LOOKING FOR JESUS

Titus 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

Can I ask what are you looking for?  This verse reminds us what we should be looking for  as we approach the new year 2021 - Jesus' return, His appearing.

I've been reminded recently that Jesus is coming much sooner than we think! Are we ready, are our families ready, is His church ready locally and worldwide? 

Yesterday we looked at what God's plans are for 2021 and part of that I believe is for His church to be looking for and preparing for the return of the Lord Jesus Christ, the head of the church and to be excited about it, but also to be prepared for Him to bring some changes first because He's coming for a spotless bride. 

So how do we prepare for His return? I think we'd all agree one of the main things is to be spending more time with Him, worshipping Him, listening for His instructions and guidance, don't you?  To spend time in His Word with the Holy Spirit and to get to know Him more before He comes back so that we're like the five wise virgins whose lamps were trimmed and ready for their master to come, listening for His knock at the door, looking for Him to appear. 

It is going to happen one day soon. Jesus is coming back! 

I knew one man who told us that every day he would look up into the sky and ask "Is it today, Lord? Are you coming today?"  He had such a strong expectancy, he knew it could be anytime and He was looking for Jesus.  

Just imagine for a minute if  the Queen of England said, "I'm coming to your house soon to take you to a new home."  What would you do?  You would get ready for her coming!  There would be an air of anticipation, of excitement, probably new clothes to wear, clean the house, etc; etc!  Get the picture?

But we're talking about the KING OF KINGS, THE LORD OF GLORY, who is coming for us. This is the RISEN LORD JESUS we're talking about. Now do we have some excitement?  I hope so!😊

Lord help us to get ready for Your coming even if it were today. Amen.

GOD WILL MAKE A WAY

Isaiah 43:19 Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

We're coming to the close of the year and God has been challenging me with some big questions. Maybe you're the same.

Are we asking God what His plans are for 2021 for us as individuals and for the local church? Just because we're on lockdown does not mean God or His plans for His kingdom are on lockdown. 

He says,'..I will even make a way in the wilderness'.   If ever we may have felt like we're in a wilderness it is  probably now. So maybe He wants far more for us, and from us, than we thought. 

He does have good plans for His church and I believe part of that will be bringing into His kingdom many many new believers this year across the world and for us to be prepared for that too. 

Looking back to the early church they lived lives on the edge. Theirs was no cosy, safe religion of order and routine. Far from it! Every day they saw God move and do something new. They expected it.  It was so radical that people were being saved daily because they were seeing miracles and healings,  and that was after Jesus had left for Heaven! Those occurrences are still happening today around the world, God has not stopped working that way. He gave us the gifts of the Holy Spirit because He knew we would need them and wanted us to use them.

God is supernatural and I believe He wants His church to be moving in and expecting the supernatural too because we are His children.

God has plans for 2021 but the only way to find out about them is to ask Him and what our part in it will be. 

There will be some exciting days ahead and I for one don't want to miss what He has planned, do you?😊

HEAR GOD'S LOVE FOR YOU

Psalm 143:8 Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you (NLT). 

Psalm 143:8 Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, For in You do I trust. Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, For I lift up my soul to you.(NKJV) 

What are you hearing this morning? What are you listening to at this moment? because God wants you to hear something very important, more important than anything else you will hear today.   God loves you!  

We can hear God's love every morning but if we're not listening but hearing something else we might be tempted to forget it. The wonderful fact that He loves us is the bedrock for our day, for our lives. He loved us before the cross had ever happened. It was because He loved us so much that He gave us His Son. He loved us so much He gave us Jesus to rescue us.

God demonstrated His love for us. He proved it to us! Our God is demonstrative! He didn't give us the concept of love and forgiveness He actually demonstrated it personally so we could never, ever doubt His love for us. Isn't that wonderful?

Why is it important to know that God loves us? The Psalmist goes on to explain - It is because he knows God loves him that he knows he can trust Him, and if he knows he can trust Him then he knows God can show him what to do, the way to walk for that day. Isn't that the cry of all our hearts?

