Well Its been a little while since my last updated my blog. I have been engrossed in numerous things that have kept my attention. However this past weekend I had the opportunity to preach in a little county two called Moe! (pronounced mo we)
My wife and I had a great time of fellowship with the pastor and the saints. I preached out of the text from Jer 29:11.
Did you know that the Lord has great plans for you? He says in Jeremiah that He is thinking about you! Planing good things for you, He says he makes plan to prosper you! He makes plan for your good not of evil. Our God is a good and He is always making ways to bless you. He is constantly thinking about you! He says you are the apple of His eye. His love is not like human love, but its Agape love. The unconditional love of God. In spite of failures and mistake, His love for you wont change!
This is something that you can be glad about. Others may think negative or bad about you, but God is thinking good about you!
Monday, November 15, 2010
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Value of Life
The world seems to care more about protecting trees than protecting life. Many people are lobbying for the protection of habitat and nature (nothing wrong with that) but think nothing of having an abortion. Every life is valuable and needs to be protected. Does maturation or age determine value in our modern life? Or does usefulness or frailty? God knows each of us before we were even conceived! He knows us each by name and He placed great value on each and every one of us! That's why He went to the cross because He had you and me in mind!
(Psalm 139, Jer 1)
(Psalm 139, Jer 1)
Praise Rise Conference Flyers
The Flyers are ready and they look great! Please share them on your Facebook and anywhere else. Invite everyone you know. We are looking to have a great time in the Lord!
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Praise Rise Conference
Busy planning our Praise Rise Conference. We are so excited to have the presence of Pastor Richard J. Brown from Toronto Canada and Endless Praise from Australia!
The flyer's are almost ready and they look great. We should see them soon!
the Church is excited to experience Pastor Brown's ministry. We have had Endless Praise visit us once before and they are great!
Praise Rise
Conference Guests:
Pastor Richard J. Brown
http://www.kclcministries.org/
He has released a CD avaiable on Amazon.com
Endless Praise is a : Is a passionate group of young people that are touring Australia and the world visiting schools, churches and community groups
They have released 7 Albums over the years
check them out at
http://www.epraise.com.au/
Looking forward to seeing you there!
The flyer's are almost ready and they look great. We should see them soon!
the Church is excited to experience Pastor Brown's ministry. We have had Endless Praise visit us once before and they are great!
Praise Rise
Conference Guests:
Pastor Richard J. Brown
http://www.kclcministries.org/
He has released a CD avaiable on Amazon.com
Endless Praise is a : Is a passionate group of young people that are touring Australia and the world visiting schools, churches and community groups
They have released 7 Albums over the years
check them out at
http://www.epraise.com.au/
Looking forward to seeing you there!
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Thought for Today
If you were standing in a deserted land, and you had one seed in your hand, what do you see? The one seed or the forest of trees? The seed has the potential to change the landscape! Did you know your dream has the potential to change your landscape!
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Getting Drunk!
Eph 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;(KJV)
Paul in his dissertation to the church in Ephesus brings this amazing point across, and if we could just examine it briefly, we can there is a great depth to the though he presents. He puts this together deliberately because we wants us to be first shocked and then to meditate on the gravity of the idea. In essence he says don’t be drunk with wine but be drunk with the spirit! The though of being drunk in public to most of us is morally reprehensive, yet he uses this juxtaposition to illustrate that picture he wants us to see.
Have you ever seen a drunk man, not just a little tipsy, but really drunk. They stagger, they slur they act crazy, they have trouble forming coherent sentences and have no idea what they are doing. They are totally out of control! We often say he is under the influence of alcohol, and that’s exactly what it is! The person is no longer in control of themselves, he has lost control of his body and functions and they are now under control of the alcohol. The alcohol is in control!
Its this idea that Paul is conveying to us, like this person who has consumed alcohol we must allow the spirit of God to control us, we must in essence loose control of ourselves. The NLT version clearly says: Don't be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, let the Holy Spirit fill and control you.
