God Is Able

He is able to meet your need. He is able to change your circumstances. He is able to heal and save. He is able to deliver. He is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work 2 Corinth 9:8. Praise Him continually that He is ABLE, and WILL do through you what is needed. He desires to pour through you to others.
But remember this:Whoever sows sparingly will reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 9:6.
He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food, will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion. 2 Corinth 9:10,11. Don't store seed just for yourself. Sow generously, sow with a cheerful heart. GIVE AND IT SHALL BE GIVEN TO YOU! OVERFLOW IN EXPRESSIONS OF THANKS TO GOD. HE IS ABLE TO MAKE ALL GRACE ABOUND TOWARDS YOU.

God Makes Things Grow

Each person is assigned a task from God. No one is greater or less than another. We are all His servants. Therefore, don't follow anyone, however spiritual they may appear. Everyone is mortal. All are mere men! and can be wrong. Look to Jesus and He will provide the teaching, support, counsel, all that you need. He will use His body, His servants, but don't permanently lean on them, they will fail you. For a season you will be helped, and then when that season is over you must move on. If not, God will allow them to fail you, or forsake you, or neglect you, so that you will not root yourself in a relationship with them.
One man plants a seed, another waters it, but God makes it grow. We work together with God for the good of others, but we are not God. Only God can make the seed grow. 1 Corinth 3:4-8.

School Of the Spirit

Every child of God experiences at one time or another His discipline. When we are saved we then enter into the plans the Father has for us. To fulfil those plans we need to be trained and disciplined. Just like a child needs the example, teaching and training of parents, school, and family. In the Holy Spirit's School we are taught to perfection! Every trial, test, and affliction can bring us into the place of surrender and humility as we become more like Jesus. Because the purpose of this training is that we will be 'like Him', and our lives will shine in the world as a light, just as He is the Light of the world.
There is no other way for us to become like Him. We have to go through many waters, but are not overwhelmed; through the fires of testing, but are not burned; through darkness, but are not stopped; through disasters, but are not killed. In prison, but delivered! sick, but healed! Yes, we pass through many trials on this earth as we make our way to heaven. And at the time they are not pleasant. We wonder why a loving God can let us experience these things; we sometimes lose hope, and feel that He has forgotten us; we wonder what we have done wrong, if we have brought this upon ourselves, or if we have strayed away.
But it is all for a purpose! Take heart. Lift up your feeble hands and rejoice! God is dealing with the flaws in your character. He is making a vessel of honour out of you. You will see the harvest and reap it. This time is not in vain.
'No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however,it produces a harvest of righteousness asnd peace for those who have been trained by it. Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees'. Heb 12:11,12.

A Time For Everything

'There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven' Ecc 3:1. It takes 9 months for a baby to develop in it's mother's womb and then be born. The gestation time for an elephant to be carried in the womb is 22 months!
Everything has an allotted time. If we try to force changes it that time schedule God has planned then there are problems. It takes time for character to be formed. It takes time for habit patterns to change, and time to mature relationships.
We can't know God in a hurry! it takes time to BE with Him, SIT with Him, LISTEN to Him, TALK to Him, ENJOY His presence, and time to KNOW Him. In fact it takes a lifetime!
Don't try to change the season of life you are in. Let it happen in God's time, in His way, by His design. If you try to push it yourself it will lead to frustration. God's timing happens in Peace.

Father's Business

Our daily work and ordinary life is where we learn most the things and ways of God. When Jesus was 12 years old, He went to the Temple with His parents Lk 41-52. He was caught up in the wonder of it all and like any boy got absorbed in all the sights and experiences of life. He had a sense of calling that developed over those few days. He was becoming aware of His destiny. A new awakening within His soul gripped Him, He cleaved to being in His father's house about His Father's business.
But this significant time passed. He had to return to Nazareth and lived obediently to his parents wishes and direction Lk 2:51. He was a good son to His earthly mother and father. He learned a trade and became a carpenter eventually running the business and caring for His widowed mother. Everyone knew Him and liked Him, because He was so pleasant to be with. The Bible tells us ' that He grew in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.
Jesus was obedient in earthly ways before heavenly things were trusted to Him. He was not full of presumption, going around doing 'great things' for God or forcing His teachings upon people. He lived and proved His worth in daily living. being honest, kind, committted, faithful, caring, forgiving, reliable, trustworthy, humble, and pure. His ministry and works that were manifest when He was around 30 years of age were built upon the foundation that had been laid during those silent, obedient years in Nazareth. Jesus showed us that ministry comes out of character and that is the way we need to walk.

