

I am sure you will agree that a world like that would wonderful. Well, all these good things have already been promised by Almighty God, they will one day be a reality on the earth.

In God’s Word, the Bible, we have a wonderful picture of what this world will be like when Jesus – God’s son, reigns as king, the world will become a place of beauty.

“…….. the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose; It shall blossom abundantly…….. the lame shall leap like a deer, And the tongue of the dumb sing. For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, And streams in the desert………The parched ground shall become a pool, And the thirsty land springs of water”. Isaiah 35 v 1-2,6-7

“Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree, And instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree”. Isaiah 55 v 13.

We can live forever in this world, it has been offered to us by God. He doesn’t want us to die, He wants us to be part of that world and serve Him.

“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise,…..but it long suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” 2 Peter 3v9

The choice is up to us, but we need to make it before it is too late because Jesus will.

“… This same Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven”. Acts 1 v11

All quotations take from the New King James Bible

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The Potter

Today we take so much for granted. Take for example a cup or mug for drinking tea or coffee from. We take it out of the cupboard without giving a thought as to how it was made.

In the Bible we see God using the theme of earthen vessels made by the potter as a way of teaching us about the relationship between the Him our Creator and His Creation.

These days few potters prepare their own clay, but in times past they had to dig the clay and then prepare it, which consisted of mixing it with water until it was of a consistency that could be shaped on a wheel. It had to be completely smooth and flexible, not too dry or too wet and free of stones and gravel.

Jeremiah writes: “I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was making something at the wheel” 18 v 3. It was a familiar sight in those days as all pots were made by hand. If you have ever tried your hand at making a pot on a wheel, you will know that what looks easy in the hands of a skilled potter, can be hard in the hands of a novice.

Jeremiah describes for us the potter at his work: first of all suitable clay is needed, then its prepared. In the potter’s skilled hands the vessel slowly takes shape—or maybe it is spoiled so that the work has to begin again, until the lump of clay is gradually formed into a vessel for use or for beauty.

Jesus referred to of one of his disciples as a “vessel”, when speaking to his faithful disciple Ananias about the persecutor Saul, he said: “He is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel” Acts 9 v 15.

Later, Saul, (whose name was changed to Paul), when writing to Timothy, uses the same figure of speech: “If anyone cleanses himself . . . . he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work” 2 Timothy 2 v 21. Also when Paul wrote to the church at Corinth he said: “we have this treasure in earthen vessels” 2 Corinthians 4 v 7.

One righteous man Job, was also aware of his origin, when he said to God: “Remember, I pray, that You have made me like clay. And will You turn me into dust again?” Job 10 v 9.

Another man Isaiah wrote: “But now, O LORD, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; And all we are the work of Your hand” Isaiah 64 v 8.

God is teaching us that He is the Potter and we are the clay. For clay to be worked into a vessel it needs water. As the potter turns the wheel and shapes the clay with his hands, he constantly dips his fingers in water adding a little to the clay, without the water the clay cannot be shaped.

God teaches us, that He wants us to be vessels suitable for His purpose. He has provided the way we can achieve this by giving us the Bible, which is full of His words they are a fountain of living water, made freely available to us. We are told this in book of Isaiah: “Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters. And you who have no money, Come, buy and eat” Isaiah 55 v 1.

Are we allowing God to carry out His purpose by availing ourselves of His provision? He has done His part, are we doing ours?

If we don’t we are told in the book of Jeremiah what will happen, “Those who depart from Me Shall be written in the earth, Because they have forsaken the LORD, The fountain of living waters.” Jeremiah 17 v 13.

All quotations are from the New King James Bible.

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Take me to The Beach

With foreign holidays looking more and more unlikely this year. I think about how fortunate we are in this country to have so many wonderful places to visit. For me, the first place I venture is The Beach!

There is always a moment, as I smell the salty air, hear the waves crashing on the shore and my toes first feel the warmth of the sand, that I feel closer to God than at any other time. This for me is a moment of calm, I feel at peace as I breathe in the fresh sea air.

The sea although beautiful to look at has a whole world under the waves, a perfect balance and order, where oceans work together in such harmony needing no human intervention.

“You alone are the Lord,

You have made heaven,

The heaven of heavens, with all their host,

The earth and everything on it,

The seas and all this is in them.

And You preserve them all” Nehemiah 9 v 6

If God has this kind of love and care over the creatures of this world, how much more love does He have for each one of us?

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3 v 16

How blessed we are to have a God who taught us love, He reminds us and strengthens us by allowing us to view His incredible creation.

“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power.” Romans 1 v 20

So next time you visit the beach, take a moment to pause and consider that great love of God. To be thankful that He is watching over us and pray that we all will soon feel that peace in His great Kingdom that is to come.

All quotes from NKJV

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The Chicken or the Egg?

We are grateful to scientist who are able to teach us so many amazing facts about our wondrous planet and natural world.

Right at the beginning of The Bible we are told all about Creation.

