The Father's blog

Have you ever wondered what God would blog about if He were living among us in today's world? Perhaps he would choose these topics which are rife in our society today.

On the subject of violence:

Matthew 5:39 Turn the other cheek.

and Matthew 5:44 Love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you.

On the subject of intolerance (Christians note): 

John 14:6 No one comes to the Father except through me.

On the subject of greed:

Psalm 37:21 The wicked borrows and does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives.

If we look at just these three areas and take responsibility for our actions concerning the above, our countries, societies and families outlook would be a more caring one. A more Christlike one. 

God made each and everyone of us, He loves every single person on this earth. He made us responsible for one another. God does blog through his people. He wants us to tell the world that there does not need to be a difference in life styles, just a different way of sharing our resources so that everyone has what is rightfully theirs. He gives us a conscience to love and serve others. 

The Father's blog is the Bible. The answers to our world's poverty of mind, body and soul are in the Bible. If the world were united in Love no one would go hungry or die of starvation. God is calling are we responding?

God calls writers.

The Making of Victoria Sponge: a recipe to fall in love with

This entry was posted on March 23, 2015 by Phil Groom, in Guest Posts and tagged Association of Christian Writers, Christian Writers Directory, Margaret Kazmierczak, Meet the Author,Victoria Sponge. 

Margaret Kazmierczak

THE GREATEST JOY of running a project such as this is the people I get to meet: people like Margaret Kazmierczak, author of How to make Victoria Sponge from the little-known publisher, Arbentin Books: full bibliographic details below. After compiling her Christian Writers Directoryentry and whilst chatting online via facebook, I asked Margaret what had inspired her to write. This is her reply:

This is how Victoria Sponge came about. When I was a child I wanted to be a grown up, now I am grown up I want to be a child! So I have compromised and am a teenage muddler in oversized clothes that purports to be a responsible middle age lady.

My name is Margaret, experienced in most things and master of very little, apart from having a book published. It is my epiphany. A sudden wakening, that not all is lost when you are in a black hole.

Experiences follow me like a bad smell. No sooner have I climbed one mountain when another one looms ahead bigger and scarier than the last. The best way I have found to deal with the aftermath is to jot things down. Life is funny when you have hindsight.

I am a wife, mother and servant to the cat. I cared for my elderly father-in-law for three years, whose English was as Polish as my cat’s meows. His frequent ‘escapes’ added to the chaos of our household. Not only did I end up searching for him but also for my youngest who used the open front door to do her little absconding too. It was a matter of baby first, lost prisoner of war later.

Daily life has always fascinated me, but when night time comes I want to sleep! Picture then being woken up at 5am in the morning by a voice that said “I want you to write a book.” My response would have been “Clear off I am trying to sleep” if I had not known that this voice was special. Instead the conversation went like this:

“You want me to write a book?!” (At the time this happened I was suffering from chronic fatigue and Complex Post Traumatic Stress – but that is another story. I could hardly get out of bed and do the everyday things without collapsing in a heap.) “Are you serious?”

“Very”

“But I am dyslexic, I have no idea of grammar or how to structure a book. My memory is so bad that I can’t remember character’s names or plots. Are you sure you have the right person?”

“You are forgetting who is asking you to do this. I Am commissioning you to write a book.”

“Forgive me Father for questioning you, but I need a sign, a confirmation as I really don’t think I can do this.”

“When the family have left the house I want you to start writing. I shall tell you what to write. Sleep now in peace.”

As suggested I sat at my laptop when all had left and I said, “I am ready.”

Words started to flow into my mind and I typed and typed. As the days and weeks followed the story unfolded, I had no problems remembering the main characters and my brand of humour and experiences of life poured out into words bringing life to the Sponge Family. I began to feel better in myself and by the time the book was finished (it took about two years as God worked with my fatigue) all symptoms had subsided.

Then I realized that I had not ‘read’ the book myself and so sat down and delved into the life of Victoria Sponge. I laughed, cried and prayed alongside Vicki. God had become a true friend and I learnt how important it was to say ‘Yes’ to His will each day.

Okay so this all sounds a bit whacky, just like me. That is the beauty of it all. God uses us for His purposes if we listen to His voice. Having finished reading the book, I understood that this was not just a message for me but for all struggling Christians, especially women who have to juggle so much in their lives. So often we forget that we have the Greatest Helper and Friend on our side. He is literally in everything. For things to change we need to invite Him into every aspect of our lives. We need to bless the mess and ask God to help with the housework.

This is what Victoria Sponge does and even when things are at their bleakest she turns to God for help. I really enjoyed writing this book and I hope many readers are enriched by it too.

To order a paperback copy (UK only) email: vicki.sponge@aol.co.uk

Dear God

Dear God 

I am on my knees 
asking you please
to hear my tears.
For I have sinned against you.


My dear child

I love you. My son Jesus died for you not because you deserve it but because I ordained it. You come from my heart and I want you to return to my heart. Whatever you have done confess it now.


Dear God

I was angry 

My dear child 

I know I heard you.


Dear God

I cannot forgive the person who hurt me. 

My dear child

Forgiveness is divine.  


Dear God

I want to punish the person who hurt me. 

My dear child

Your reaction is human. 


Dear God

This pain is tearing me apart.  


My dear child

Look at my son, at his whipped body, torn apart by anger and fear. Watch him as he drags his cross (the sins of man) to his death. Glance if you can at his distorted frame that hangs on the wood. Hold his stare for a moment and see the love in his eyes for you. 

