River Flow Again!

The people around us need God's love! Not the kind that is sexual, or platonic, but the eternal pure love that never changes in it's quality. We are meant to show that kind of love to others. Not to the same degree as Jesus did, but the same quality. Not the same quantity that Jesus had, for He gave His life on the cross for the whole of mankind. But we are meant to love one another as He loved us, with the same purity. So each person that comes our way, every relationship that we have and all our prayers are meant to display that pure quality of love from God.
We need God's love. It is so easy to forget He loves us unconditionally, through and through, and will never reject us or leave us alone. If we do not believe He loves us, then it is impossible for us to love others with His love. That love fills our hearts by the Holy Spirit, freely given to all who will receive. We just need to receive that love daily and enjoy giving it away! God's love flows like a golden river ever outwards from Himself. It is not hard work for Him to love the world, the peoples and His creation.
Let it flow into your heart today. The flow can be blocked through unforgiveness, resentment, or anger. But running to the Father in childlike need, saying sorry, letting Him pick us up, sets the river flowing again. Then it freely flows into us and out of us, and is not hard work!
'Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.........Love never fails..............Now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.'
1 Corinth 13: 4, 8, 13

Enjoy Him.

Today is a day to thank God for His goodness in your life. Has He not kept you? When you passed through the waters did they overwhelm you? When you passed through the fire were you consumed? Are you still alive today? Is He still watching over you, or have you been forgotten?
When you fell and hurt your foot did you recover? When you cut your finger, did it heal? Have you ever starved to death? Are you totally friendless? Does He send the rain to replenish the earth, and the sun to cause the flowers to grow? Have you breath in your lungs, and hope in your heart? When He shut a door, did He not open another for you?
Then smile! For God loves you! He is smiling upon you! Let your heart skip for joy! Be a child again, just for a while! Sing!!!!!!!!!
'Don't trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy' 1 Tim 6:17

Obedience Opens A Door!

Naaman was an important man. His name means 'pleasantness'. He was in favour with the king of Syria and was the commander of the army. Everyone respected him. But he was a leper. On one of the raids into Israel they captured a little servant girl, who became a maid to the Queen. She is not named in the Bible, but must have been well liked, and also liked Naaman. In passing she mentions that there was aprophet in Israel who could heal Naaman of his leprousy. The king gets to hear of it. Amazing how a snippet of news can travel to the right ears, isn't it? And without any requests from Naaman himself, a letter is written to the king of Israel, with gifts for him. So off he goes, to meet with the important dignitaries of the country. Almighty God can pull a few strings when needed!
He did not like it when Elisha sent his servant with instructions to Naaman telling him to go to the River Jordan and wash in it seven times. Naaman expected some great happening with the Prophet calling on the name of the Lord and waving his hand over the leprousy. What he really wanted was some great display of magic! Not to be told to dip in the muddy Jordan. But he had good servants who told him that he should do what the prophet said. So he went to the Jordon and dipped in it seven times as instructed 2 Kings 5:13. No more, no less! And he was made clean.
It is so easy to think that God would have us do some great thing to accomplish the purpose at hand. However, He is looking for humble hearts that will obey. He often calls us to do things we don't want to do, or be with people we secretely despise, as a test of our willingness. God does not measure in small or great, He just measures in our obedience. Obedience can open a wide door! What are you putting off doing because it seems so small and insignificant?
'Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another because, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.'
1 Peter 5:5,6

Having Done All, Stand!

An old sea captain once said that when the storms get severe and they are threatened with disaster, that they turn the ship into a certain position and fix it there. Then weather out the gales, holding fast. There is a time to hold onto the Lord with all your might. Prayer does not seem to work, for all has been prayed. Faith seems to fail and the heavens are as brass. Then stand fast! wait for the storm to abait. Hold onto God, lash your self to the mast, for you will come through. The black clouds will lift and the thrashing winds will wear themselves out with their fury. You can't do anything but wait for this attack to pass, for it will pass. Nothing can move a child of God who has fixed their heart on His mercy and might. God will prevail for you, He is on your side, working behind the scenes, and bringing new strength through it all. You have to pass through this, there is no going round, but you will come out stronger than when you went in!
'My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise' Ps 57:7

Simply Live.