So this morning hear God's love for you and say it out loud "God loves me!"  Then each and every morning say "God loves me!"  and join with the Psalmist "Let me hear Your unfailing love, Your lovingkindness each morning." 

It will set you up for the coming day no matter what happens! It will be your bedrock which will hold you steady. GOD LOVES YOU. 

GOD MAKES US DIFFERENT

Zechariah 8:23 And they will say, 'Please let us walk with you, for we have heard that God is with you'. 

Last time I wrote we were remembering that Emmanuel - God is with us, and we're so grateful for that.

Zechariah was looking forward and we read how there would come a day, and it is here now, when other people will look at us and see that 'God is with us' and want to go with us. They will recognize that there is something different about us and they will want it.  Why will they think like that?  Because we will be different to them! Not because we're kill joys but because we are filled with God's joy.

When God is with us we will have His attributes, His peace and joy, His wisdom. His Spirit of power, love and sound mind. People will want that when they see Him being manifested in us.

Having 'God with us' means we wont 'fit in' anymore with the world and it's way of seeing  or doing things.  If we strive to 'fit in' then as Christians we'll be missing it, and will be having to compromise all the time. It's only when we stand out that people will recognise that we are not like them, that God is indeed with us.  

If we are just like the man in the street why would they want to go with us, or walk with us? We would have nothing to offer them. But praise God we do have something to offer them - a Living Saviour, God is with us and they can know and walk with Him too and know His peace and forgiveness. 

God wants us to be different for a reason!😊  

HOW TO BRING BALANCE INTO OUR CHAOTIC WORLD

Psalm 34:4-5 I sought the Lord and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked to Him and became radiant...

The Angels came to the Shepherds in the dark of night. Then the Wise Men could only travel in the dark to enable them to see the light of the star. So be encouraged, when all appears to be dark around us that is when God's Light will shine the brightest in our lives. 

It shouldn't really surprise us when the enemy tries to get our eyes off the Lord and on to 'the darkness of the circumstances'.  King David knew all about that strategy but he also knew how to overcome it.  He says 'I sought the Lord...'

Can I encourage you to read the whole of Psalm 34 today, it is so good and helpful and brings balance into our chaotic world.  It teaches us to start with praise and magnifying the Lord, encourages us to seek His face and to know He answers us. It reminds us He delivers us from all our fears, saves us from all our troubles, that we have an Angel of the Lord camped around us! Please read it for yourselves.😊

Notice he says he sought the Lord, not other people's opinions, not the internet, not his friends. He knew there was only One person with the answers he needed and that is the Lord Himself. 

When we listen to the TV it's so easy for our spirit to be disturbed, to feel like the darkness is growing and for fear to come knocking at the door. When that happens there is only one solution for us too - Seek the Lord! Magnify Him and remember He is far bigger than any circumstance. Read His Word to receive His reassurance that He is our Shield, our Deliverer, our Provider and as we remember especially this time of year OUR WONDERFUL SAVIOUR.

HE IS EMMANUEL - GOD WITH US! 

So what is there to be afraid of? Absolutely nothing when we're trusting Him. He says over and over again to us DON'T BE AFRAID so let Him bring His balance into your world. It is His great love for us that drives out all fear. Receive His Love today.

Have a very blessed and peaceful Christmas everyone from my home to yours.😊

ENCOURAGED AND UPLIFTED

Luke 2:19 but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often.

Luke 2:51 Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. And his mother stored all these things in her heart. 

In verse 19 Mary had just been visited by the shepherds and heard what the angels had declared about her newborn Son Jesus.  That was quite something to deal with after just giving birth a few hours before! But what an encouragement. Her baby was going to save mankind! An amazing thought and she hung on to it and thought about it often. 

In verse 51 we catch a glimpse of Mary 12 years later frantically looking for Jesus in Jerusalem and He just says she should have known where to find Him, in the Temple learning about His Father. She stored all that up in her heart too.

