Resurrection Day .." and he (John) saw and Believed"... John 20:8b

 

.." he saw and believed".. . An empty tomb with empty grave clothes showing an exited, raised body transformed John from a mourning disciple into a believer. 

This post is written after hearing the message by John Lennox, "The case for the Resurrection." See here.

And this quote from Norman Anderson,  The Case for the Resurrection - (link here) comes in at around 16 mins..

"  Easter is not primarily a comfort, but a challenge. 

 

Its message is either the supreme fact in history or else a gigantic hoax. This seems to have been realized in the days of the early Church. On the one side there was a little company of men and women who turned the world upside down by their passionate proclamation of that miracle which had transformed their lives: on the other, those who vehemently denounced the whole story as arrant blasphemy. 

 

We ourselves find it hard to see the issue so clear-cut, for ours is a tolerant age and one suspicious of all fanaticism. Most people have not the slightest desire to attack the Easter message; and yet they only half believe it. To them it is a beautiful story, full of spiritual meaning: why worry, then, whether it is literal fact?

But we miss the point. 

Either it is infinitely more than a beautiful story, or else it is infinitely less. If it is true, then it is the supreme fact of history; and to fail to adjust one's life to its implications means irreparable loss. But if it is not true, if Christ be not risen, then the whole of Christianity is a fraud, foisted on the world by a company of consummate liars, or, at best, deluded simpletons. 

 

St. Paul himself realized this when he wrote in:

1 Corinthians 15:14-16

 14  And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ: whom He raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
 

16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:

 

Yet God is true, His Word is true and to be trusted. Praise God, Jesus is indeed risen as He said.

Praying much that all everywhere would see the truth of this, seek Jesus and His gift of salvation and a heavenly home.

For there is a heaven to gain and a hell to shun.

Hell is the punishment for our sin's curse. I am forever grateful I saw this at 12 years old, and trusted in Jesus as my Saviour from sin! 

How blessed am?! and how I rejoiced with great joy on that day I was saved. 

 

Closing with a hymn I love - "Because  He lives I can face tomorrow" or link here

(Lyrics to hymn)

God sent His son, they called Him Jesus
He came to love, heal, and forgive.
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living just because He lives.

How sweet to hold a newborn baby,
And feel the pride and joy he gives.
But greater still the calm assurance,
This child can face uncertain days because He lives.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living just because He lives.

And then one day I'll cross the river,
I'll fight life's final war with pain.
And then as death gives way to victory,
I'll see the lights of glory and I'll know He lives.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone!
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living just because He lives!

Words: Bill & Gloria Gaither

 
Praying earnestly - may the real reason of Easter shine brightly in your heart and home. 

Thanks for reading this post, and especially commenting. I’m sorry I don’t post very often - but at Easter there's 2 posts in 3 days! 😂 truly a joy to have such good news to share. If you'd like to read a different Resurrection post, as well as craft and Australian Nature, I'd really appreciate it if you would to pop over to my craft blog too HERE!.

May God richly bless your day, wherever you may be.

Prayer hugs, 🙏🤗
Shaz in Oz.x 
 
If you're not sure if you're a Christian , please read this post here Who or What is a Christian? 
 
 IF you haven’t I'd love it you to join as a wonderful encourager of this blog ...  link HERE.  Thank YOU to those who have done so already. It really encourages me to keep on. 😁
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Good Friday 2026 - Our Life is but a Sacrifice given unto You, LORD!

 I’ve no idea why or how things happen in the sad world in which we live, but I tie the heart sacrifice with cords to the altar of the Most High God. 

I was given this verse by dear Bro Mac, a prayer saint from 1990’s. It’s meaning as I understand is that God wants us to bind our life as a sacrifice to the altar just as they bound the sacrifice in Old Testament times, and as Jesus bound His life as a sacrifice to the cross. 

He was Almighty God, He could have come down from that cross at any time, but He chose to die for our sins upon the cruel tree. He then indeed did show us the Light of the World. 

“God is the LORD, which hath shewed us light: 

bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.” 

