Tag: Christian faith

Tender mercies

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 The start of Luke’s Gospel records songs uttered in response to God’s redeeming grace announced in our fallen world.

These are Zechariah’s words of exuberant praise after months of silence following an angelic announcement:

“because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

‭‭(Luke‬ ‭1‬:‭78‬-‭79‬ ‭ESV‬‬)

The tender mercy of God our Father ushered in light & peace

Like the sunrise shining light in the darkness so the Light of the World was sent to earth as a tiny baby. He who created light at the beginning of time, stooped into the shadows of this sin-drenched world.

His light shines in our lives- bringing hope & joy.

God guides our footsteps along the path of peace:

Peace the world can’t deliver.

Shalom only the Prince of Peace can bring.

Peace of mind & heart.

God’s unmerited mercy, radiant light & deep peace are at the heart of the Christmas story-at the centre of the narrative of mankind.

We can experience the tender mercies of our Father God in our day to day life, step by step on our path with Him.

We can believe in Him this Christmastime. We can trust Him this New Year {& always} 

Blessings,

Ruth x

Real & eternal

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Jesus said:

“I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.”

‭‭(John‬ ‭10‬:‭6‬-‭10‬ ‭MSG‬‬)

Jesus came as light in our darkness to shine His hope onto our weary souls. He was sent by God from resplendent glory to give eternal life:

“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”

‭‭(John‬ ‭17‬:‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

Jesus came as the Way to navigate life to God Himself. He came as the Ultimate Truth & God-breathed Word. He came to bring true & better life- the best life that we were created for!

Jesus, who entered our time as a tiny baby, fulfilled God the Father’s perfect plan through the ages.

Jesus, Son of the Most High God brought:

Hope in our world

Love in our hearts

Joy in our lives

Peace in our souls

May we know all that Jesus means this Christmastime {& always}

Blessings,

Ruth x

Consider the flowers

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One sunny afternoon I visited my local garden centre. The flowers there were brightly blooming in an array of colour.

I especially liked the red dahlias! And the growing sunflowers too.

As I wandered around, the words of Jesus, the Master Gardner came to mind:

“And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?”

(Matthew 6:30 NLT)

God cares for the flowers & cares infinitely more for us.

“Oh you of little faith,” He whispered gently to my heart.

So often we have little faith.

We have little faith when we get tangled up in our worries.

We have little faith when we focus on our problems rather than God.

We have little faith when we try to sort out tomorrow’s issues today!

We have little faith when our mind is filled with fear.

Our faith needs to be bigger than our anxieties.

We often have little faith as we go through life- particularly when things go differently to how we planned or expected. Especially when things aren’t going our way.

Yet God can grow our faith- turning little faith into a lot. We can trust Him with the garden of our souls- tending to our issues there.

Later in Matthew chapter 6, Jesus says this:

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

(Matthew 6:34 NIV)

We humans live in 24 hour chunks. We live day by day with our Father & there’s no need to worry about tomorrow!

Just trust!

Blessings,

Ruth x

In Your Name

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‘Ask using my name & you will receive & you will have abundant joy’

(John 16:24 NLT)

“Ask using my name” says Jesus, God the Son.

There are many names of God given in the Bible. I’ve recently been studying the life of Abraham in a Precepts Bible Study. These are some names of God recorded in Genesis:

God Most High -El Elyon (Gen 14:19)

He is God of all & over all- the Creator of heaven & earth.

Lord, Master– Adonai (Gen 15:2)

God is the Sovereign Lord – in charge of the cosmos.

God who sees – El Roi (Gen 16:13)

He saw Hagar in the desert. And He sees into our situations & deep into our heart.

God Almighty – El Shaddai (Gen 17:1)

He is the All-Powerful, Majestic God.