So here we are in 2020 after a very different year and we have the opportunity to store some things up in our hearts too. What will you store up?  The frustrations, the losses, the disappointments? Or will you go searching for Jesus like Mary till you find Him and let Him give you wonderful things to store up in your heart? Things you can think about often to encourage and uplift you. What you think about will determine how you feel!

Will you remember and think about them often like Mary? All the blessings, the happy friend and family moments we did have either on zoom, facetime, out in the openair, the odd times we were allowed together? The Words of God's wisdom from different sources, the worship songs, the kind words He gave us, His immense goodness to us, the fact He has kept us safe through it all and is continuing to do so?

For sure something will be stored up in our hearts and we are the ones who will choose. 

Lord help us to store up the good things in our hearts so we can think about them often and be encouraged and uplifted. Amen.

THE LORD'S TIMING

Luke 2:25 At that time there was  a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout... v.27 That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God ....

Here was a chap who actually lived in Jerusalem who was led by the Spirit of God that day to go to the Temple at the exact moment that Mary and Joseph would be there with Jesus. Talk about timing!  He'd been waiting forever for this day and I bet when he first woke up he didn't know what a momentous day it would be.  But it says Simeon was there!

Timing is so very important - to be in the right place at the right time. Only the Holy Spirit can lead us to be in the right place at the right time for us today and every day. Not everyday will seem like it has any momentous significance but if we're listening to the Holy Spirit He may cause us to be the one who can say or do something which will be so important to someone else.  Or maybe to meet someone who will start a new thought or divine connection for our own lives. 

When the Twin Towers were bombed there were so many testimonies of Christians that day who 'felt' an inner voice telling them to not go or be delayed so they missed the tragedy. God is speaking to us all the time and there are times when He is protecting us and telling us not to go somewhere.

There are no insignificant moments if we're walking with God, the very fact He is walking with us makes every moment significant and it's easy to overlook that.

So today I just want to encourage us all to be listening for the Spirit's leading to be in the right place at the right time and to say or hear the right thing to be blessed or be a blessing to someone else.

Lord help us today to hear your promptings and to obey them quickly with a glad heart. Amen.

WHAT DOES GOD REQUIRE?

Micah 6:8 No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what He requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.

We looked at some of the blessings God gives to us and how He has made us to be His lights to the world to show them Jesus The Light. 

Our verse today helps to show us how to be those lights for Him. 

Sometimes we know the right thing to do but then we're tempted to do the wrong thing, and to give in to the old nature. Maybe it would help us do the right thing if we just stop a minute and remember all that the Lord has done for us then we'll want to do the right thing and please Him and shine His light into the situation.

We'll want to love mercy when we're tempted to jump to conclusions and judge people, whether it's in the media, the government or our daily lives. We all love mercy when we're on the receiving end of it but not always quick to give it! When we show mercy we're shining His Light on people.

Lastly God wants us to walk humbly with Him, which is surely to get in agreement with Him and His Word, His thoughts and to let go of our own opinions, our own way of thinking if they are contrary to His Word.  To say "Yes Lord, whatever You say, whatever You want" which will help others see His Light shining.

Being a light for Him can be uncomfortable sometimes because light exposes what is trying to hide in the darkness and people don't always appreciate it! We're called to keep shining anyway, to not let the enemy snuff our light out because of pressure from others.

So, what does God require of us?  This verse tells us so we can know, and the lovely thing is, He will help us to do it.😊

Have a lovely weekend. 🎄😊

YOU ARE A SPARKLY LIGHT!

Philippians 2:15 ....Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. (Nlt)

I was sitting looking at my Christmas tree just enjoying how lovely it looks with its twinkly lights when the Lord gave me this analogy.

The tree itself represents the world we live in both locally and globally. Scattered all over the tree are many shining, sparkling lights which represent His children, you and me, lighting up our small worlds wherever we go.

