For me, sometimes there is a gap between what I know and what I believe.
I definitely know in my head that God wants to bless me, but find it hard to believe in my heart.
This means that when some blessing comes along that was not expected, I sometimes struggle to accept it. I even think I don’t deserve it and that seems to rob me of the fun of it!
Trust me, I don’t like thinking this way.
The concept is quite simple...I just need it to work down into my heart!
I know I am not the only one who struggles to believe that Gods wants to bless us.
We know the things we have done and the people we have hurt.
We know that if we were God (thank goodness we aren’t) that we wouldn’t want to bless us.
But this ignores who God really is. It ignores what we should know about his nature. His heart.
Number One
The whole deal with Jesus should be a dead giveaway!
The fact that while I didn’t know him or acknowledge him, God sent Jesus to be sacrificed for my sin. God wanted to give me an opportunity for a clear conscience. Jesus was the ticket to that.
All I have to do is believe it and accept it.
Number Two
The bible says that God cares for the smallest of his creation. He does it supernaturally.
He does it to the point where they are not panicking about where their next meal is coming from. They know instinctively that God will provide. God says that we are more important than those creatures, and we should learn from their example.
Maybe with our so called superior intellect we feel we have to work it out?
That is also our achilles heal...we don’t have to work it out!
Again all I have to do is believe it and accept it.
Number Three
So how am I going to deal my warped thinking?
Well here is my plan…
The Bible says that God’s word is so powerful that it can supernaturally bury deep into my being.
It says it achieves everything that it was designed to do.
So the plan is simple. I want God’s word in me.
You get this by reading it. Looking at it. Meditating on it.
If we can do this, God has the best chance of healing our thinking…
I want God to bless me and for me to enjoy every moment of it!
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Many of you will know that am I about to embark on a new challenge early next year.
What most of you will not know is the journey that lead up to this point…
We have had this funny feeling for sometime that God was about to do something different in our lives. Some people call it a ‘sense’.
Whatever you want to call it, we knew something was coming that God knew all about, but we didn’t have any idea about...a ‘God’ surprise.
What that stage meant was a lot of praying and seeking after him for what he was about to do.
Some weeks a go a lady I don’t really know that well offered to prophecy over me (prophecy like this is God speaking through someone to you)...of which I accepted. I mean, who doesn’t want to hear from God whenever the opportunity arise?
She said some very encouraging things and then made a statement that really struck me.
“God was about to open a door that hasn’t existed before. It is like you can see a wall which has no doors in it and then suddenly there is a door...because God put it there.”
Well this excited me immensely. God was about to open a new opportunity to me!
And within a few weeks that door did appear in my life. A role where there was no ‘natural’ opportunity
before this suddenly appeared. A role which we have accepted.
The opportunity to grow the edge/sphere ministries over 3 churches!
The reason I am saying this is simply in a hope to encourage you!
God does have a plan for each of our lives. In fact he says he has plans...not just a little singular plan.
The creator of the universe who has each day of lives recorded, wants to bless me and use me for his glory.
He used a lady to speak into my life and prepare me for something he had planned since the beginning of time.
God is at work in all of our lives even though we might not feel it, see it or even know it!
Jeremiah 29:11 says
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Today, trust God is indeed working things out behind the scenes for you.
He is working out all things out just for you!
What most of you will not know is the journey that lead up to this point…
We have had this funny feeling for sometime that God was about to do something different in our lives. Some people call it a ‘sense’.
Whatever you want to call it, we knew something was coming that God knew all about, but we didn’t have any idea about...a ‘God’ surprise.
What that stage meant was a lot of praying and seeking after him for what he was about to do.
Some weeks a go a lady I don’t really know that well offered to prophecy over me (prophecy like this is God speaking through someone to you)...of which I accepted. I mean, who doesn’t want to hear from God whenever the opportunity arise?
She said some very encouraging things and then made a statement that really struck me.
