Adele Threadgold's Blog

So, I lost a friend on Friday. He died unexpectedly from a heart attack. We are all in shock because he was a strong man, but more importantly, a good friend. The most surprising thing is that I hardly knew him. We met only 8 months ago in July 2020 another friend told me “Adele I have a friend who would like to join your walking group.” So along he came: Jesùs Hernanz.
He looked a bit like Fidel Castro and that was the nickname I gave him. He was one of those people that you are instantly drawn to and feel that you have known your whole life. He was kind patient and warm-hearted and an instant hit with everyone.
Truth be told I only saw him once a week when we went walking but he always warmed my heart and brought a smile to my face. When people had a comment to make, and sometimes not even nice ones, there he was in my corner: He had my back. I called him a hero several times when he came to my defense or when he helped people along the hiking routes we made. The last thing he wrote was: “I only rescue the lost.” ( on hikes).
So what is a friend exactly? The answer is simple. A gift from the LORD. What is a gift? Something given to you whether you deserve it or not. It’s not given based on anything you have done or haven’t done, it’s given because someone loves you enough to share part of their happiness with you, to let you know they care about you and to bring a little happiness to your soul.
What is different about friends? They are not disposable. They are not useless. They don’t go out of fashion. They can’t be locked up in the attic or be forgotten about. They can’t be sold on eBay (at least I hope not) or returned to sender. They come into our lives when we least expect and very often when we most need them. Some for a short period and some for a lifetime.
There is an expression ” you can choose your friends but you can’t choose your family” But what about this: Our friends are chosen for us by our circumstances. Take a few minutes to think about your friends: Where did you meet them? Under what circumstances and would you have met them if the circumstance wasn’t there?
You see God orders our steps, whether you like that idea or not, and in ordering our steps he also puts people in them to help us along the way. He never intended us to live life by ourselves; He created us as social beings to interact with others. And because that is how He created us, he intended us to be with people and to be friends with them. And because he wants us to be with people he created the concept of friends: Belonging accepting uplifting and encouraging.
It also takes a friend to be a friend… we can’t just so making demands on people without accepting the demands made on us: Friendship was never intended to be one-sided. It’s a give and take relationship if it’s all give or all take then it’s not friendship. Friendship is co-operating with one another whether you see them every day or only once a year a true friend will always be there for you and you should always be there for them, even if not physically, but that they can feel your support. We don’t need fairweather friends because life is not all a bunch of roses we need all-rounders in season and out of season to laugh with and to cry with to have a shoulder and to give a shoulder. We should tell our friends constantly how much they mean to us and how happy we are to have them in our lives because just like Jesùs we just don’t know how much time we will have with them.
Keep your friends close. Thank God for them on a daily basis and never take them for granted. You never truly know how much of an impact you can have on someone’s life and it’s most definitely the small things in life that make the biggest difference.

Here are a few questions that will all be answered NO
Does Jesùs know the impact he had on my life? NO
Will I ever see him again? NO
Will I ever forget the joy of having him as a friend even for such a short time? NO
Did I know him that well? NO
Does that matter? NO

And here are some answered YES
Did he make me smile? YES
Did he warm my heart? YES
Did I value him as a friend? YES
Will I miss him greatly? YES
Was it a privilege having him as a friend YES

Let your Yes’s be YES and your No’s be NO for the right reasons and keep your friends in the highest esteem.

It’s been an uphill struggle this year for many people, for many different reasons.  We all have our good days and our bad days.  The balance sometime can be swinging more to bad days than good. So, what do we do to keep our heads above the clouds?

One way is to have a few “projects” to work on to keep ourselves gainfully occupied.  I have written a book Walking in Destiny’s Footsteps, and I am on my next book project.  So far there are no real fruits to my labour, not many book sales.  It is available on Amazon: you can see details of it here https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08GFX5LDQ but can buy it from your own amazon country page.  

I feel a bit downcast, but downcast contains the word down, and that is something that will not improve my state of mind or anyone’s state of mind. 

