Preaching with a purpose

Farmville in many ways is not like real farming. If you don't fence your animals in in real farming they will wander all over the crops and spoil them. In real farming you can't unwither your crops, once they have withered that's it. But some things are like real life. If you help your neighbour out he will often help you too. You can work in a co-op to get higher yields. The animals on Farmville sell at a rediculously low price. Sheep farmers would say that is true to life. I think Jesus would have used Farmville as an illustration if he was here now. He would say it's no good just helping those who help you, you must give to the ones who can't return the favour too.He might also say don't spend your life on something which is worthless, but I don't think he would be a kill-joy like that. He would see the benefits of people interacting even on the internet.The internet can be a place where we find out about Jesus by sharing our faith with one another...

On the Facebook game Farmville, if you have the game bar it tells you when the harvest is ready. Jesus said that the harvest was absolutely ready now and that farm hands are needed to bring the harvest in. What did he mean? He meant that men and women were at the point where they were ready to hear his good news that God had sent him to rescue us from the bad things in our lives and bring us into a wonderful party with him and God where everything would be sorted out and peace and joy would be everywhere. Those of us who know Jesus should realise that the harvest is ready. People are hungry to hear they can be rescued by Jesus. I like to say I play Farmville so that I can relate to the young people in our churches and outside. The truth is I find it addictive. However I think it could be used to illustrate all sorts of things in a sermon to the young and not so young. So I'm going to pretend that is my reason, because I need material for my sermons as I am a trainee local preacher....

It is always hard to lose a loved one to death but for those of us with a faith in God we can gain strength from knowing that he loves us and the one we have lost. He is in control when we feel so out of control. How can you know that love of God for you. He promises to keep you in that love of his if you will put your hand in the hand of Jesus. you have to be serious about this and spend time alone getting to know Jesus, but you have his promise that if you call to him he will answer and you will find him if you look for him with every ounce of your being. That's a bit more than a gram's worth. Godd's help is really only a prayer away. If you are not sure how to pray take a look at the lens below and also at my other thoughts if you find these helpful. A prayer for every day A thought for each day(2)

Being rich is all a matter of degree. As an O.A.P on benefits many would consider me to be poor, but compared to someone in, for instance, Haiti I am rich. I am very content with my life. I have all I need plus a car, two computers, a piano, a camera and a violin. What more should I want ? If you chase after riches you can end up with ash in your mouth. If you chase after riches and climb on other people to do so you have done a bad thing. However if you are one of those rare people who can produce riches and use them to help others you will escape the drawbacks of riches. I say I am content but I am also human and I dream of a better car, or what I could do with more money, but in my heart I know this is foolishness. I have all I need and more. If I had more money, worries would come with it. I enjoy the things I have saved up for much more than I would if they came easily. Before you wish for riches think carefully, they may bring you more trouble than they are worth. Every blessing.

Tomorrow(Monday) my squidoo lens Down a Devon Lane is going to be reviewed on the Squidoo Lens Review. That's very exciting for me. Sometimes you can have a very good lens and yet no matter what you do it sinks down the pile unnoticed. It's great when someone notices it and points it out to others. It contains my own photos taken down a lane I often walk along. Here and there I have written a poem or two. I also name the wild flowers. There are also three other lenses down the lane, using photos from different times of the year. Down a Devon Lane

Do you consider yourself to be a fine upstanding citizen? I'm sure you are in many ways, but do you look down on others who have had a difficult time in life and then gone wrong? I believe, given the wrong circumstances we are all capable of going to the bad. Some people have had horrendous childhood experiences. Very true some of them have still made good despite this bad start and all credit to them. But we need to have a bit of compassion for the ones who haven't made a good go of life. Recently I heard a prison chaplain speak of his work. He confirmed my belief that many prisoners have had a shocking start to life. Would we have done any better if we had had a start like that? For more thoughts on these lines see the two links below. The Fallen Woman The Drunk

So what is a trainee local preacher doing writing poems about love and passion. Well we preachers are just ordinary folk like everyone else trying to make sense of their feelings and emotions. God would not have said,"Do not commit adultery" if we were never going to feel like doing that. Trouble is, say,"Do not walk on the grass " to a person and what do they want to do? It's the same with wet paint. We are all in this together, we human beings. All struggling to do the right thing and not always getting it right. So what did God do about our predicament? He sent Jesus to gain forgiveness for us. God knows you are going to get it wrong. He loves you. Come to him for forgiveness. My poems of love and passion