“So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters abounded, according to their kind, and every winged bird after its kind. And God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth. So the evening and the morning were the fifth day. Then God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind; cattle and creeping thing, and beast of the earth each according to its kind: and it was so. And God made the beast of the earth according to its kind, and cattle according to its kind. And God saw that it was good”. Genesis ch 1 v 21-25

Sadly some scientists have dismissed God’s Word and have replaced it with a theory, a story of gradual development over long periods of time. The idea of evolution is the product of human imagination and designed to “do away with God”

Every creature that God created has been endowed with amazing characteristics. Both the educated and uneducated marvel at the perfection of bodily shape, at their ability to survive in their particular environment. The way creatures function, has been perfectly designed to allow the creature to live and reproduce after its own kind.

Reproduction is, in itself amazing! When we consider the numerous and variety of ways that creatures reproduce it is truly amazing. Some creatures lay eggs, some bear live young, some are produced inside a special sac, to mention just a few examples.

Consider the egg of a domestic hen. It is made up of three parts, the outside shell, the yolk and the white which surrounds the yolk. The yolk in the middle is the food for the chick that forms from the white of the egg.

A brooding hen has to gently sit on its eggs to keep warm them. It rises from time to time to roll the eggs over to ensure that the eggs are evenly warmed for the period of incubation. Which is about twenty one days.

When the time comes for the chick to emerge from its shell the hatching process begins. The chick taps the shell using its egg tooth which has developed on the top of its beak to pip (chip or break) the shell, it continues to pip the shell until it has gone all the way around the shell. This process can take between twelve and eighteen hours. When it is ready the chick kicks off the egg shell and flops out wet and tired.

All this has been designed by God, the all wise Creator.

So, which came first, the chicken or the egg? The answer is, of course, the chicken.

Did you know that not all bird eggs are the same shape? There is a distinct difference in shape of the eggs of ground nesting birds from those that nest in hollow trees or on top of trees.

Take for example the Canada Goose its eggs are elongated so that they do not blow away in windy conditions. If they move slightly their pointed end acts as a pivot.

When we consider the information and precision required in these examples of design, special, instantaneous, pre-programmed creation is the only satisfying answer to the amazing phenomena outlined.

What is the alternative? What are the chances that something of such precision could have happened at random? Who created the circumstances? Can we be absolutely certain that it was not created by a power that is infinitely more superior to anyone who has ever lived?

God’s Word, the Bible, tells us that God is the Creator of the universe and everything in it.

In the book of Isaiah we are asked to consider the Creator of heaven and earth, His wisdom and power which can be seen in the wonders of the world around us.

“Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, and measured heaven with the span, and calculated the dust of the earth in a measure? Weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance? Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or as His counsellor hath taught him? With whom took He counsel, and who instructed Him, and taught Him in the path of justice? Who taught him knowledge, and showed to him the way of understanding? To whom then will ye liken Me? or to Whom shall I be equal? says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high, and see who hath created these things, Who brings out the host by number: He calls them all by name, by the greatness of His might and the strength of His power; not one is missing”. Isaiah 40:12-14, 25-26

*Quotes are taken from the New King James Bible


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A New Year Reflection

It’s that time of year again where we all start making plans for the coming year, we set ourselves goals and make resolutions. But actually it got me thinking about the year which has just passed. Surely if 2020 is anything to go by, we have all learnt that we can make all the plans we want, but in reality none of us know what will happen next month, next week or even tomorrow.

So, here are the five main lessons we can learn from 2020 and help to focus our minds for the coming year:

  1. God is in control

“Yours, O Lord is the greatness, the power, and the glory, the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and You are exalted as head over all.

Both riches and honour come from You and You reign over all; In Your hand is power and might; in Your hand it is to make great, and to give strength to all.”

1 Chronicles 29:11-12

  1. If we are with God, he will be with us and will not forsake us

“Fear not; for I am with you: Be not dismayed; for I am your God: I will strengthen you; Yes, I will help you; I will uphold you with the My righteous right hand.”

Isaiah 41:10

“Draw nigh to God, and He will draw near to you.”

James 4:8

  1. As believers in Christ, we have each other for comfort and support

“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,

Always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy,

For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now.”

Philippians 1:3-5

  1. Christ is coming back to set up His kingdom on earth

“And there shall be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;

Men’s hearts failing them from fear and expectation of those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

Then they will see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.”

Luke 21:25-27

  1. We’re nearly there

“Now when these things begin to come to happen, look up, and lift up your heads; because your redemption draws near.”

Luke 21:28

So as 2020 comes to an end and we stand on the precipice of a new year in these uncertain and sometimes frightening times, let us always remember,

“Be anxious for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:6-7

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Learning from Sunflowers

We all love sunflowers. Their flower reminds us of the sun and late summer days. We encourage our children to grow them to compete with each other to see who can grow the tallest! Adults are known to compete too! They make us smile!

