Preaching with a purpose

Then you are in a position to help people. I live alone and tonight I am going to spend the night with a friend who has just had an eye operation and she has to have someone with her through the night, in case something goes wrong. If I had a husband he might not like me going out for the night, but as I am on my own I can do this small task without upsetting anyone else. Your life is in God's hands and he has put yu where you are so that he can use you in the way he wishes. Don't fight God about how your life is; say to him,"Your will be done." The greatest fulfillment comes from doing God's will.

His name means son of encouragement. He was an encouragement to Paul, supporting him when Paul came back to Jerusalem after his conversion. Others were quite understandably afraid of Paul, but Barnabas stood by him convinced of his changed life. Later they had a falling out over John Mark and Barnabas went away with Mark giving him encouragement. It's good to know he had a reconciliation with Paul later. Is there someone in your life you could encourage? Maybe someone that no one else believes in?

We treat him so badly by ignoring him and making other things in our lives more important. Why do we behave like this, when we know he is so good to us? We need to plead with him to turn us around to follow only him. He promises that he will draw all his children to him, but what a pity so many of us struggle to get our own way. It is so important to him to get our attention, which is for our own good, that he will take any measures to get our attention. What a blessing he does not just drop us and leave us to get on with our own desires.

Most days I put a link to my Squidoo pages here, but few people seem to take the opportunity to go and have a look. If you enjoy my blog I am sure my Squidoo pages would be of interest to you. Today I am putting a link (the blue lettering) at the bottom of this page to take you to my page Justification by Faith. You just need to take the mouse to the link and click on it. I hope you enjoy searching through my Squidoo pages. If you click on my photo at the top righthand corner of any of my pages, you will then be able to see my others and choose one. I have over 100 pages most of which are christian based. Tell me here if you have any difficulty getting to them. Justification by Faith

If you have any doubts that Christ is risen just take a look at the boldness of the disciples. Before the crucifixion they had been frightened cowering men, but once they had met the risen Christ they were full of boldness and just lived to share the gospel. Paul met Jesus later on the Damascus road, but what a difference that made to him. He spent the rest of his life preaching the gospel to anyone who would listen. Read his story on my Squidoo lens. Click on the link below. Interesting Bible People: Paul

I'm sure many of you would enjoy reading my page about Psalm 23. I have put the link below, just click on it. This is a favourite Psalm of many people. I have quoted the Psalm in full and written my thoughts about what it teaches us. I do hope you enjoy it. The Lord is My Shepherd

In 2 Timothy 3 verse 15 we read ,"the holy scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." When these words were written they applied to the Old Testament but I have no doubt they also apply to the new testament also. However in Britain today the Old Testament is shamefully ignored. Oh to get back to some preaching from the Old Testament which shines light on the new. So many O.T. passages are there to help us understand the way of salvation in Jesus Christ.

Although my page Faith and Worship: Section B was originally written for people studying the course to become Methodist Local Preachers in the U.K. it is also useful for anyone and contains many quotes from the Bible, or links to quotes about the Holy Spirit. I hope you will click below and enjoy this resource. Faith and Worship: Section B

We read this in Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." There are no exceptions it is all who have sinned.We are all looking at God's wrath upon us unless we accept the sacrifice Jesus has made on the cross to make us right with God. If we accept we find "peace through the blood of his cross." Colossians 1:20b God has so lovingly provided a way back to him, how can we refuse him, but if we do there is only condemnation left to us.

My Squidoo pages are a great resource for anyone wanting to know about Bible people. Reading them is a good way to remind yourself of these Bible stories. Below I leave a link to just one such page, but from there you can find the others. If you click on my photo it will give you access to all my other pages. I also have pages of poetry of my own. My most popular page is Poems of Loss. I like to think lots of people will find help on my pages. Interesting Bible People: Rahab

When Jesus appeared to his disciples, after his resurrection, he said,"Peace be with you." He could give them peace because he had died to save them from their sins. He can give us that peace too. Then he will say, "As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." We have to tell the story of his peace through the cross to others.

Here are some wonderful verses that mention peace. "Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen." Wonderful words indeed. In Jesus we find peace with God. We know God accepted the sacrifice Jesus made on our behalf, because God raised him again.

Jesus said,"I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me." If we want peace with God in our lives we need to come by way of Jesus. To read more about this go to the link below. Justification by Faith

Do you have God's peace in your heart? If so you will know it is the peace that passes all understanding. It's a peace that is with you even when you are in turmoil. By all accounts you should be feeling nothing but worry and distress. It doesn't seem reasonable to have peace in a time like that, but if you have your faith firmly placed in God you will have his peace. You may lose your job, but his peace is still with you and he will carry you through. He knows what you have to face, but you do not face it alone. He is the one who said,"I will never leave you or forsake you." Put your trust in him for he is the only one you can trust.

My ex-husband and I split up about fourteen years ago. Later my second marriage broke up. Now my first husband is moving into a flat next to my block of flats. Our son is also living with him. Our Daughter and family live three minutes away. I feel so blessed to have my family so close to me. God has blessed me so much in bringing our family back together. Do you have a story of reconciliation in your family? If so why don't you share it with us?