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Are you holding the steering wheel too tightly?

This is something which came to mind, when I was thinking about somebody else.
I have since been able to apply this to myself as well.

This is one of those pictures where you could look at it and say, that’s just like….
Hopefully you can read this and ask, how does this apply to me first?
I have needed to hear Father when He has asked me, how does this apply to you.

So, I now give to you…. Are you holding the steering wheel too tightly?

There were five companions going on a long journey, travelling in a car.

One person was doing all the driving.

The driver also needed to work on his laptop and talk to people on his mobile phone, all the time, whilst still driving.

All of the passengers could drive the car but the driver insisted,

“No. It’s O.K., I can do it all.”

It’s probably only going to be a matter of time before the driver and the passengers end up in some sort of trouble.

All the people in the car could, and should share the burden of driving the car.

This would give the current driver time to work on his laptop, answer his mobile or to just take a break and look out of the window and have a rest.

This requires two things.

The driver needs to be able to let go of the steering wheel and let somebody else have a turn at the wheel.

The passengers need to be willing to take hold of the steering wheel.

Are we willing to do our part?

The thing is… when somebody else takes hold of the steering wheel, it then means that they are then in control.
They might drive in a slightly different manner or even take a different route to what was previously being taken.

The question then has to be asked, “Is the new route or driving style wrong?”

Hopefully, as all the people in the car are heading to the same location, the answer will be “No, it isn’t wrong.
It’s just slightly different to how it was previously done.”

Instead of motorways and A roads, country roads might be used instead.
But if the end destination is the same, then we will be heading in the right direction.

Sometimes the journey can be just as important as the final destination.
Who knows what else you can learn if a slightly different route is taken instead of the route you would like to do take?

The other thought I have had when pondering this, is that I am only one person, with one pair of hands.
I can only do the work of one person!
I can’t do it all!

Several people working at something differently to me is better than me trying to take on all things, (just because that’s the way I would like to see things done).

If other people are able to do something, then I can be free to do the work that Father has for me to do.
I just need to hear what it is that Father wants me to do, and leave the rest to Him.

Father,
Please help us to hear You that much more clearly.
Help us to know when it is right for us to take the lead in something and when it is right to allow some else to take the lead.
Help us to have the grace we need in us if we see someone doing something in a way that just grates against us.
Give us the wisdom to know when we need to stand back in order to allow someone else to be all they can in You.
If we are all working to build Your kingdom, then hopefully we will all be heading in the right direction.
You are Lord God Almighty.
Help us all to trust and follow You that much more closely.
Amen.

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Funny (Tragic) Baby poop story

I recently heard of a tale of a new born baby.

It was the middle of the night and the mum was changing the baby’s nappy. Just as the nappy was removed, the little darling then just let rip with an explosive number 2.

It made a bit of a mess.

The mum went and got the dad, to then do the clear up duty of the room, while she dealt with the little darling.

The dad had the bigger clean up to deal with.
From the baby, all along the carpet, through the doorway and into the next room. When he had cleaned the carpet, he went back to the baby, looked round, and sure enough, it was also on the walls.
A bit more clearing up to do.

He looked at his little darling, and just thought, “I can’t blame you, can I. You don’t even know what you have just done. I’ve just had to do this clearing up after you, and not hold it against you.”

How true them words are.

The baby was just doing something it had to do.
The timing was just a bit (or a lot) unfortunate for the parents.
There was no malice in the baby.
No intent to redecorate with a unique pattern. It just had to go.

When people are hurting or upset, then they can act just like the baby above.
Not literally of course. But when they lash out with their words and actions.
When this happens, can we then view them like the little baby?
Unaware of what they are doing?
Just trying to empty themselves of something that is toxic to them, even though they are not doing it in the best possible way.

Will we be able to see the person, behind the mess?
Will we be able to love the hurt person and not respond to the mess?
Will we be able to do the clear up duty, and not hold it against them?

This could be a hard task to achieve, but with our Father’s help, then all things are possible.

Father,
Can You give us eyes to see people as You see them.
Can you help us to see the person and not the hurt.
Can You help us to Love the hurt person, just like You do.
Amen.

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When we go to church, are we looking for Saul or Father?

This a thought which came to me as I was pondering one time.