Do you know that Sunflowers turn to follow the sun as it moves across the sky?  The French name for sunflower is “tournesol, that means “turn to the sun”. They turn their faces to the light.
Have you ever wondered what they do on cloudy or rainy days when the sun is completely covered?  Do the sunflowers droop, turning their heads towards the ground. No!  This is what happens.  They turn towards each other to share their energy! God’s creation is amazing. 

Now let’s think how we can apply this lesson to our own lives. Many people we meet may be in trouble, sad, low-spirited, lonely or depressed. If we follow Jesus’ teaching and example, we should realise that we must share our energy with those we meet. The words of a verse in one of my favourite hymns come to mind…

“Wherever in the world I am, in whatsoe’r estate,
I have a fellowship with hearts to keep and cultivate
A work of lowly love to do for Him on whom I wait.”  (Love Maria Willis 1824-1908)

Jesus was compassionate. We know that he healed the sick and provided food for the crowds who gathered round him. He listened to problems and offered advice.

Here is just one example of his compassion. Jesus Raises a Widow’s Son Soon afterward he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her.  And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.” Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, “Young man, I say to you, arise.” And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Luke 7:11‐15

Jesus tells his followers “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.” John 15: 12-14.

Jesus showed his love and compassion towards all humankind when he, the only perfect man, the only begotten Son of his Father, the Almighty God, gave his life willingly to save all who put their trust in God. Jesus has opened for us the path to salvation. All who truly believe in him and in his Heavenly Father and try to follow his example will be granted, by God’s grace, salvation and everlasting life in the Kingdom of God when Jesus returns. 


Quotes English Standard Version Bible.

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THE BIBLE SAID IT FIRST

It is truly amazing that the Bible has had so much influence on our day to day conversations. There are at least 75 commonly used phrases that have their origins in the Bible. Be sure to look up the passages below, just a sample of these sayings, in your Bible. In some of them there are powerful lessons for us all.

All these quotations can be found in the King James Version of the Bible.

Did you know that in 1947 a collection of the oldest manuscripts of the books of the Bible were discovered in a cave in Wadi Qumran, near the Dead Sea? Among them was a 23ft leather scroll containing the complete book of the prophet Isaiah. This copy is a unique proof of the reliability of the Holy Scriptures. The text agrees exactly with what we have in our Bible today. Many more books of the Bible were discovered in 11 caves nearby. A special museum, The Shrine of The Book, was opened in Jerusalem to house many of the scrolls.

Let us not neglect the Bible for its pages contain a message from God, a message of hope and salvation for all who read His word, believe it and try to follow the example of His Son the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

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Life is a Gift from God

As I write this, around 210,000 people have died worldwide as a result of the coronavirus. Many people find it difficult or impossible to believe that a loving God can exist when something like this happens. Why wouldn’t he do something about it?


As a Christian I see life as a gift from God.
Today we tend to think that life is a right, something which we are entitled to simply by virtue of being human and which nobody has the right to take away from us.
This can lead us to believe, even if only subconsciously, that God is somehow obliged to preserve our lives and keep pain and death away from us.


As I see it, he isn’t obliged to do any of those things. He gave us life as a gift, one which we do not deserve and which is given on his terms, not ours.
Nowhere in the Bible does God promise that human life will be easy or free from pain and suffering. Not even to Christians does he promise that. In fact, he warns that becoming a Christian may actually lead to life becoming more difficult than it was before.


“In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have
become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is Godbreathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:12–17)

Here Paul describes the two priorities for a Christian’s life.
First, to receive “training in righteousness” by learning from God’s message and from the example of Jesus and other Christians how we ought to live, so we can be ready for “every good work”.
Second, to accept that happiness and comfort in this life is not our goal. What is? “Salvation through faith in Christ Jesus”.


What does that mean? It means that a Christian’s hope lies in the world to come after Jesus returns from heaven, not this one.
For a Christian, this life is really a time of preparation for the day when they meet Jesus. How we respond to the pain and suffering in our lives, and in the lives of others, will shape our character and determine the person Jesus sees in
us when that day comes.


At a time in his life when it looked likely that he might die, Paul wrote:
“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.” (Philippians 1:21–24)


For a Christian, life is an opportunity to prepare oneself to meet Jesus and to help others do the same, and death is simply the last waking moment before we meet him.
Suppose you were to be given a trial or probationary period by an employer with the promise that after a certain period of time your performance would be reviewed to determine if you were to be offered a permanent position within the organisation. While this isn’t a perfect analogy (Christians don’t earn eternal life from Jesus through good performance!) it does illustrate that the life we have now is only a temporary time of testing which will (and should) inevitably come to an end.

God gives us this life as a gift, but that gift comes with certain responsibilities and instructions on how it ought to be lived. It isn’t for us to do whatever we like with and indulge ourselves. God is perfectly entitled to take it away again if we haven’t used it responsibly or if we’ve ignored his instructions.
Moreover, God isn’t being unjust or unkind to take away this life if he has an even better one to offer.


But where do our priorities lie?

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