We must allow God to take over because whenever we are in control we don’t allow God to use us and move us and work through us, we are in fact ineffective at governing our own lives. But when we surrender to Him, allow ourselves to be filled with His spirit, He is able to use us to do great things and be what He has made us to be: full of His spirit. ( it’s that drunken man picture again!) we are to be, in fact out of control and at the direction of the Spirit of God. When we are full of the spirit, we can love like God loves, we can have the compassion like God does, we can do what God does!
Being drunk with alcohol will ruin your life, but being filled and drunk with the spirit of God will save your life!
O if as many people in this world would desire to get drunk in the spirit of God, if the young people who traverse our streets at night in drunken stupors desire the true Spirit of God, what a transformation this land will experience, what a amazing thing that would be!
Paul in his dissertation to the church in Ephesus brings this amazing point across, and if we could just examine it briefly, we can there is a great depth to the though he presents. He puts this together deliberately because we wants us to be first shocked and then to meditate on the gravity of the idea. In essence he says don’t be drunk with wine but be drunk with the spirit! The though of being drunk in public to most of us is morally reprehensive, yet he uses this juxtaposition to illustrate that picture he wants us to see.
Have you ever seen a drunk man, not just a little tipsy, but really drunk. They stagger, they slur they act crazy, they have trouble forming coherent sentences and have no idea what they are doing. They are totally out of control! We often say he is under the influence of alcohol, and that’s exactly what it is! The person is no longer in control of themselves, he has lost control of his body and functions and they are now under control of the alcohol. The alcohol is in control!
Its this idea that Paul is conveying to us, like this person who has consumed alcohol we must allow the spirit of God to control us, we must in essence loose control of ourselves. The NLT version clearly says: Don't be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, let the Holy Spirit fill and control you.
We must allow God to take over because whenever we are in control we don’t allow God to use us and move us and work through us, we are in fact ineffective at governing our own lives. But when we surrender to Him, allow ourselves to be filled with His spirit, He is able to use us to do great things and be what He has made us to be: full of His spirit. ( it’s that drunken man picture again!) we are to be, in fact out of control and at the direction of the Spirit of God. When we are full of the spirit, we can love like God loves, we can have the compassion like God does, we can do what God does!
Being drunk with alcohol will ruin your life, but being filled and drunk with the spirit of God will save your life!
O if as many people in this world would desire to get drunk in the spirit of God, if the young people who traverse our streets at night in drunken stupors desire the true Spirit of God, what a transformation this land will experience, what a amazing thing that would be!
Thought for Today
Thoughts you entertain, will not just visit but stay when you want them gone! (2 cor 10:5,6)
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Positive Shift Conference 2010 with Pastor Michael Friend
Our Positive Shift Conference was truly awesome, the worship was great, the presence of the Lord filled the house. The Word preached was so powerful and liberating!! Pastor Michael Friend is such an amazing man of God. I believe he delivered a Rhema word for this season. We were so blessed, the church was uplifted and it has really been a Positive Shift for all of us who were at the conference.
We saw many people from various churches attend and the spirit of unity was in the house as we all lifted and praised God with one voice and one spirit. I am so filled with joy and personally Pastor Mick (as he likes to be called) has spoken into my spirit and there are so may words of wisdom he has deposited in me. Without over exaggerating the affair at all, there are so many principles he has sowed in me, that it will honesty change the way I look and perceive things, especially God's church! I am so grateful to God that he brought Pastor Mick to our conference. That is another testimony in itself.
I know this was the correct season, we needed Pastor Mick here and he was the right man for the job.
I would love to thank him and his family, and pray for his continued success in his ministry! God Bless you Sir!
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Thought for Today
Instead of being upset or anxious of the things we don't have, let us be grateful for the things we do have!
Friday, April 16, 2010
Thought for Today
A apple tree does not produce strawberries. A tree is known by the fruit it produces! Whatever fruit you produce you will be known by.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Positive Shift Conference
Really looking forward to our Positive Shift Conference 2010. I believe God is going to be doing great things in our conference, we have got flyer's handed out, we have prayed and fasted and got some radio support too! My expectation is set high! The word of God says in Eph 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,Which means God can do more than we ask, so in essence He is limited by my request. Practically speaking if I ask God to give me $50 he is under obligation by His own word to provide a minimum of $51. Now I'm not suggesting that I can ask for anything, and I will get more that I had asked. We need to ask in alignment with His will and purpose. When this happens, He is willing to open up the heavens and pour out an abundant blessing! I am not limiting myself to ordinary, I am asking for extraordinary and I will see even more!
