'And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptised will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.' (Mark 16:15-16)
The reason I haven't written any posts for a while is because I've been away in Scotland on a week of evangelism. I don't say this to point out how good I am, but because it was one of the most amazing and challenging things I have ever done. I came away with plenty of reasons to be thankful!
For example, we can be thankful God has given us the chance to evangelise, to tell others the gospel.
Who are we to be God's spokespeople? Weak, pathetic vessels in which to carry the priceless treasure of His word!
Yet He 'chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise...what is weak in the world to shame the strong' (1 Cor 1:27)
This doesn't necessarily mean we all want to embrace evangelism with open arms. Oh no, sometimes it can be very scary! After all, you are telling people they are sinners in need of a Saviour.
But God has promised to be with us through it all. He is the one who changes hearts. And that's the hardest part!
Thank you Lord that you can use someone as weak as me to spread your gospel. May I do it effectively for your glory.
Wednesday 24 July 2013
Wednesday 10 July 2013
43 - Toothbrushes and toothpaste
'Your teeth are like a flock of shorn ewes that have come up from the washing, all of which bear twins, and not one among them has lost its young.' (Song of Soloman 4:2)
Just imagine what life was like without these necessities.
Ew. Actually you don't need to. Look back a few hundred years or so. No wonder there was a lot more false teeth then.
I hate forgetting either of these things. No doubt other people would hate me too, if you consider what morning breath tends to smell like ;)
In all seriousness though, aren't toothbrushes and toothpaste just another invention that can be traced back to the wits God gave us? So thank you God!
Just imagine what life was like without these necessities.
Ew. Actually you don't need to. Look back a few hundred years or so. No wonder there was a lot more false teeth then.
I hate forgetting either of these things. No doubt other people would hate me too, if you consider what morning breath tends to smell like ;)
In all seriousness though, aren't toothbrushes and toothpaste just another invention that can be traced back to the wits God gave us? So thank you God!
Friday 5 July 2013
42 - Age
'Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life.' (Proverbs 16:31)
None of us like getting older. To some, it must feel like they're leaving the best years behind, which is why they struggle to hold onto their youth so desperately.
I can't say I'm innocent of this. I'm only twenty and I already attack my younger sister for repeatedly referring to me as twenty-one, little madam that she is!
But why do we dislike age? None of us can prevent it.
Perhaps because we realise we are getting closer to death, which, I agree, is unnatural. Before we sinned, we were never meant to die. This might explain why those who are unsaved fear age.
But for Christians, Christ took away the fear of death when He died for us on the cross. Now age can mean one step closer to heaven and eternity with Him!
It can mean looking back on a full and fruitful life lived for God. Age doesn't have to mean we do less and less. I know some old people who are still living life to the full at ninety!
So, although I'm not saying we have to thank God each birthday that we're getting older, I am saying we could thank Him for all that He's brought us through and all He will bring us though.
He's the God of yesterday, today and forever! May our lives (and grey hairs, if and when we get them,) glorify Him!
None of us like getting older. To some, it must feel like they're leaving the best years behind, which is why they struggle to hold onto their youth so desperately.
I can't say I'm innocent of this. I'm only twenty and I already attack my younger sister for repeatedly referring to me as twenty-one, little madam that she is!
But why do we dislike age? None of us can prevent it.
Perhaps because we realise we are getting closer to death, which, I agree, is unnatural. Before we sinned, we were never meant to die. This might explain why those who are unsaved fear age.
But for Christians, Christ took away the fear of death when He died for us on the cross. Now age can mean one step closer to heaven and eternity with Him!
It can mean looking back on a full and fruitful life lived for God. Age doesn't have to mean we do less and less. I know some old people who are still living life to the full at ninety!
So, although I'm not saying we have to thank God each birthday that we're getting older, I am saying we could thank Him for all that He's brought us through and all He will bring us though.
He's the God of yesterday, today and forever! May our lives (and grey hairs, if and when we get them,) glorify Him!