“God was about to open a door that hasn’t existed before. It is like you can see a wall which has no doors in it and then suddenly there is a door...because God put it there.”
Well this excited me immensely. God was about to open a new opportunity to me!
And within a few weeks that door did appear in my life. A role where there was no ‘natural’ opportunity
before this suddenly appeared. A role which we have accepted.
The opportunity to grow the edge/sphere ministries over 3 churches!
The reason I am saying this is simply in a hope to encourage you!
God does have a plan for each of our lives. In fact he says he has plans...not just a little singular plan.
The creator of the universe who has each day of lives recorded, wants to bless me and use me for his glory.
He used a lady to speak into my life and prepare me for something he had planned since the beginning of time.
God is at work in all of our lives even though we might not feel it, see it or even know it!
Jeremiah 29:11 says
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Today, trust God is indeed working things out behind the scenes for you.
He is working out all things out just for you!
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Spring and a holiday, what a great combination…
Ok it rained most of the time!
But I loved the chance to have a few days to rest, reflect, recharge, re… anything else I could think of.
As I write this I can see my plum tree and all its new growth for spring.
This year I paid more attention to the tree, and put fertiliser around it at just the right time.
Looks like I am going to get a great crop….yummy!
Spring is a time for me to reinvent part of my life.
Winter for many of us sometimes sees us hibernate in different areas of our lives.
Spring therefore reminds us about new life, a new start.
An opportunity to grow new growth.
For me part of that new growth was I needed to reinvent part of my quiet time…especially in the area of reading my Bible.
I prayerfully sat down and came up with a new plan that will reinvigorate my reading of God’s word. It’s realistic and challenging all wrapped up in one.
One of the reasons for doing this was the challenge I felt in my own heart from God, to go up a gear in this new season.
Have I felt down or condemned over this? No Way!
I have felt reinvigorated to go after God more.
To reinvent areas that maybe have not had enough attention in the previous season.
My challenge to you this week…
To ask God what areas in life you might need to review.
Relax about what he shows you, and put a plan in place.
If you take the time to fertilise areas you want to grow in your life, you will get much better results!
Ok it rained most of the time!
But I loved the chance to have a few days to rest, reflect, recharge, re… anything else I could think of.
As I write this I can see my plum tree and all its new growth for spring.
This year I paid more attention to the tree, and put fertiliser around it at just the right time.
Looks like I am going to get a great crop….yummy!
Spring is a time for me to reinvent part of my life.
Winter for many of us sometimes sees us hibernate in different areas of our lives.
Spring therefore reminds us about new life, a new start.
An opportunity to grow new growth.
For me part of that new growth was I needed to reinvent part of my quiet time…especially in the area of reading my Bible.
I prayerfully sat down and came up with a new plan that will reinvigorate my reading of God’s word. It’s realistic and challenging all wrapped up in one.
One of the reasons for doing this was the challenge I felt in my own heart from God, to go up a gear in this new season.
Have I felt down or condemned over this? No Way!
I have felt reinvigorated to go after God more.
To reinvent areas that maybe have not had enough attention in the previous season.
My challenge to you this week…
To ask God what areas in life you might need to review.
Relax about what he shows you, and put a plan in place.
If you take the time to fertilise areas you want to grow in your life, you will get much better results!
Thursday, October 19, 2006
This week a well known celebrity created a world wide stir.
They have apparently adopted a little African boy, and everyone has an opinion on whether it is good or bad!
It seems the boys father was not consulted.
The grandmother is not happy.
Others argue that it is good, because this little boy will have opportunities beyond his wildest dreams.
Those cynical amongst have questioned the $6,000,000 given to an orphanage as part of some sort of an adoption deal.
Driving in my car and listening to talk back radio, I heard all these opinions and more...
A simple thought occurred to me listening to these people…
The Bible says that we should “do good” Galatians 6:9
God’s plan is that all of us should do the good that we find we can do.
If an opportunity presents itself to help, then we should be the first to do so.
No one can complain with any integrity when we do something unselfishly, even sacrificially.