I am reminded in the bible that Jesus tells us to cast our burdens on him because His yoke is easy and His burden light.   Is feeling down a burden?  Maybe not, but it sure can burden your heart and your emotions and we should all know by now that a low ebb leads to a low immune system. 

Have you ever thought about what you were doing or how you were feeling before you got sick with something with one virus or another (not stomach sick because of food).  I challenge you to think back on the times you courted a cold or something of similar ilk. Were you overworked or overstressed or over something?  Or maybe under something: undernourished snowed under at work, under the wrong impression…

We could go on, but when we go uphill there is always a fantastic view of the lay of the land.  We often have fresh prospectus from a different angel and the view is wider at the top than at the bottom.  I was listening to Numbers 14 this morning and it dawned on me that basically people have not changed through the generations. It struck me that people think slavery always seems to be a better option than fighting for freedom.  Don’t believe me?  Look at Numbers 14:1-4. After years of slavery and crying out to be freed from it, when the going gets tough the Israelites say they would rather be slaves again than fight for their freedom.

Where are we today? Are we hankering to the way things were when we had no choice in what decisions we could make, or are we willing to fight for our freedom as it were and take the hard road?  Making more sacrifices such as giving up the metaphorical leeks and melons for manna to get ahead and fight for the freedom to run the race set before us.

Life isn’t easy, I get that, but it is not always as hard as we imagine it will be either.  God will make a way, where there seems to be no way.  His word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our paths. 

It is true that we all moan and complain when faced with the wilderness, but the wilderness is the transition point to the way out. if we would only stop looking back on “better days”, and look forward to the future, with our eyes focussed on God rather than the surroundings.  He would then open our eyes to what He is able to do.

I am talking to myself through most of this, and if I feel like I have been blown too many sucker punches, I am sure there are others out there who feel sucker-punched too. 

United we stand and divided we fall, so if we are united in hope then hope should spring up within us.  The best way to be encouraged is to encourage someone else, so instead of us looking for the leaks, let’s look at how we can eat manna together and rejoice in our bond, as we look at our mountains from the cloud point of fellowship and unity.

And while you are at it…. take a look at my book.  (I had to squeeze that in as an encouragement for you to encourage one of your fellow earth citizens.)

We have heard the expression “Faith Moves Mountains” but really we have to know where the mountains are and where we want to move them to.

If we dont know where the mountain is or what it looks like or even that it needs to be shifted then our faith can not be exercised to move it or to grow.

I’ve had a difficult year and looking back now it seems that I have let a mountain block my view for far to long. Despite people pointing out the obvious blockades I have failed to see that the onward path is hinderd by my lack of sight. I cannot see because there is a mountain in the way.

Sometimes we are so comfortable with that huge mountain that we cant imagine life without it. Well my friend, that is a hinderance to our faith.

I just posted a little ditty on twitter that says this

” life is in the potter’s hands we squirm and fight against His mold

but only in His plan we grow and fill the shape He makes”

We are so often squirming because we want to make stupid choices or follow unwise paths or desires that might “feel right” at the time but with hindsight are disasterous. We squirm because deep down we really know that it is better to be in the potter’s hands and feel uncomfortable than to be on the roadside of life full of comfort but completely out of shape spiritually and in a place where it is difficult to focus on the things that really really matter – like storing our treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:19-21) .

We so easily have our hearts broken and dreams dashed because we are storing them in earthen jars instead of in heaven where our destiny is… Where our treasure is our heart is also and if our treasure is in something from this fallen broken world, then guess what – it stands to follow that our hearts will break and we will fall.

When we recognise those mountains impeding our faith and causing us to stumble because they are blocking our vision of the things above (Colossians 3:2-3), then we can direct our faith towards ridding ourselves of them.

Our heartaches disappointments heartbreaks dont have to be the end of us, but the instrument by which we turn our eyes back to the author and perfector of our faith.

