God directs your footsteps through his word, take time to hear what he is saying to you and then move forward trusting his guidance.
God never leaves us or forsakes us, he is with us in every situation and circumstance, filling us with courage in the face of fear.
Worship brings us into a place of communion with God, a place where we can experience his presence and grace, as we express our love towards him.
"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." Matthew 4:4
Scripture is filled with declarations of the wonderful, mysterious, powerful, and loving nature of our heavenly Father. It is one of God's greatest gifts to his people, who so easily forget the labour of love he has undertaken to restore relationship with us. The Bible is a companion to those who long to find the invisible God who so greatly desires to be discovered.
Scripture is meant to fill us with life by leading us directly to our heavenly Father. The power of Scripture lies in the fact that its pages are filled with the words of a God who is still active, powerful, and loving. For years I used Scripture incorrectly. I viewed it as a set of rules I needed to read and try to keep rather than as a guide to experiencing the adventure of communion with my heavenly Father. I viewed Scripture as a chore rather than God’s words meant specifically for me. My problem wasn't a lack of will but rather a lack of revelation of God's intention behind the Bible. I hadn't experienced a life lived "by every word that comes from the mouth of God."
Wherever you are in your understanding of Scripture, know that God has something fresh for you today. The Holy Spirit longs to speak directly to you through words written thousands of years ago. The Bible is a powerful miracle safeguarded for the benefit of all who want to know God better. May we all grow in our love of Scripture and the God who inspired it.
“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”Psalm 90:12 NIV
I have written a blog on this verse before, the conclusion I had come to was this- that God doesn't want us to miss a single day. Where you are and who you are doing life with in this moment matters. You have 86,400 seconds to spend per day, how will you spend yours?
I keep being brought back to this verse.
I met Jesus 6 years ago and ever since I have been committed to knowing and believing in him. And because of the transformation in mine and Adams life I want everyone I meet to meet Jesus. When I think of gaining a heart of wisdom, I think of knowing Him more. Understanding His love and attributes more deeply. When I stop taking Jesus for granted and dwell on His love for me everyday, I see myself, people and situations through a different lens. Our God is so vast that I will spend the rest of my days discovering more and more about Him. When I understand Him more, I am inspired how to live my life, and I gain wisdom in my heart.
"But whose delight is in the law (word) of the LORD, and who meditates on his law (word) day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither, whatever they do prospers." Psalms 1:2-3 NIV
Yesterday we looked at how putting our trust and confidence in God was like a tree’s root system being planted beside a stream of water. A good root system brings forth good fruit. Similarly, today our verses again show the linkage between the fruit and the root.
Can you truly trust, and have confidence in someone you don’t know? To know someone, you need to spend time with them, learn what makes them tick, how they will think and react in any situation. This is no different from getting to know God. We get to know God through spending time in His word.
Have you ever wanted to know God’s will for a situation you have been facing? God’s word is His will. His word is full of amazing promises for your life: forgiveness, health, strength, victory, prosperity, protection, peace, hope, help, wisdom, success etc.
Choose to dwell on God’s promises and not the contradictory circumstances that you find yourself in, and whatever you do will prosper.
"But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." Jeremiah 17:7-8 NIV
Ever wondered if you could live a life free from fear and worry? The good news is you can!
Look at this tree, its fruit is not dependent on its external environment, its fruit is dependent on its root system being planted beside a stream of water. No matter what the weather throws at the tree, the tree continues to flourish with green leaves and fruit.
We, like the tree, can equally flourish in every situation and circumstance. We haven’t been promised a life without heat or drought, but we don’t have to let these external influences determine the level of our fruitfulness. Our fruit is also determined by our root.
When we put our trust and confidence in God we are like the tree’s root system being planted beside a stream of water. We don’t have to fear the heat or worry about the drought, we just need to trust Him and rest in His favour and we will flourish in every situation.
