Daily Picture

Today I was reminded of Matthew 6:19-21 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven ...". Moths, vermin and thieves do not generally conjure up good associations, which emphasises Jesus's point that earthly riches are only of a temporary good nature. However, riches amassed...

Today with my phone in my hands with all my Contacts, it caused me to reflect on the fact that when we are God's, He has our names engraved forever on the palms of his hands. "Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; ..." (Isaiah 49:16). It is our choice to be on His hands or not. God is not going to let go of us. We are safe. He is committed to us. It is not about what we do and who...

Yesterday I read a prayer request, from one of our little children at school, to look after the sun. Well, we are living in the solar system where literally everything revolves, literally and metaphorically, around the sun, so maybe that is not such an unusual prayer! If we believe that the sun is the centre of our solar system and believe that God is our Creator, then let us not forget to stop an...

Today I saw a drum being beaten with a victorious marching rhythm. This is a wonderful reminder of the account in 2 Chronicles 20 of KingJehoshaphat, one of the Godly kings who ruled the Kingdom of Judah andJerusalem in Old Testament times, who, as soon as he heard that 3 camps of enemy armies were coming to invade his kingdom, immediately sought the Lord. God spoke through one of his prophets to...

Today I saw a pair of tongs which, of course, would be totally ineffectual if not being used in a hand. This makes me think that though it is lovely to have two people in fellowship, partnership or relationship, without the hand of God where would we really be? With this thought, Ecclesiastes 4:12 in the Old Testament declares, "Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of t...

Today I saw a table place setting with mat and cutlery, indicating the expectation of a guest. Jesus would love to be invited into our presence and into our hearts. "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20). Recently we were reminded that the resurrected Jesus cooked breakfast on the sh...

Today I was reminded of an incident at school whereby I had decided to laminate some text I had written on some A4 paper, using a special pen. Its ink can be easily erased with a little warm rubbing pressure from the end of the pen. However as the A4 paper in the laminating pouch was automatically pushed through the heated machine, all the writing was erased, using the pressure and heat! That has...

Today I saw an angel wing reminding me of the many times angels are mentioned in the bible, as messengers or to help, in the form of men or as huge winged beings. We are individually helped too. "For he wil command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways" (Psalm 91:11). "Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?" (Heb...

Today I saw a picture of a serving spoon reminding me of the joy of serving people, we appreciate, at our table. Of course, serving others can take many forms such as encouraging, being there for someone in their time of need etc. Jesus emphasised to His disciples the importance of serving others in His Kingdom as opposed to wanting to be served. Two wonderful aspects immediately spring to my mind...

Today I saw an image of a sweet non-threatening soft cuddly toy spider. However, it has made me think of the genuine phobia some people have towards spiders, attributed to various reasons. It could be a primal protective response to perceived danger even though only a small percentage of spiders are poisonous. It could be part of one's family or community's culture to fear spiders. It could be an...

Today I saw a marble kitchen counter top that was immune to cuts and scratches. This image has directed me to Proverbs 27:17 "As iron sharpens iron so one person sharpens another". This is enlightening us as to the importance of being accountable to another, in mutually strengthening each other and maturing our characters. Are we willing to receive and to give advice with integrity and in love?

Today I saw a shoe lace with the emphasis on the hard ends, which I subsequently discovered are called aglets should you be interested (!), which of course we know give ease to the threading of them. Sometimes we need precision and honing to give direction and ease. God directs us not to clip our wings but to give us the freedom to follow the way that is best for us and makes us most fruitful. "Fo...

Today I was reminded of the pillar of salt that the wife of Lot (nephew of Jewish patriarch Abraham) was turned into when she didn't run for her life, and not look back, as God's angels had advised her to but instead was shrouded in the fiery sulphur which God rained down on the evil towns of Sodom and Gomorrah. (See Genesis 19). Jesus is recorded as also warning us, with reference to Lot's wife....

