Mark and Helen Smith

New Wineskins for New Wine

There are three accounts in three of the four gospels, where this message from Jesus is recorded. We can assume that when most of the gospel writers cover something, it’s not just important (all of Jesus’ teaching is important), it’s vital. What we are dealing with today is of vital importance, in order for Christians to function as we are called to, and for the Church to be all we are called to be.

See Matthew 9 v 16, Mark 2 v 21-22 and Luke 5 v 36 – 39.

We’re taking Luke’s passage; it says slightly more than the other two.

³⁶He told them this parable: “No one tears a patch from a new garment and sews it on an old one. If he does, he will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old. ³⁷And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. ³⁸No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. ³⁹And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for he says, ‘The old is better.’ “

The context is that Jesus chooses to associate with ‘Tax Collectors and sinners’. Not only that, but he actually visits the home of Levi (later called Matthew), who has called together all his tax collecting and sinning friends. Levi was probably very frowned upon by the Pharisees because, as his name suggests, he must have been of a priestly family – priest turned tax collector was a real indictment. Continue Reading…

Live life “full on” … or … Do what you do to the very best of your ability

Ecclesiastes 9: 7-10

⁷ Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for it is now that God favours what you do. ⁸ Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil. ⁹ Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun- all your meaningless days. For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labour under the sun. ¹⁰ Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going; there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.

Live life to the full.

Ephesians 6: 5-8

Serve wholeheartedly – not as slaves who have to and get no reward, but as people who honour and love God in all they do.

So much depends on our attitude to life and its challenges … whether we serve “because we have to” or “as unto God”  makes a big difference! Continue Reading…

You’re bigger than you think you are!

Mark talks about the way in which we usually run ourselves down and therby miss out on the opportunityto rise to God’s calling.

The Car that Nearly Killed Me (Holding on for dear life) – Peter Smith

Job – helps us to stay positive

The book of Job is a great inspiration when life isn’t going too well! Here are some thoughts, which may help you, if times are a bit hard.

Job 1

We see Job as a righteous man … upright before God. He was very wealthy, Godly, and cared about the right things.

v.6:  God has a conversation with Satan and is confident that Job is undergirded with the principles that make a Man of God … it’s not “stuff” or blessings alone. Satan is given leave to test him.

Total disaster befalls Job… he loses everything… all of his livelihood, his workers and his children, but he blesses the name of the Lord and doesn’t blame God.

Job 2

He loses his health … yet despite his wife’s encouragement to curse God and die, he refuses to blame Him.

So how did Job respond to these very negative situations? Continue Reading…

Keep things simple

Keeping it simple audio

It’s so easy to over-complicate things. It’s so easy to make the Christian Faith so complicated… by putting conditions, ways, rules on church, issues, things that we don’t fully understand – we wrap up in complicated discussions and arguments . We try to justify our “point of view” or our “opinion” and life gets full of head issues!Jesus kept things simple, e.g.:

Follow Me
Seek first the Kingdom of God and all these things will be added to you
Abide in me and I in you and you will bear much good fruit
Do to others as you would have them do to you
I am with you always – to the end of the age.

Why is it that we read in to things, motives behind what others say, or do?
God gave simple instructions in Micah 6: 8 Continue Reading…

Never forget this…

A work in progress

1 Corinthians 1:7-9 (The Message)

“Just think—you don’t need a thing, you’ve got it all! All God’s gifts are right in front of you as you wait expectantly for our Master Jesus to arrive on the scene for the Finale. And not only that, but God himself is right alongside to keep you steady and on track until things are all wrapped up by Jesus. God, who got you started in this spiritual adventure, shares with us the life of his Son and our Master Jesus. He will never give up on you. Never forget that.”
I was reading Corinthians in The Message over the weekend, just for a change, and was so struck by this short passage. I have been going over it again and again and just letting it settle in my spirit… God is going to keep me steady and on track!!! Wow! that is such a comfort to know and that He will never give up on me! I love it! All His master plans and designs for my life – He will bring to completion … Paul says it again to the Philippians in Phil.1 v 6 “There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears.”
It makes me really want to allow God more access to my life to see His handiwork in me – that I might bring Him honour!

Have a “muse” on it yourself … it is a wonderfully encouraging Scripture … a work in progress – a masterpiece at that!

Have a look at some of our pictures from Bec and Emile’s wedding:

Click on the picture above to see more…

Trusting God for the daily stuff of life

Luke 12 : 22 – 34 (Message Bible)

22-24 “Don’t fuss about what’s on the table at mealtimes or if the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your inner life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the ravens, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, carefree in the care of God. And you count far more.

25-28 “Has anyone by fussing before the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? If fussing can’t even do that, why fuss at all? Walk into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They don’t fuss with their appearance—but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them. If God gives such attention to the wildflowers, most of them never even seen, don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you?

29-32 “What I’m trying to do here is get you to relax, not be so preoccupied with getting so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep yourself in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Don’t be afraid of missing out. You’re my dearest friends! The Father wants to give you the very kingdom itself.

33-34 “Be generous. Give to the poor. Get yourselves a bank that can’t go bankrupt, a bank in heaven far from bankrobbers, safe from embezzlers, a bank you can bank on. It’s obvious, isn’t it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.

Trusting God for the daily stuff of life!

So easy to say and talk about, but the practical outworking of it all takes steps of faith … little steps and bigger ones too – but steps nevertheless!

Just remember He loves you so much … He cares so much that you don’t fret or worry over the things that have the potential to wreck you… finances, relationships, direction.etc. He has placed in His Word the promises of His Peace, His provision, His Wisdom, His Grace and mercy… so why do we fret and worry? Possibly because we feel we need to “sort it all out”?!

Possibly!

Could we possibly… “Cast the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.” (1Peter 5:7) What amazing Care He has for us!

Can I encourage you today to try for yourself… and see…He is faithful!

Let go and let God!

Be blessed as you learn to trust and rest in Him!

xx Helen

Hello for the first time!

Hello!

This is a new venture for me – blogging, but it could be good

My place for sharing some God thoughts for life, family and friends!

As Mark has said in his spot, we are all keyed up for our oldest daughter’s wedding next week!…something I, as Mum, have prayed about for a long (long!) time…. and here it is, almost upon us!

Such a joy to be able to know God has led her, and built her into the lovely woman she is today , ready to be a wife to a great guy, of whom we are very proud too!

Psaln 37 has wonderful thoughts on Trusting God – with ALL your heart, Commiting your way to Him, Delighting in Him: Continue Reading…