I’m thinking of Saul, the first king of Israel, when I’m asking the question. 1 Samuel chapter 8 is when Israel asks for a king to rule them instead of God.

Before this time, The Lord God was their king, but they wanted to be like the other nations all around them.

In some respects it seems crazy that they wanted a human king instead of The Lord God Almighty.
They possibly wanted this as it can be easier to relate to a person instead of God. A person can be seen, even though a person is nothing when compared to God.

It still begs the question as to why did they want to give their kingship to a man instead of having The Lord God Almighty as their king?

But when we go to church, can be effectively doing the same thing?

When we go to church, are we looking for Saul or Father?

No I don’t mean Saul as in the person Saul, but I mean Saul, as in what he represents. A man in place of God.

I can almost hear you shouting back at me, “We are here looking for Father.” But even when we have that aim, we can still end up looking for Saul… ???

I can fall short of this as well.
A person is just easier to see.
We can just end up going with the thought creeping in, what has the leader got to share with us today… ???

We should be looking for Father! Full stop!

We shouldn’t be happy with only hearing from the leader.
They are only meant to be a sign post, who is pointing the way to Father.

So why would we be happy stopping at the sign post?
We need to press on in further and enter into what Father has for us instead!

It can be such a subtle difference, but it is something that can make all the difference.

Any good leader would hopefully be saying the same thing.

We all (hopefully) know this, but as it can be with so many things, it can be all to easy to fall into bad habits. So we always need to be on our guard and try to ensure that it is Father that we are truly seeking.

Father,
You are Lord God Almighty!
Help us to press in that much more to seek You.
Thank you for the people You have put in place to lead us to You.
Help us to not stop at them but to press on in that much more so that we can touch Your heart and hear Your words to us.
Thank you that You Love us and want the best for us.
You are the One who is best for us.
All Glory to You, our Lord God.
Amen.

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Let the Rubbish be put Outside.

I’ve just been listening to Steven Furtick from Elevation Church, on YouTube.

Plenty of lessons to be learned. The title of this one was, 

The Facts Aren’t Final | Pastor Steven Furtick | Elevation Church

He talks about Jairus daughter, when she died and was brought back to life.

It’s definitely worth listening to.
The full account can be read about in.
Mark 5:21-43

One of the things Steven speaks about is that the messengers who spoke to Jairus to tell him that his daughter was dead, weren’t wrong.
But they were limited by their experience.

Death normally means the end, but this doesn’t have to be the case when Jesus is in involved in the situation.

A new thought occurred to me as Steven was talking about Jesus clearing the house.

Jairus allowed Jesus to do this.

To do such a thing, then wouldn’t Jesus need Jairus’s  approval?
It was Jairus’s house after all.

Jairus had a choice to make.
Listen to the mourners and say, “It’s too late Jesus, you need to leave and let me mourn my daughters passing.”
Or Jairus could let Jesus clear his house of the mourners, and wait to see what will happen next.

I don’t know if Jairus actively agreed with Jesus for his house to be cleared, by nodding or speaking agreement to Jesus’s instructions.
Or if he passively agreed with Jesus clearing his house by just remaining quiet.

But Jairus did allow Jesus to clear his house of the mourners.
He paid more attention to what Jesus was saying, rather than listen to the mourners.

In effect, he allowed unbelief to be put outside!!!

The result was, that his daughter was then raised back to life.
He saw a miracle.

So, who or what will we allow Jesus to put outside of our lives and hearts?

Will we hear the word of God over our lives and listen to it, instead of the unbelief that is being constantly played into us?
Are we willing/trying to hear the truth that God is speaking into our lives?
Will we follow the prompting’s of our Father, when He leads us?

Will we let go of past hurts and bad experiences that have bound us in chains?
Will we say yes to Jesus, when He meets with us and tries to set us free?

Sometimes we might be able to do this passively by simply letting go of that which Jesus asks for.

But other times we might need to be a bit more active and hand it over to Jesus and declare, “I no longer want ….. , I hand it to You, my Lord and Saviour. Please take it, and set me FREE!”

It may work better for us if we are active in handing the things that hinder us over to Him. But if we are willing to just let go of …. then He can remove it from us.