The baubles which are on my tree just happen to be red, silver and mother of pearl. My daughter calls baubles 'Blessing Baubles'. The red ones speak of the great Love of Jesus when He shed His blood for us, The Mother of Pearl ones scattered throughout are for the Peace of God which we, and the world, so needs. Then the silver baubles are for the many, Blessings which He pours down on us everyday. Those blessings which bring such Joy into our lives whether it's family, friends, finances, health, too many to list.

Then we have garlands of tinsel entwined all through the branches in silver and irridescent white, covering up the bare spots and it's really lovely. That is the love of God wrapping us all around making the whole thing twinkle and reflect the light we're shining for Him.

Without the lights a Christmas tree doesn't sparkle or have much life. Our world is the same, without us shining our light for Him this world will lack life and the light of God.

So today when you look at a Christmas tree, remember you are one of God's lights which may be small but together we light up this world and make things beautiful.

Whenever you see twinkly lights remember you are one of God's bright, shining, twinkly lights in this world and when we have the opportunity let's sparkle and shine for Him today!😊

GOD IS INVOLVED IN OUR LIVES

Jonah 2:1  Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from inside the fish. He said. 'I cried out to the Lord in my great trouble, and he answered me.....'

A wind, a storm, a great fish, seaweed, a plant, a worm and an east wind. When we read the story of Jonah we find God arranged for them all at the exact time they were needed, even a worm!  We need never think God is not involved or doesn't know what is happening in our lives. He is and He does!

If Jonah had obeyed God's instructions none of the above would have been necessary but because He deliberately disobeyed then God had to arrange a sequence of events to bring Him back to carry out God's original plan because God was wanting to save the lives of 120,000 people! God had the big picture in mind not just one person's preferences.

In Jonah's case he (Jonah) brought about the very uncomfortable, distressing situation on himself, and he caused the men in the boat to lose their cargo as well. But behind all of it was the enemy who didn't want God's Word and warning to be heard, so he manipulated Jonah to disobey God.

Sometimes bad things do happen to us, some are just 'life happening' because we live in a fallen world and some are caused by ourselves,   But the good news is God can turn things around even when your head is wrapped in seaweed and you feel trapped! Ever felt like that, when it feels like you're being pulled down and down?

Jonah knew what to do. He called out to God for rescue. He offered the sacrifice of praise, and acknowledged that salvation comes from God alone. (Jonah 2:9)

Thank God we live this side of the cross where there is overflowing grace for every wrong,  every mistake, every failure, where there is rescue from every situation.  

Lord we praise and thank You that You love us unconditionally and we can call on your Name at any time and know You can turn things around for us. Thank You Lord for being so involved in our lives. Amen.

WHILE YOU SLEPT

Psalm 127:2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to take rest late, to eat the bread of (anxious) toil  - for He gives (blessings) to His beloved in sleep. (Amplified)

While you and I slept last night God was giving blessings to us, His beloved. What a picture of a caring Father God. He never sleeps, He's constantly thinking about us and finding ways to bless us. Doesn't that just make you want to praise Him and thank Him, to want to worship Him.

Even while we're sleeping He's sending His angels out to do His bidding, answering our heartfelt prayers, some of them so deep down we can't even utter them - but He knows them. He knows us so well, inside and out and He loves us.

I was watching the song video by King and Country of The Drummer Boy song and the little boy sings "I have no gift but can I play my drum for you?" The little boy is drawn to show his love and say what can I give You, how can I show my love to You. Jesus says 'whatever you do for the least of these you're doing for Me.'

So today, wherever we are, whatever we're doing, let's do it with a grateful heart to our wonderful Saviour Jesus, and do it for Him, for our loving Heavenly Father, because He loves us so.

And tonight, when you lay your head down on the pillow just rest all your worries down too, knowing that the One who loves you so much is blessing you all through the night even while you sleep.

Thank You Heavenly Father.

HOW KIND THE LORD IS

 

Luke 1:24-25  Soon afterward his wife Elizabeth, became pregnant and went into seclusion for five months. "How kind the Lord is!" she exclaimed. "He has taken away my disgrace...."

