Carol’s Blog

His Promises are True

Carol Purves Carol's Blog

‘Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance for what we do not see.’ Hebrews 11:1

‘I’ll believe it when I see it.’ I’d been told the display of snowdrops would be the best I’d ever seen. Was it worth the long drive to see something which could turn out to be disappointing? This particular friend had exaggerated in the past; I could end up looking at just a few flowers gathered round the bark of a single tree.

How often do we say about our spiritual life ‘Seeing is believing,’ while actually the opposite is true. It is our not-seeing that is believing. We have not seen the wonders that await us in heaven but we believe we shall see them because God has promised them to us. Heaven is a place that our limited minds can’t grasp but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Why? Because God has promised us that heaven is a place beyond our wildest dreams and He has a home for those who believe in His sacrifice. How can we trust what God has told us? He has never broken His promises to us.

We must now live by faith . We do not see the future or what it will be like, but we know we have a Saviour who will one day reveal it all.

Jairus’s daughter.

Carol Purves Carol's Blog ,

” When I was a child we lived on the shores of Lake Galilee and my father, Jairus, was one of the synagogue leaders. I was only twelve years old but can remember some of the events quite well, while others are hazy. I had been playing out in the fields when I developed the most terrible headache. I went to lie down on my bed and then I don’t remember anything else for a while but my parents later told me what had happened.

My father knew that Jesus, the great healer, was in the area, so he sent for Him to come and heal me. Although my father was an important man, Jesus made him wait as He was busy healing others. In the meantime, the delay was so great that I died. But when Jesus arrived He came into my room with some of His disciples and spoke to me although I was dead. ‘Little girl, I say to you, get up.’ Then like the miracle it was, I woke up just as if I’d been asleep, and Jesus was looking at me with such love in His eyes. I remember that bit so well.

As my grandchildren now gather round my knee, I tell the story once again. I never tire of telling it and they never tire of hearing it. “

Another Day

Carol Purves Carol's Blog

‘Forth in Thy name, Oh Lord, I go, my daily labours to renew. Thee, only Thee resolved to know in all I speak or think or do.’

As I woke this morning these words by Charles Welsey were going through my head. Then my daily Bible reading gave me the word ‘This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it.’ Psalm 118:24. I’ve learned that if God puts a thought or word into my mind twice, then it is important.

I ask myself am I really glad, do I rejoice in it? A new day is a new beginning. It is a time when the mistakes of yesterday can be forgiven and forgotten. Each new day is an opportunity for witnessing for our Lord and showing hope to others. It is a chance to hear the birds sing again and see the new seasons emerging. We don’t know what each day will hold but our God knows and He will see it right.

Our True Worth

Carol Purves Carol's Blog ,

When I think of some of the members that make up the congregation of my church I realise that they could be described as saints but they are not necessarily the ones who have positions of importance. I think of Justin who is always helping when there is anything to be moved or lifted. Then there is Hilda who makes cakes for every occasion. Pamela is the one who always phones anyone who is sick or in trouble. During the pandemic she was a life-line to so many.

It reminds me of the story of David being chosen as king of Israel. He was the youngest son and only a shepherd and although being described in 1 Samuel 16 as glowing with health, having a fine appearance and handsome features, he obviously wasn’t as striking as his brothers

When we think of how much is spent in this country on cosmetic products, cosmetic surgery and other procedures to defy aging, we realise that society looks on the outward appearance. In Samuel we read ‘ The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart .

Three Widows

Carol Purves Carol's Blog , ,

We read in the book of Ruth about Naomi who lost her husband Elimelech and then her two sons Mahlion and Chilion in the space of about ten years. She was left destitute in a foreign country and as this was a patriarchal society. With no means of support life for Naomi was at rock-bottom. Each death was a further blow to her equilibrium; how could she carry on?

But we only need to read through the book to know that with God’s guidance she did come out the other side of the tragedies and lived long enough to become a grandmother and then an honoured member of the community with a link through King David to the Messiah.

I am thinking of a couple in my church who have had blow upon blow to their lives. Each Sunday we gasp as yet another misfortune is revealed. What is God doing? Again there are hardly any words to say, just constant prayer for them. They will come through, they will again know God’s bounty in their lives. As the old hymn says, ‘God is working His purpose out as year succeeds to year.’

Give Up What!

Carol Purves Carol's Blog ,

In the season of Lent, I’m often asked, mainly by non-Christian friends, ‘What have you given up for Lent?’ I reply as graciously as possible, ‘I’m not giving up anything, I’m putting on.’ I commend people who during this period give up something which they feel they should not be doing. It is good to give up a habit which is becoming too important in our lives but surely the period of Lent gives us something more important.