The Everlasting God – El Olam (Gen 21:33)

His power & authority are never ending

God who provides– Jehovah Jireh (Gen 22:14)

He provided a sacrifice for Abraham, as a foreshadow of the provision of Jesus on the cross. God did not spare His own Son, so how much more will He provide all that we need to live for Him? (Rom 8:32)

We can trust in the Name of our Almighty God during our daily life, as we walk with Him.

‘This is the Lord , we trusted in Him; let us rejoice & be glad in His salvation’

(Isa 25:9 – NIV)

Blessings,

Ruthx

The way of love

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‘Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.’

(Ephesians 5:2 NLT)

At Easter, last weekend, we remembered especially Jesus’ death on the cross. He suffered & died for us there, in our place. He offered Himself as a punishment for our sins- a sacrifice for us. This was God’s great plan of salvation, from before time began.

So, it wasn’t the nails that held Jesus to the cross, but rather His deep love for us. His everlasting, never-ending love.

‘For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.’

(John 3:16 NIV)

We have to respond to God’s great love by following Jesus to ‘Live a life filled with love’ (Eph 5:2 NLT) or as the NIV puts it ‘Walk in the way of love’

We follow Jesus by sharing His love with others.

For the way of love is Jesus’ way.

The way of love is patient & kind.

It is loyal & true.

It is sacrificial.

It is grace & truth.

It is giving & forgiving.

We walk step by step with Jesus along the way of love.

He is our Example, our Saviour, our Friend & our God.

‘Therefore be imitators of God, as dearly beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us…’ (Eph 5:1&2-ESV)

Blessings,

Ruth x

Just trust

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It’s that time of year to choose a word for the year. Which one will you choose? I chose trust.

Just trust!

‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.’

(Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT)

I choose to trust God as this year unfurls.

We can choose to trust God to deal with our past, to cope with the present & to rely on for the future!

We can trust Him for everything, for He is our Rock to lean on:

‘Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.’(Psalms 62:8 NIV)

God is good & He cares for us as we trust in Him:

“The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him.’ (Nahum 1:7 NIV)

We can trust God with all that we’ve got:

‘Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track.’

(Proverbs 3:5-6 MSG)

Just trust

This year

& always!

Blessings,

Ruth x

Peace for the year ahead

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As 2023 draws to a close, the new year looms ahead. Untouched. Unknown.

Thinking ahead can induce anxiety. But we don’t have to face 2024 alone:

‘Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.’ (Proverbs 16:3 NIV)

We can trust our God:

‘But I trust in your unfailing love’ (Psalms 13:5 NIV)

We don’t have to worry:

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

(Matthew 6:34 NIV)

As the year unfolds, God is watching over us:

“The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.” (Psalms 32:8 NLT)

We can trust God for the year ahead:

“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.” (John 14:1 NLT)

We are held by Him:

“For I hold you by your right hand— I, the Lord your God. And I say to you, ‘Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you.” (Isaiah 41:13 NLT)

We can trust Him when fear rises up:

‘But when I am afraid, I will put my trust in you.’ (Psalms 56:3 NLT)

We can trust Him at all times:

‘O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge.’ (Psalms 62:8 NLT)

He gives us His perfect peace:

‘You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.’ (Isaiah 26:3-4 NIV)

He is by our side:

‘Because God will be right there with you; he’ll keep you safe and sound.’ (Proverbs 3:26 MSG)

Our God goes beside us & before us:

‘You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head.’

(Psalms 139:5 NLT)

May you know God’s peace & presence in the year ahead.

May our prayers dispel anxiety & fear give way to faith.

Blessings for 2024,

Ruth x

Be the light!

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The prophet Isaiah wrote these words hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus:

‘The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.’ (Isaiah 9:2 NIV)

Over two thousand years later & the darkness seems deeper today.