Dawn Is Breaking

Waiting requires patience and discipline. Qualities that grow with use! We so often cry to God to answer 'now', and don't realise that He has to work on us to get us ready for the answer. The psalmist says 'My soul waits for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say more than they that watch for the morning' Psalm 130:6
Through a long sleepless night, the thought of morning light coming for sure, gives a ray of hope. The morning will come and the shadows will flee away! Those that wait upon the Lord do not wait in vain. As sure as the morning breaking, so He will break through and bring a new light.
But the soul has to look for, eagerly anticipate, be sure of, His coming. No casual seeking gains anything. No'hot and cold' receives anything. No double minded person gets an answer. The commitment, the longing, the yearning for God's visitation, has to be from the whole heart. Then, as sure as the morning breaks, so our God will come to you, and in His coming, meet your hearts desire. WATCH!

It's Alright!

I saw a child happily skipping along a straight road. When asked why it was on it's own, yet so happy, the reply was " I'm on my way home and nearer than when I started. I am not afraid because my Father has just been along this way and made it safe for me".
Everything in our lives, things that happen to us, choices we make, all prepare us for Eternity. Even the bad things He can turn and use for good. We can go along with a happy heart in God's Way, or we can struggle and trudge along our own way. Every day that passes brings us nearer to our heavenly home. Our Father is waiting for us with a welcome beyond our dreaming. Even if the clouds are dark and dreary around us, we can have a warmth in our hearts knowing we are on our way home.
I was fortunate to have a mother that loved her children. When I ran home from school each day, she was always there with hot tea for me. I felt welcomed, warm and loved. At Christmas time we had presents waiting in their bright paper to be unwrapped. It was only Birthdays and Christmas that brought gifts. There was nothing else for children throughout the year, not like today! We always had an apple and an orange in our stockings and relished eating them at midnight, when we were supposed to be asleep!
But Oh! my heart was so warm at the thought of surprises at Christmastime. Often I would have a new dress that my mother had made. Wearing it gave me a sense of belonging and pride. Mother had made it 'for me'!
A whole new world is waiting for us. Heaven is a place prepared for you. There are lovely surprises planned by our Father for each loved child. There is a welcome beyond words, beyond any good thing experienced on this earth. There are no more bad things, no more sorrow or pain or sickness. No more loneliness or rejection or hatred. Just Perfect LOVE.
'I will go before you, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut through bars of iron'. Isaiah 45:2

A day At A time!

Jesus tells us not to take anxious thought about tomorrow. He does not say that we are not to think about tomorrow, make plans, or to pray about the future. But we are not to worry as it is fruitless and unprofitable. None of us can control our circumstances, or add anything to our lives by worrying. It is a habit pattern of thinking that can cause us great distress and halt our progress in life. We are really saying that our heavenly Father does not care about every detail of our lives, when we worry! Has He not said that even the hairs on our head are numbered?
Most of our troubles are imaginary. Our forebodings about the future, our forecasts about what will or might happen are just predictions and unfounded fears. The Lord can, and does deliver from them. So if you are burdened today, bring it all to Jesus, with thanksgiving, because He cares about you. As you discipline yourself to lay the weights down at His feet, so you will experience release and deliverance from the scourge of worry. Matthew 6:34.

Encourage One Another

There are so many ways we can encourage others. The word means 'to put courage in'and 'to inspire with spirit or hope'. The Bible speaks a lot about encouragement. In Acts 9:31 the church was encouraged by the Holy Spirit bringing a time of peace after persecution. Barnabas was sent to Antioch and encouraged the believers to remain true to the Lord Acts 11:23. Prophets were used to bring encouragement Acts 15:9. The testimony of Paul and Silas when they came out of prison was an encouragement to the Christians Acts 16:40. Letters were sent; disciples brought encouragement as they travelled and met with others.
As Christians we can mutually encourage each others faith; we can stand in the gap and intercede; we can send a letter; we can make a phone call; we can bring wisdom into a situation; we can give someone a meal; share our home; provide finance for missions; send Bibles to poor countries.
We all need encouragement to serve the Lord and continue in the faith as the days grow darker and discouraging! Be an encourager. Support and listen to others. Help to grow their faith and gifts. Smile!
'And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds' Heb 10:24.

A Place Of Comfort

' And each man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land' Isa 32:2. Be someone that others can turn to in their need and distress. Embrace your loved one's when they are in need, and whatever they may have done to you, forgive. Help them in their trouble and be like Jesus in your compassion. Be kind, tenderhearted and loving, remember that you too have had trouble and needed someone to turn to. No one is perfect and most of us are often foolish, but because we have a hiding place, a refuge, in Jesus, we can be Him to others. He never turns us away.

What About Him?

