Daily Picture

I have linked the picture of a giant paper clip to us being united in God and Christ. (John 17:21 "that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me." )

Sometimes we need pressure in our lives to change us to, to better us. "As Iron sharpens iron; so one person sharpens another". (Proverbs 27:1) "... because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope". (Romans 5:3-4)

"For everything there is a season" (Ecclesiastes 3:1) "One sows and another reaps ..." (John 4:37) "So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who makes things grow". (1 Corinthians 3:7). We can all humbly play our part in God's Kingdom.

The story of Jonah being swallowed by a whale and surviving three days and three nights in its belly is miracle enough but another part of the miracle is the timing of the whale in being able to swallow Jonah as soon as he went overboard. God's timings are always perfect. (Jeremiah 29:11-12; Lamentations 3:25-26; Proverbs 3:5)

Jesus offers us amazing rest and peace which we cannot find in this world alone. (John 14:1;27)

The bulbs still exist from which the cut tulips came, the loved one whose visit is over is still a loved one, the sun is rising elsewhere when setting here and continues to rise every day. Let us remember that God is permanent and unchanging. (Psalm 119:89; Isaiah 40:8; Malachi 3:6; Matthew 24:35)

We are all a work in progress. God is patient with us whilst we are changing into His image. Let us also be patient with ourselves as we go along this path of change. (Ephesians 4:22-24)

We have all been created uniquely by our Creator God and our paths to Him are just as varied. (Psalm 139:13-14;16); Psalm 119:73-74; Isaiah 64:8; Matthew 10:29-31; Jeremiah 1:4-5; 29:11; Ephesians 2:10)

God is the gardener and Jesus is the vine to Whom we are connected. Sometimes He needs to prune us but that is because we are already producing fruit and He wants our fruit to be even more prolific.

I can see the three horizontal lines representing the Trinity. May we receive the fullness of the complete Godhead of God, Jesus and The Holy spirit. "In the beginning  God created the heavens and the earth.  Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God  was hovering over the waters.  And God said , “Let there be light,” and there was...

Figurative dry barren land can be transformed into verdant blossoming valleys (Isaiah 35:1-2a; Psalm 37:4; Isaiah 41:18)

We can be effervescent, enthusiastic and vivacious, with the Holy Spirit residing within us, (1 Corinthians 3:16). Enthusiastic is from the Greek theos = God, enthousiazein = to be inspired or possessed by a god, God within.

We are so blessed when we are forgiven and also when we forgive. Do we really appreciate the full and unconditional forgiveness God is constantly offering us through Jesus's death on the Cross? (Matthew 26:27-28; Luke 23:34; Matthew 18:21-22; Proverbs 17:9; Psalm 32:1)

Living healthily and happily on earth for a long time is a promising prospect but having eternal life is an even more wonderful gift from God.

When we are in Jesus' "Lamb's Book of Life" we have an assured wonderful eternity with Him despite having blank pages of unknown circumstances in our lives here on earth for now. (Revelations 21:1-6; 26-27)

Jesus encourages us to invest in His Kingdom so that our blessings will be multiplied (Matthew 13:44; Matthew 25:14-30)

We shall be raised from our perishable state here on earth to having a beautiful new body. Let us concentrate on being beautiful inside. (2 Corinthians 4:16 "Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day".)

Let us believe God for His promises to us, like gifts wrapped in a bright multi-coloured box, ready to be opened and and received. (Mark 11:22-24)

Whilst on earth Jesus said to his followers “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; ,and whoever lives by believing in me will never die". Jesus proceeded to raise Lazarus from the dead, a man who had already been lying in a tomb for 4 days, so beginning to decompose. Jesus wants us to believe that He can indeed bring life and hope to a...

Psalm 91:4 tells us that "He will cover you with his feathers and under his wings you will find refuge ...". The original Hebrew for wings in this imagery is depicting the outstretched extremities of outstretched wings or even of armies. The Psalmist in Psalm 91 describes many dangers that may occur in life but He gives the assurance that God is with us throughout them all.

As well as being The Shepherd of His flock, Jesus is also the gateway into His sheepfold of care and provision. (John 10:7-15). We can help Jesus in leading people to and through this Gate, imperfect as we are. What He requires of us is to believe in Him and to display that faith to others through our actions. (John 6:28-29)

Sometimes we need to look at the words in Scripture in the context and culture of the day it is written. What is important is the state of our heart in submission to God.

Proverbs 17:1 "Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife." It is wisdom to promote and value peace in our environment. Jesus gives us inner peace beyond what the world can give us. (John 14:27)

We all have different functions in God's family, to be done with sincere love and humility. (Romans 12)

We do not know with great certainty as to what lies ahead in our lives but we do know that God has promised to never leave us nor forsake us. (Matthew 6:34; Deuteronomy 31:6; Hebrews 13:5)