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again. Rejoice’” Philippians 4:4
I often feel this sentiment when I wake up on a Friday morning. The weekend is coming! I’m not usually saying the same thing on a Monday morning…
We are encouraged to rejoice always, in all circumstances – Monday through to Sunday. It’s actually a choice we have to make day-to-day, sometimes moment-to-moment. It’s more than feeling happy. None of us can possibly be happy all the time – neither should we; there are times when it’s natural to be sad or disappointed. Joy is much more than that – it’s grounded in the knowledge that there is true hope. There’s not a chance that God will stop loving us, believing in us or that he will ever abandon us to cope alone.
Seven years ago I lay in a hospital bed wondering if I would ever see properly again. After a battery of tests the doctors didn’t seem to know what was wrong with me, or how to treat it. In a moment of clarity in the middle of literal darkness, joy filled my heart. I suddenly knew with certainty that I wasn’t alone and whatever the outcome that fact was never going to change. In the coming weeks a treatment plan was put in place and my sight was restored but I’ve never forgotten that moment of total despair restored by the joy of the Lord.
On this Friday morning – embrace that joy and never let it go!
“After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: ‘Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.’” Genesis 15:1
Fear can be crippling – it can cause us to limit our choices and opportunities – because the voice in our head whispers, “what if things don’t work out?” Our worlds can shrink and our understanding of God with it, because we don’t want to risk disappointment. We shape our theology on experience and not Scripture.
This word came to Abram after God had promised him and Sarai, his wife, offspring that would be like ‘the dust of the earth’, but at that moment they were an elderly couple with no children! Abram was able to trust God for a while but then Sarai decided to take matters into her own hands. To cut a long story short her decisions created a whole lot of trouble down the road!
It’s tempting to tinker when things seem to be taking too long, or aren’t working out in the way we perceive they should. We set in place a course of action that we know in our hearts is not what we should be doing but we just can’t wait any longer.
If that’s you this morning let me encourage you to be patient and trust God – don’t be afraid. He IS in control and when He wants you to take a leap of faith, don’t be afraid – JUMP!
“I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it.” Ecclesiastes 3:14
There’s an old saying that it’s not a good idea to ‘over egg the pudding’. Those times when you find yourself spoiling the end product by not stepping away when you’ve done enough.
Sometimes we imagine we need to do more and more to guarantee God’s love and favour in our lives. We perceive that the good news of the gospel is just too good to be true and that the message of grace couldn’t possibly be as straightforward as Scripture says it is. We reason that we need to repent more, try harder and work at making things right.
No amount of following rules and regulations will increase or diminish the love that God has for you – He loves you completely and utterly. You can’t put a cost on this free gift!
Today’s Scripture reminds us what God has done in you; for you; through you and to you - will last forever. Not just for a day, a year, a decade – forever! It can’t be reduced and it’s impossible to increase. Take a moment to savour that thought. You are the workmanship of Christ and He loves you.
“I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:1
In the middle of busy lives it’s all too easy to become consumed by what is right in front of our noses and completely miss the big picture. A number of years ago I visited Toronto and went right to the top of the CN Tower. Standing up there the view over the city is breath-taking. I knew there were thousands of people down below me but I couldn’t see a single one.
It’s like that with seemingly insurmountable problems or intractable situations – when we’re right up close we see every minute detail and resolution seems impossible; take a step back we get the chance to breath and consider that there might be a way through this. By lifting our eyes up and trusting God for the whole story we can find peace and hope in the turmoil.
‘If you look within, you feel depressed;
If you look without, you’ll be distressed; but,
If you look to God, you’ll be at rest’ Corrie Ten Boom
At the start of a new week, be at rest – whatever lies ahead, God’s got it!
"And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work." 2 COR 9:8
Sometimes I struggle when people hurt me. I don’t suppose that I am any different to most people but if I am not careful about what goes on in my mind I magnify the one thing so that it distorts the picture of that person. If i do not make a choice that affects how I relate and how I think about them I am working off the wrong grid and my picture is not the whole truth.