The Lord is so kind to all of us in so many ways it would be hard to recount them all. Not least, at the cross, Jesus took away our disgrace whatever shape that has taken.  If we were asked we may all have a different reason to feel disgrace or shame.  Sometimes people have put labels on us saying what we did or said was disgraceful or shameful and labels can hurt.

So just what is disgrace? The dictionary says it's something to cause one to fall from a place of respect or honour or a position of favour.  Dis-grace. To come out of a position of grace, a position of favour.

For Elizabeth in her culture at that time, even though God called her righteous, (see v.6) the culture called her a disgrace just because she couldn't have a baby which in our culture is no disgrace. But for her it was huge.

How important for us to know and remind ourselves that God has given us His grace and called us righteous,  because of Jesus and the cross.  It makes no difference what our culture or the world calls us or labels us.  How God sees us and calls is all that counts!

How kind the Lord is to us! He has declared us righteous and holy in His sight.  We can go out today with our heads help up regardless of what the world says because we know what God has said about us.  We too can say with Elizabeth...

HOW KIND THE LORD IS!  HE HAS TAKEN AWAY MY DISGRACE!  Hallelujah! Thank You Jesus.

GOD'S WELL OF LOVE

Romans 5:5 the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Yesterday we were looking at the peace and joy deep down in our spirit man which we can draw from, anytime, anywhere. So what else is in our Well of Salvation that we can draw out?

When we remember that it is God Himself living in us and that God is Love then first of all we know that everything is flowing out from that place of Love. That's important to remember.

Now can I ask some questions? If you really love someone would you want the best for them at all times?  Would you want to see them well and healthy, healed of every disease? Would you want to see them prospering in every area of their lives financially, socially, emotionally?  Of course you would! 

Now transfer that to the God who loves you unconditionally, who loves you with no limits and who lives on the inside of you today. Even though He knows the very worst about you and me He still loves us! He not only wants all of the above blessings for each of His beloved children but He has bought and paid for all of it with the precious blood of Jesus on the cross. All of it is available on the inside of you for you to draw on, from your Well of Salvation.

We don't have to beg and plead for any of it because He has already given it to us because of His great love for us. Our part is to believe it, and by faith 'draw it out' with a thankful heart.

So how do we do that?  Good question! It's the same as yesterday, you get quiet with the Lord and acknowledge Him and that you are joined with Him in your innermost being. You 'see' yourself drawing out your healing or whatever you need, from that Well of Salvation, which you could say is a Well of Love. You praise and thank Him for it and all through the day you keep drawing from it and from the knowledge that He loves you and wants you well.

Everyday keep 'drawing' out your healing, start seeing yourself healed, rejoicing in it. This is not a one time thing but an on going relationship with the One who loves you so deeply.  

It is from Him and His love that the healing is flowing to us whether for allergies, diseases, stress, anxiety or whatever else troubles us. Praise His wonderful name.

CURE FOR STRESS

Isaiah 12:3 Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.

John 7:38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his belly (innermost being) will flow rivers of living water. 

If you're born again, then the Spirit of Jesus, the Holy Spirit,  lives inside you in your innermost being. Wherever you go He goes. The Holy Spirit is our Helper, Counsellor, our Stand-by, our Wisdom etc.

Will you do an experiment with me? Just take a few minutes, get quiet and close your eyes and lay your hand on your belly.  Now imagine a Well for me in your head and you have a large bucket balanced on the wall at the top. Let down your bucket in your mind's eye deep down into your Well where your hand is resting.  Down in your spirit is where the Holy Spirit is and when you connect with Him you can draw out of your Well of Salvation all the peace, all the joy, all you need for any given situation. You can do it anywhere, anytime.

Allow Him to 'fill your bucket' as it were with His supernatural peace (regardless of what's going on), to fill it with His great joy (even though sad things may have happened), allow Him to 'fill' you with whatever you need at that moment. It may be you need to know the love of God. Just stop for a moment and connect with Him and allow Him to minister His love to you.

