Category: Father

Ask, Seek, Knock

Matthew 7 English Standard Version

Ask, and It Will Be Given

⁷“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. ⁸For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. ⁹Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? ¹¹If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

Ask

I wonder can you remember as a child when you had been naughty were you given what you asked for by your parents? Chances are you wouldn’t have. You like I would probably only get what we asked for by our parents if we were good

As humans we must remember to be Christ like to get what we ask for from our Lord.

Seek

Ever mislaid your car or house keys, mobile phone, TV control etc and can’t find them when you need them? Fortunately I’m not that type of person except for maybe the TV remote.

So that w can “seek, and you will find” We must be Committed to Jesus

Knock

We must let Jesus knock at the door of our hearts to let him in to our lives so that we may be saved

All God’s people

Ephesians 2 New International Version

Jew and Gentile Reconciled Through Christ

¹¹Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)— ¹²remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. ¹³But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

¹⁴For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, ¹⁵by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, ¹⁶and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. ¹⁷He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. ¹⁸For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

¹⁹Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, ²⁰built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. ²¹In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. ²²And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

Recently we were told at my church that the building was ‘not fit for purpose’ for a number of reasons. This obviously means looking for new premises or a plot of land to build on. We as a church also have to be seen to raise funds to help this to happen, but money isn’t the only aspect involed of course , a lot of prayer has to go into what is happening as well.

For I’m building a people of power
And I’m making a people of praise
That will move through this land by My Spirit
And will glorify My precious name

Build Your church, Lord
Make us strong, Lord
Join our hearts, Lord, through Your Son
Make us one, Lord
In Your Body
In the kingdom of Your Son

A Personal Testimony

John 8 New International Version

Dispute Over Jesus’ Testimony

¹²When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

¹³The Pharisees challenged him, “Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.”

¹⁴Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going. ¹⁵You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. ¹⁶But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. ¹⁷In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true. ¹⁸I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.”

¹⁹Then they asked him, “Where is your father?”

“You do not know me or my Father,” Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” ²⁰He spoke these words while teaching in the temple courts near the place where the offerings were put. Yet no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come.

Recently one of the bloggers that I follow posted a remarkable testimony about a condition she suffered from and how it led her to faith in Christ. It was a video entitled ‘My Story’. She starts of by saying there was a lot of darkness in her past, but points out that Christ rescued her.

Moving on to High School she says her condition got worse when her friend started having sex and drinking alcohol . Then came the lies to her friends etc. In the video she tells of how ‘the thief was able to take her strong faith’ as a devout catholic. The Devil was in control of her and the condition.

She went to an inpatient Facility for three months, speaks of what the youth pastor said to her before she went he said “Do you know what you are doing to you’re father” it was then she realised she had been lying to everyone in her life especially her father. While she was having a session with one of the doctors she had a ‘out of body experience’, later on that night in chapel she had what she called her come to Jesus moment. In that moment she fell to her knees and knew that Jesus had forgiven her, she was ‘saved’ and started on the road to recovery from her condition.

From now on she didn’t have to worry because she knew Jesus was with her and loved her, she could feel his presence althrough out her recovery by giving her the strength to get through that timeShe finishes of the video by saying ‘She would not have her recovery if it weren’t for Jesus’ and quotes Ezekiel 37:5 This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath^[a] enter you, and you will come to life. Jesus breathed life back into this person

This was the Song used for her ‘Come to Jesus Moment’

Dear Lord and Father

Gentle Jesus

Matthew 18:1-10 New International Version

The Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven

18 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

²He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. ³And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. ⁴Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. ⁵And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.

Causing to Stumble

⁶“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. ⁷Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come! ⁸If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. ⁹And if your eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.

The Parable of the Wandering Sheep

¹⁰“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven

1.
Gentle Jesus, meek and mild,
Look upon a little child,
Pity my simplicity,
Suffer me to come to thee.

2.
Fain I would to thee be brought,
Gracious Lord, forbid it not;
In the Kingdom of thy grace
Give a little child a place.

3.
Loving Jesus, gentle Lamb,
In thy gracious hands I am;
Make me, Saviour, what thou art,
Live thyself within my heart.

4.
Lamb of God, I look to thee,
Thou shalt my example be;
Thou art gentle, meek and mild;
Thou wast once a little child.

5.
Now I would be as thou art;
Give me an obedient heart;
Thou art pitiful and kind,
Let me have thy loving mind.

6.
I shall then show forth thy praise,
Serve thee all my happy days;
Then the world shall always see
Christ, the holy child, in me.