You learn far more about Me by watching Me work and staying alongside. Things are not always retained in your mind through gathering many words, but rather through the experience of seeing my hand moving. Watch each day for signs of My presence. There are small things that happen in your day that speak of Me and are designed to strengthen your faith as you observe. My Spirit is all around you, there is no place you can go where I am not. I am the Bread of life, therefore see me in each day as your basic need. And take me in simplicity as your next meal. You do not have to up to heaven to bring Me down, or over the sea to know Me. I am here. I am with you. I am weaving My purposes through your response to that which I send your way. You can accept or reject the simplicity of it. If you are looking for greater things in your life, come lower. You can gather my blessing with an outstretched hand that takes what is closest. I am near you, even in your breathing, for I am your life. Be faithful in the little things, the hidden things, the insignificant things and you will find Me.
'I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty' Jn 6:35

Stand in the Gap

Don't allow yourself to become despondant over the needs that you see in my work on earth. I have visited my people and assessed their situations. Many lack because they do not call to me, and are not willing to give themselves sacrificially. They must love me with all their heart, and cleave to me in all their ways. But I am gracious and overlook their mistakes when they reach out to me with honest hearts. I am not just there to provide things, I desire to give Myself. Pray for them to focus on Me and Who I am.
I hear the cries of my people. I see them struggling with heavy burdens. Just as I delivered the Israelites from Egypt, so will I intervene again for them. I am raising up 'Deliverers' who will deeply care, intercede with tears and groanings, and they will lead my people to their destination.
Stand in the gap for them. Pray to your heavenly Father for them. He is good, and will supply in unexpected ways. Take your eyes off your own problems which keep you looking inward, but look upward and outward. There is still much you can accomplish. In fact you will achieve more for me in the coming years than you ever did in those that have passed. You are on earth for My kingdom purposes and will see the fulfillment and fruition of your labours. They are not in vain. Don't get bogged down by it all! Rejoice! I hear and answer.
'I am the Lord, and will bring you out from the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you of their bondage, and I will redeem you with outstretched arm, and with great judgements: And I will take you to me for a people, and you shall know that I am the Lord your God' Exodus 6:6,7

Believe! Things will Change!

Two blind men followed Jesus. In the hustle and bustle of the crowd they kept calling out "Have mercy on us Son of David!" They kept following and kept calling. They were determined to get an answer. Jesus went into a house and the blind men went in after Him. They came up to Jesus and He asked them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?". "Yes, Lord," they replied. So He touched their eyes and said, "Acording to your faith will it be done to you", and their sight was restored. Matt 9:27-30.
The question today is "Do you believe I am able to do what you ask?". What is your answer? can you simply say "Yes Lord". If we do not have the faith in our hearts we can ask God to give us the gift of faith. To receive we just put our faith in God. It may be small but we have a great God who always shows mercy to His children. Sometimes our perseverance is tested to its limits. The blind men showed their faith by their perseverance, not by their feelings. The important thing is to keep trusting that the Lord has heard our requests and in due time He will answer! Your circumstances can change because of your faith and petitions to God.
'Jesus Christ is the same Yesterday and today and forever' Heb 13:8

Lighten Up!

It is time to give your mind an overhaul! Take some thought about your thoughts! Stop allowing yourself to dwell on imaginary disasters that 'might' happen in your life. There is no need to wallow in morbid thoughts and plans for I have a bright future for you. My plans, says the Lord, are for good and not for your harm. My plans are for your fulfilment and enjoyment, not for sadness and emptiness.
Get rid of the dark imaginings and renounce negative thinking. Discipline your mind again to take hold of My blessings of freedom and love. If you continue to feed on unhelpful thoughts your days will be heavy and unfruitful. I desire you to dance with Me into your future, expecting that I will always provide the grace you need for every situation. It is time to lighten up! leave your baggage behind and let regrets go. You will find that the healing you need will become a reality and sorrow will vanish as a shadow.
'Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ'. 2 Corinth 10:5