Come join us for our conference, you are all welcome!
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
Thought for Today
In order to produce good fruit you cannot desire the fruit, you must desire the nourishment. In other words if you want the fruit of the spirit you must desire Jesus and not the fruit only. Once you have Jesus you will manifest the fruit!
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Spirit and Truth
John 4:24 God [is] a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth.
Jesus statement of worship is a profound revelation of true worship. When we worship we must, (its an absolute necessity not a suggestion, or a casual remark) worship in spirit and truth! The desire for worship of the one true God must come to culmination in the perfect unison of the spirit and the truth.
One must validate and check the other. We cannot have real worship without both of these factors playing an integral part of that devotion. When we worship, the spirit of God that is in us is alive with cohesion to the ultimate creator. It is His spirit that has given us life and in the depth of our soul, our connection, ingrained on the microscopic level, written in our very DNA is the desire of every single man woman and child to know Him. Regardless if they push that desire away or not it is there. It is in worship that this relation is brought to a new height. Jesus says God searches out for these worshippers.
John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
God inhabits the praise of His people. Praise evokes the presence of God into our life.
But can we just worship in spirit? I believe the answer is No. There is a reason Jesus said we need both ingredients. When the spirit of man is opened to the spiritual realm it is opened up to all types of spirits. In this realm there are different spirits. God is spirit but so are other created beings, angels and on a more malevolent side: satan and his demons are also spirit beings. Also let us not forget that man is a spiritual being as well. He is triune in nature consisting first of spirit, then soul and body. It gives him access to enter the spiritual realm and still dwell in this mortal frame. When man opens himself to worship he opens up himself to the entire spiritual realm. This is where we can enter into error, if we worship in spirit alone. Because satan is a spirit and he can easily influence and deceive man. The bible says in 2 Cr 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. He is still an angel and it’s not his appearance that is corrupt but his nature. When we worship with every good intention and not have it validated by truth we can be lead astray unawares, if all we rely on is the spirit connection.
That is why Jesus says we MUST worship in Spirit and Truth. What is truth?. Let Jesus answer that question. He says in John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. The word of God is truth and Jesus is truth, for he says John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. God will never violate his word. He can never contradict His word. He will never work contrary to His word. When He speaks it will always totally align with His word. If there is anything God is bound by it’s His word. (Psa 138:2b for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.) We then must let this uncompromising factor be the discerner of everything in our life and worship.
People worship lots of things and its not the most obvious ones like idols that come to mind. The most common ones are money, success, houses and children. There is nothing wrong with desiring any of these things, or even excelling in things, but any form of worship that does not have God at its centre is a violation.
Truth must validate the worship of our spirit, to direct us in the right form of worship. In the same vein, we can just have truth and because of this knowledge we become proud and pompous. (1Cr 8:1b Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth). Truth and knowledge must work together in conjunction with the spirit of God. Jesus acknowledges the importance of this! We must worship in Spirit and Truth. God let your spirit lead us and let you truth direct us!
Worship is essential to the Christian life. It gives life to the believer and it draws God nearer. It can change situations and transform circumstances. The next time you are stressed or concerned, try worshiping God. You will see things change as you take your eyes of yourself and put them on Jesus. And remember God is looking for such!
Jesus statement of worship is a profound revelation of true worship. When we worship we must, (its an absolute necessity not a suggestion, or a casual remark) worship in spirit and truth! The desire for worship of the one true God must come to culmination in the perfect unison of the spirit and the truth.
One must validate and check the other. We cannot have real worship without both of these factors playing an integral part of that devotion. When we worship, the spirit of God that is in us is alive with cohesion to the ultimate creator. It is His spirit that has given us life and in the depth of our soul, our connection, ingrained on the microscopic level, written in our very DNA is the desire of every single man woman and child to know Him. Regardless if they push that desire away or not it is there. It is in worship that this relation is brought to a new height. Jesus says God searches out for these worshippers.