I think this is what happens in terms of prosperity. If we are not careful we get learn a distortion of the truth and begin to accept it as the whole truth. That can lead us into a mess.
The world distorts money in a number of ways and Christians have not been much different. We need to turn some accepted thinking upside down. God wants you to live blessed. Not in lack or in struggle. Religion says that is selfish whereas God says it is for His purpose. It is really hard to provide for someone when you do not have anything to give. We can choose to be selfish but today ask the Lord to show you how to use the blessing that He has already poured in to your life. That is when you start to flow in increase - whenever you see money, time & talents as given to you to shower grace & blessing to your world. The upside down thing about it is that the more you get that view the more you will see in your own life.
Thank God today that He has good works for you to do. You have the chance to impact somebody today for all of eternity. What you do for someone today you do unto Jesus and He never misses a thing. More than that He has supplied what you need to do be that blessing. Don’t hesitate today - go and bless!
"Let them shout for joy and be glad,Who favor my righteous cause; And let them say continually, “Let the LORD be magnified, Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.” PS 35 vs 27
What is you view of God when it comes to money? We view with suspicion the notion that God wants to bless His people in every area of their lives and that includes money. We get squeamish at that thought. I guess when we see the excess and distortions in some parts of the church it puts us off and we react negatively. For too long though we have bought into the idea that God is the God of just enough. He does not want us to starve but will keep us in place of just enough struggle to keep us focused. This verse turns that notion of God and he works completely upside down.
Think today about a God who delights when you are blessed. A God who is pleased when He see’s His kids doing well and being successful. Just because some people (however well known they are) display immaturity in this area does not change God’s heart for you. Your new covenant of Grace is a generous covenant. I love to think of God causing me to prosper and actually being delighted with it. Religion robs us of that truth. It lowers our expectations that we can only receive in our lives in line with how good we think are.
Change how you see God today. Instead of a Father who withholds from you based on your estimation of your own performance for Him start to see a Father who delights to see His children blessed, prospered and living in fullness. Turn upside down today the view that God is a God of lack. He is not. In everything He does He is beyond generous. And that includes towards you!
"Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up"...
But he was talking about the temple of his body." John 2:19&21
So much of our lives is concerned with the external. We focus on what we and what others can see. Outward appearances dominate so many of our daily choices. Our clothes, hairstyles, the cars we drive, the house we live in, the jobs we do.
That's why Jesus' ministry was so radical and so offensive to many of the religious folk. They had built their lives upon creating reputations and impressing others. They followed the rules and appeared to know everything about God and yet when they were confronted with God himself they didn't know him.
Jesus showed them by his words that the external was of little significance. The temple God built began within. That is both a challenge and a comfort to you today. Take time to think about what you are basing your daily choices on. You have nothing to prove, no one to impress. You are loved & accepted and your value is beyond what you can ever imagine. This is your starting place - rest today in this truth. The life of Jesus in you can never be destroyed. It is eternal. Rest and allow him to shape your life your future.
“The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand.” John 3:35
My middle daughter is at the stage where she is just learning to write. She is constantly writing notes to everyone in the family and her friends. Most of them say I love you. However the notes to her brother are sometimes taken back when he offends or teases her!
Understanding the nature of love is something into which we grow. As we mature we realise that love is not simply an emotion that we feel but rather begins with a choice, a commitment we make towards another. The emotions can follow as a result of that. We can often struggle in our relationships to love in a selfless way and we can feel disappointed or hurt when people don't meet our expectations.
That's why it is so important that we meditate on God's kind of love because it is not like what we experience with each other. God’s love gives in measures greater than we can receive. It doesn't hold back. His love flows from an abundant supply. There will never be a limit or a cut off point.
There is nothing that God will hold back from you today. His trust and confidence in you is beyond anything you have in yourself. He sees you as the finished article. Perfect and complete. The Father gave all things to the son. Through Jesus we have been adopted into the family. We are children of the King. Live today with an understanding of who you are and whose you are.