Ps 118:27

The one thing that really strikes me in reading through the gospels is that the life of Christ was given to much prayer. Note the last prayer scene before the cross in the garden of Gethsemane where we see our LORD Jesus wrestling in prayer, where He sweated as it were great drops of blood, praying to His Father.  

Matt 26:39 …" He went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: 

nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt." 

“if it be possible”, of course it was possible because with God ALL THINGS are possible. However Jesus wanted above all else to do the will of His Father, that ought to be our most earnest desire…to do the will of our Heavenly Father. And that’s why Jesus was given to MUCH prayer. He knew it was the only way He could fully obey His Heavenly Father. This following quote is most apt.  

George Mueller. "No-one ought to expect to see much good resulting from his labours in Word and Doctrine if he is not much given to prayer and meditation." 

And so on this Good Friday 2026, it's good to remind ourselves of some things. Primarily the importance of prayer and to see in the seven sayings of Jesus on the cross when He gave up His life for us. The last two sayings are, "It is finished. " "and He gave up the ghost". None took His life, He gave it willingly for you or me. Yesterday, Thurs afternoon,   I gave a tract on the real meaning of  Easter to a lady who was a believer but she believed also she needed to keep the law, the Sabbath etc. When I asked her Jesus surely cried, "it is finished" , because He had finished Salvation's work, she had no answer. She appeared to trust in Jesus for salvation + works. Satan is ever a deceiver. 

Praise God, Jesus is coming AGAIN! ... and coming soon and they can be deluded in bondage no longer.  Our Saviour gave His life freely for us, and that's what we delight in remembering on Good Friday. 

Link also here 

He suffered so that we might live, and walk in the light as He is in the light, and faithful and true to Him. 

Also if you've time please visit my craft blog, it presents a Joni perspective on this day (here). 

 Thanks for reading this post, and especially commenting. I’m sorry I don’t post very often these days, health is the main reason, also these posts take a long time to write. I started this one ages ago. 

May God richly bless your day, wherever you may be.🙏🤗
Shaz in Oz.x 
 
If you're not sure if you're a Christian , please read this post here Who or What is a Christian? 
 
 IF you haven’t I'd love it you to join as a wonderful encourager of this blog ...  link HERE.  Thank YOU to those who have done so already. It really encourages me to keep on. 😁
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Vine chapter - the Importance of Abiding

(In part from Our Daily Bread)

 Fruit of Vine - John chapter 15

Jesus’ words in John 15:5, “Without Me, ye can do nothing,” are similar to Paul’s statements in Acts 17:28, “In Him we live and move and have our being,” and Col. 1:17, “by Him all things consist.” 

 

All of these verses emphasise the necessity that Christ is to our very existence.
This is the key. As John 14:5 says 
" Without Me ye can do NOTHING.".
In John 15, Jesus is speaking specifically to His followers. He’s talking about the fruit that comes from the branch connected to the vine.

When Jesus says that without Him we can do nothing, He means that without the source of life—the vine—the branch can’t even produce a leaf or a flower, let alone the fruit that brings God honour.

"I am the vine, 

ye are the branches: 

He that abideth in me, 

and I in him, 

the same bringeth forth much fruit: 

for without me ye can do nothing." 

John 15:5 

The key word is abiding, abiding in our LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Abiding is only accomplished as we commune with our beautiful Saviour in prayer... in a busy world full of Satan's distractions its difficult to abide, rest peacefully in those everlasting arms of our Jesus.
Yes, Christ is necessary to our very existence.
This is the key, abide, rest, trust then it will be accomplished in Him. 

For as John 14:5 concludes 
"Without Me ye can do NOTHING."

John, the beloved apostle, knew what it was to abide in Jesus. On the isle of Patmos John was truly abiding, see Revelation 1:9
I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

John was truly abiding, with minimal distractions in the Isle of Patmos. I've read Revelation innumerable times as each time I finish the bible I read it 3 to 5 times. On the first or second time I'm slowly regrasping the flow of the book. BUT one thing is clear in that book, John is truly abiding in the Spirit in an amazing way (an excellent message specifically on Revelation is here). One day we will more fully grasp it, but with our limited finite minds we can't really understand what mighty servants have experienced.