John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
God inhabits the praise of His people. Praise evokes the presence of God into our life.
But can we just worship in spirit? I believe the answer is No. There is a reason Jesus said we need both ingredients. When the spirit of man is opened to the spiritual realm it is opened up to all types of spirits. In this realm there are different spirits. God is spirit but so are other created beings, angels and on a more malevolent side: satan and his demons are also spirit beings. Also let us not forget that man is a spiritual being as well. He is triune in nature consisting first of spirit, then soul and body. It gives him access to enter the spiritual realm and still dwell in this mortal frame. When man opens himself to worship he opens up himself to the entire spiritual realm. This is where we can enter into error, if we worship in spirit alone. Because satan is a spirit and he can easily influence and deceive man. The bible says in 2 Cr 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. He is still an angel and it’s not his appearance that is corrupt but his nature. When we worship with every good intention and not have it validated by truth we can be lead astray unawares, if all we rely on is the spirit connection.
That is why Jesus says we MUST worship in Spirit and Truth. What is truth?. Let Jesus answer that question. He says in John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. The word of God is truth and Jesus is truth, for he says John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. God will never violate his word. He can never contradict His word. He will never work contrary to His word. When He speaks it will always totally align with His word. If there is anything God is bound by it’s His word. (Psa 138:2b for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.) We then must let this uncompromising factor be the discerner of everything in our life and worship.
People worship lots of things and its not the most obvious ones like idols that come to mind. The most common ones are money, success, houses and children. There is nothing wrong with desiring any of these things, or even excelling in things, but any form of worship that does not have God at its centre is a violation.
Truth must validate the worship of our spirit, to direct us in the right form of worship. In the same vein, we can just have truth and because of this knowledge we become proud and pompous. (1Cr 8:1b Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth). Truth and knowledge must work together in conjunction with the spirit of God. Jesus acknowledges the importance of this! We must worship in Spirit and Truth. God let your spirit lead us and let you truth direct us!
Worship is essential to the Christian life. It gives life to the believer and it draws God nearer. It can change situations and transform circumstances. The next time you are stressed or concerned, try worshiping God. You will see things change as you take your eyes of yourself and put them on Jesus. And remember God is looking for such!
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Navigating Pitfalls
From time to time when you contemplate the failures or mistakes of your life it is often a feeling of melancholy that creeps into our mood. As people, we cannot help but wonder about the “what if’s” we had done something different in a particular situation or made a different decision. Hindsight they say is 20/20, which means we have the wisdom to know our choice was wrong or right after we have made it and had a chance to review the outcome of that decision. But in the middle or the crux of our decisions we are not so sure of it being right.
Did you know it is possible to make the right decision every time? That’s wishful thinking you say?
I believe that God wants the best for us, and it’s His desire to give us the best in every area of our life. He says so in His word! If we are meant to have the best, why do we end up in problems and strife? Does God want you in pain constantly? I don’t believe so. Yes there are times that it is inevitable; however every quality decision in your life can move you from success to success.
The quality of our decision then in any given situation, the success of it, is not dependant on the amount of head knowledge we have, how much we know or not know about something. It is dependant on our fellowship with God! Let us examine this for a moment.
Every decision in life is fraught with the perils of undesired results. When we come to a decision that will affect our lives there will always be bad consequence or good consequences. It is at this point that we can have success or not. Not in making the decision but just before we decide. Do we ask God? Does His opinion count in our lives? David in Psalm 63:1 said “O God, thou [art] my God; early will I seek thee:…” David was not just speaking chronologically, but in every event, decision or circumstance of life. “I will consulate you before I make every decision in my life. I will get your advice.” When we consulate Him, He can advise us on the right course of action that will have the most favourable outcome. Thus David said in another place: He can lead me safely through the valley of death; I have no fear (Psalm 23) Why? Because I have asked for his guidance and he takes me safely through.
Our fellowship determines how much we get direction from Him. If we are close in fellowship with him we will make fewer mistakes because we are guided by Him. We can enjoy the fullness of His blessings. Now if we do not have great communion with Him, we will allow ourselves poor decisions and it speaks of our lack of fellowship.