“In your presence is fullness of joy At your right hand are pleasures evermore” Psalm. 16:8
My youngest daughter loves to sing and dance! Recently I was playing music in the kitchen and she just started doing all these moves that I had never seen her do before. It was a mixture of ballet, gymnastics with a few bum wiggles thrown in. I really wanted to capture the moment on film to show the rest of the family but I didn't have my phone handy. At first I felt disappointed then I felt the Holy Spirit whisper this is a moment for us to enjoy!
I realised so much of life we are looking to share but we can forget how precious it is to share those precious moments with our Heavenly Father. I love to just watch my daughter enjoy herself, to act without a care for what others think. Just like this our Heavenly Father has created us to live in such a way. He loves to share those moments with us. He wants us to experience his presence, not just in corporate times of worship but he desires to continually commune with us as we go about everyday life.
We so often try to find time for God at the beginning and end of each day by setting aside time to pray and read the word. Whilst these things are important they are not the full picture. God desires us to know him intimately. He wants us to share life together throughout the day. Having a continual sense of his love lavished on us. At all times, in all things. The more we comprehend this the more we will live free to reach the potential he has placed within us.
"Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus." Acts 4:13
One thing that you notice from the outset of the New Testament is that Christianity looked like something. Christianity was tangible to people, it was recognisable, sought after and desired. Without even saying a word, people could notice it was different - something stood out.
Now, after years of negative theology and the watering down of the Gospel, for many it’s hard to remember that we are made to stand out. This is kind of counterculture to today’s world view, we are stifled by fear and concern over what others think of us, of how we look. Worried about “FITTING IN”, the list can go on. Remember though, that Jesus didn’t set us free from sin and commission us to do greater works than him by just “fitting in”.
I encourage you, be bold today, be confident in who and what God has commissioned you to do. Fitting in may feel comfy, but in certainly isn’t his call on your life. Whatever way, be led by him today, so much so that people can’t deny that you have been with Jesus. In everyday and everyway, leave no one with the doubt that they have encountered someone great, someone who is full of something that they can’t live without, undeniably touched by Jesus!!!
“Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.” Psalm 1:1-3 NLT
The person who studies the word of God is like a tree planted by the river. That person produces fruit in season.
The river is God’s Holy Spirit who changes us from the inside. The Holy Spirit takes what we read in scripture and teaches us how to live in a way that is both the best for us as well as pleasing to The Father.
I wonder though - have you ever seen apples on a tree in January? Apples are ripe in the autumn. They have a season, which is the most suitable and time for them to be harvested.
Similarly, we have seasons in our lives. Times for resting from labour. Times for learning about ourselves something we did not know before. Times for changing old habits and ways of thinking. Times to start new projects.
Do not worry what other people are doing, just focus on God. Meditate on His word, then you will be like the tree planted by the river producing your fruit in your season and prospering in all you do.
“May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation - the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ --for this will bring much glory and praise to God.” Philippians 1:11
Paul prayed that the Philippian believers be always filled with the fruit of their salvation. That implies that they might not always be. They had a choice each day to do life God’s way or their own. They had a choice to serve others or to be selfish. They had a choice to hold a grudge or be forgiving.
Today, how are you going to treat others? How are you going to speak? Today choose to let Jesus shine through you as you follow him. Then your life might just be the thing that brings praise to God as others are drawn to Him.
"May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation--the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ --for this will bring much glory and praise to God.” Philippians 1:11
As a child of God, you are indwelt by His Spirit. His fruit of love joy and peace are being grown inside your very personality. That is why you speak and act differently than before you gave your life to Jesus. Your friends and family now get to see God in your life.
Each time you speak a kind word, or help out a friend who is in need people are seeing what God is like and will praise Him. By being submitted to His will and filled by His Spirit, your life will draw others to His love. This is because as you learn to become more like Him each day they see Jesus in you.
Think of the preachers who lead gospel campaigns where thousands attend - ever wondered how the people decide to go? Maybe, it is because they saw a little bit of God’s goodness in their friends, family and neighbours and wanted to learn more.