The only stumbling blocks we have are the ones we allow to be there.

Let’s get rid of those mountains this year and remember it’s better to squirm and be molded than to be untouched and out of shape.

Building each other up.

When you build a house you don’t start with the roof first because it would just fall into the hole ad it has no support  –  you don’t build the middle part because it is has nothing to hold it up you don’t build the walls because they are not strong or stable by themselves… you build the foundations.

When the foundations are strong and firm built on solid ground the house will be strong and firm.  We need the right materials to build a house that lasts.  If we just use leaves or milk bottles or sweet wrappers, the house might look nice but a breeze will just knock it down and ruin it.  It needs to be built up with the right materials otherwise it will amount to nothing.

A bad worker always blames his tools but bad tools  can be utilized in the hands of a master craftsman because he knows how to manipulate them to bring out the best.

Even a master craftsman cannot use tools he doesn’t have.

When I got my four poster bed I had no instructions and a couple of us tried for hours to figure out how to put it together.  I would still be sleeping of the floor if it wasn’t for someone who had the skills and knowledge to put it together, despite not having all the right pieces or tools. He knew how to manipulate the bed to make it strong and secure despite the short comings.  Now,  when you see the bed you would never know there were three beams missing and several screws short.  And it’s safe and secure as it was supposed to be.

In this day an age where there is so much based on visual we sometimes get caught up between the world and the spiritual – we get carried away with what is not important and forget what is important. We build with the wrong materials /tools.

Such things as Throw away comments that can have a deep impact on someone´s life. The wrong tool:   We never know what is going on in someone’s life and our words however innocent they may seem could push someone over the edge of despair.  Our words should be laced with kindness: the right material:  We too often talk first and think later instead of thinking first and talking later

Proverbs 17:27-28 Whoever restrains his words has knowledge,and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.28 Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise;when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.

colossians4:5 5-6 Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

Not only in answering but speaking in general

Ephesians 4:29  Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear

And how the NIV states it: Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

Its not only our speech that builds others up – its our actions, or lack of actions, its our judgements in fact its in everything we do.  We are the salt of the earth and we shouldn’t lose our flavour by the things we say or do or even think.

We should ask ourselves before we speak or do  “would I be hurt by those words/actions/thoughts.  We have the golden rule in Matthew 7:12  “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

Actually it should be the only rule we live by as it sums up the whole  of our lives of loving our neighbour as ourselves.  We have all heard that we can change the world one person at a time,  if we start with ourselves we can move on to the next person, showing the kindnesses of the Christ centred lives that we should live.

Of course we wont get it right all the time or 100% right some of the time, but as long as we aim to be salt and light we should grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord.

When we are aiming to build people up we also need the right motives – we should nt be doing anything for our own glory or gratification or to draw attention to ourselves how can we avoid that happening?  Here are some simple do´s and don’ts to test our motives:

A list of dos and don’t

When inviting people to do something don’t invite someone just because everyone else has said no, invite them because you want to spend time in their company.

How many times have I gone down a list of people to go to coffee with?  I want to go to coffee with all of them – sometimes its good to change the order of preference though J  (or the order in which we call ……)

Don’t ask someone to do something because no one else will, ask them because you want to give them an opportunity to bless you / to bless them

Don’t ask people to help you in your work/ ministry because it makes you look good  or they are people pleasers or yes men, ask them because God would ask them because He  uses all kinds of people to build his kingdom

Don’t  ask people to give a testimony because it makes the church look good or your ministry look good or you look good  – NEVER do that  – ask someone to give their testimony as an opportunity to glorify God.  People often say my testimony is not as good as so and so’s so they feel its not important or interesting enough.  That is so wrong – a testimony is a life changing story… no matter how that life has changed – whether dramatically or gently.   Don’t make people feel their testimony is not as “good” as someone else’s.  God’s power to change a life shouldn’t be graded by dramatics.  

