Instapray!

Have you heard of Instapray? Whether you want some encouragement or you need prayers, Instapray is a great tool to get together with other brothers and sisters round the world,

Social networking gets spiritual! InstaPRAY lets you post prayers or offer words of encouragement - and 33 MILLION have already been posted
Free app lets users post public prayers and messages of encouragement
They can also set up private prayer groups with other members
This can be for individual prayers, or prayers for global disasters
Instapray was designed to be a 'safe, supportive online community' that is 'free of the overwhelming negativity present across much of the web'
Have a blessed evening. N.A.

Jesus appears to his followers.

Today's gospel was Luke 24 v36 - 48. 

Jesus Appears to His Followers

36 While the two men were saying these things to the other followers, Jesus himself came and stood among them. He said to them, “Peace be with you.” 37 This surprised the followers. They were afraid. They thought they were seeing a ghost. 38 But Jesus said, “Why are you troubled? Why do you doubt what you see? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It’s really me. Touch me. You can see that I have a living body; a ghost does not have a body like this.” 40 After Jesus told them this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41 The followers were amazed and very, very happy to see that Jesus was alive. They still could not believe what they saw. He said to them, “Do you have any food here?” 42 They gave him a piece of cooked fish. 43 While the followers watched, he took the fish and ate it. 44 Jesus said to them, “Remember when I was with you before? I said that everything written about me must happen—everything written in the Law of Moses, the books of the prophets, and the Psalms.” 45 Then Jesus helped the followers understand these Scriptures about him.46 Jesus said to them, “It is written that the Messiah would be killed and rise from death on the third day. 47-48 You saw these things happen—you are witnesses. You must go and tell people that they must change and turn to God, which will bring them his forgiveness. You must start from Jerusalem and tell this message in my name to the people of all nations. 49 Remember that I will send you the one my Father promised. Stay in the city until you are given that power from heaven.”

The two men to whom Jesus appeared on the road to Emmaus have rejoined the ten. What are the evidence that Jesus-Christ resurrected as in a court of law? First there are witnesses, Jesus appeared to Mary-Magdalene, the disciples, the disciples and doubtful Thomas. 

Witnessess matter a lot in a court of law. Secondly the material evidence. Thirdly the forensic evidence.

The material evidence. It's Easter Sunday evening; picture Cleopas and his friend who have dashed back to talk to the disciples.  

Let's think for a moment what the disciples have been through. First the betrayal of Judas, Jesus arrested and flogged, then put on the cross and mocked! Then the report comes of an empty tomb! They are still dismayed! What a rollercoaster of emotion and feelings. They must have been exhausted. Jesus is appearing from nowhere, he starts questioning them very gently. It's me, here are the scars. He is different, he has a resurrection body, transformed. What staggers the disciples is that He is standing there. Really? He should not be walking round. There is the evidence of the cross, his wounds are still there. This is the evidence that he has been raised from the dead. He eats. Another evidence of the resurrection. 

The forensic evidence. We have the Turin Shroud even though there has been a controversy is still an evidence.

Jesus, the saviour of the world gives us a special message. Not only He has fulfilled what Moses, the prophets and the psalmists had said but if you repent and confess your sins, put things right with God, He will forgive you. Jesus says to them that they are witness, and this include you too. 

Have a blessed week in Jesus name.

SJA

The Gospel of John

Did you know that you can watch the whole Gospel of John on youtube!

Author: John 21:20-24 describes the author as "the disciple whom Jesus loved," and for both historical and internal reasons this is understood to be John the Apostle, one of the sons of Zebedee (Luke 5:10).

Date of Writing: Discovery of certain papyrus fragments dated around A.D. 135 require the book to have been written, copied, and circulated before then. And while some think it was written before Jerusalem was destroyed (A.D. 70), A.D. 85-90 is a more accepted time for its writing.

Purpose of Writing: John 20:31 cites the purpose as follows: "But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name." Unlike the three synoptic Gospels, John's purpose is not to present a chronological narrative of the life of Christ, but to display His deity. 

You should have been a boy!

Because Ruth was not a boy, her parents treated her cruelly. At age five, she was forced to work in their fields. She was never given much food to eat, and her parents rarely bought her clothes. See how God's hand was on Ruth's life and how He used her to impact so many other women in South Asia for eternity.
To learn more about women missionaries and how you can support one, go to http://www.gfa.org/women/

Picturesque Poitou!

Dear all, we are back home and I must say that tonight the temperature is cooler than in Poitou. Steven even got sunburnt in a few hours. Here are a few photos I took during our holidays in Poitou! 

A medieval tower in Civray

A medieval door in Civray

Eglise St-Nicholas, Civray

Eglise St-Nicholas, Civray

Fontenay le Comte

Leaving Calais

Another lighthouse at  Calais

Proud to be a Christian!

The reality of Christian mission in today’s churches is a story of thousands of quiet kindnesses. In many of our most disadvantaged communities it is the churches that provide warmth, food, friendship and support for individuals who have fallen on the worst of times. The homeless, those in the grip of alcoholism or drug addiction, individuals with undiagnosed mental health problems and those overwhelmed by multiple crises are all helped — in innumerable ways — by Christians.