God has given gifts and talents to each one of us. It is our responsibility to use them. He has given; we must be good stewards. One of the reasons we bury our gifts in the sand is that we are afraid of what others think. If we have been put down, despised, criticised or mocked, it is difficult to rise above the things others have said. But today is a day to leave all that behind and start anew. What is your gift? God has given great diversity. Start using it again. It may be spiritual, but it may be natural. Decide to use what you have and it will grow. Jesus used what He had in the motley band of His disciples and trusted them to continue the work He started. He gave the Helper, the Holy Spirit, to come and dwell within them and be alongside them. So we are not alone in using our gifts. There is a Helper to show us what to do. Don't look at what others are doing, their particular gifts, or how successful they are. But look to Jesus and use what you have been given out of thankfulness to Him. He can show His love through you in seemingly small ways to accomplish much.
John 21:21.

You Are My Hiding Place

The psalms are always a help when I feel low and helpless, needing some encouragement. The writers are so human, and yet so inspired. It is wonderful to come to God and say anything to Him. Just to share the depths of my heart with all its questions, inadequacies, fears, and hopes. And tell Him what I really think! He hides me in the secret of His presence and lets me off load everything as He patiently listens. God will listen to anyone who comes with an honest heart, wanting counsel and direction; encouragement and help. Don't bottle things up! Share it! Tell Him everything, both good and bad.
'I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you'. Ps 32:8

In Your Hands

'I trust in You, O Lord; I say, "You are my God" My times are in Your hands; deliver me from my enemies and from those who pursue me. Let Your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love'.Psalm 31: 14-16. Let us rest content in knowing that our times are in His hands......and He never drops anything! And no-one can snatch us out of our Father's hand Jn 10:28.

Where Is God?

I saw a steep mountainside with someone stumbling along a narrow pathway. There was mist hovering and little visibility. They could only place one foot in front of the other and it seemed that there was no sure path ahead. The exertion of climbing up caused them to stagger, but they were able to hold onto small rocks along the way. To go back was not an option, they had to keep moving forward and hope that the mist would lift. If they could have seen the way in sunshine, it would have been clear that the path was a sure footed way up a beautiful mountainside with breathtaking views. But whether sunshine or mist, they had to walk by faith to reach the top. Job said that he could not find God 'when I go to the east, He is not there. When I go to the west, I do not find Him. When He is at work in the north, I do not see Him; when He turns to the south I catch no glimpse of Him. BUT He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me I will come forth as gold. My feet have closely followed His steps; I have kept to His way without turning aside'. Job 23:8-11.

The Day Of Small Things

Don't think that the work you do for the Lord is insignificant. It may seem small at the moment, but seeds grow, if they are properly watered. God who started the work will bring it to completion. He is watching over it and protecting His interests, even though you feel He is leaving you to struggle on your own. Keep praying about these things, because your prayer accomplishes much. Pray until you are assured of breakthrough! The breakthrough always comes first in the spiritual realm, then manifests in the physical. This takes time, because the enemy will try to hinder on every side. But he has lost the battle; you just need to wait for the victory to be revealed. Be in an attitude of praise!
'The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; and his hands will also complete it' Zechariah 4:9 Don't despise the day of small things 4:10.

Out Of The Wilderness

Because of your wilderness experience your heart has changed. You have become bonded to Me alone. I know that it has been a testing time for you, but you have passed the test! This time was necessary for character building, and your motives to be purified. You have become even more determined to follow through and not give up. You have made your calling sure and as new opportunities open up for you to serve Me, you will rise to the challenges with new vigour. Now you lean on Me in a new way. Not as one afraid and timid, but as a Bride, radiant with the love of her Beloved. People will notice you, they will honour the work you do for Me. They will see you in a new light.
'Who is this that comes up from the wilderness, leaning upon her Beloved' Song of Sol 8:5

Watch And Pray

An oak tree does not spring up in a night! The tiny acorn falls into the ground and then lies hidden for a season until the right time for it to sprout and grow. Little by little, a stage at a time it grows from youth to maturity. Keep sowing seeds into other peoples lives; into situations; into your own life. And then water them through prayer, and watch and wait. Don't try to dig them up to see if they have germinated! But work at caring for the ground where you have sown them.
Our printing business started very small. We used our garage and home to start with because we could not afford the rent on a shop. We sometimes worked twelve hours a day. Slowly, slowly, it grew.We then rented a small shop, so it grew some more and then we rented an industrial unit. It was hard but we watered it in prayer and God gave us favour with new customers. At the same time that we started the printing business, another new company started up. They grew so quickly! Work was obtained by taking printing away from other businesses; large sums of money were borrowed; new cars and houses were purchased. After some years of prosperity the company went bankrupt, and they could not pay their debts.
They did not start righteously, they grew too quickly, they then could not sustain themselves in time of drought. They were not careful with their money and were greedy. We still live in the same house, our car is over ten years old, and we give away our resources to God's work in Africa. And we are happy! James 5:11

