willbedoneonearth

God gives us many good promises in the bible.  The promise we are mostly aware of is his promise to save us from our sins if we call on the name of the Lord (Acts 2 v 21). In our being saved, he calls us "Holy" even though we can see we are still very human and weak.  He says even though our sins are as scarlet, we will be made white as snow (Isaiah 1 v 18). In Romans 4 v 17 the scripture says of God that He is the "- God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were".  This scripture is amazing, because it is quoted in the context of the story of Abraham, a man who God enabled to father a child at 100 years old and his wife being 90, not exactly the peak childbearing age! It was before God enabled Abraham to father a child through Sarah, that he called him by the new name, Abraham.  Until that point his name was Abram.  God said: "No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a F

"He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless" Isaiah 40 v 29 NLT. I read this verse this morning and saw it in a totally different light.  I used to mainly see this as talking about God's power to sustain us daily, that is, while we are experiencing particular weaknesses and struggles...(which I still agree he provides). Power = Empowerment He also gives us empowerment- and I saw this as a type of 'deliverance'- lasting changes in our feeling of power and strength through changes in us and our circumstances and situation. This is the concrete lifting of us from a weakened or powerless state in any number of areas and promoting us to a more enabled position. The following are some examples of the many kinds of empowerment that I could think of... Leverage The ability to create change The ability to influence The ability to be heard- having 'a voice' The ability to sustain a healthy relationship Emotional happiness and stabili

John 17 v 4 "I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do" NIV Jesus prays in John 17 this statement of fact when he is with the disciples, before he went to the cross.  It seems Jesus had a sense of completion of at least one stage of God's work for him at that time.  It was like he was giving his own eulogy before his departure. And he had succeeded in completion. I believe that's a word for myself and others right now- completion. If we are thinking about giving something up, ask yourself- have I really completed this? There is work God has given us to do- and there is a point of completion God has in mind for each of those areas. We get so tired sometimes that it seems something has to go out of our schedule- maybe the most difficult thing is the most tempting to let go of- God might be releasing you- but pray for wisdom... I had realized there was an area of ministry I was involved in I was starting to dread fronting up

Psalm 62 v 1-4 (Passion Translation) To the Pure and Shining One King David's melody of love's celebration " I stand silently to listen for the one I love, waiting as long as it takes for the Lord to rescue me.  For God alone has become my Savior.  He alone is my safe place; his wrap-around presence always protects me.  For he is my champion defender; there's no risk of failure with God.  So why would I let worry paralyze me, even when troubles multiply around me? But look at those who want me dead, shouting their vicious threats at me!  The moment they discover my weakness they all begin plotting to take me down. Liars, hypocrites, with nothing good to say.  All of their energies are spent on moving me from this exalted place." David is in an interesting position.  He stands serenely waiting for Gods help, for which he is fully confident.  The visual image is that he is wrapped in protection, and that is Gods very presence. God's pres

"When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the Lord.  And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled his temple" 1 Kings 8 v 10-11 This is an amazing scene.  Solomon has finished building the temple and instructs the ark to be brought up.  All the people are gathered.  And God comes and fills the temple with his presence. Last month I had a vivid dream about our church service being interrupted by the power and glory of God.  I looked out and suddenly the chairs were cleared- everything was 'out of place'.  Someone helped me find my place in the order of service 'script' as I was worship leading.  Someone called out 'can we have the chairs back?'.  When I went out to the bathroom a door was hanging off it's hinge as though 'the place had been shaken'.  (This reminded me of the place in Acts 4: 31 where it says "After they prayed, the place

My son has struggled with his health the last year and a half.  After many investigations it was revealed he had a parasite infestation- sounds terrible, right?  Apparently it's not uncommon for us to have some species in our system but most people don't get any symptoms. My son's had a lot of nausea and fatigue and missed many days of school.  This year he missed almost the whole of the first term of grade 7.  It took awhile to go through the processes to confirm the parasites again this year and he's on his second lot of antibiotics.  So it was the second lot of antibiotic, we ran out of supply and missed the closing time at our country pharmacy. He missed almost two days.  If you know antibiotics you need to keep them up regularly to be effective. I was in the pharmacy this morning- I was rushed, tired and not feeling fantastic emotionally after a disturbed sleep.  The pharmacist or assistant tells me that sorry there's no repeats on the script.  I say that