However I believe that even in our poor choices God has made a way for those who desire Him to draw closer.
Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose.
We have often taken this verse to mean that God can use all things, bad and good situations in our life and shape them into good. This is true, He is the only one who can use negative experiences inflicted on us, and turn them into a positive end. We must be careful to note however, that He is not the designer of theses situations; they have been cast on us by our poor choice or the poor choices of others.
Let us care examine what this word says. First, He is speaking to believers and not just to any casual person, but one who loves Him! So the promise here is that He can use all things and make them work for good. What are all theses things? I believe some of the “things” mentioned here are the poor decisions we make, the wrong choices we take in life.
The point I’m trying to make is that even though God does not condone our wrong choices, He understands that we sometimes make them, however, when we do make them He can use that wrong choice we have made and use it to draw us closer to him! How does this happen? It teaches us: the consequences of that wrong choice expose our inability to make sound choices based on our own criteria. It shows us we are in desperate need for someone to guide us through the minefields of life. It shows us that we need to reply on Him more, which in turn will lead us to understand that we need His wisdom in all things. Then that knowledge (God Knowledge) will draw us even closer to Him This failure in making the right decisions in life can be used to bring good. The good I’m speaking about here is the in birth desire to want Him more. David continues in Psalm 63: 1 …my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; David’s failures in life only sent him running back into God’s arms. I’m not excusing failures, but what I am saying is that even when we do fail, that failure will not push us further away from God but draw us closer! When we do make wrong decisions, because of the trial or consequences of that decision it will prompt us seek him even more. The one pre-requisite is that we know and love Him, no matter at what level.
So all of our decisions ultimately reflect our level of fellowship with Him and that level of fellowship determine the trials we face based on how well we have allowed Him to direct us!
To explain it simply, imagine you had to cross a hazardous piece of ground filled with hidden trapdoors and holes in the ground. You had no idea where these trapdoors are, but stepping on one would plunge you into a pit in the ground and cause you pain. You know one who knows where each and every one of the pitfalls are. All you have to do is ask and he will direct you through. The point here is you have to ask before you take every step. One who asks every time will make it through the field unscathed. Some may ask a few times and because they get confident in themselves they take one extra step, and because that one extra step did not land them in the pit, they will take one more without asking, but sooner or later they fall. There are others who don’t ask at all, but rush in and fall often. So it is with us in life, we run ahead, we make mistakes but there is someone who is able to direct every step and keep us from harm. We don’t pay Him attention most times. We only call when we fall in the pit. He still comes and lifts us out.
The key here is the helper; because each time we fall, he comes and picks us up, dusts us off and puts us back on solid ground. We learn from your mistakes to trust God, to lean on His direction and guidance. You learn we will have fewer falls, you learn to listen to His voice and His direction.
I pray that we mature to a level where we can walk with God like Enoch did. Be in constant fellowship with Him, heed His direction and listen to His word. What powerful and victorious lives we will lead. What examples we will be!
(please note I’m not dealing with suffering in situations as this is a different subject and another way God can use us to display His glory!)
Did you know it is possible to make the right decision every time? That’s wishful thinking you say?
I believe that God wants the best for us, and it’s His desire to give us the best in every area of our life. He says so in His word! If we are meant to have the best, why do we end up in problems and strife? Does God want you in pain constantly? I don’t believe so. Yes there are times that it is inevitable; however every quality decision in your life can move you from success to success.
The quality of our decision then in any given situation, the success of it, is not dependant on the amount of head knowledge we have, how much we know or not know about something. It is dependant on our fellowship with God! Let us examine this for a moment.
Every decision in life is fraught with the perils of undesired results. When we come to a decision that will affect our lives there will always be bad consequence or good consequences. It is at this point that we can have success or not. Not in making the decision but just before we decide. Do we ask God? Does His opinion count in our lives? David in Psalm 63:1 said “O God, thou [art] my God; early will I seek thee:…” David was not just speaking chronologically, but in every event, decision or circumstance of life. “I will consulate you before I make every decision in my life. I will get your advice.” When we consulate Him, He can advise us on the right course of action that will have the most favourable outcome. Thus David said in another place: He can lead me safely through the valley of death; I have no fear (Psalm 23) Why? Because I have asked for his guidance and he takes me safely through.