Michael Gove: Why I'm proud to be a Christian 

Churches provide debt counselling, marriage guidance, childcare, English language lessons, after-school clubs, food banks, emergency accommodation and, sometimes most importantly of all, someone to listen. The lives of most clergy and the thoughts of most churchgoers are not occupied with agonising over sexual morality but with helping others in practical ways — in proving their commitment to Christ through service to others.

But Christian charity — far from being applauded — is seen by many as somehow suspect. Again and again, as a politician, I have found that when people who were open and proud of their Christian faith wished to help others — in education, in social work, in prisons and in hospices — their belief was somehow seen as an ignoble ulterior motive sullying their actions. Their charity would somehow be nobler and more selfless if it weren’t actuated by religion.

Read on in the Spectator.

Source: the Spectator.

Arty Thursday

So many sheep!

Good morning, Not feeling too good today so I thought I'd share this photo with you! Some people out there are definitely soooo arty!

Unsubscribe!

Yes I'm talking about my mail box. You never know how prolific some writers are and I have made the mistake of suscribing to various newsletters or others writings. I've realised that their writings clutter my in box and I end up spending a fair amount of time deleting. So now I have resorted to the radical unsubscribing! It's a shame in a way but as they say there is only so much time in a day!

Are you wiser than me and deal well with those self-inflicted emails? 

Have a blessed week!

All good things come from our heavenly Father

He is the one who knows our heart's desires.

Thank you Jesus for your abundant love

But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5 8

Hope and love sent to you

from all of us at messy church in Weston. Gill and her team of helpers prepared lots of activities to celebrate Jesus-Christ's resurrection.  Joy and laughter in this village hall, busy volunteers and happy children moving from an activity to another. If you haven't been to a messy church, give it go, come along, it's fantastic!

Happy Easter everyone!

Happy mothers having a chat

He is risen!

Humour

A minister waited in line to have his car filled with gas just before a long holiday weekend. The attendant worked quickly, but there were many cars ahead of him in front of the service station.
Finally, the attendant motioned him toward a vacant pump. “Reverend," said the young man, sorry about the delay. It seems as if everyone waits until the last minute to get ready for a long trip. The minister chuckled, "I know what you mean. It's the same in my business."

Have a blessed week!

When we struggle and all kinds of trouble come at our front door, it is best not to panic (easy said than done) and remember our heavenly Father's promises.  Romans 8:28 is one of them. 
I'd like to share with you another promise: The prophet Jeremiah says: 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

On Twitter just for you!

On Twitter, the  Coliseum in green for St Patrick Day!

The truth will set you free.

Psalm 116 Thanksgiving for recovery from illness

1 I love the Lord, because he has heard
my voice and my supplications.
2 Because he inclined his ear to me,
therefore I will call on him as long as I live.
3 The snares of death encompassed me;
the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me;
I suffered distress and anguish.
4 Then I called on the name of the Lord:
“O Lord, I pray, save my life!”

5 Gracious is the Lord, and righteous;
our God is merciful.
6 The Lord protects the simple;
when I was brought low, he saved me.
7 Return, O my soul, to your rest,
for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.

8 For you have delivered my soul from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling.
9 I walk before the Lord
in the land of the living.
10 I kept my faith, even when I said,
“I am greatly afflicted”;
11 I said in my consternation,
“Everyone is a liar.”

12 What shall I return to the Lord
for all his bounty to me?
13 I will lift up the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the Lord,
14 I will pay my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all his people.
15 Precious in the sight of the Lord
is the death of his faithful ones.
16 O Lord, I am your servant;
I am your servant, the child of your serving girl.
You have loosed my bonds.
17 I will offer to you a thanksgiving sacrifice
and call on the name of the Lord.
18 I will pay my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all his people,
19 in the courts of the house of the Lord,
in your midst, O Jerusalem.
Praise the Lord!

Have a blessed day today! :)

The hands that flung stars into space!

Courtesy of Steven Abram

This morning, Steven and I had the pleasure to watch the eclipse, the moon moving in front of the sun and it was amazing. Could you see the smilie! My friend Lillie whatsapped me reminding me of the event! Something very special. 

You probably know Graham Kendrick's song, the Servant King. Graham describes Jesus' crucifixion in an astonishing contrast: the hands that flung stars into space to cruel nails surrendered. Other verses come to mind and corroborate this truth. John tells us the following about Jesus:

In the beginning the Word already was. The Word was in God’s presence and what God was, the Word was. He was with God at the beginning and through him all things came to be, without him no created thing came into being.”(John 1.1‑3)
Paul explains who Jesus to the Colossians  "He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation. For in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or authorities - all things were created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together." (Col.1.15‑17)
The supremacy of Jesus
Hebrews explains that Christ is supreme over more than just roles and systems. Hebrews 1:3  says, “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word.” Similarly, Colossians 2:9 says, “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.” 

Have a blessed week-end.