The enemy tries to stick his flag of hurt, anger, fear, guilt, shame on us so he can manipulate us but the only flag we have is the flag of love. God's banner over us is love.  Peace is Love resting and ruling. Joy is Love rejoicing. It's all coming out of His Love. Peace and joy are expressions of His presence and love in our lives. 

When we get stressed our emotions are being controlled by people or circumstances and that's when we need to stop momentarily and be controlled by Jesus instead, when we need to 'draw' His peace and love from within.

So next time you feel your stress levels rising, don't count to ten, instead put your hand on your belly, let your bucket down and draw out His peace, let Jesus rule in your situation. When you feel like you could do with some joy...get your bucket out and let the living water bubble up in you and over everyone else.😊 Release the anointing inside of you.

You may need to practice but I pray it will become second nature to us 'to draw from the wells of our salvation'. Maybe you could let me know how you get on?

ALWAYS LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE

Psalm 35:9 Then I will rejoice in the Lord. I will be glad because he rescues me.

Always look on the bright side of life.  Remember the song? Now that is a healthy maxim for daily living isn't it?  When you start to feel a little down just hum that song for a few minutes and I guarantee you'll start to smile!  There always is a bright side if we'll just look for it.

The enemy makes it so easy to look on the negative, but the Lord turns it round. He says be glad for the good things that are happening, for all the things you can do, for all the hundreds of blessings you do have. You may not be able to meet together every week but you can still phone someone.  We can still show someone else we care about them.

Just because you might not feel as strong or bouncy today as you did before, keep praising the Lord for the strength you have got and believe for Him to restore strength to you again.  Get your Tigger back!

Plant seeds of kindness into people's lives this week and see a harvest of kindness being returned to you in the coming days. Plant seeds of hope for better days ahead and feel your own spirit lift. When we see the good in people instead of seeing their faults we'll be easier to live with. 

The Psalmist says in Psalm 121 I lift up mine eyes to the hills, where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.  Do you need help in cheering up? Then ask the Lord to help you cheer up, to lift your spirit. Do you need help in feeling positive about things, then ask the Lord to help you think positive thoughts, His God type thoughts, instead of depressing thoughts.  

You know what you need help with today and so does God, so why not go to Him right now and ask for that help?  He is more than willing to be our Helper today and every day.

THE LAND BEYOND TIME

Jude 1:25 All glory to him who alone is God, our Saviour through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen. 

Beyond all time.  Some days we're so caught up in the 'now' because it is pressing in on us, that we forget we are headed for the Land Beyond Time.  

Do you remember the old film, full of dinosaurs called  'The Land That Time Forgot'?  Are we sometimes in danger of being a people who forget, not The Land that Time Forgot, but the 'Land beyond Time'!  We're all headed for an existence which is not bound by time any longer, with none of it's constraints.  It's hard to even imagine what that will look like isn't it?  But the amazing thing is, that is what God has saved us for - to spend an eternity with Him, in His presence where we will see His glory, power and majesty demonstrated before us all the time. 

There it is again, this concept of time. I can't even describe it because my mind is so boxed in by the  expression of time! 

We've all heard it said that God is outside of time, that He sees the Beginning of all things, the Cross of Jesus, and the last folding up of the universe all in one go. God is just so awesome and yet He has come to live in each one of us.  He has placed Himself and  eternity inside you and me, in our spirit man.

So when you have days when things seem to be going bonkers, when you don't feel on top of the world, when life has dealt you some hard knocks, just stop for a minute and remember you are a person with eternity inside you, and you are on your journey with Jesus to the Land Beyond Time. Hopefully it will give you a new perspective to carry on with a smile because all will be well for the godly. And even though this life is not all there is, He still wants us to enjoy it while we're here and has given us everything we need to be Overcomers and walk out each day in His triumph. Glory to God. It's a win/win situation isn't it?

Thank You Lord. Our eyes are on you, our amazing, wonderful, glorious Saviour, and where you are taking us. Hallelujah!

THE RIPPLE EFFECT

Luke 6:37 'Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven.'