Our fellowship determines how much we get direction from Him. If we are close in fellowship with him we will make fewer mistakes because we are guided by Him. We can enjoy the fullness of His blessings. Now if we do not have great communion with Him, we will allow ourselves poor decisions and it speaks of our lack of fellowship.
However I believe that even in our poor choices God has made a way for those who desire Him to draw closer.
Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose.
We have often taken this verse to mean that God can use all things, bad and good situations in our life and shape them into good. This is true, He is the only one who can use negative experiences inflicted on us, and turn them into a positive end. We must be careful to note however, that He is not the designer of theses situations; they have been cast on us by our poor choice or the poor choices of others.
Let us care examine what this word says. First, He is speaking to believers and not just to any casual person, but one who loves Him! So the promise here is that He can use all things and make them work for good. What are all theses things? I believe some of the “things” mentioned here are the poor decisions we make, the wrong choices we take in life.
The point I’m trying to make is that even though God does not condone our wrong choices, He understands that we sometimes make them, however, when we do make them He can use that wrong choice we have made and use it to draw us closer to him! How does this happen? It teaches us: the consequences of that wrong choice expose our inability to make sound choices based on our own criteria. It shows us we are in desperate need for someone to guide us through the minefields of life. It shows us that we need to reply on Him more, which in turn will lead us to understand that we need His wisdom in all things. Then that knowledge (God Knowledge) will draw us even closer to Him This failure in making the right decisions in life can be used to bring good. The good I’m speaking about here is the in birth desire to want Him more. David continues in Psalm 63: 1 …my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; David’s failures in life only sent him running back into God’s arms. I’m not excusing failures, but what I am saying is that even when we do fail, that failure will not push us further away from God but draw us closer! When we do make wrong decisions, because of the trial or consequences of that decision it will prompt us seek him even more. The one pre-requisite is that we know and love Him, no matter at what level.
So all of our decisions ultimately reflect our level of fellowship with Him and that level of fellowship determine the trials we face based on how well we have allowed Him to direct us!
To explain it simply, imagine you had to cross a hazardous piece of ground filled with hidden trapdoors and holes in the ground. You had no idea where these trapdoors are, but stepping on one would plunge you into a pit in the ground and cause you pain. You know one who knows where each and every one of the pitfalls are. All you have to do is ask and he will direct you through. The point here is you have to ask before you take every step. One who asks every time will make it through the field unscathed. Some may ask a few times and because they get confident in themselves they take one extra step, and because that one extra step did not land them in the pit, they will take one more without asking, but sooner or later they fall. There are others who don’t ask at all, but rush in and fall often. So it is with us in life, we run ahead, we make mistakes but there is someone who is able to direct every step and keep us from harm. We don’t pay Him attention most times. We only call when we fall in the pit. He still comes and lifts us out.
The key here is the helper; because each time we fall, he comes and picks us up, dusts us off and puts us back on solid ground. We learn from your mistakes to trust God, to lean on His direction and guidance. You learn we will have fewer falls, you learn to listen to His voice and His direction.
I pray that we mature to a level where we can walk with God like Enoch did. Be in constant fellowship with Him, heed His direction and listen to His word. What powerful and victorious lives we will lead. What examples we will be!
(please note I’m not dealing with suffering in situations as this is a different subject and another way God can use us to display His glory!)
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Dont let your heart be troubled!
Let not your hearts be troubled… (John14:1)
Jesus address here one of the most pressing issues we face in our world today. We are pressed in on every side by the pressures of life, the business of our schedules and by the constraints of our hectic lifestyle. Our hearts are always troubled and worried about this or that.
But Jesus tells not to have troubled hearts? Why? Because stress kills, worry eats away at a person soul and eventually destroys us. Our security and safety as well as our provision comes from the fellowship we have with Him. Yet the key thing here that Jesus is telling us is that the choice of a troubled heart does not lie in His hands but in ours!