What does a faithful Christian look like?  Are they always happy and energetic and smiling? I had a disappointment when a something I thought was going to happen didn't.  How many of us have experienced this? We receive a promise from God and then something leads us to think its happening "this week" or 'this month', even 'this year'- all the signs are lining up- we get all exited. WE might fast, and spend ourselves in prayer.  WE might tell our close friends.  WE might take some actions towards this thing coming to pass.  And it's all in the faith of expectation- because we believe God- that this thing is going to happen. Then it doesn't happen when we think it would happen and we feel exhausted.  We feel silly, maybe bitter, that we 'spent ourselves' getting exited and laboring over this event or promise we thought was coming like 'now'. Today I prayed God would give me his perspective on my disappointment.  I truly had e

I was in my study early spending time with the Lord this morning and I was distracted by the draft from the door to the study that led outside. I was thinking about how my husband had said I might want to get one of those draft blocking 'snakes' for the winter chill coming under the door.  Even though I was risking getting sidetracked, I wrote in the notes section of my phone- 'Pay Day'- 'Door snake used to keep cold air out' (as in, when I go shopping- remember to buy one of those door snakes- not the conventional term for that item I'm pretty sure). As soon as I wrote these words I was hit with a 'suddenly' moment I believe from God's spirit on a 'wordplay' on what I had written.  And the following is what came to me and the thoughts that followed from there... Pay day usually means the time we are paid income to our bank account, but this wording was now resounding to me as 'pay day' like divine retribution.  Divine retrib

The following poem was a personal reflection of both life's realities and faiths hope, particularly the power of Jesus Ressurection in us to give us a freshness and newness and freedom from our past. I'm really feeling a theme of 'freshness' for this season from easter and ahead... Ressurection Morning Seasons come and seasons go Its hard to keep up With the ebb and flow We try to prepare and take care But I struggle, you know Past seasons holding on Can't seem to shake free Things from the past holding me Telling me I'm not free Feel the freshness of the morning A new day dawning Crisp air Birds singing New beginnings Hope is beckoning to me He makes all things new Ressurection morning Bringing me hope Power Strong and undefeatable He makes me Naomi Richardson The following I wrote for children to make a connection with the sweetness of Jesus love and the sweetness of chocolate easter eggs. Oh so sweet Here's a chocolate, oh so sw

Joseph had a hard time then finally his time of blessing came. He came to power, saw seven years of abundant crops and stored away plenty of food for the famine years. He was in a position to rule and save lives. In the seven years of amazing harvest Joseph had personal blessing of two sons born (Genesis 41. 47-52) The first he named 'Manasseh' saying "God has made me forget all my troubles and everyone in my fathers family" (Genesis 41.51). (Manasseh- causing to forget, footnote, NLT). He embraced FORGETFULNESS. There are blessings given to us to help us forget about our painful past. He cares about the effect the memory of a painful past has on us and wants to help us forget the past with FRESH JOY in the present! Ephraim his second son was named by reason of "God has made me fruitful in this land of my grief"(Genesis 41.52). Make no mistake, despite things getting better and the assurance of God's plan and purpose he still refered to Egypt a

Joseph had served time in the darkness, his gifts operating quietly...Then suddenly he was interpreting the personal dreams of the Pharoah and giving instructions on saving Egypt from famine. Before Josephs promotion the bible in Genesis 41.37 says "Josephs suggestions were well recieved". And Pharoah remarks to his officials "Can we find anyone else like this man so obviously filled with the spirit of God?" (Genesis 41.38). This interaction and display of wisdom impressed the officials of Pharaoh and Pharaoh himself. It marked the start of his promotion from 'prisoner' to second in command of the entire land. The anointing of God was recognized. Display of ANOINTING sets the STAGE  for the APPOINTING. As God sets the stage for someones appointment to a position in his will, he makes the suitability apparent to those in power to appoint WITH EVIDENCE of an anointing from God apon the person for the task. Joseph STEPPED INTO the anointing IN FAITH without

Why I love being up the back at church... You see the needs- children- people who got upset by something and are leaving- you might be able to chase them out the door and talk to them. Are you more concerned with the 99 or finding the one (Matt 18.12)? An elderly person struggling to open a door and you are ready. Ready to smile and welcome someone who is late and needs to feel grace- ready to sit with the newcomer who won't join in 'the midst'. I love being able to see Gods people while I worship. It can be a place of service as opposed to the slackness that 'might' be associated with the 'back seat'. And it can be a place of humility as oppossed to a 'prideful indifference' that might be associated with not being in the 'main seats' in the congregation. "I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God...(Ps 84.10)" David says in Psalm  concerning that he would rather be in the lowest place than be in evil- a humble place,