My mind goes to the story of Jesus, as it should, being tempted by the devil in the wilderness for forty days. When the devil asks Jesus to turn the stones into bread, Jesus replies, quoting from the Bible, ‘man shall not live by bread alone, but on every word that comes out of the mouth of God.’ When we refer to the Bible we will find help and guidance. Surely the period of Lent is a time we can spend more time reading the word of God.

Then Jesus was devil-tempted to throw Himself down from the top of the temple. As Jesus replied, we should not put God to the test. We need to trust our own lives to Jesus, leaning on His help and guidance. And finally the devil tempted Jesus to worship him. We too are tempted to follow other gods – money, power, acclamation and many more things. There is only the one God who we can serve with all our heart, mind and spirit.

A Bruised Reed

Carol Purves Carol's Blog ,

‘Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying Your decrees. Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all Your commands.’ Psalm 119: 5 & 6

.As I read these words my heart cried out in understanding. I sometimes feel like the bruised reed that Isaiah wrote about, bruised and shaken by the winds of life… There are my good days when I am able to speak to a non-believer about Your love, am able to help a neighbour and feel really close to God. Those days are interspersed with my failure days. Speaking to a non-believer about You ending up in a disagreement; I am not able to help anyone and I feel thoroughly disillusioned and far from God.

As I think about the bruised reed I realise what keeps it in place. Deep down in the soil are the roots. The drought will come followed by floods, the searing wind will blow, but it will not be uprooted. Jesus understood when He talked about the house built on a rock. It would not be moved because it’s foundations were secure.

This is my life. At times I am battered, bruised and beaten down but my life is rooted in Christ, I am secure .

Not Seeing Jesus

Carol Purves Carol's Blog

Grief can blind our eyes, we can’t see what is right in front of us. Two of the disciples of Jesus were walking on the way to Emmaus. Their sight was physically obscured with tears while their hearts were blinded with sorrow. To have a stranger join them on the journey was not unusual, it was safer to travel in a group. Bandits and thieves were often lurking on the way.

The two disciples dominated the conversation at first pouring out their grief and despair at the death of Jesus. They gained no comfort from the fact that some of the woman had actually seen the empty tomb and angels who said, ‘He is alive.’ It was such an improbable idea that their minds were closed!

Then Jesus had a chance to speak, expounding the Scriptures to them but it was not until He broke the bread at their meal that they recognised Him. Their eyes were opened. and immediately He disappeared from their sight. What a missed opportunity! Instead of spending hours in the presence of their Saviour, they only recognised Him for minutes, maybe only seconds.

Do we see Jesus when He is right in front of us, maybe in the kindness of a stranger, a baby’s first smile or a saint leaving this world and approaching the next. ‘Lord, may we see You where You are, right beside us to comfort and guide. Amen’

In the Way

Carol Purves Carol's Blog ,

I read once again the story in Mark of the paralysed man who was let down through the roof by his friends. We can imagine the scene in our mind’s eye. As we read the story we often concentrate on the four friends who loved their friend so much that they used their imagination so nothing would stop them getting their friend to Jesus. At other times we concentrate on the paralyzed man himself who could do nothing to help himself, but relied on the care of others and the miraculous love of Jesus.

At the moment I am considering the crowd who in their eagerness to get to Jesus were in the way, They were a stumbling block to this man’s healing. Crowds always seem to have a mind of their own, kindness and consideration goes out of the window. As the man was suspended over their heads, the crowd had no choice but to move.

It’s a terrible thought, but do I stand in the way of someone getting to Jesus? By my bumbling witness and eagerness to tell a friend the life-saving news, am I a hindrance and not a help. I need sometimes to get out of the way and stand on the sidelines and pray, leaving to others the task of evangelising. I can only pray that God will give me the wisdom to know when and which is my role.

Modern-Day Giants

Carol Purves Carol's Blog ,

When the Israelites went into the Promised Land they saw the abundance of the produce, milk and honey, pomegranites, figs and grapes so large that it took two men to carry the branch. They also encountered the giants who populated the land, fortified cities and six residents nations who would be sure to oppose them. Ten of the men concentrated on the appearance of the giants and forgot the abundance of the fruit and God’s promise.

Today our giants are of a different type. Our giants are misinformation, the over-spill of the results of war with the resultant refugees, dictators gaining influence and a lack of acknowledging God . The list is endless.

But we are in the same position as the Israelites, we still have the promises of God. He has promised that the wicked will eventually be judged, His justice will reign. A time is coming when sin and disease will be no more, even death will be conquered. While we wait for heaven, God has sent us blessings and joy for the here and now. We have the longer days and evidence of spring approaching. We have the love and support of friends and family. The church, the Bible and Christian fellowship are God’s blessings for us while we wait.