This morning I, unusually, was dreaming when I naturally woke up. That dream is the basis of today's message. A good friend who cannot read music came to sing in the music group I recently joined. As we sang in harmony, hopefully reading the musical notes correctly, my friend simply improvised and added notes here and there. It sounded good! What a good reminder that there are times to keep within...

Today I saw two hands in a firm handshake, not in the sense of sealing a deal or being deceptively friendly, but of a genuinely joyful and sincere greeting. Apostle Paul encourages this throughout the whole of Romans chapter 16. Sometimes this requires effort with a reminder to ourselves that we are all part of the Body of Christ, His bride, as one, in unity. As I was subsequently reminded today,...

Today I started off with a perplexing imagery of pieces of wood on a shore, ready to form a fire, but the wind twists them to the left and then picks them up, leaving a swirling patch of empty sand. This seemed to represent despair but then I was reminded of the fishermen disciples of Jesus who, after Jesus's crucifixion, went out fishing one night with what we can perceive as with sadness and des...

Today I saw a picture of a pearl, casting me back to Thursday's message of not casting pearls to swine, as represented by the spillage and wastage when pouring from the handle side of a jug. On Saturday, we were drawn to the importance of connection through love, with physical connections being vital in human interactions even in the form of eye contact, but also the ultimate connection of God's l...

Today I saw a picture of an ellipsis ... those 3 dots! I was not aware of them appearing in the bible but apparently they are littered in the bible, predominantly in the psalms, Apostle Paul's letters and in some of Jesus's discourses. An example given is in John 12:7 " 'Leave her alone', Jesus replied. 'It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial ...' ". I don't kno...

Today I have been drawn to Matthew 6 which is full of advice on how we can productively, humbly, peacefully and confidently lead our lives, but I am specifically drawn to Matthew 6: 22 - 23. These verses compare healthy eyes, which are clear and let in the light of spiritual truths revealing God, as compared to unhealthy eyes which are blind of spiritual matters. Jesus said He is the light of the...

Today I received a reminder of a Portuguese doll with multiple petticoats and a beautiful outer red dress, which had been given to me when I was 6 years old by an old Portuguese great aunt. Unfortunately it disintegrated in the 20 years I had packed it away when I was in Asia. I loved it because it was connected to my mother and connected to Portugal. "Connection" is the key word here. I still thi...

Today I saw a picture of a safety pin which has made me think on the Portuguese word "cuidar" to take care of, to look after. Its Latin root is 'cogitare' to think, to ponder, to consider but has now evolved into becoming linked to our physical being. Over centuries there have been those who recognise the two distinct parts of firstly, our spiritual mind with its thinking, reasoning and will, and...

Today I saw a simple water jug being poured out of on the handle side rather than by using the spout, resulting in spillage and wastage. This has made me think on Jesus's advice, as recounted in Matthew 7:6, to not throw our pearls to pigs/swine. Pearls take years to form from what started off as an irritant, an intruder in the shell, which the mollusc gradually encases in what develops into a bea...

Today I saw the two finger victory sign, with the obvious link to the victory we have in God, echoing yesterday's message citing reasons for not believing for God's miracles, for example no God, no miraculous God, not feeling deserving of God or not witnessing the example of others around you believing in the miracle you so desire. If the Holy Spirit has put the faith in you to believe for a parti...

Today I saw a small piece of canvass with the outline of a simple stitch in a light creamy colour around the periphery, creating a rectangular shaped boundary. However, there was no embroidery within, just empty canvass. I believe that this is along the lines of last Friday's message whereby we read thatJesus could not perform the miracles He wanted to perform in his hometown of Nazareth, because...

Today I saw an image of a whirlpool which has brought to mind the recent account in newspapers around the world of an heroic 4 hour swim in the choppy ocean by a young 13 year old Australian boy in order to get help for his stranded mother and two younger siblings. In an interview he plainly attributes his strength and success to God. Sadly no mention of God is made in the secular papers. The worl...