Carol Purves – Page 48

Two Types of People

Carol Purves Carol's Blog July 4, 2023June 25, 2023Holy Spirit

The other day I read that there are only two types of people I will meet today, those who need an invitation to embrace the faith and whose who whose faith I can strengthen. Well, that simplifies things! So many people need a chance to share in our faith, those who don’t know the joy of following God. They are the people with many problems and worries that don’t know where to take them. Others we meet will know Him and have a special connection with God. They also will have problems and worries but will know where to take them. These people we can encourage.

As we meet either group of people today we can only say the right word or do the right action through the help of the Holy Spirit. How can we ourselves possibly have the wisdom to do the right. In every case we are called upon to do something but not in our own strength, only in God’s.

Force of Nature

Carol Purves Carol's Blog July 3, 2023June 24, 2023avalanches, titanic

God has given us a wonderful world to enjoy but the world that He has created also has a wild side. And it is a force that we ignore at our peril. Avalanches remind us of this terrible power and force. What is man that You are mindful of him? Storms and tornadoes whip across many nations. Storms at sea have cost many lives in the past. Recently we have had the disaster with the Titanic exploration. There is a wild and terrible side to God displayed in His elements.

This is something we need to regonise. He is the God of love but He is also the God of destructive powers. In the past this was recognised more when sailors set out to sea; they prayed before they left and gave praise when they safely returned. With our lives safer and easier now, we can forget forget how completely dependable we are on Him.

Walk Humbly with your God

Carol Purves Carol's Blog June 30, 2023June 22, 2023

‘What does the Lord require of you? To act justly and love mercy and walk humbly with your God.’ Micah 6:8. The Lord requires us to act justly. What does this look like? Maybe I shouldn’t use a cheap car wash as this could be employing slave labour. I need to look into the shops which sell very inexpensive clothing. Were these produced in sweat shops? But I also need to work out if it is better for these people to earn small amount rather than nothing. Could I take a little more interest in these problems by looking at the political implications?

‘To love mercy. What does this look like? Should I contact the police if I see or hear serious domestic abuse? What should I do if I witness a kid being bullied in the street? It would be too dangerous to intervene. What I did once was wander over innocently to the group to ask the way to the High Street. It defused the situation and the bullied kid ran away. No danger to me!

This Micah text is the motto of my city, but unfortunately they leave off the last five words. It rather makes me think, doesn’t it.

Righteous Anger

Carol Purves Carol's Blog June 29, 2023June 21, 2023righteous anger

There is so much wrong in the world that it is easy to get angry. We think the politicians are not running the country well and we could do it better. The child in the garden next door is playing noisily while I’m trying to work and write. The person in front of me in the super-market queue takes for ever to pack everything away carefully and only then starts to look for their credit card. I really was in a hurry and wanted to get on.

Was I suffering from righteous anger? What right do I have to be cross? In spite of mistakes, the politicians are doing their best and with my small grasp of facts I couldn’t do a better job. Do I forget what it was like to be young, boisterous and noisy? When I was in single figures, my neighbours would have found me a trial. and when shopping one day this winter, I felt quite ill. I know I was slow and held up the queue.

‘Vengance is mine,’ says the Lord. I know I can rely on the Lord to deal with wrongdoers and as for my frustrations, I need to be more Christlike.

Out of Breath

Carol Purves Carol's Blog June 28, 2023June 21, 2023rest in prayer

As life gets faster and more hectic we find ourselves literally getting out of breath. As we rush in and out of the car, dash to meetings and appointments, run the family and manage our jobs, our hearts can pound and we get out of breath. My heart recently has had periods of racing, I need to slow down.

Hurrying continually gives no thinking time, no recharging time and more importantly no praying time. If we have no time to think, how can we have time to adjust ourselves to prayer. We are are told prayer is only a breath away; let us use that time to pray. Jesus told His disciples, ‘Come you yourselves apart and rest awhile.’

A funny story from my youth. Our church had two retired missionaries who when asked to do anything to help replied, ‘We’re resting awhile.’ My brother and I called them ‘Rest Awhile’, or Miss Rest and Miss Awhile. Not to their faces, of course.

My Thank-You Book.

Carol Purves Carol's Blog June 27, 2023June 20, 2023

For many years I’ve made it my habit to record my thank-you’s to God, as lovely things happen to me each day. I’ve now come to think that I need to change this habit. While I go to find my book, i can forget and also God doesn’t just give me a few things to thank Him for. God gives me hundreds of blessings. He is before me as well as behind me. God knows who He is going to send into my life; He knows the dangers that lie ahead for me. He directs my path.

I still want to give God thanks and praise, so i will spend more time talking to Him. My conversations will include my praise. So now instead of waiting to get pencil and paper I’ll talk to Him immediately. I’ll share my joys and thanks. It’s amazing how many times I can express my gratitude.

Staying inTouch

Carol Purves Carol's Blog June 26, 2023June 20, 2023

There is not a person in this life who has not got worries and troubles. In many ways the world is a more unstable place than it has ever been. In our nation, as we move further and further away from God, we seem to be adrift in a sea of uncertainties, disasters and problems. Poor mental health is on the rise and we don’t know where to turn.

But that is the point. We do know where to turn. How can we hope with our finite minds to come up with the answers? We do not have enough wisdom or experience. We need to turn to our God who has all the wisdom and experience. He has been running the world for thousands of years. He knows every aspect of every problem. God knows the end from the beginning. So let us forget our own ignorance. May we get into contact with the God of all knowledge. We don’t need to struggle alone, just get into touch with God.

The Best Place

Carol Purves Carol's Blog June 23, 2023June 20, 2023

For some of us our lives are set in pleasant places.We can revel in the beauties of nature, enjoy the love of our our families and friends and have enough money to make life comfortable. We would like to stay here for ever and ever. We are indeed blessed.

But whether our lives consist of golden days or weary ways, we are not here to stay. We’re just passing through. The joys and delights we experience here are absolutely nothing compared to what is waiting ‘on the other side.’ We have been told that we cannot imagine our life in heaven. Our small minds have no idea of the delights that await us. These are thoughts to hang on to when life seems difficult and when the way ahead seems hard. As has been said ‘the best is yet to be.’

Leaders

Carol Purves Carol's Blog June 22, 2023June 19, 2023

A number of fairy tales have the idea of one leader with a number of helpers. Snow White had her seven dwarfs; Ali Baba needed forty thieves. Then there was Robin Hood with his band of merry men. They all followed the idea of one person at the head with a number of helpers. This is an idea which is carried on through into the Bible.

Moses had Aaron and Miriam to guide and advise him, while Jesus worked with His twelve disciples. No person can work on their own without being answerable to someone. The disciples of Jesus spread the message of salvation to others and so the word of Christianity went right round the world. We are part of this growth today as we work with others letting all the world know about our God.

Kneading Dough

Carol Purves Carol's Blog June 21, 2023June 18, 2023

I read an article recently that said that kneading dough and making our own bread was a useful form of mindfulness. Apparently some people don’t enjoy traditional mindfulness and this has proved to be a useful alternative.

Hey, I have a more useful and sustained idea – prayer. Prayer isn’t just acting into nothingness, prayer is contact with the creator and author of all things. With prayer one is lifted out of oneself, problems are shared with our maker and stress is lessened. Pray and praise. Have a go!