Daniel was a mighty man of prayer, he knew deep communion and abiding in the Spirit. In Daniel 9:3 his prayer begins, then in v.23 it's interrupted by  Gabriel:

 Daniel 9:23 - "At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved:..."

Another servant in deep communion, abiding in the Spirit is the Apostle Paul in 2 Cor 12:4. 

2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.

3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;)

4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. 

We could go all over the bible and see examples of faithfulness in prayer, abiding, truly resting in Jesus, those before were looking to Jesus' as the coming Messiah, we are now looking back, to the cross and Christ's Resurrection. 

We are so VERY blessed to have the indwelling Spirit to guide us, interceding for us, and we know the teachings of the Spirit through the WORD of God, teaching of the risen LORD Jesus! 

Let us remember that our prayers are in the eternal, they never die but are lifted continually as incense to heaven. We see them mentioned 3 times in tribulation - these are the references:

Revelation 5:8, 8:3, 8:4.

 Revelation 8:4
And the smoke of the incense, 

which came with the prayers

of the saints, 

ascended up before God 

out of the angel's hand.

 Isn't that wonderful?? our prayers, our urgent, fervent prayers are lifted continually in heaven. 

I often think of saints like Bro Mac who've gone before, he prayed for 8 hrs a day, he prayed for souls over maps of China, God is still hearing those prayers of that faithful saint, though he went to heaven long ago. 

BE ENCOURAGED! 

Prayer is the most important thing we can do, we are saved by it, yes - we and others are saved and kept by faithful prayers! how precious!

So let us walk in the Light

 as He is in the Light.

And continue keeping on.  

Thanks for reading this post, and especially commenting. I’m sorry I don’t post very often these days, health is the main reason, also these posts take a long time to write, and much prayer for wisdom.

May God richly bless your day, wherever you may be.🙏🤗

Shaz in Oz.x 

 

If you're not sure if you're a Christian , please read this post here Who or What is a Christian? 

 

 IF you haven’t I'd love it you to join as a wonderful encourager of this blog ...  link HERE.  Thank YOU to those who have done so already. It really encourages me to keep on. 😁

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The Immediacy of Answered Prayer

There is a verse in scripture line upon line precept upon precept... its rote learning. Yes, rote learning is scripture based even if the world ignores it.

 

Isaiah 28:10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little and there a little.

 We Ignore God and His word at our own peril, God wants us to heed his Word and to “pray without ceasing”, as we grow in LORD, prayer becomes as natural as breathing and then we truly do pray without ceasing. 

 

It has occurred to me that the prayer realm is separate from the earthly and heavenly realms (these two have subdivisions eg paradise, Sheol, place of dead, and hell lake of fire  (Luke 16) in OT and “heaven” - first and second heaven mentioned in Rev 21 and third in 2 Cor 12 so three in NT.

Heaven and earth created in Gen 1:1 

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

 Recreated in Rev 21

[1] And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

Paul in 2 Cor 12:2 speaks of being caught up into the 3rd heaven, he was in prayer when this occurred and it has happened too in many places to various NT and OT saints. 

I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.

 So there is much to contemplated upon, however another day perhaps.

Truly, LORD, this is the current situation… against hope we are believing in HOPE! 

Today it often looks like TOTALLY like a lost situation in the prayer realm.. compare this to the occasion when the Angel, Gabriel said to Zacharias re birth of a son “.. the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard;”

Zacharias was literally dumbfounded at the angel’s words! He and his wife were aged, I suspect he’d obviously not prayed this prayer for a good while.

Yet this was our Eternal Father God in HIS immediacy of the reply.

God is not in our time zone, not in our limited human mind, the LORD of Glory can see what we cannot.

Let’s believe that we have a HEARING, prayer-answering God, .. against hope believing IN HOPE.. and “hope that is seen is NOT HOPE…. But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with PATIENCE wait for it. “ Rom. 8:24, 25

Dear loving Father, no matter how dumb it might seem to keep on praying, striving re so many things in prayer I’m going to keep on praying, pleading, interceding on these things, especially the two main aspects, salvation of all everywhere, and that Thy RIGHTEOUSNESS and TRUTH will prevail the world over.

