Daily Picture

Today is a continuation of the last two days' messages about needing the Holy Spirit to understand, obey and even want to obey God, through Jesus's words. At the very beginning of the Gospel of John we read that "In the beginning was the Word." Jesus is the Word and in Genesis, describing the beginning of our world, God speaks everything into existence. However, humans are created in a different w...

I feel that today is a continuation of yesterday's message which suggested that Jesus's message is so 'out there' as compared to what seems normal. We may appreciate Jesus's miracles and healings but what about His instructions, such as to turn the other cheek when we are hit on one cheek, to offer our shirt when someone takes our coat, to completely forgive and to recognise that we are committing...

I saw a reflection of what looked like the Cross on my water glass this morning, which was simply the dawn light throwing a pattern off the kitchen window frame. However it got me to thinking of the fact that without the power of the Cross, what does Christianity have? We have 3 years of Jesus's ministry of teachings, healings and other miracles such as changing water into wine, walking on water a...

Today I saw a glove puppet which of course needs a hand to function and become animated. However, God has created us differently. We are not to be His robotically managed hand puppets, obeying His every whim. He wants us to individually choose to love, trust and thus obey Him. He loves to bless us regardless but, also, we bless Him when we glorify Him. The whole of Ephesians Chapter 1 is relevant...

Today I saw a picture of a cobwebby window, bringing to mind how we can sometimes lose the excitement of receiving revelation and inspiration from the Holy Spirit, which requires our consistent focus and devotion to having spiritual insight. I join King David in Psalm 119:18 when he says, "Open my eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of your law".

Today I am delving deeper into the word "obey" which might help in a quest to understand God's Word and His deep mysteries, with which we need the help of God's Holy Spirit. The root of "Obey" is Latin with the first part, 'ob', meaning 'to' and giving the sense of 'leaning into'. The second part is 'oboedire/obaudire' meaning 'to listen to, give ear or hearken to'. If we are as one with another,...

Today I saw the scoring of a pork joint to make crackling and also the word "Engravings". This reminds that prophet Isaiah said that God has engraved our names on the palms of his hands and that our walls are forever before Him.(See Isaiah 49:16). That was prophesied to the Israelites in around 700BC but Jesus brought the fulfillment of God's promises to both Jews and Gentiles alike, should we bel...

Today I am reminded of the large brown seeds some kids at school gave me yesterday. None of us knows what plant they have come from. Isn't it amazing how brown coloured seeds can grow into another shape and colour? Similarly, let us not forget that if we spend time exploring kernels of truth about God and His Kingdom, we will discover deeper colourful mysteries. We are told that God's invisible qu...

Today I saw barbed wire which further propelled me into thinking of the crown of long thorns which was forced into Jesus's head in mock worship, by the Roman soldiers, after His viscious flogging and before the crucifixion. In Genesis 3, thorns are first mentioned in the bible, as one of the consequences to Adam and Eve sinning in the Garden of Eden. "To Adam He said, 'Because you listened to your...

Today I saw a picture of little round unripe green fruits which were identified as pitanga fruit, also known as Suriname cherry, Brazilian cherry or Cayenne cherry. There are such a huge variety of fruits in the world, some of which we are oblivious of, some of which we have no clue how to eat and some we just simply ignore as we stick to the fruit we know, feel safe with or are interested in tryi...

Today I was reminded of another Shakespearean play, The Taming of the Shrew. A shrew is a small mole-like creature with a long pointy nose. In English culture a naggy annoying wife is likened to a shrew. In Shakespeare's play of this name, a man manages to change his perpetually naggy wife to one who advises other ladies to submit to their respective husbands. What a transformation. However, what...

Today I saw a centipede in my mind's eye. They are all venomous and fatal to their prey of worms and insects. The large centipedes can cause great pain, swelling and fever in humans if we aggravate them but they are not fatal. We can live in great fear of centipedes or recognise that we are stronger than them and we can choose to try and steer clear of them. This is the same with Satan. He is dang...

Today I saw a cyclone though heard the word 'tempest' which directed my thoughts to William Shakespeare's play The Tempest. I studied it when I was 14 years old and can remember the characters and the love aspect but had completely forgotten, or maybe even missed the importance of the forgiveness extended by the main character, Prospero. Perhaps we are the same and miss the main part of the plot,...

