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Have a joyful resurrection Sunday. Just love this song.  Enjoy  xx   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2oxGYpuLkw&t=1s

 Saturday. The day when nothing happened. The day when all hope was lost.  When the disciples not only lost Jesus but also had to come to terms with losing Judas whilst trying to understand his betrayal.  The day when the fear of being hunted down and crucified too must have been very real and terrifying.  Saturday, the day when Joseph was having to explain to his family why he had let the family tomb be the final resting place of someone who had been crucified as a criminal.  When Mary relived every moment of her extraordinary life as the mother of the Messiah and wondered what on earth it had all been for.   John and Peter, heartbroken. The women wanting to do something practical for the body of Jesus but not being allowed to even pack a bag of linen and spices because it was the Sabbath.   Nobody will have slept on the Friday night. They will have sat together trying to comfort each other, recalling the horror of His death and wondering wh...

 Last night  a dozen of us from church piled on a bus with 55 primary aged kids and took them to a praise night being hosted by a church in Belfast.  There were 250 kids there in total and food was provided. You probably cant start to imagine the noise and the nonsense.  I was put in charge of the 5 yr olds from our church.  It was like trying to herd cats. 😀  I will need to lie down for a week to recover. Not that the kids were naughty or unduly badly behaved.  But the event was trying to cater for kids aged between 5 and 11 and was definitely pitched more towards to upper end of that age group.  So whilst the little ones enjoyed the food and joined in with some of the songs and actions, by the time it came to a talk and some games and having to listen and sit still they were tired and a bit bored and had switched off somewhat.  Once they switched off they decided they needed the toilet, wanted a drink, wanted to sit in a different seat, we...

 This week our church is running an Easter scheme for 60 local kids. Over three days they will spend time playing games, dancing, making things, trying to win points for their team, eating snacks and hearing the good news that God has a rescue plan.  https://www.facebook.com/100012341134938/videos/pcb.1811433892611298/870196761540845 Yesterday our wonderful youth worker Phoebe was explaining to the kids that we and our world need to be rescued and that Jesus is our rescuer.  Despite the fact that she was explaining the gospel in very simple terms to young children, she said something that really struck 57 year old me in a new way.  Explaining Adam and Eve's fall she said ' they didnt only break the rules, but actually they broke God's heart' I realised that more often than not I think about sin as being a breaking of rules, transgression of laws, wrongdoing rather than heart-breaking.  When I hear the word 'sin', I think about myself doing something which deserv...

I was having one of my many and frequent debates with Sam the other day about the different emphases he and I place on scripture and experience.  Sam is of the view that all we need is scripture, that most churches are pretty sloppy in their understanding of and adherence to the Bible and that you cant hang your spiritual hat on 'experiences'.  I dont disagree on the importance of scripture but would argue (with 40+years experience behind me) that God uses plenty of other ways to communicate and as long as these line up with the Bible then we should be open to them.  Sam challenges me and makes me think. Which is always a good thing.  As I later chewed on the conversation I came across something I wrote several years ago about worship. It ties in with our study on heaven and it sums up what happens, for me, when I enter into His courts through worship.  I have an experience. It is undeniable.  I dont have that experience when Im reading scripture.  I g...

  Hebrews 12:22-24   But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.    Ephesians2:6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, Colossians 3:1-7   If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. I dont think these scriptures require much comment. Just alot of pondering...

 It seems everyone's minds are as boggled as mine is by the mysteries of heaven and the New Jerusalem etc. Thanks for contributing to the discussion.  All the comments are really helpful to us all as we ponder together . Today I've been trying to digest the news. First Kate and then the Moscow shootings.   Im pretty sure we are all on the same page about the Princess.  And Im sure we have all been talking and thinking about her since her broadcast.  Hopefully praying for her too.  The news from Russia is awful for different reasons.  Not just because so many died and were injured, but because despite the fact that Islamic State have admitted responsibility and did so immediately and publicly, Putin has chosen to blame Ukraine. Its unbelievable. And scary. These two big news stories have made me think about the nature of truth.  The people of Russia have been told a story about what happened in the concert hall in Moscow and we have to presume...

 New heavens , new earth, new Jerusalem.  Revelation 21 21  Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.   2  And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.   3  And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place [ a ]  of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, [ b ]  and God himself will be with them as their God. [ c ]   4  He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” 5  And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and tru...