Sometimes we're tempted to blow things out of all proportion and they get bigger and bigger in our heads the more we dwell on them. When we do that we get all bent out of shape and often it ends up being taken out on someone else. It has a ripple effect.

I was in the supermarket yesterday at the checkout with Chris. He'd smiled and said hello to the lady. She ignored him completely she was so busy talking to her workmate and I actually had to interrupt her conversation to ask a question about my store card. I tried complimenting her on her Christmas jumper which drew a small response but then she was rude about another query I had. I was so tempted to retaliate!

It's hard isn't it to keep a tight hold on our rising irritation and just smile instead! But that's what Jesus wants us to do.  

I did go to the staff member on duty at the door and told her we'd been treated very rudely. I didn't say who it was specifically but suggested they ask their staff to treat their customers more kindly!  The Lord doesn't want us to be a doormat but neither does He want us to repay evil with evil. He says repay evil with good.

My guess is that checkout lady was like that all the time with everybody and she will be causing a ripple effect in others in a bad way all day long with whoever goes to her till. She probably has unresolved issues which she takes out on everyone else. How sad!  

The challenge is not to come down to their level but to rise up higher, to take the high road of forgiveness and even to bless them.  I confess I didn't quite manage that at the time!!

Can I encourage us all today to have a ripple effect on others of joy and peace and forgiveness? Let's spread a happy ripple effect today.😊

GREAT PEACE

 Psalm 119:165 Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble.

We know that Jesus has given us His peace and He instructs us to not allow our hearts to be troubled by things but how do we do that?

This verse gives us a clue. When we love to obey God's instructions, when we love His Word and love to read it and meditate in it, the promise is that we will have great peace.  Not just peace, but great peace! 

I was hearing how when storms rage at sea and the waves are mountains high, when they heave and crash down, apparently if you go about 30 feet below the surface the sea is as calm as calm can be.  Peace is not the absence of storm, it is a calmness deep down in the midst of it.

So when storms blow up out of nowhere in our lives, when everything is battering at us from every side, dig down deep inside your spirit man, draw aside with God's Word, let Him minister His great peace to you to hold you steady. Allow His supernatural calm soothe your inner man and let you know all will be well, He has you in the palm of His hand safe and secure.

Even when you've watched something or heard something that disturbs your soul, get the Word out and read it aloud so your ears hear it and let the Holy Spirit speak His peace like an anointing oil into your spirit man.  Look up scriptures on Peace and speak them over your life. 

God has promised you Great Peace. 😊

DOUBLE BLESSING FOR THEIR TROUBLE

Zechariah 9:12  Return to the stronghold you prisoners of hope. Even today I declare that I will restore double to you.

I've just opened a beautiful 3D Adent calendar from my daughter which gave me such a buzz as I put it together I felt like a big kid! I find I can't wait to find and attach all the  'parts'!

What struck me was the sense of expectation that it brings with it finding the number and fitting it in, or in the case of the box of drawer calendars - finding what's in the drawer today!

I think the Lord wants us to feel like that, to have a sense of expectation of the good things He has in store for us, not just when Jesus returns and takes us to be with Him,  but in this life too.

Yes, there will be trials and tribulations along the way, and many have had their fair share of them this past year, but God wants us to see beyond the troubles and have a great expectation of good things too.

How can I say that? Because of the verse above and in Isaiah 61:7 (if you have time look it up). God has promised double blessing for our trouble! What a wonderful God we have and what a wonderful promise. As we start believing Him for the double blessing for our trouble so we'll find our expectation for it growing.

So will you join me today in believing God to open His box of blessings each day for us, called "Double for their trouble" and see what joys He has for us to open and experience in the coming days?

Believing leads to expectation - it's called Faith, and faith pleases God. Faith calls forth the good things of God even before we see them. Zechariah calls us prisoners of hope and faith is the substance of things 'hoped' for.

So Lord we're believing Your promise of double blessing for all our troubles and we're thankful in advance for whatever joys You have planned for us. We can't wait Lord, You're giving us a buzz about it.😊 Amen.