ENCOURAGEMENT THROUGH FORGIVENESS

Philemon v.20 Yes, my brother, please do me this favor for the Lord's sake. Give me this encouragement in Christ. Nlt

The Apostle Paul is writing to Philemon who was wealthy enough to have a slave called Onesimus who had run away from him. Somehow Paul had met Onesimus while in chains and this young man had become a Christian through Paul's teaching. Now Paul was asking Philemon to forgive his slave because he wasn't just a slave anymore but was now a beloved brother in the Lord and of a great help to Paul in prison. He was asking Philemon to welcome back his slave as though he was Paul himself!

We know Paul as a great man of God who wrote a huge chunk of the New Testament, who went through shipwrecks, recovered from beatings and just seemed such a hero of the faith. But here we find Paul is now an old man and we see a side of him that reveals how much he needed encouragement just as much as we do. 

I take heart from that because God knows we all need encouragement in our walk with Him, especially when things are hard, no matter how long we've been walking with Him. We all need each other, to show the love of God to one another, even when we'd rather not forgive those who've wronged us or someone else, or even someone who has now passed on. 

Paul reminds him that God forgave him so would he now please be willing to forgive this man for the Lord's sake. It would encourage Paul if he knew his friend would forgive. 

Is there anyone we need to forgive for the Lord's sake because He's forgiven us? Is there anyone we can show some encouragement to today in some shape or form?

Let's be a people who show kindness, who listen, who are there for those who are hurting, who are willing to forgive and who want to find ways to encourage others in the coming days. 

Have a lovely weekend.

HOW DO WE TOUCH JESUS?

Mark 5:28 For she said, "If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well."

So how do we touch Jesus? It's wonderful reading about the lady yesterday who could just walk up to Jesus in person and touch Him but what do we do when Jesus isn't standing in front of us?

But first let's look at another occasion. The centurion who had a critically ill servant came to Jesus and said "...but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed." Matthew 8:8. As we know Jesus spoke the word of healing and his servant was fully recovered by the time he went home. Jesus never actually touched the servant because His Word is enough and remember Jesus and His Word are One. (John 1:1 and the Word was God).

This healing shows us what we can do now because Jesus isn't physically present to touch us. The centurion knew and believed in the power of Jesus' spoken word and how it carries the anointing within it to heal and restore those who are sick. The lady who was bleeding had faith to 'touch' Jesus' clothes, the centurion had faith to just have Jesus speak the word. Jesus meets us where we're at!

We have within us Jesus' very own Spirit - the Holy Spirit - He indwells us. He has given us His Word the Bible, and when we, by faith, speak His words of healing and when we call on His Name, we are actually reaching down into our spirit and touching Jesus Himself.

We don't have to go and find Jesus to touch Him. He's not 'out there' somewhere because He is already within us, He is that close. When we agree with His Word and speak it by faith we are reaching out to Him or rather into Him and drawing on His healing power which is already inside us because He is 'in' us. 

Remember the verses about 'out of your innermost being will flow living waters'? Those living waters also bring with them our healing and everything else we need because they are coming from Jesus' Holy Spirit within us.

We don't reach 'out' to Jesus. We reach 'in' to Him down in our spirit. I hope that helps us receive from Jesus today whatever our need may be. God keeps drawing us to meditate on these verses and the ones we shared yesterday to let Him speak His healing truth to our spirits. Amen.

SHE KEPT SAYING....

Mark 5:28 For she kept saying, If I only touch His garments,  I shall be restored to health. (Amp. Bible)

There are three accounts of this story in the gospels and this lady had been suffering with a flow of blood for 12 years. She had been to every doctor she could find and had suffered at their hands with no success to such an extent she was still suffering and getting worse.

She really was an inspiring lady though and I'm looking forward to meeting her in heaven one day because she kept saying 'I shall be restored to health' despite all her disappointments. Did you notice it says she kept saying.  The verb is continuous in that verse apparently. She kept saying 'I shall be restored'.  She said it so much it got down in her spirit and she believed it.

May I ask us all, what do we keep saying?  Is it 'oh I'll never be any better than this, I've tried everything, I've just got to learn to live with it, I keep getting worse'? If so, please let the Holy Spirit inspire you with how this lady dealt with her problem.