He died for your anger, your hurts, your unforgiveness, your revenge. He took your sins and suffered for you. 

His words 'Father forgive them for they know not what they do' were for you. 

You are forgiven. My grace says so.

My arms are open to you always.

Now go and make peace with yourself and your family. 

Pray for divine forgiveness to enter your heart and ponder my words daily. 

I love you my child. 


Dear God

Thank you for your mercy and grace. I am not worthy but by the blood poured out for me by the lamb I will do my best to worship you and lead a better life. 

Amen.


John 15:13

There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends. 


My dear child

You are my friend, now be a friend to others as I have shown you.






Dear God

Thank you.

God is always with us.

Hope in the desert

"God created lands full of water

so that men may live in them -

and deserts so that they may discover their souls"

                                                                      Tuareg Proverb

Deserts - long landscapes of sand,

emptiness and loneliness.

Total desolation,

Acute burning pain. 

Parched lips,

Dry without water

A cry that stays in the throat.

Miles and miles of nothing.

My God, where are you?

When we struggle we enter the desert and are tempted just as Jesus was. Read Jesus' answers to the temptations dangled in front of Him when He is at his most vulnerable. These are the same answers we need to focus on when we are tempted and vulnerable. 

Matthew 4:1-11

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted[a] by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:

“‘He will command his angels concerning you,

    and they will lift you up in their hands,

    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”

7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”

10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”

11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

The devil loves the desert, he loves it when we are surrounded by oceans of sand and see no hope. He whispers lies to comfort us, to keep us in our desolation. 

What does the devil like most? Despair, Hopelessness. He smells it miles away and slivers in to stir up it. 

What does he hate the most? Hope, joy and singing God's praises. These choke and sting him. They dispatch him screaming with disgust. 

In the desert sing to God. Bless His Holy Name. Praise God's Greatness. Proclaim Him Lord of Lords. Declare Him Majesty of your life. Bring your desert into His presence for His Victory, and watch the snake wriggle away. And bring back Hope into your life again.

Sing Majesty - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Qz3ZWIgxNk

Walk towards the outstretched arms of Jesus Christ our Saviour in this song - Here I am.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PUyYRntc24&list=PL6A2A9505B16DDEB0&index=3

Allow the light of the world to step down into your darkness.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBKzCpkXJR4 

Bless the mess you are in and allow God to bring you out of the desert and into the Light. God has the Victory.

God bless

Margaret

(www.margaretk.co.uk)

Hope requires us to stand on the word of God

Why do we worry? Because we see all the pit falls that life has scattered on the road ahead. Does God worry? Of course not, because He does not see pit holes, He only sees the answer. Therefore what are we doing worrying?

Isaiah 65:24

I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers.

This is a bible truth. God will answer our needs while we are still talking about them. He has our back. He is the greatest Partner anyone could have. 

Mark 11:24

I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you have received it, it will be yours.  

That includes miracles too. And life is full of miracles waiting to happen if we pray for them and believe in God's power to fulfill them. 

My son managed to put a chisel through his finger while carving a piece of wood. It took ages for the blood to stop enough for someone to put a bandage on it, but it continued to bleed periodically if he put pressure on it. The pain was considerable. When he got home he told me about his finger and I suggested that he ought to go to hospital as it looked like it needed a stitch or two. He did not want to go so I asked him what he wanted to do. He said pray for the finger. So we prayed and believed in a miracle. And it happened. My son's finger became whole again with just the scar to show where the chisel had entered it. He was able to use it properly straight away. 

I am no one special, I am not a minister, I have no powers, I am not a 'healer' but I do believe in the power of God. And I believe in miracles. 

Hope gives you that belief because it insists that you stand on the word of God. 

Luke 9:1-6

One day Jesus called together his twelve disciples and gave them power and authority to cast out all demons and to heal all diseases. Then he sent them out to tell everyone about the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick.“Take nothing for your journey,” he instructed them. “Don’t take a walking stick, a traveler’s bag, food, money,[b] or even a change of clothes. Wherever you go, stay in the same house until you leave town. And if a town refuses to welcome you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate.” So they began their circuit of the villages, preaching the Good News and healing the sick.

This was the scripture my son and I stood on and believed in the certain Hope that his finger would be healed. 

Hope is that powerful. 

When we worry we walk away from Hope, we walk away from the Provider of Hope. We walk away from the miracles He wants to do in our lives. Yes we will still stumble and fall as He will encourage us to take the high way with all its pitfalls as He wants us to Trust Him. We must buy into this belief, into the Hope that Trust will embrace us with. The market of life is full of opportunities to experience God's Hope and to witness to His faithfulness. In Him we can be assured of answers. Our worries are already in His hands, He is already working on the path that we need to walk to receive those answers. 

Even if the answer leads us to our own personal cross, God will be there with us, supporting us and waiting for us to hand over the cross to Him, so that we can be resurrected through it and by it. 

God knows what he is doing. We just need to trust Him and stop worrying. 

Worrying will not make God go any faster, as all things come together in His timing and for our best interest. If we turn away during the waiting time we are operating under our own timing and strength. God requires us to Trust Him no matter how long the waiting time is.  God will deliver. He has said it in the Bible and we must stand on that Truth. 

Psalm 50:15

Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory."

Be blessed my friends.

Margaret

(www.margaretk.co.uk)