He does wait for us to say Yes to Him though.

So will we say Yes to Him, our Lord and Saviour?
Will we allow Him to do a work in us that will set us free?

Father,
Search me and try me.
Show me if there is any offensive ways in me.
Help me to see the things that you point out to me.
Help me to throw them out or allow you to take them out.
I give you permission to remove the rubbish from my life.
Thank you that, You do want to improve me.
Help me to be willing to let You have your way.
You are my Lord God Almighty.
There is no one greater than You.
Amen

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Sahara Desert or Sahara Dessert?

In my last post I wrote about an idea being lost in with all the others and likened it to a grain of gold being lost in the Sahara desert, only I added an extra s, and the desert, then became, dessert.

Opps. So it made my picture effectively, looking for a grain of gold in the Sahara pudding. (Doh.)

Has anyone found any gold in their jelly and icecream recently?

The error has now been corrected. (Sorry for any who wanted to go looking for the error.)

When I wrote the last post I can remember looking at the word in question and thinking, is that correct? But I never properly checked it. I knew what I meant. So after after that point, every time I read it, I just saw Sahara desert, instead of the dessert that it was.

It took someone to point out the error to me, for me to notice it. (Thank you to the one who corrected me.)

My spelling error has got me thinking that, can we all be like this, at times?
Not the inability to spell, (a great asset if you are trying to write blog posts).
But can we all know that something isn’t quite right, but then convince ourselves that it is OK. Only to see the error (or not), when someone else points it out to us?

How will we react to something we have got wrong, when it is pointed out to us?
Will we deny the error. No, it is Sahara pudding and I’m right!!…???
Will we correct it it as quickly as possible, and then hope that no one else notices?
Or will we correct it, and then tell everyone about the error you made…. in another blog post???

Normally I try to opt for option 2, but every once in a while I might go for option 3. 🙂

So if you have got something wrong, and someone points this out to you, then how will you react?

One truth which I do think a lot of people get wrong, is that God is actually real!!!

He is our loving Father and wants to know us.

He wants us to ask Him into our lives, so that we can then know Him and have a relationship with Him.

I understand that some people do not agree with this viewpoint, but to me it is a truth.

How will you react to someone pointing this truth out to you?
Will you consider it to see if it could be true?
Or will you just take option 1, and tell me, “No, you are wrong and I’m right. It’s the Sahara Pudding, and that’s the end of it!”

The quote, “The truth is out there.” comes to mind.
So the question is…. Do you want to know the truth?
Are you open to the truth?
If you truly seek the truth, then you will find it.

Proverbs 8:17
I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.

Jeremiah 29:13
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

The Lord your God is waiting for you to seek Him.
Are you open to the idea of seeking Him?
Will you ask Him into your life, when He appears to you?

Father,
Thank you that You are real.
Thank you that you want to know us.
Thank you that you do call us to You.
Please help us all to see you that much better, so that we can all call on you.
Our Loving Father.
Amen.

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Here be Gold. (Possibly?)

Have you ever had one of those times when you just see how something could be? (For the better, I’m thinking about.)
But nobody else seems to see it.

It’s like you’ve had a major insight into something, but everyone else just seems to have blinkers on, and you just can’t seem to remove them.

Sometimes, it might be that you’re the one who has got it wrong.
We can all get things wrong at times. 🙂

But what about the times when we get it right, but people still just don’t see it.

For me, it can sometimes feel like I have a grain of gold, that is just lost in the sahara desert.

It doesn’t matter how pure the grain of gold is, as it can just be lost with all the other ideas out there.
Leaving me wanting to get a big neon sign that states,…
Here Be GOLD!!!

Has anybody got a big neon sign going spare by any chance??? 🙂

If we do feel that we do genuinely have a grain of gold, that Father has given to us, then how will we treat it?

Will we loose heart and throw it away into the desert, to be lost with all the other grains of sand? Or will we treasure it for the gold that it is?

It can be hard to nurture something that nobody else seems to see. But if the idea is from Father, then shouldn’t we be looking to Him for the answers, of what to do next?

Some ideas might be just for us to nurture and enjoy ourselves.
But for other ideas, Father could come along with a big neon sign…. When the time is right. (Fathers time I’m talking about, not ours.)

