Daily Picture

I have been continuing to reflect on the need for our personal connection with God. He is never changing (see Malachi 3:6; James 1:17); He exists beyond time throughout eternity and whilst His character is consistently the same towards each one of us, we can all choose to have our unique connection with Him. "May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy...

Today my early morning prayer time focused on the words Religion and Truth. There are debates on the etymology of the word Religion, one suggesting an origin of to mean to bind or tie fast which is the meaning I had heard - to be bound to certain practices in order to know God. As a result, I say I am not religious even if I do like to pray and attend church. I do what I do for God in free will so...

Today I was reminded that God told Moses that He is "I am who I am" and to tell His people that (Exodus 3:14). Whenever we say that God is 'I am' we are declaring that He is not only of the past, He is not just a promise for the future but He is ever present. In John 8:58, we read, " Very truly, Jesus answered, I tell you, before Abraham was born, 'I am". The religious leaders were angry at what t...

I reflected recently that our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20) and indeed, Jesus said He is preparing a place for us in His Father's house (John 14:1), with the final book in the bible describing the awesome new heaven on earth Revelation 21 and 22). In Hebrews 13:14 we read, "For here we do not have an enduring city but we are looking for the city that is to come". The context of that...

Today I saw the imagery of a tooth with a long root which led me to think on the old English idiom, "to be long in the tooth", often humorously suggesting someone is getting old. This has further made me reflect on my 97 year old Auntie Tessie who died 2 days ago. She had had dementia for 25 years, and returned to living in her memories of childhood, but she never forgot God. This was a similar si...

Whilst praying today I was reflecting on the fact that often we don't recognise God's promptings to contact another person, or to specifically do something, but I would guess that there are many of us who have experienced the delight of perfect timings when we have responded. If God is speaking to us constantly and He certainly is listening at all times (as there is not a single verse that says we...

Today I saw a picture in my mind's eye of a partial white globe rising. I believe the Holy Spirit is looking at mankind, with so many people not believing that He has so much to give us and that He loves us so much. Let us read these words of encouragement from Old Testament prophet Isaiah 40:28-29 "Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of th...

Today I am extending yesterday's reflection of us exuding the pleasant aroma of Christ. What is of utmost importance is what is emitted from our hearts and that of others. We might initially be attracted to outward appearances but let us follow God's example, in both our attitude and behaviour. In 1 Samuel 16:7 we read, "But the LORD said to Samuel, 'Do not look at his appearance or his stature, b...

Today, I continue contemplating yesterday message on the grinding of coffee beans and the appealing aroma that that brings. That leads me to thinking on the pleasing aroma of Christ that we exude, as followers of Christ, as mentioned in 2 Corinthians 2:14-15:"But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ's triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of h...

Today I have been reflecting on how a coffee grinder needs to have its handle turned in a clockwise direction, where it meets resistance, in order to effectively grind the coffee beans. Similarly when we receive Jesus with His Holy Spirit residing in us, we may feel resistance to corrections and/or changes being encouraged in us, to develop the fruits of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience...

Today I have been excitedly thinking about the gifts that the Holy Spirit delights to bestow upon us and does so when and how He wishes, to bless us and others (see 1 Corinthians 12:7-11). There are the Revelation gifts (when you know that you know) , the Utterance gifts (when God speaks through you into others' lives) and the Power gifts in which God's supernatural powers operate - the Gift of Fa...

Today I am reflecting on the verse in the Lord's Prayer, "Your Kingdom Come, Your Will be Done". God's Kingdom is His spiritual Kingdom. In Philippians 3:20 we are reminded that we are citizens of heaven where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. This does not mean we are to lose the reality of us living on this earth as one Body, encouraging and supporting each other with the various gifts God's Holy Spi...

Today I saw a very small tight flower bud, indicating that there is a flower to come but not imminently. If we keep close to the Lord we will see His workings in our lives and others' lives, even if the fruit are still a way off. As recorded in the gospel of Matthew 24, Jesus told us that only God the Father knows when Jesus will return again but, just like the fig tree which when it grows leaves,...

I continue to contemplate on yesterday's picture which I took of a beautifully cultivated plot of land. It absolutely does not do it justice, partly because I have limited vision, limited imagination and I honestly do not have photographic skills, and of course I could not show the life within, such as the root system, the seeds, the potential growth etc. Isn't that the same with us? We, similarly...

Today I saw a bright yellow hose in my mind's eye, bringing to mind the little farm at the Montessori school where I work as a teacher, in Cascais, Portugal. A few weeks ago a new gardener started assisting the kids and two existing part time managers of the farm. One of the heads of the school had got to know a homeless man who used to be a horticulturalist so invited him to work on our school fa...

Today I see a stack of full marmalade jars depicting 'plenty' which also makes me think of the opposite - 'lack'. Sometimes we only associate God with plenty and, even then, we could forget to communicate with Him and thank Him. However, in times of lack, these are times when God particularly wants us to ask Him to be close to us, as we need Him all the more. In 1 Kings 17 we hear of prophet Elija...

Today I sense a continuation to yesterday's message of God preparing the way ahead for us. Not only is He ahead of us, He is our rearguard. He is behind us, ensuring we don't fall back or by the wayside. "For you will not leave in a hurry and you will not run away, for the Lord will go before you and the God of Israel will be your rear guard" (Isaiah 52:12). It is also wonderful to be reminded tha...

Today I saw a pile of large smooth white pebbles, bringing to mind physical memorials established by God's people, whenever He had provided miraculously for them. Sometimes the memorials to God's goodness come in the form of celebrations. One is the Passover Festival which God instructed His people to celebrate in honour and thanksgiving of Him passing over their families peaceably whilst, meanwhi...

Today I have been further reflecting on Apostle Paul's comment, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13). In other words, whatever his circumstances Paul was declaring that Jesus Christ is with him, supporting him. The light where I live is particularly bright and, despite any wet and windy weather, we are aware of the constant brilliant light. This seems to be an...

Today I am thinking on the word "too" in the sense of: to be in excess/to be extreme, such as 'the ceiling is too high to reach'. God provides perfectly in that He knows the right quantity and timing, according to His good purpose. We need the Holy Spirit to convict us of God's goodness towards us as otherwise we cannot understand, and could be offended and even angry at excessive poverty and exce...

Today I saw some black coal which reminds me of a wise proverb in the Old Testament which says, "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you" (Proverbs 25:21-22). The meaning of this metaphor is that in being kind, instead of retaliating, we are giving opportunity to the perso...

FEASTING OR FASTING Today I am reminded that part of yesterday's account was of Jesus feasting at Matthew's house, a tax collector who had responded to Jesus's call to follow Him. The pharisees were aghast that he was eating with 'tax collectors and sinners'. Feasting was the opposite of the sacrificial fasting they did, to atone for their sins and to get closer to God. They were not aware that Je...

Today I saw A NEEDLE AND THREAD, reminding me of Jesus's words regarding the new relationship we can have with God through Him: "No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No...

Today I saw a picture of a jar of marmalade making me think of expressions like " the icing on the cake" and "the cherry on the top", indicating that extra final layer of delight. Marmalade spread on bread and butter can also signify that. God wants us to expect times of lavish provision from Him. We sometimes just settle for average or below average. If we never expect for more then we have less...

Today, in my mind's eye, I saw a group of carefree, laughing, very young children. How often are adults as relaxed as that? Research tells us how children laugh significantly more than adults and that it is vital and therapeutic for all of us to do so. Jesus instructs us to enter the Kingdom of Heaven like little children (see Matthew 18:2 -4). As mentioned in the last 2 days' Devotionals, Jesus g...