‘This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.’ (John 3:19 NIV)

God sent His light into our deeply dark world:

‘The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.’ (John 1:5 NIV)

‘… the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining.’ (1 John 2:8b NIV)

God sent light into the world in the form of a Person:

‘Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”’

(John 8:12 NIV)

God spoke light into being in the beginning:

‘For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.’ (2 Corinthians 4:6 NLT)

‘In your light we see light.’ (Psalms 36:9 NIV)

God has called us:

‘that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.’

(1 Peter 2:9 NIV)

At Christmastime there’s light all around us-

Candle light

Sparkling fairy lights

Twinkling star light

Streetlights

Lightbulbs in our homes

Lights decorating trees inside & out

All dispelling darkness in their own way!

God wants us to be light in this dark world too:

‘You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world.’ (Matthew 5:14 MSG)

May God’s Light brighten your hearts & home this Christmastime. And may you be light shining in the darkness too!

Blessings,

Ruth x

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

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I put the Christmas tree up last weekend – on the first Saturday in December, as is our tradition.

I got nostalgic- missing yesteryears when the children were little & we decorated the house to the tune of Frank Sinatra’s Jingle Bells! Those Saturdays were typically Pyjama Days for the kids & the stockings were hung up on the inglenook fireplace. And the Little People Nativity Set took over the coffee table.

I put up my Christmas pallet that says ‘It’s the most wonderful time of the year!’

Except sometimes it’s not. I mean it doesn’t feel wonderful. There’s so much going on in our own world & across the globe that is the opposite of wonderful. There’s dreadful, terrible news.

War.

Earthquakes.

Sickness & sadness.

Death & Depression.

Dysfunctional families.

Increased cost of living & poverty.

So, what makes our life wonderful?

Or rather Who turns our life wonderful this Christmas time?

The prophet Isaiah foretold the event that makes the difference:

‘Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.’ (Isaiah 7:14 NIV)

Immanuel means God with us.

God with us in our struggles.

In our sadness.

In our sickness.

In our stresses.

God with us through it all!

Our Almighty God took on flesh & bone & became a baby. He moved among us & went through day to day life on planet earth. So we can be saved. So we don’t have to face anything alone.

‘For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.’ (Isaiah 9:6 NIV)

‘Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.’ (Psalms 9:10 NIV)

We know the Name of our Almighty Everlasting God who stooped from eternity into time {to be with us}

He is the Wonderful Counsellor:

‘I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.’ (Psalms 32:8 NIV)

He is Mighty God:

‘For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.’ (Zephaniah 3:17 NLT)

He is our Everlasting Father:

‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,’ (Matthew 6:9 NIV)

May you know the Prince of Peace, especially at this time of year.

‘Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.’ (2 Thessalonians 3:16 NIV)

Blessings,

Ruth x

Help!

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We can get overwhelmed quickly. Such a lot can be going on around about us & in our hearts & minds.

‘In this world you will have trouble.’

(John 16:33)

There’s no doubt there will be trouble, yet we have God’s promises to lean on:

‘For he has said,

“I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

So we can confidently say,

“The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”’

(Hebrews 13:5-6 ESV)

God is our Helper!

There’s nothing God & you can’t do together

Whatever we’re facing, God’s got this!

We can pray to God about whatever we’re facing:

‘Nothing is too great for Your power,

Nothing is too small for Your love’

(Corrie Ten Boom)

‘Prayer connects our overwhelming anxiety to God’s overcoming power’

(Lysa Terkheurst)

Our help comes from the Creator God:

‘I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.’

(Psalm 121:1-2 ESV)

Our Helper is our strength:

‘God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.’

(Psalm 46:1 )

‘We can simply want our situation solved — when God simply wants to be our answer.’ (Ann Voskamp)

Our Helper will go with us:

“The Lord said, “I will go with you and give you peace.””

(Exodus 33:14 CEV)

‘Even when we don’t have the capacity to calm our hearts and minds because of the chaos around us, God’s promised peace holds and carries us. (Lucretia Berry- incourage)

May we know the peace of God, & His help today & always.

Blessings,

Ruth x