Tag Archives: disaster

An Heartfelt Prayer

Posted in Ireland, My thoughts, Prayer, Thoughtful Thursday by

An heart felt prayer

This is an encouragement about how to pray. You may be facing an unexpected attack with difficulties on every side and you feel helpless. Take heart from this prayer. As you sing and praise circumstances will change and you will be rewarded.

A prayer when a king was facing great armies.

2 Chronicles 20

5 Jehoshaphat stood before the community of Judah and Jerusalem in front of the new courtyard at the Temple of the Lord. 6 He prayed, “O Lord, God of our ancestors, you alone are the God who is in heaven. You are ruler of all the kingdoms of the earth. You are powerful and mighty; no one can stand against you!

Whenever we are faced with any calamity such as war, plague, or famine, we can come to stand in your presence before this Temple where your name is honored. We can cry out to you to save us, and you will hear us and rescue us.’

10 “And now see what the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir are doing.
O our God, won’t you stop them? We are powerless against this mighty army that is about to attack us. We do not know what to do, but we are looking to you for help.”

13 As all the men of Judah stood before the Lord with their little ones, wives, and children, 14 the Spirit of the Lord came upon one of the men standing there. His name was Jahaziel son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite who was a descendant of Asaph.

15 He prophesied , “Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the Lord says: Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. 16 Tomorrow, march out against them. But you will not even need to fight. Take your positions; then stand still and watch the Lord’s victory. He is with you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out against them tomorrow, for the Lord is with you!”

20 Early the next morning the army of Judah went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. On the way Jehoshaphat stopped and said, “Listen to me, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Believe in the Lord your God, and you will be able to stand firm. Believe in his prophets, and you will succeed.”

21 After consulting the people, the king appointed singers to walk ahead of the army, singing to the Lord and praising him for his holy splendor.
Give thanks to the Lord;
his faithful love endures forever!”

22 At the very moment they began to sing and give praise, the Lord caused the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to start fighting among themselves. There was so much plunder it took three days to collect it.

Say No to Abortion

Posted in Family, Ireland, My thoughts, Testimony Tuesday, Travel by

 

A news item from the BBC on my iPlayer reminded me of an accident that happened eleven years ago.  I quote, “A driver had a lucky escape when a metal pole crashed through the front window of her car, up through the steering wheel past a baby seat and out the back window.”

My daughter in law had just left her older girl to school. She was returning home with her younger child who was strapped in a car seat in the back. The car slipped off the road and hit a row of wooden fencing. Two wooden planks shot through the windscreen, narrowly missing the mum and child. Praise God neither mum or child was harmed physically. My daughter in law was traumatized at the thought of what could have happened.

I am confident that Angels were watching over them that morning, diverting the planks away from harming anyone. Psalm 91 tells me,

“No harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent.
For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;
they will lift you up in their hands,”
‭‭‭Psalm‬ ‭91:10-11‬ , 12 NIV

Jesus said
“He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them.
And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.
See that you do not despise one of these little ones.
For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭18:2-3, 5, 10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

This coming week people in the south of Ireland will vote to decide if the law should be changed as regards Abortion.
Ireland has been a safe place for me to rear children. Family life is important in Ireland. Grandparents are honored, marriage has been held in honor and children have been welcomed. Ireland has upheld these values for generations. Forty five years ago when I first travelled south one would visit a restaurant on a Sunday. Families including grandparents would be out for dinner, relaxing and enjoying each others company.
I’m glad I have raised my children in Ireland.

I hope the people of Ireland take to heart and remember what Jesus said.
“Do not despise one of these little ones.” Don’t let the law be changed.

We all need a Rescuer, Protector, Deliverer, Saviour, or Helper at Some Time.

Posted in My thoughts by

 

Statistics tell us there are 27 million people displaced in the world today.
These people through circumstances not of there own making, have to leave their family, culture and language to live somewhere else.
They are seeking help.
They need a leader, saviour, protector, deliverer, rescuer, liberator, helper, healer and provider.
Different factors cause this.
People from poor countries seek to move to a country where there is a better standard of living.
Internal wars, disasters,or famine cause people to flee their own country.
Forced exile through persecution often happens.
Many Jews fled from Hitler, but many did not get away.
Many Irish had to leave because of famine in the nineteenth century.
They had to leave by boat on a long journey by sea.
Some did not make it.
They found refuge in America.  They were welcomed.
In Europe there is much movement of peoples within the EEC countries with borders opening.
Poor people from the East are coming into Europe through Greece.
Sadly they are not welcomed.  The Western nations see them as a burden on their own economies.
Movement of nations is nothing new.
I read of examples from the bible of people leaving their own countries.
Abraham left his home in the land of the Chaldeans and went where God told him to go.
Joseph was persecuted and rejected by his brothers because they were jealous of him.
Jacob and his family moved to Egypt when there was a famine in Israel.
His son Joseph became a saviour for his family.
The Jewish people were exiled from their land to Babylon because of their disobedience to God.
Naomi and her family left Bethlehem because of famine in the land.
The early Christians were scattered throughout the nations because of persecution.
In all these circumstances people needed and still need a leader, a deliverer, a helper or a liberator.
The defination of Messiah is deliverer, liberator, leader or anointed one.

Acts  5 v 42 says
The Messiah you are looking for is Jesus.

New Living Translation