Sometimes (not as often as I should) I have come across situations where I could choose to do something good or carry on my way.
Things as simple as picking up a toy a child has dropped in the supermarket and returning it.
Or helping someone with a door as they carry too much to do it themselves.
Because of the fact that the world we live in is cold and hard...random, even simple acts of goodness, really stand out those who receive them.
One writer in the Bible said that “Jesus went around doing good”
Let’s be prepared to do good to those around.
Be on the look out to be Jesus to those around you.
You have no idea the impact it could have on someone’s life!
They have apparently adopted a little African boy, and everyone has an opinion on whether it is good or bad!
It seems the boys father was not consulted.
The grandmother is not happy.
Others argue that it is good, because this little boy will have opportunities beyond his wildest dreams.
Those cynical amongst have questioned the $6,000,000 given to an orphanage as part of some sort of an adoption deal.
Driving in my car and listening to talk back radio, I heard all these opinions and more...
A simple thought occurred to me listening to these people…
The Bible says that we should “do good” Galatians 6:9
God’s plan is that all of us should do the good that we find we can do.
If an opportunity presents itself to help, then we should be the first to do so.
No one can complain with any integrity when we do something unselfishly, even sacrificially.
Sometimes (not as often as I should) I have come across situations where I could choose to do something good or carry on my way.
Things as simple as picking up a toy a child has dropped in the supermarket and returning it.
Or helping someone with a door as they carry too much to do it themselves.
Because of the fact that the world we live in is cold and hard...random, even simple acts of goodness, really stand out those who receive them.
One writer in the Bible said that “Jesus went around doing good”
Let’s be prepared to do good to those around.
Be on the look out to be Jesus to those around you.
You have no idea the impact it could have on someone’s life!
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
I love the idea of reading...is it just that I am not so good at it…
Currently I am reading a number of books at the same time, which is not too bright, but I am up for the challenge.
Some of them include:
- An Unstoppable Force / Erwin McManus
- Chazown / Craig Groeschel
- Your Church Has A Fantastic Future / Robert Schuller
WHY?
Something I have learnt is that we need to keep our ‘Faith Fresh’.
You can not live on past revelation alone for too long.
Either it will bore you or stop you in a time warp that even you can not perceive.
I know that even with all that I may have learnt already in life, that I need to know more.
I want to understand how this God thing works!
I want to have answers when people ask me questions!
...so I invest in myself by reading and studying...so that I have something to offer others.
I am not too proud to say that I do not know everything.
What we have is an awesome opportunity in our time to learn and gain understanding about what we believe in.
If you are struggling to come to terms with some sort of ‘God thing’, why not read about it.
Wrestle with it until it makes sense to you.
‘Books’ have undoubtedly shaped the lives of other Christians around the world.
God uses this medium to help us all to grow in some way.
How about you grab a great ‘christian’ book today and start reading with me...
Currently I am reading a number of books at the same time, which is not too bright, but I am up for the challenge.
Some of them include:
- An Unstoppable Force / Erwin McManus
- Chazown / Craig Groeschel
- Your Church Has A Fantastic Future / Robert Schuller
WHY?
Something I have learnt is that we need to keep our ‘Faith Fresh’.
You can not live on past revelation alone for too long.
Either it will bore you or stop you in a time warp that even you can not perceive.
I know that even with all that I may have learnt already in life, that I need to know more.
I want to understand how this God thing works!
I want to have answers when people ask me questions!
...so I invest in myself by reading and studying...so that I have something to offer others.
I am not too proud to say that I do not know everything.
What we have is an awesome opportunity in our time to learn and gain understanding about what we believe in.
If you are struggling to come to terms with some sort of ‘God thing’, why not read about it.
Wrestle with it until it makes sense to you.
‘Books’ have undoubtedly shaped the lives of other Christians around the world.
God uses this medium to help us all to grow in some way.
How about you grab a great ‘christian’ book today and start reading with me...
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