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. 1 Cor 3:19

 

And Faithful Father please work this moment, this day for Thy glory, in our nations, in all judicial ruling decrees legal processes to protect the little people from loosing theirlivelihoods! Mercy abounding please for Jesus sake, Amen.

Thanks for reading this post, and especially commenting. I’m sorry I don’t post very often these days, health is the main reason, also these posts take a long time to write, and for some reason the formatting on this post is all over the place.  I'm sorry. I do post a little more regularly on my craft blog. 

May God richly bless your day, wherever you may be.🙏🤗

Shaz in Oz.x 

 

If you're not sure if you're a Christian , please read this post here Who or What is a Christian? 

 

 IF you haven’t I'd love it you to join as a wonderful encourager of this blog ...  link HERE.  Thank YOU to those who have done so already. It really encourages me to keep on. 😁

If you'd like to receive these posts in email to email link option on the sidebar there is a follow it box. 

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Good Friday - He .."must suffer many things and be rejected"...

As we look to another Good Friday I have in March read through the four gospels colour coding a new bible (a present for someone, it's such a blessing). It struck me as I read the gospels how many times the LORD Jesus prophesied or taught his disciples that His death and suffering was coming and would be a fulfilment of God's words. Here are two of them. The disciples were clearly forewarned, yet it went over their heads, as it does with us so often.

Mark 8:31

And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

Luke 9:22
Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day. 

If Jesus had not died there'd be no salvation bought for us, as sinner's needing a Saviour. How empty and meaningless our life would be!  a living death.

*Seven sayings of Jesus on the cross appear in the four gospels but no book has them all.

They show His compassion, His humanity and His suffering. 

"Father forgive them for they know not what they do."

Luke 23:34
"Then said Jesus, 'Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.' And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.."

"I thirst". John 19:28

"After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst."

"My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me". 

Matthew 27:46
"And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"

"Into Thy hands, I commit my Spirit." 

Luke 23:46
"And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost."

"It is finished."

Salvation's price was paid in the full.

John 19:30
"When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost."

So today is Good Friday, and it's called GOOD Friday because Salvation's price was paid in full on that day. May we remember, and be grateful and look to the happy end to this salvation story. Satan was defeated on this day, although he thought he had won in killing the LORD Jesus. Yet in reality Christ gave up His own life, for it said clearly .."He gave up the ghost." Satan was never in control it was all in the pattern God had planned.

Praying God's blessing on your and yours, may many seek the LORD while He maybe found.

Prayer hugs, 🙏🏻🤗

Shaz in Oz.x

Published early due to visitors 😀

* the other two sayings were His care for His mother who He entrusted to the care of the apostle John. John 19:27

"..the time is AT HAND"..

(This has long been in my drafts pile awaiting my attention, sorry for quiet in 2023, DV will do better in 2024 🙏)

Greatly enjoying a series of messages by Pastor Peter Mitchell, from the Book of Daniel.

The Seventy Weeks Explained and Applied.

 (link here if it's missing)

Today we need to drink deeply of the Word of God, not skim across the surface, but the meat of the Word. I've read through the bible every year for more than five decades, loving Genesis again in past week.

It's most important to live in here and now from a BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE... not simply a world perspective. 

Satan is the Prince and Power of the air of this world, the Father of lies, and much out there are wild goose chases of half truths to distract us from God's Holy Truth.  

 

Reading through the book of Revelation, a chapter each day, as well my 4 chapters to read bible through is something I'm doing as it  is most needful I believe.

 

Revelation shows us clearly, explicitly what is ahead. 

Except for chapters 1-3 (the epistles to the 7 churches) there is no reference to the church after that! Why? Because the church is not there in the Tribulation. 

 

Except for chp 21-22 on new heavens & new earth vision, the central theme of chapters 4 to 20 is the Great Tribulation, and it's viewed by those in heaven (Rev 6:10) but the church is not mentioned = not there on earth.  https://heraldofhope.org.au/can-there-be-a-partial-rapture/  

 

If you really want to up to date knowing on things, you need to know Revelation very well.

 Especially because there's an imminent return for Jesus promised in Rev 22:20, ".. surely I come QUICKLY".