Prayer

Luke 11:1-13 New International Version

Jesus’ Teaching on Prayer

11 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”

²He said to them, “When you pray, say:

“‘Father,^[a]
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come.^[b]
³Give us each day our daily bread.
⁴Forgive us our sins,
for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.^[c]
And lead us not into temptation.^[d]’”

⁵Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at Image result for prayer midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; ⁶a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ ⁷And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ ⁸I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity^[e] he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.

⁹“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ¹⁰For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

¹¹“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for^[f] a fish, will give him a snake instead? ¹²Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? ¹³If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Whilst yesterday’s blog was based on Holiness and discipleship I have based today’s blog on prayer using the simple prayer chorus ‘Teach me ho to love thee’

Teach me how to love thee,
Teach me how to pray,
Teach me how to serve thee
Better every day;
Teach me how to serve thee
Better every day.

Go in Peace

John 16 The Passion Translation

²⁵“I have spoken to you using figurative language,^[m] but the time is coming when I will no longer teach you with veiled speech, but I will teach you about the Father with your eyes unveiled.^[n] ²⁶And I will not need to ask the Father on your behalf, for you’ll ask him directly because of your new relationship with me.^[o] ²⁷For the Father tenderly loves you, because you love me and believe that I’ve come from God. ²⁸I came to you sent from the Father’s presence, and I entered into the created world, and now I will leave this world and return to the Father’s side.”

²⁹His disciples said, “At last you’re speaking to us clearly and not using veiled speech and metaphors! ³⁰Now we understand that you know everything there is to know, and we don’t need to question you further. And everything you’ve taught us convinces us that you have come directly from God!”

³¹Jesus replied, “Now you finally believe in me. ³²And the time has come when you will all be scattered, and each one of you will go your own way, leaving me alone!^[p] Yet I am never alone, for the Father is always with me. ³³And everything I’ve taught you is so that the peace which is in me will be in you and will give you great confidence as you rest in me. For in this unbelieving world you will experience trouble and sorrows, but you must be courageous,^[q] for I have conquered the world!”^[r]

Sadly within the last three weeks I have lost two family members who were very dear to me. My fathers cousin who was classed as a older brother died suddenly at sixty seven and on Monday I got a phone call from my mother saying she thought my stepdad had died. As my mother doesn’t live far from me I said I would be there straight away. The paramedics were still on scene when we arrived and confirmed he was dead. The only connection between these two deaths is that they went in peace!

Go in peace, go in love. May the Lord be at your side. Go in peace, go in love, May he ever be your guide. May his Grace overflow, and his mercy be upon you, Go in peace, go in love. Now and evermore

Thinking of Jesus

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Philippians 2:5-11

5 In your lives you must think and act like Christ Jesus.

6 Christ himself was like God in everything. But he did not think that being equal with God was something to be used for his own benefit.

7 But he gave up his place with God and made himself nothing. He was born to be a man and became like a servant.

8And when he was living as a man, he humbled himself and was fully obedient to God, even when that caused his death — death on a cross.

9 So God raised him to the highest place. God made his name greater than every other name

10 so that every knee will bow to the name of Jesus — everyone in heaven, on earth, and under the earth.

11 And everyone will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and bring glory to God the Father.

The first time I sung this song I was a young teen and still ‘XX’ amount of years on the words still have that meaning and power behind them.

The River Clyde

Once a hub of Irish People

Bustling, working on the Clyde

Building ships in ageing dockyards

Lost within long ravished times

And came the gentle touch of Father

With His voice so calm and still

“Trust always the Love of My Son”

“Look always to do his will”.

To feed displaced families

Faithful tribes of Irish workers

He called to trust with dignity

Deep within the calming waters

Comes new light which shines on man

Of a deeper profound calling

To keep the Faith and take a stand

Now with waters largely silent

Contemplation draws us near

entreating all the generations

To keep our Faith and hold it dear

Blessed Father ever hear us

Protect us just like those gone by

And like our fathers with their calling

Let us ne’er our faith deny.

Joseph McTaggart

Loving Father walk with me

O loving Father walk with me

Across thy mountain way

Through the trees and thorny paths

From dawn to dusk each day

Help me heal my stubborn pride

Let my mind be still

Bind my own self righteousness

And let me do Thy will

When I err from Thy sweet path

The night comes dark and cold

Hold me in Thy mantle close

And Lead me to Thy fold

And when the storms and mists come down

With all their promised dreams

Keep me on the rugged road

However fair they seem

Teach me to love Thy footpath long

And those I chance to see

Let me follow and rejoice

And greet each one with glee.

J.McTaggert