God uses the foolish things in the world to profound the wise and He uses the simple things to astonish the intellect

Don’t only seek the glamourous people out to help you build.  Use  ordinary people for extraordinary results – the twelve disciples were a rabble of people some extremely educated and some not so, some really hot-tempered  some highly opinionated, some quiet or questioning types.

When the disciples were chosen it wasn’t because of their abilities or looks or talents, it was because of their potential that God saw.  And I am pretty sure they represented every type of temperament that exists – so in a way I think God was saying – EVERYONE is fit to be a co-worker in the kingdom I take all sorts. – Judge people by My standards – not the world’s and definitely not your own.

Don’t judge someone by what you hear about them, afford yourself the opportunity to know them for who they are

Don’t use authority to laud it over people , rather be a leader by example  – as Jesus was

Galations 5:13-15 tells us

13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.  Bad tools and bad building materials will only destroy in the hands of someone who is not a master craftsman

For good tools and good building materials we need to keep in step with the Spirit

Verse 16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.  What are the desires of the flesh? Everything that is contrary to the desires of God…..

One seemingly unkind word could tip them over the edge but one uplifting word can be like water to a parched soul.

Don’t choose someone because they are popular   choose someone to give them an opportunity

If we give up on people after one shot we are giving the devil the opportunity to steal the hidden gems that are worth finding. 

There was once a ruler who was a master swordsman, who went out to fight his enemy, but in his haste to do away with his enemy he forgot his sword, all he had with him in his bag was a rock his father had given him.  He didn’t want to use the rock as it wasn’t what he wanted to fight with.  Unfortunately the ruler was killed by his enemy and consequently his kingdom defeated.  It was unfortunate  because his enemy had a fractured skull and one blow from the rock would have killed him and the kingdom the ruler had worked so hard to keep would have been saved.

People are also tools that God has given us to get the job done.  They may not be the sword we desire but if you wait for the sword  when you should have used the rock then you will probably miss the opportunity to accomplish all that has been set before you. God wont give you any other tools if you don’t  use the ones he has placed in front of you.  so use the people God has put in front of you instead of desiring those who are beyond reach

Look at the people  God used as tools in the bible  – none of them were  swords but God saw their hearts and turned them into powerhouses for him:

Moses a coward  –

Joseph a big head spoilt brat… do you know people like this?

Gideon who questioned everything and tested everything – lack of trust maybe

David an adulterer and murderer

Rahab a prostitute.

BAALAM´S DONKEY

Disciples  –  Peter racist easily swayed  –  Thomas someone who doubted (have you never doubted anything)  –  James and John hot tempererd.

You might ask about people like Judus Iscariot – well even he had a chance – he had three years of chance – despite the prophecies etc he still had as much chance as everyone else – Satan entered him because he refused to learn from God  – the prophecies never mentioned his name…he was just the one who was unteachable –looking out for his own interests the wrong materials the wrong tools.

Where would we be if God had turned his back on these people  –  where would we be if God just discarded us based on our “qualities” – He saw their potential  –  he gave them an opportunity to shine …He built them up he didn’t tear them down, even when they had hard lessons to learn  he never trashed them.  They were the tools he had they were the tools he used.  God takes the foolish things of the world to confound the wise..  the weak things to overpower the strong

Haven’t we heard so often to surround ourselves with positive people  –  make it your goal to be a positive person:  be positive to people – give them an opportunity to shine.  Give them a responsibility  with God ALL things are possible

Another example :  There was a school class in a mixed school and one of the girls was considered  a bit of an ugly duckling by the class and the boys would constantly jibe her and as a harsh joke they made a deal with each other to ask her out …  by the time  10 or so had asked her out  they all wanted to go out with her… why ?  because of the affirmation and attention given it made her real beauty shine that was always there but never encouraged.  Encourage everyone’s real beauty to shine not just the artificial surface that’s only skin deep

Look at other people in our time (well some of them)   Einstein – will amount to nothing –  a genius  susan boyle  – what a voice  ….  –  Smith Wigglesworth – couldn’t even read.. and I am sure you can think of other examples…

And this is how we can change our thinking, change the way we view people change the way we encourage and embrace people, change the way we value people. Change the way we use the tools that God has given us and the right materials to work with   – Change because as far as ordinary people go – no-one else has the power to change us we’ve got to change because we want to change.