 

 God so much wants US TO KNOW it well, He promised this BLESSING (only book to begin thus and contain such a promise): 

"Blessed is he that READETH,  

and they that HEAR the words of this prophecy,  

and KEEP those things which are written therein:  for the TIME IS AT HAND." Rev 1:3 

 If I dont know these words in Revelation, how can I keep them?  

How can I pray accurately for the lost around me?

 

 If I dont have the VISION of THESE PEOPLE'S FUTURE WITHOUT Christ, how can I be truly accurate or have urgency in my prayers?  

 

Where there is no vision the people perish. Prov 29:18 

In Rev. 6:8 1/4 of world's pop has been slain = 3/12 

By Rev 9:7 1/3 slain = 4/12  

By near midpoint of Tribulation then 7/12 of all the people you can see around you, ie more than half have been killed!!

 

A 1/4 of sun, moon, stars are darkened Rev. 6:13, 8:12. With unbelievable catastrophic events of mountain ranges flattened, islands disappear Rev 6:14,  with earthquakes like never before! Australia will suffer much in that time as will US I believe and many heavily populated areas. It's hard to grasp really but much prayer is needed. 🙏🙏🙏

ONE GREAT JOY - there is also the greatest time of widespread evangelism starting in Israel, as God's chosen people (see Rev.7) are won to know the LORD Jesus Christ, this greatly encourages me and we must pray fervently for its success especially for those who are currently unsaved whom we love.

 

May we regularly READ REVELATION, heed its warnings for all around us. May we pray for a real fervency for all around us, who are so blind on this matter.

 

And so earnestly, fervently PRAY it's truth to be revealed to many !

God bless you all who've taken time to read this post..

AND thanks you so much if you are able to comment.

Love in Him, 🙏🤗

Shaz in Oz.x 

 If you are not sure if you are a Christian, a Christ follower, please read this post here 

- Who or What is a Christian?

PS. If you haven’t I'd love it you to join as a wonderful encourager of this blog ...  link HERE.  Thank YOU to those who have done so already. It really encourages me to keep on. 😁

If you'd like these posts in your inbox, you can add your email to email link option on side bar. If you're on a mobile device on which there is no sidebar, then scroll down and select "View Web Version" at very bottom of post. This will bring up sidebar and "follow by email" link, which is on the top of sidebar. 😊 thank you! 

“In the Fullness of Time", He came - & is Coming Again!

 Christmas is a celebration of Christ’s birth, yet He is often banished these days, out of hearts, homes, stores and public locations… some even substitute X for Christmas calling it Xmas. 

X is an unknown quantity but Jesus is never that. 

For He is our LORD, our Saviour and coming King.

There were many prophetic passages promising Jesus would come, starting with Genesis 3:15 - man sinned so our Loving God promised a Saviour.

Another promise oft forgotten is the promise given by the angels when Jesus went to heaven after His resurrection  … .

“… HE SHALL COME AGAIN, IN LIKE MANNER AS YE SEE HIM GO into heaven”

 Acts 1:11

As in the fullness of time, ie God’s time Jesus came the first time, He was born, died and rose again - Paul says here: 

.. but when the fulness of the time was come, 

God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 

to redeem (save, buy back) them that were under the law...” Gal 4:4

As with Christ’s coming there were a few faithful ones in total expectation of the promised Messiah.

They were not surprised in unbelief that He should come as a babe, not conquering King to rescue them from the Romans. Here’s a list of five but I’m sure there are more:

Elizabeth - the mother of John the Baptist was believing (though Zacharias, his father was struck temporarily dumb for his unbelief) Luke 1: 5-26, 40-45

Mary - Luke 1: 26-80

Joseph - Matthew 1:15-25, 2:13-23

Simeon - Luke 2:25-35 faithful prophecies were made by Simeon, to Mary.

Anna - Luke 2:36, 38, at 84 years, she’d long awaited in expection. 

This is my favourite Carol, so much good doctrine in Wesley’s hymn on "Hark the Herald Angels Sing", video link here, as well as below. If you want more in background on this is truly beautiful hymn - see here.

Two Gospels only tell of Jesus’ birth.

Matthew gives it from Joseph’s perspective and dealing in angel appearances and Magi coming; Luke is from Mary’s perspective, each also share their respective genealogies.