41 - Pens
'...Write the vision; make it plain on tablets...' (Habakkuk 2:2)
Pens? Simple thing to write about surely.
But just you wait till you live in a house and hear the cry 'WHY DO THE PENS IN THIS HOUSE NEVER WORK?' or 'WHY CAN'T I FIND A PEN?'
Then you'll be thankful when one is found.
Err...I'm not necessarily saying this happens in our house, of course...
Moving quickly on.
We've come some way in terms of what we used to write with.
Clay tablets, quill pens, even pencils have been taken over to some extent.
Pens are pretty handy really, aren't they? (No pun intended)
And we can be thankful for something as small as them.
Pens? Simple thing to write about surely.
But just you wait till you live in a house and hear the cry 'WHY DO THE PENS IN THIS HOUSE NEVER WORK?' or 'WHY CAN'T I FIND A PEN?'
Then you'll be thankful when one is found.
Err...I'm not necessarily saying this happens in our house, of course...
Moving quickly on.
We've come some way in terms of what we used to write with.
Clay tablets, quill pens, even pencils have been taken over to some extent.
Pens are pretty handy really, aren't they? (No pun intended)
And we can be thankful for something as small as them.
Tuesday 2 July 2013
40 - Soap
'...cleanse us...' (1 John 1:9)
After the serious tone of the last two posts, here's a slightly more comical one for you to consider.
Soap!
Just think what things were like before it! Actually, don't. It can't have been pleasant.
You are blessed to live in healthier, cleaner times. Especially when some countries still don't have such luxuries.
So let us be thankful we have the means to clean ourselves on the outside at least! (God takes care of the inside ;)
After the serious tone of the last two posts, here's a slightly more comical one for you to consider.
Soap!
Just think what things were like before it! Actually, don't. It can't have been pleasant.
You are blessed to live in healthier, cleaner times. Especially when some countries still don't have such luxuries.
So let us be thankful we have the means to clean ourselves on the outside at least! (God takes care of the inside ;)
39 - No Permanent Goodbyes
'...that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.' (John 3:16)
Recently I have had to say goodbye to some people in my church. Students going home, families moving away, friends going on holiday for weeks.
But although these goodbyes are sad, it's so good to know that none of them are permanent.
Because we get to spend eternity with these people in heaven! How do people who don't have this comfort cope? I don't know.
I'm just thankful Christ's death for us turned a 'goodbye' into a 'see you later'.
Recently I have had to say goodbye to some people in my church. Students going home, families moving away, friends going on holiday for weeks.
But although these goodbyes are sad, it's so good to know that none of them are permanent.
Because we get to spend eternity with these people in heaven! How do people who don't have this comfort cope? I don't know.
I'm just thankful Christ's death for us turned a 'goodbye' into a 'see you later'.
38 - Gratitude
'In every way and everywhere we accept this with all gratitude.' (Acts 24:3)
How often do you meet someone who can express their gratitude in such a way that you know they are completely genuine in what they say?
How often do we just toss out a half-hearted 'thanks' to someone?
Real gratitude is a gift from God. I realised that today when some friends who are moving away gave me a thank you gift that nearly made me cry. Because it was a poster that used to hang in their kitchen, one they couldn't take with them, that they'd designed themselves. With the picture was a note that, in a few words, summed up their gratitude.
It really put the small thank you notes I am used to scribbling to shame!
Thank you God for genuine gratitude. May I learn to express it to a similar degree to others, and to You.
How often do you meet someone who can express their gratitude in such a way that you know they are completely genuine in what they say?
How often do we just toss out a half-hearted 'thanks' to someone?
Real gratitude is a gift from God. I realised that today when some friends who are moving away gave me a thank you gift that nearly made me cry. Because it was a poster that used to hang in their kitchen, one they couldn't take with them, that they'd designed themselves. With the picture was a note that, in a few words, summed up their gratitude.
It really put the small thank you notes I am used to scribbling to shame!
Thank you God for genuine gratitude. May I learn to express it to a similar degree to others, and to You.
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