Today I saw a picture of a handbag (purse) with shoulder strap, bringing to mind French fashion designer, Coco Chanel. About 100 years ago she designed the first handbag, with a chain strap, for the luxury market. It is now a common wardrobe accessory which we, no doubt, take for granted. This further directs me to so much that we take for granted, that once didn't exist and/or we are blessed to h...

Today I saw a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, which made me think of Jesus coming into this world, completely vulnerable and dependent as with all human babies. What a sacrifice when He was mighty God but reduced himself to being a newborn infant. Jesus sacrificed His entire human life from start to finish. In order to have been the perfect human sacrifice on the cross, Jesus had to have led an...

Today I saw bicycle handlebars which of course are vital when riding a bicycle for a number of reasons, such as control and steering of the front wheel's movement, whilst also affecting the rider's posture and comfort etc. Having breaks on the handlebars helps too of course! Whilst hands are quietly on these vital handlebars, the feet are more visibly working away. I believe that that is the main...

Today I saw an outline of the country of Italy, fine tuning to Rome, then the Vatican and finally where St Peter was martyred and buried. This has directed me to the letters that Peter wrote at the end of his life. He had known Jesus personally and was convinced he had seen the resurrected Jesus and that every word Jesus had spoken was true, which included the Baptism of the Holy Spirit He had pro...

Yesterday's message was very deep and subject to misinterpretation so I hesitated to share it widely. I was reflecting on the Portuguese word "maneira" meaning the way, the method, from the Latin root 'manus' = hand. In John 4:6 Jesus is recorded as declaring "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life". He is not stating that He is the route, the destination to eternal life in heaven. Rather, the whole...

Today I notice that it is my 666th Daily Picture uploaded on to Spotify. 666 is associated with the Mark of the Beast and the antichrist in the final book of the bible, Revelation, representing a system opposed to God. The trebling of the 6 emphasises its adamant attack on Jesus. Meanwhile, may I point out the significance of 7, representing God and perfection. In Matthew 18:21 Peter asked Jesus,...

Today I saw a carpentry shed, reminding me that Jesus had grown up learning some woodwork skills from his carpenter fatherJoseph (Matthew 13:55) and Jesus had indeed been referred to as a carpenter (Mark 6:3). Jesus forsook his carpentry, continuing to obey God's will: "Now Jesus himself was about 30 years old when he began his ministry..." (Luke 3:23) as did the disciples who forsook their jobs a...

Today I saw a nest with a mother bird returning to her babies in the nest but I sensed something was wrong. I heard the word, "cuckoo" and am reminded of the deceptive ways of the mother cuckoo who lays an egg in another bird's nest to hatch and be raised by another mother bird. There are a lot of deceptive tactics involved in this subterfuge, which further makes me ponder on how comfortable and c...

Today I saw a derelict, desolate, dilapidated building, in need of a lot of restoration. That could represent mankind as a whole, which was originally fully connected to God through Adam and Eve's bloodline, then separated from God through them, and which now needs to be reinstated. The building could also represent our individual lives, parts of which need restoration such as of ill health, emoti...

Today, I saw an electric sandwich maker which has brought to mind the heat of God in our lives. He sometimes intentionally puts us through fiery trials or at least, uncomfortable times. If we try to avoid them and/or complain about these times we are actually losing out on a gift! The gift is likened to a refiner's fire which purifies silver or gold, burning off their impurities. When the liquid s...

Today I saw a picture of a Catherine Wheel, a dramatically spinning firework shooting out hundreds of brightly coloured sparks. This seems like a sequel to us being a ray of light extending from Jesus. We can be dramatic for Jesus as one united body, not vying for individual attention and merit. Not long before He was crucified Jesus said, "Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in Me will do the...

Today I saw a previously barren twig displaying little green leaves with a chorus of birds tweeting in the background. It is Spring! What a wonderful reminder of expectations. We are told that God's promises are always fulfilled (2 Corinthians 1:20). The more we experience the perfect timing of God's fulfillment, after having waited, the stronger our faith and expectation becomes in the future. We...