Are we likewise expectant that our beautiful LORD Jesus Christ will come again?

 "THEREFORE BE YE ALSO READY for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of Man cometh.”  Matt24:24

Will Christ find us ready longing for His coming as these faithful ones were at Christs first Advent, for its promised to be at any day unexpectedly?

Will I be ready, I pray so with all my heart.

At Christmas time, may Christ not be left out - but may we ALL remember the most important gift is not UNDER THE TREE,

BUT WAS PLACED UPON THE TREE TO DIE for our sin and salvation.

Praying earnestly - may the real reason of Christmas shine brightly in your home and heart.

may God richly bless your day wherever you maybe,

Shaz in Oz.x

 

PS. If you haven’t I'd love it you to join as a wonderful encourager of this blog ...  link HERE.  Thank YOU to those who have done so already. It really encourages me to keep on. 😁

If you'd like these posts in your inbox, you can add your email to email link option on side bar. If you're on a mobile device on which there is no sidebar, then scroll down and select "View Web Version" at very bottom of post. This will bring up sidebar and "follow by email" link, which is on the top of sidebar. 😊 thank you! 

Still here! All things WORK TOGETHER for Good. All the time!

Okay, when three bloggers in less than a week contact you to see if you’re okay, it’s a big prompt from the LORD to do a post.

Personal update:

A simple reason for silence since Easter is poor health. I’ve multiple congenital conditions (from birth) that have affected my health all my life, and been on critical life saving medications for 55years. When I had my heart attack three years ago Drs did their usual of thinking ‘they know best’, and refused necessary meds on admission. 

Result is a mild heart attack was not. This has totally affected my health stability. Combined with my 36 y.o brilliant local Dr retiring, I have spent the last 20 mths trying to source a new one, becoming more ill as time passed due to a Dr who wouldn’t listen. In God’s great mercy, I’m now (last 4 months) under another brilliant medical team and things are starting to stabilise a little, at last. I know that there is a good, God-chosen reason for everything, including this, and THAT is such a comfort at all times.

A Dr who will listen is a rare thing these days. It’s not taught in Medical Schools my Naturopath said (who teaches Physiology at our local Medical School on uni campus). New Drs are taught to listen to their learning above the patient! 😳 So grateful things are improving, but I’m not what I was when went on miracle trip in 2018 to visit all my blogging pals. I probably won’t even travel locally, my system is now too fragile, and won’t be able to blog much, as I’m so slow.

 After such an update the verse that leapt out in my mind was Romans 8:28. It’s oft quoted in times of hardship, because it is SO reassuring. 

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for GOOD to them that love God,

to them who are the called according to His purpose. 

Note: it's GOOD according to God's purpose... NOT good according what we think it should be!

 

It's ALL THINGS... this is of course for those who love Jesus, we can be assured that everything happens for GOOD - and I add for God.

Our Loving God sees what we cannot, and our wondrous God sees the BIG PICTURE. 

 

The WHY behind everything. When life gets tough (and it does) its such a comfort to cling to "the God of all comfort".

For some reason we always expect life to go smoothly, but this is the exact OPPOSITE of what our LORD Jesus has promised us.   

John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. 

In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Our Jesus promised PEACE in Him, but TRIBULATION or trouble in the world, BUT HE has overcome it all, and will give us the victory in it all in this world by faith in Him ... 

The key is to abide, or live in His peace - while in the midst of the world’s trouble. Jesus alone can HELP us do that.

There is trouble in the broken world, because of Genesis 3, man sinned and a curse was put upon all, for all have sinned (See Romans 3:23). BUT one glorious day, ALL CROOKED THINGS will be made STRAIGHT (see Isaiah 42:16)! 

INDEED What a glorious day that will be!

Thanks so much popping over for a peek and chat I truly appreciate your encouragement so much.

Prayer hugs, 🙏🤗 Shaz in Oz.x  

PS. If you haven’t I'd love it you to join as a wonderful encourager of this blog ...  link HERE.  Thank YOU to those who have done so already. It really encourages me to keep on. 😁

If you'd like these posts in your inbox, you can add your email to email link option on side bar. If you're on a mobile device on which there is no sidebar, then scroll down and select "View Web Version" at very bottom of post. This will bring up sidebar and "follow by email" link, which is on the top of sidebar. 😊 thank you!  