Romans 8:5 (ESV)

5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.

And it is for freedom that Christ has set us free – free to live according to the way of the Lord.

Let’s all make a promise to ourselves with God as our witness to be builder uppers using good tools (the bible/holy spirit/etc ) and good materials the tools and materials that God gives us,  then we can help build God’s kingdom up with valued living stones that God has chosen to build it with.

Amen.

The Plan.

It was a day like any other one

But somebody knew

That heaven had a miraculous plan

For me and for you.

It was so incredible

So divine

A plan to rescue

All of mankind

From the ravages of sin

That keeps them bound.

Like lost sheep they wander

Until being found..

.

.

Bound to an eternity

From the presence of God

To a place full of weeping

And gnashing and woe

A place our Heavenly father desires

That no one should go.

.

.

The plan was simple

Yet expensive in cost

To send Jesus, His son

To save all

Who are

And were lost.

To offer himself

As a sacrifice for all

By dying as a ransom

This fate he would befall.

.

.

It wouldn’t be easy

It would be a painful slow death

Lashed forty times

And nailed to a cross.

Despised and rejected

Insulted by man

Who would cry out

King of the Jews?

Save yourself  –

If you can!

.

.

Hung between two thieves

On that cross

Insults were shouted

By those truly lost.

But out of his mouth

Came a loud love filled cry

Father forgive them,

For them do I die.

.

..

The veil tore in two

As he gave his last breath

And tombs were opened

As he conquered death.

The solider who had stood there

And thrust a spear

In his side

Said

Truly this was the son of God

Who has died!!

.

..

He was laid in a tomb

Freshly cut in the stone

And embalmed with fresh mixture

Of myrrh and  aloes .

They laid him in linen

In that cold place

As was a custom for Jews

At that given time

It was all part of reason

And a terrible crime

.

.

.

And now Satan was in for

A tremendous great shock

Cos death couldn’t hold Jesus

Entombed in that rock.

Satan’s plan for victory

Went west pretty quick

As Jesus was stronger

Than his evil trick.

.

.

Sin had no power

No strength against him

The mighty Son of God

Our risen conquering King.

When Jesus arose

Up from the grave

Heaven rejoiced

And the Father forgave

Every sin that mankind ever knew

Past present future

Conquered forever

For me and for you.

.

.

So no more do we need

To be prisoner to its power

We can be victorious

With Christ every hour.

By accepting with a thankful heart

Of all he has done

Setting us free

That’s the eternal

Love of the Son.

.

.

All heaven knew

This was God´s amazing plan

Salvation through Jesus

The true Son of God

The true Son of Man.

Sweet Sweet Child.

He is a child

Abandoned by all

On the streets by a market stall

On Empty

His stomach growls

But no one from the crowds

Drops a morsel in his cupped hands

But walk on by as if invisible.

.

.

He sits there lonely

He sits there cold

Only wanting someone to hold

To hold him tight

Through the night

Bringing him comfort

He has never known.

.

.

Palms open wide

Hope lifted high

Heart reaching heaven

He waits as they pass him by

His eyes call a plea

To all as they flee

Drop in a coin

Into my hands

Let me eat

Just once today.

.

.

The day turns into night

And then back into day

As lost and forsaken

On a cold slab he lay

No friends or family

To call his own

Only his shadow is his alone.

.

.

Sweet sweet child

With innocence lost

Troubled by a world

Who cannot see.

If he were your child

What would you do?

If mine,

What would I see?

.

.

Together unite

Together bring hope

Cast off the chains

So the hungry

Desolate

Orphaned

Can cope

Bring justice

Freedom

Liberty

Bring more than food

Bring a new destiny