Make no mistake, its not that Jesus is saying we have to try and ignore our problems or issues and not trouble our hearts with this world. No! He is saying I have laid up peace for you. The solution for the troubled heart is the peace He can give you! A little further in the chapter He tells the disciples this: (John 14:27) Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
The peace is already given; this however, does not guarantee a untroubled heart. The provision is there! Yes! However, the manifestation of the peace must be received and planted into our hearts to be effective. Then we move from a place of worry to a place of security based on this word.
Let me put it this way. Say a man in a desert is dying of thirst. He staggers along looking for water, his parched tongue sticking to this palate. His vision blurry, his clothes filled with sand, the heat of the sun is all consuming. All he wants is a drink of water. He is literally dying for it. He crawls over a sand dune and he sees an oasis! His heart leaps for joy and he makes his way down to the waters edge.
Now when he gets there does he stop and look at the water admiringly? Because he sees the water, can touch the water is that sufficient? The water is there it can give him back his life, but if all he does is just look at it, touch it and even swim in it, if that’s all he does, he will surely die. He has to drink it to live!
Its the same here with the peace of God, we are staggering along with the weight of the world and He is offering us His peace that will remove our worry and stress. It is the oasis in the desert. The peace is there, it has been given, just like that water in the oasis. We can sing about the peace, dance around the peace, talk about the peace, but if we don’t receive the peace into our hearts we will never stop worrying!
If we listen carefully to Jesus He is saying “Let not..” . YOU do not allow your heart to be troubled. You have to make a choice to do this. When we have His peace we can rely on it! We can choose to dwell on the knowledge of His peace and love, rather than our ways or the world’s ways.
Do you want peace in your life, free from worry and stress? Take the peace of God into your heart. Receive it today, live it today! Don’t let your heart be troubled!
You can choose!
Jesus address here one of the most pressing issues we face in our world today. We are pressed in on every side by the pressures of life, the business of our schedules and by the constraints of our hectic lifestyle. Our hearts are always troubled and worried about this or that.
But Jesus tells not to have troubled hearts? Why? Because stress kills, worry eats away at a person soul and eventually destroys us. Our security and safety as well as our provision comes from the fellowship we have with Him. Yet the key thing here that Jesus is telling us is that the choice of a troubled heart does not lie in His hands but in ours!
Make no mistake, its not that Jesus is saying we have to try and ignore our problems or issues and not trouble our hearts with this world. No! He is saying I have laid up peace for you. The solution for the troubled heart is the peace He can give you! A little further in the chapter He tells the disciples this: (John 14:27) Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
The peace is already given; this however, does not guarantee a untroubled heart. The provision is there! Yes! However, the manifestation of the peace must be received and planted into our hearts to be effective. Then we move from a place of worry to a place of security based on this word.
Let me put it this way. Say a man in a desert is dying of thirst. He staggers along looking for water, his parched tongue sticking to this palate. His vision blurry, his clothes filled with sand, the heat of the sun is all consuming. All he wants is a drink of water. He is literally dying for it. He crawls over a sand dune and he sees an oasis! His heart leaps for joy and he makes his way down to the waters edge.
Now when he gets there does he stop and look at the water admiringly? Because he sees the water, can touch the water is that sufficient? The water is there it can give him back his life, but if all he does is just look at it, touch it and even swim in it, if that’s all he does, he will surely die. He has to drink it to live!
Its the same here with the peace of God, we are staggering along with the weight of the world and He is offering us His peace that will remove our worry and stress. It is the oasis in the desert. The peace is there, it has been given, just like that water in the oasis. We can sing about the peace, dance around the peace, talk about the peace, but if we don’t receive the peace into our hearts we will never stop worrying!
If we listen carefully to Jesus He is saying “Let not..” . YOU do not allow your heart to be troubled. You have to make a choice to do this. When we have His peace we can rely on it! We can choose to dwell on the knowledge of His peace and love, rather than our ways or the world’s ways.
Do you want peace in your life, free from worry and stress? Take the peace of God into your heart. Receive it today, live it today! Don’t let your heart be troubled!
You can choose!
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