God's Goodness on Good Friday

 Hullo there everyone! sorry for the very long silence, health is the usual reason. Since today is one of the most important days of the year, I had to pop in with this post.

  This is an April Illuminated calendar for 2014, from the Hong Kong Christian Book Room. They sadly don't make them any more, but I learnt from their book how to do my texts (see - here it is) is written by the founder of this Book Room. 

 

Isn't it a beautiful verse? 

It is the true reflection of what occurred on Good Friday all those years ago. On a rocky hillside, in sorrow and pain, a young Man shed His blood on a cross - a shameful, sinful death.

WHY?

Years ago (over 50) I well remember my sister's teacher asking me on a hillside (here near the beach) if I knew why Jesus had died? 

I said, " No."

.. and so she told me He had died for my sin, and the sins of everyone. 

Now I was a child.. and you may wonder - how a child can have sinned?

.. but believe you me, there was not argument at all from me on that point.

I knew I had done wrong.. and that was sin.. but that Jesus had died to take away my sin totally blew me away. 

That memorable day, when I saw Jesus on the cross for my sin, has lived evermore for me in these words of this hymn. (or see link here)

 

                                      There Is A Green Hill Far Away

                        There is a green hill far away, without a city wall,

                        Where the dear LORD was crucified, Who died to save us all.

                        We may not know, we cannot tell what pains He had to bear,

                        But we believe it was for us He hung & suffered there.  

                        He died that we might be forgiven , He died to make us good,

                        That we might go at last to Heaven, saved by His precious blood.

                        There was no other good enough to pay the price of sin,

                        He only could unlock the gate of Heaven, and let us in.

                        Oh, dearly, dearly has He loved, & we must love Him too, 

                        And trust in His redeeming blood & try His works to do. 

By C.F. Alexander

 

Jesus is our Living Redeemer, Saviour and Friend.

Or He is LORD Jesus once I have believed on the LORD Jesus Christ as my Saviour. 

 

"God sent His Only Begotten Son into the world that we might live through Him."
1 John 4:9

This is why Good Friday is Good.

 

By faith in the LORD Jesus we have the certain hope of life for evermore with Him. 

For more see here - Who or What is a Christian? or see sidebar.

The Easter story = The gift of His transforming love.

  Jesus' sacrifice brought us life.

There is sadness in the story. 

There is pain in the story. 

There is death. But there is more. 

The whole story includes the beauty of Easter. 
The triumph. 
The joy.

I would dearly love that all who read this might know or already KNOW that Beauty, Triumph, and Joy.. in Jesus.

I would like to close with a very early Illuminated text done in the early 1990's. 

(sorry, it is very poor "best-can-do" enhanced image - bad flare from old camera, etc. not digital.)

 The observant among you will realise it's the verse done on the header of my craft blog. 

It is also on the very first post I did on my blog, back here.

(I have done it four times now, three different colours, and one was duplicate of one on the header.

This, the original is the one and only one done in Aluminum leaf - very hard to work with but will not tarnish like silver leaf.)

 

May we all take time to ponder the importance of these words of the Lord Jesus.

"What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, but lose his own soul?" Mark 8:36

 

Zip, zero, zilch is the answer... 

The whole world will profit us nothing.

  YES, this is the whole key to Easter... 

Eternity... and what counts for eternity. 
May we live this truth.

 

Truth will help to keep a real perspective on life -  is it ETERNAL?

 

 May God richly bless you wherever you maybe and thank you SO much for poppng over and saying hi, I trust this blesses your heart!
Shaz in Oz.x

PS. If you haven’t I'd love it you to join as a wonderful encourager of this blog ...  link HERE.  Thank YOU to those who have done so already. It really encourages me to keep on. 😁

If you'd like these posts in your inbox, you can add your email to email link option on side bar. If you're on a mobile device on which there is no sidebar, then scroll down and select "View Web Version" at very bottom of post. This will bring up sidebar and "follow by email" link, which is on the top of sidebar. 😊 thank you!