Our Great God

John the Baptist knew his place before God. He must have been a very humble man, he said 'He (Jesus) must become greater; I must become less' Jn 3:30. We can afford to be very small in His presence, stripped of all pretence, all religious claims, and self righteousness. We must decrease so that He can increase in our lives. God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble 1 Pet 5:5.
The only boasting we can have is the Blood of Jesus. We enter the Holy of Holies through the Blood; we have forgiveness by the washing of the Blood; we can speak and prevail with God because of the Blood; we are counted as righteous by the Blood. It is only on the merit of the shedding of Jesus Blood that we can know God as Father. We can stand before Him clean and He hears and answers our petitions. We are 'nobody' but He has made us 'somebody', we are significant, but not in our own merit; we are loved, though we were unlovely. Good works will not get us to Heaven, neither will good intentions! But faith in the finished work of Jesus on the cross and the all sufficient sacrifice of His Blood avails for us. Let us live out our faith through thankful hearts. 'Just as I am without one plea, but that thy Blood was shed for me...............Jesus I come'.

Be Alert!

We are in a spiritual battle that intensifies the more we go on with the Lord. The devil will use every lying tactic to disarm, alarm, discourage us, with the intention of moving us out of our faith in Christ. But we have an assurred victory if we put on  the armour of God. Eph 6:13 tells us to put on the 'whole' armour. Don't leave anything off! It is a spiritual clothing that equips us in a spiritual battle. We need to make sure we are living in 'Truth' which is like a belt around the waist, holding everything together. 'Righteousness' like a breastplate protects our hearts so that we do not fall into sin. Our spiritual feet must be ready to share the gospel wherever we go. Our 'Faith' is like a sheild that we can raise to extinguish the lies and accusations of the evil one. Our minds need to be protected with the helmet of 'Salvation', for we need to remind ourselves we are saved by grace. And we can then weild the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, standing firm in all Christ has won for us on the cross. So we stand, not in our own strength, but in the strength, He supplies.
With all this in mind we are alert and praying on all occasions, with all kinds of prayers and requests, especially for all the saints around the world Eph 6:18. Remember the saints! Those who are persecuted and suffering in many countries. We are part of the mystical body of Jesus, when one member suffers, we all suffer. When one member rejoices we all rejoice 1 Corinth 12:26

Friendship

It says in Proverbs, that a man that has friends must keep being friendly Prov 18:24. It is saying that if you have many friends you have to keep being involved with them and pleasing them, otherwise they may drop you! It is so easy to go along with the crowd and do and say things things to stay popular. Even in Christian circles. People, even the closest of buddies, can easily drop you for a variety of reasons.
It goes on to say that there is a Friend who sticks closer than a brother, who will stay with you through  joys and adversities. He literally sticks to you bonded and glued to your side! Paul says that everyone forsook him but the Lord was by his side 2 Tim 4:16,17. Every true child of God has to go through the fires of testing where sometimes friends, church, or family shun you. It is then you discover who truly is your Friend forever.
'What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear,
What a privelige to carry, everything to God in prayer.
Oh what peace we often forfeit, Oh what needless pains we bear.
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer'.
If you are hurting because a friend has let you down, or spoken against you, forgive them and pray for them, and accept that God is drawing you closer to Jesus through this. He is your Faithful Friend, the Friend of sinners.

Don't Be Hasty!

Be careful about making decisions out of fear. God leads by His peace and you can afford to wait for His peace to settle in your heart before you move forward. Fear pushes us to hasty decisions, and causes us to panic and try to keep control of our lives. God's peace leads gently and there is a feeling of 'rightness' about the proposed plans. Fear brings a darkness that shadows the ability to think things through calmly. Peace bring light and there is no claustrophobic pressure with it. Bring everything to the Lord for His guidance and then wait for Him to reveal the next step. Overcome fear by faith. 'God has not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, and of love and of a sound mind' 2 Tim 1:7.

Mature Thinking

Dwelling on past failures or missed opportunities will not help your progress. Thoughts of 'if only', and 'why did it happen' or 'things could have been different' just keep you bound to an earthly level. Rise higher in your thinking! God can turn everything to profit as you yield to His word today. There are weights upon you that you need to release and lay at Jesus feet. You cannot change the past, but your attitudes can determine the future. Paul says from experience that he had to forget those things which were behind him and press on Philip 3:13. He could have lived in the morbid thoughts of how many believers he had killed and persecuted before he met Jesus. He could have thought about all those who forsook him; the awful stonings; the shipwrecks; the hunger and cold; the prison. So many dreaded things! But he knew that the mature let all these things go and press forward to the prize of the high calling v 14-15. As you look towards the sun the shadows fall behind! let us look to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. He is trustworthy!