Workers With Christ

During my travels in Africa over twenty two years, one of the things that has stuck in my mind is the amount of unfinished buildings. I have seen little order and much chaos, but now things are slowly improving. Projects had been started, but the builder had run out of resources, gone away, died, changed his mind! The scaffolding, bricks, dust, mud, weeds on the land cry out 'who will finish me?'
The Apostle Paul was motivated by the desire to finish his course with joy, and to fulfill his ministry given by God. He had to keep working because that is why He was on this earth. At the end of his life he was able to say that he had fought a good fight, had finished his course and had kept the faith 2 Tim 4:7.
We are here on this earth to finish the work that Jesus started in His earthly ministry. God always completes what He started. He always provides the help needed to see things through. He doesn't abdicate His throne! But we need to make sure that we are actually doing what God has called us to do. Thing often go awry because God was not the initiator in the first place. But as we co-operate with Him, together we can bring His order into the chaos and change things, and create with Him. We are co-workers with Christ. He needs our input. Do not let anyone put you down, or stop your plans that have been given to you by God. The devil will use people to discourage you, block you, destroy you. God will use people to help you and come alongside you, and He will stand with you as you are tested and tried.
'Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completetion of it, according to your means. 2 Corinth 8:11

Take A Step Forward!

Now is the time to turn your faith into action! Just take small steps towards your goal. If you sit back and keep deliberating on things your motivation will die. This is not a time to think things over, you have done that. Now move forward with purpose and wisdom. Plans mean nothing unless you do something. Thoughts are useful ,but need to bear fruit. Let your fear and hesitation go!I will lead you each step of the way. Do not fear disaster, or keep changing your mind. I am able to step in if you make a wrong decision. Signs and wonders follow those that believe. Trust Me.
'I will instruct and teach you in the way which you should go. I will guide you with my eye'. Ps 32:8

A Hiding Place

 '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.

Come Away.

The Lord says " Come to Me and sink into My love. There is a refreshing that will gently wash over you as you linger in My presence. Just as a child snuggles into its bed at night and relaxes in the warmth of the blankets, so you come and nestle in My love for you. Sink down, relax and let me take control. Do not be in a hurry to move from this position for you will find the healing there that you need. Let your soul be at rest and abide (stay put) in the experience. Don't be hasty over decisions, or plans, allow the waters to flow over you and soften your heart and motives. Your spiritual eyes have become weary with trying to see through the fog of many emotions. Now is the time to let all that go and rest in My love. I will show you the new pathway you must tread as you awake from your rest. Do not fear complacency. This is ordained of Me. There will be new vigour and direction, but wait for it to come from my Spirit".
'Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.' Matt 11:28

No Need To Worry

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. The thing to concentrate on each day is to put God first in every thing and live righteously in our relationship with Him and with others. As we seek His kingdom first everything else falls into place. Our heavenly Father knows what we need, and will take care of the practical things in our lives. Our job is to seek Him and feed our souls on the spiritual things available to us. What does it profit us to gain the whole world , yet lose our own soul?
'Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will begiven to you as well.Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of it's own' Matthew 6:33,34.

Things Will Grow!

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.

See Things Through!

Jesus said that the gate to life is very narrow Matt 7:13. As Christians we lead limited, yet unlimited lives, with only one choice that brings abundance! The choice is to let go of your own life and follow Jesus in obedience which leads to receiving His life. His life is abundant. Our love for Him and others has to be genuine. Our commitment to Him and His work has to be total. We can't be half hearted and expect to receive anything from God. Make up your mind, don't change it, then you will receive great benefits that far outweigh any losses. God often tests our commitment to Him and His kingdom. He watches to see if we will press forward and see things through. Pass the test! Don't give up! Keep following each day, you will reap! Life will not always be like it is now. Things can suddenly change with Jesus in control. He is preparing you for good works now and in Eternity Eph 2:10.