So, will we just nurture our grain of gold and treasure it, and leave the sign placement up to Father?

Will we just bring our loaves and fishes to the feet of Jesus, and wait to see if He will multiply them or not? Will we bring them knowing that He has the right to multiply them, and He also has the right to not multiply them?

Will we do our bit, and remain thankful, regardless of what happens?

Father,
Thank you that you do give us gold.
Help us to truly see the gold that you give us.
Help us to bring it back to You, to look to You, for the guidance of what to do next.
Help us to hear Your words to us, and to follow your promptings, wherever You may lead us.
You are our Loving Father, and You are there for us.
Thank you.
Amen.

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Do we sometimes need to try again?

Do you ever have those times when you work at something. Put time and effort into to it, to then just look at what you have done, and then think, that just isn’t quite right.

I have had a project go that way just recently.

I read up on what I wanted to do, and watched the videos. I had a plan in my mind, and then I just went for it.

When looked at my efforts, I just thought, that’s not quite right.

This time, I decided to undo the work I had just done, and try again.

I had to repair some parts of the project from my first try. In effect I needed to renew a part of the project. I didn’t need to throw everything away, but I did need to make good on my first try.

This took time and effort.
I wanted to ignore that things were not quite right.
But I knew that I wouldn’t be happy with the end result if I did that.

Thankfully my 2nd attempt went better. I did things ever so slightly differently and the end results were better.

As I was thinking about all my efforts on the first attempt, a scripture came to mind.

All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. Proverbs 14:23

Not what I was thinking after my first attempt.

I was thinking, what a waste of time. All that effort, and just look at it.

I felt as though Father was saying, “The profit wasn’t in the product you made after the first attempt, it was in the experience that you gained.”

….. Next time, could you just give me a word of knowledge so that I could get it right first time, please. 🙂

Was Father even trying to tell me to do it differently on the first attempt?
But I just didn’t hear Him?

I did get a sense that Father was also saying, “Sometimes you just need to try things more than once. The first attempt or attempts are just learning experiences for that final run, which is coming. Don’t give up just because your first try didn’t go as you expected it to. Just keep working at it and you will get there in the end.”

I do think that when we are dealing with issues in our lives with Father, then sometimes we need to go over the same ground more than once.
It can be like peeling back an onion, one layer at a time.
Sometimes Father may bring a word of knowledge, like a knife to cut through several layers of the onion in one go, but other times He will just do the process of one layer at a time.

Will we follow his prompting and trust that He knows what is best?

If you do feel that you are just going over old ground time and time again, then can you learn something from the experience so that you can do better next time?

All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty. Proverbs 14:23

If we are working through something with Father then it will lead to a profit.
The form of that profit might just be different to what we thought it might have been.
Can we have eyes to see things as Father wants us to see them?

Father,
Help us to look to You in all things.
Help us to trust You, and to follow Your prompting.
If we feel that we are just going over old ground then please lead and guide us so that we can do better on the next try.
You are our Loving Father who is there for us.
Thank you that You are for us.
Amen.

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Is there a time to remain silent?

There can be times when we are wrongly accused of something.
When these times happen, then how do we react?

Our first reaction might be to defend ourselves.
Stating, “This is actually the truth.”
Some times, this course of action could be the correct thing to do, but other times, it could possibly cause us more problems.

As I was thinking on this, the thought of Jesus, before His accusers came to mind. Jesus was silent before his accusers.
He let His actions speak for Him.

We can see one of the results of His actions when He died, in Luke 23:47, The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.”

His actions spoke loud and clear about who He was.

Are there times when we need to follow His example?
Are there times when we need to remain silent, instead of trying to defend ourselves?

If Father is telling us to remain silent, then if we try to defend ourselves, are we just throwing our pearls to the pigs?

Matthew 7:6 “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

Father knows the Truth and ALL THINGS!
His opinion of us should be the only one that matters.

This can be a very tough thing to put into practice, but if Father is leading you to be silent, then it is best to follow His prompting.

John 10:27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

Father,
There are times to speak and times to be silent.
Help us to know the difference.
Help to to know when to speak up and when to be silent.
Help us to always look to You to be our guide, so that we can follow Your way.
You are Lord God Almighty and know what is best.
There is none greater than You.
Amen.