 A brief post today. Last night Sam (eldest boy child) phoned to say he'd dislocated his knee. Ouch.  By the time I got there he had managed to pop it back in again, but he came home for some TLC and will probably need a hospital check up in the morning.   Dis-location. Literally being out of place. In the wrong location. Not where you are meant to be, We are citizens of heaven. We are seated with Christ in heavenly places.  And yet we find ourselves living in this world which is so far removed from the glory and joy and wellbeing of home.  Its not surprising therefore that we should feel dislocated.  Dislocation is sore. Very sore. Bones and tissue are misaligned and strained and sometimes ligaments and tendons are stretched or broken. Medically dislocation can be serious. Spiritually it can be too. Sam is currently doing RICE.  Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation .  This is helping with the pain.  Our pain will not be fully resolved unti...

  What else does the Bible tell us about heaven?  Well, quite alot. So here are a few verses to consider about what it, and we, will be like when we get there.  Read them slowly and digest. Luke 13:29-33   And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.” 1 John 3:2   Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. Revelation 21:4-8 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Revelation 2:7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will gra...

 John 14. Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; a  believe in Me as well.  2 In My Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? b   3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and welcome you into My presence, so that you also may be where I am.  4 You know the way to the place where I am going. c ” We have had a look into heaven and seen the might and the majesty and the mind-bending sights and sounds. But now it's time to appreciate what it's going to be like for each of us personally.  Jesus is talking to His best friends here. He knows He is about to break their hearts, devastate their faith and leave them. I think we often read 'do not let your hearts be troubled' as 'don't worry'.  But it's not that. It's firstly a command. Do not, under any circumstances allow or permit your innermost trust and love and confidence in me be shaken, dis...

Rev 5   11 Then I looked, and I heard the voices of many angels and living creatures and elders encircling the throne, and their number was myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands.   12 In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing!” 13 And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honour and glory and power forever and ever!” 14 And the four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshipped. c Just before this we see the Lamb who was slain taking the scroll from the occupant of the throne. At which point all of creation breaks out into praise and worship.  As heaven is in eternity and outside time then Im fully expecting that whenever I get there this very scene will be playing out and I will be able...

 Rev 4;6     In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, covered with eyes in front and back.   7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second like a calf, the third had a face like a man, and the fourth was like an eagle in flight.   8 And each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around and within. Day and night they never stop saying: “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” 9 And whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the One seated on the throne who lives forever and ever,  10 the twenty-four elders fall down before the One seated on the throne, and they worship Him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying: 11 “Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things; by Your will they exist and came to be.” To recap:  Blue throne, firey-red occ...

 Taking  a brief pause in our look into heaven to wish you a Happy St Patricks Day.  Yesterday in the pelting pouring rain I went on the pilgrimage walk of St Patrick along with a whole host of other bedraggled saints 😀  It happens every year but Ive never done it before. Starts in the tiny ancient church of Saul ( established by Patrick in 443 AD) with a communion service and then a couple of miles prayer walk down to the Cathedral ( where Patrick is buried) for another service followed by lunch in the pews (Lunch was provided and it was fantastic!) Saul church and very ancient graveyard Along the route we stopped at various points and prayed using Psalm 24 as a guide. And as we walked along a friend and I chatted and prayed about various people and situations that came to mind. It was pouring down.  My feet were wet. My showerproof coat proved ineffectual after the first fifteen minutes.  But funnily enough as we neared the end, our last prayer post was ...

Revelation 4 The Throne in Heaven 1 After this I looked and saw a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had previously heard speak to me like a trumpet was saying,  “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after these things.” 2 At once I was in the Spirit, and I saw a throne standing in heaven, with someone seated on it.  3 The One seated there looked like jasper and carnelian, and a rainbow that gleamed like an emerald encircled the throne.  4 Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and on these thrones sat twenty-four elders dressed in white, with golden crowns on their heads. Worship of the Creator 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, and rumblings, and peals of thunder. Before the throne burned seven torches of fire. These are the seven Spirits a  of God.  6 And before the throne was something like a sea of glass, as clear as crystal.  I absolutely love this passage of scripture. Probably because Im quite a vis...