Who are you Serving?

The way to increase and blessings in the Kingdom of God is by using what you have, then God gives you more. You can't ask for more if you are not using fully what you have already been given. God tests our stewardship and promotes us according to what we do with what we have. The water of life has to flow out of our innermost being to stay fresh. One of the key qualities of a Christian has to be their honesty. In speech and action!
'Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?' Lk 16:10,11 God waits to see if our motives are right in serving Him.Then He will bring spiritual and material increase. You cannot serve God and money! Lk 16:13.

Special Providence.

God's goodness is shown through His general providence. He makes sun to shine upon the evil and the good alike. But there is another privilege for the Christian, that is His special providences, those are the blessings we get when we pray. Blessings we would not receive if we did not pray in faith. These provisions are especially given because they were specially asked. The prayer of faith is the mightiest force in the world. God governs the world by it. We get special protection, special deliverance, special blessings, and special comfort because someone is praying. Have you ever felt a comfort in your soul and thought to your self 'someone is praying for me'? Pray especially for someone today!
'And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well: the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned he will be forgiven.' James 5:15

Be Strong!

Temptations will come! If you want to live a godly, righteous life, obedient to the Lord, then you will be tempted. Often a season of temptation precedes a season of great blessing. Just as Jesus was led into the wilderness, after His baptism, to be tempted of the devil. So we are often led by God through a time of testing. But God never tempts us, though He allows us to pass through sometimes dire and unusual temptations.
After Jesus had been tempted He returned from the wilderness experience in the power of the Holy Spirit and was anointed for His work on earth. And likewise, we receive a new anointing of the Holy Spirit when we resist the lies and temptations of the devil.
Temptation is NOT sin. Though the temptations can be so subtle that we think that we are sinning because sometimes they are so awful, and they come in a form that mimics our own thoughts. Sometimes they come in the form of a throw back from our past. Something that once was sin in our lives, but has been cleansed and forgiven through the Blood of Jesus, can seem to return and we think we have fallen. It is then that Scripure is so helpful. Soaking the mind, and heart in the word of God keeps us from slipping into the devil's trap. He will use anything to try to seperate us from God and His Word and lead us into unbelief.
The whole process is allowed by God to strengthen us, to increase our faith, and to show the devil that we are truly, in word and deed children of Righteousness. Our faith has to be tested and tried! Endure what you pass through, as a soldier of Christ. Be strong, stand firm in the faith, and surely in due time, it will pass, when the purpose has been accomplished. Do not give way to it, because then it becomes sin because we have acted on it. Then you can go and strengthen your brethren, for we all pass through seasons of temptation.
' There has no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able to; but will with the temptation also make a way to eascape, that you may be able to bear it'. 1 Corinth 10:13

Let His Peace Lead!

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 brings 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, and do not walk into unsure situations. Avoid evil where you can, and test all things. Some things seem good and right at the time, but later on reveal shaky foundations. The enemy would like to trip us up and can present us with a set of actions that 'seem' good. But they are arranged to lure us away from what God had planned for us.
'God has not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, and of love and of a sound mind' 2 Tim 1:7.

Speak Lord!!

An important part of the Christian life is receiving instructions from God. We have the Bible to teach us, but also we need that word to come direct from the Lord in our particular need or circumstances. It has to be living and vital for each day. We can count on God to teach us His way, and show us His path in special difficulties or times of perplexity. Jesus said that His sheep hear His voice. And there is nothing more wonderful than when He speaks into the heart with a direct word of instruction, encouragement, and enlightenment.
There is something He wants to say especially for you! Not for others, but for YOU in your circumstances and life. He is so interested in your life and longs to communicate His purposes to you. But you need to wait quietly before God, in your times of prayer, in your heart as you go about your daily tasks. Show God that you are 'waiting' to hear what He has to say to you. He WILL speak, when you are ready to hear.
"Show me thy ways, O Lord; Teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: For thou art the God of my salvation: On thee do I wait all the day" Psalm 25:4,5