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Don’t get stuck in the Glue.

This is a picture that came to me one Sunday morning at church, when things didn’t go as smoothly as people wanted them to.

A man was running a race and making good progress.
The trickster was about though.
He had placed a lot of glue and then oil on the track.
When the runner got to the glue on the track, the runners progress slowed. It was suddenly hard going.
The runner had half a thought to stop and rest, but he was in and race.
So he just kept on going, and made it past the glue, where the going was good again.
The runner soon came up to the section of track with oil on it.
Whooooh, almost fell over there. Skating about a bit now??? Thought the runner. He just about managed to maintain his balance and not fall over.
Progress was slowed again. He just had to concentrate on not loosing his balance as he made his way through the oil.
His pace was slowed, but the runner kept his eyes on the finish line, and kept moving in the right direction. In time, he made it past the oiled section of the track, and could then run unhindered yet again.
The trickster’s attempts to stop the runner had failed.

When life throws difficulties our way, can we end up feeling like the runner making his way through the glue and oil?

If you feel like you are in the glue, then just keep moving.
Don’t give the glue time to set!
If you can keep moving, then just keep doing that, heading in the right direction.
If you do stop for too long, then the glue could set, and to start moving again could take that much more effort. You might have to chisel your way out of the glue, or leave your shoes behind.
It’s best to just keep moving.
If you need to take a rest then head for a rest station, where you can rest in safety for a while, but do your best to not stop in the glue.

If you feel as if you are skating about on the oil, then try to keep your balance.
Keep the finishing line in your sights, so you know which direction to head into.
Do your best to remain up on your feet. Your progress might be slower than you’d like, but just keep heading in the right direction.
If you do fall over it could be fun and games to regain your feet (it could be hard, but not impossible).
So do all you can to keep your balance and keep moving to the finish line.

Those who can keep their focus will have a better chance to make it through the glue and oil and onto the finishing line, where the prize awaits for those who complete the race.

2 Timothy 4:7-8

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day – and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

Father,
Help us all go keep our eyes on you at all times, so we can keep heading in the right direction.
Please give us the extra strength we we need, when we feel that we are going through the glue.
Please give us a good sense balance if we feel as though we are skating on the oil.
Thank you that You are with us and will never leave us, as You promised us.
You are our Lord God Almighty.
Amen.

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Let go of the £1 to take hold of the £10,000

There was a man who had a pound. He loved his pound and treasured it. £10,000 pounds was offered to him. But in order for him to take hold of the £10,000, he had to let go of the pound he treasured.
He wanted the the £10,000, but because he just would not let go of the pound, he was unable to take the £10,000, even though it was waiting for him to take hold of it.

Can we sometimes be like the man in the above picture?

Father has such a richness for us to move into. But sometimes we just won’t let go of …..

If Father is asking us to hand something over to Him, then He is asking us to do this for our own good.
He Does have such a richness for us to walk into and take hold of, if we will just follow His ways.

One thing which Father tells us to let go of is grudges and unforgiveness. (There are other things He asks us to let go of.)

Holding onto grudges and unforgiveness only stops us from entering into a greater peace that IS available to us.

Whatever it is that Father is asking you to hand over to Him, just hand it over to Him. You can always ask for His help to let go, if you need to. He is always there to help you, and just longs for you to call out to Him.

He has so much more for all who will follow his ways.

If you are in any doubt then have a read of Psalm 81, verses 10 to 16 are below.

10 I am the Lord your God,
    who brought you up out of Egypt.
Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.

11 “But my people would not listen to me;
    Israel would not submit to me.
12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts
    to follow their own devices.

13 “If my people would only listen to me,
    if Israel would only follow my ways,
14 how quickly I would subdue their enemies
    and turn my hand against their foes!
15 Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him,
    and their punishment would last forever.
16 But you would be fed with the finest of wheat;
    with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

Honey from the rock, which will satisfy you, is available to all who will follow Father’s ways.

In other words, good things and blessings for those who will seek the Lord, their God.

Father,
Help us to see you that much better so that we can follow Your ways.
I ask that You would give us hearts to follow you, so that we too can know the goodness of honey from the rock.
Amen.