She apparently had 'heard' about Jesus and she believed what she heard. (Faith comes by hearing). This lady really caught Jesus' attention so much that she made Him stop in His tracks and turn around. How did she do it? She used the faith she had, she spoke in faith, she kept speaking in faith despite how she felt, and then she acted on her faith - she touched Him because she believed in Him. She kept saying 'I shall be restored, I shall be, ....'That really got Jesus' attention!

Now, my encouragement to us all today, myself included, is to keep saying what lines up with God's Word and His promises over our lives. 1 Peter 2:24 ...by whose stripes you were healed. Keep saying and believing I am being restored to health because by Jesus' stripes I was healed. Don't give up and don't give in. 

Jesus hadn't even been to the cross for this lady at that time but He has now for us, and He tells us He has born all our sickness and diseases Himself on that cross. (Isaiah 53:4-5) Let's touch Him by faith today by believing He's speaking to us personally and keep saying and believing and receiving by faith 'I am being restored because Jesus has already taken all my sickness and disease Himself'. Amen.

A GREATER GLORY COMING

2 Corinthians 4:17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. (NIV)

Do you ever look around and feel like things are taking forever to change, or for you to become what you feel you should be? If so, don't be discouraged.  King David was anointed and crowned king as a teenager but it was many years before God allowed him to actually be king. David hung in there trusting God all the while to work it out which of course He did and as we all know, David went through a lot of character building moments on the way and became a man after God's own heart!

Now the Apostle Paul reminds us God is working out a greater weight of glory in us too. I don't know what that glory will be but he assures us it will far outweigh any of the troubles and trials we've ever gone through. 

God knows what He's doing and His timing is always perfect so let's try to enjoy the process and the journey because you and I are making progress.

If God let us reach where we're headed too quickly we probably wouldn't be able to handle it, so let's allow Him to do His work of grace in our lives keeping our eyes fixed on Him all the while. 

He will get us to where He wants us to be so we can keep thanking Him for the progress we have made and for how far we have already come. We know He's training us in godliness ready for our next assignment and the eternal glory He has stored up for us all. 

So when we go through stuff that's really hard can I encourage us to remember it's all achieving something for us that's wonderful and which will actually bring us glory one day, even if it doesn't feel like it at the minute!

BEING THANKFUL

1 Thessalonians 5:18 in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Things don't always work out quite how we would like do they? On my birthday we planned to go for a coffee to Matlock and then on up through the high moors of  Derbyshire for a day trip as a treat, as we hadn't had a day out for months. We enjoyed a lovely coffee and scone in the garden centre, then drove into town for a browse round. Unfortunately we discovered we then had a flat tyre so we had to change the wheel as the local tyre place had a queue of an hour and a half for repairs!

Now at that point we had a choice. Do we get all bent out of shape because our plans for my birthday had all gone wrong or do we try to find the good? It's a bit like Polyanna isn't it? Try to find something to be thankful for! So...we were thankful it wasn't raining, thankful it wasn't as cold as it has been while I hung around while Chris fixed it, thankful we weren't on the motorway when it happened and thankful we found a car park away from everybody so Chris could change the tyre in peace and quiet.

We'd already had a happy time at the garden centre so we were thankful for that and came on home. I was disappointed and a bit sad but then in the afternoon our daughter came with flowers and cream cakes as an extra surprise unexpectedly which really made my day. If we'd stayed out all day we would have missed her so you see all things work together for good don't they?

God is so good to us and can turn even a flat tyre around in the end and God willing there is always another day. Yesterday we were so grateful the tyre could be repaired and didn't need a new expensive one so the Lord even went ahead in that.

So next time your plans go haywire, remember my birthday expedition, and try to find something in it all to be thankful for and know God will sort it all out for your good in the end.😊

WE HAVE A GLORIOUS DESTINY

Psalm 73:23-25 Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny. Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything else on earth. Nlt.

The Psalmist Asaph was feeling very disgruntled because he saw how the wicked seem to flourish and go merrily on their way, which made him envious. We've maybe looked at some people over the years and had moments like that too if we're honest.

He goes on in v.13 Did I keep my heart pure for nothing? Did I keep myself innocent for no reason? v.14 I get nothing but trouble all day long; every morning brings me pain.

By v.21 he realises his heart had become bitter and he was all torn up inside. But the good news is he goes on and realises God doesn't let the wicked get away with it in the end and continues by reminding himself that he still belongs to God. Nothing has changed that. God is still guiding him and even goes as far as saying God is still leading him to a glorious destiny. So be encouraged you haven't kept your heart pure for nothing because God sees your heart and will bless you mightily for it. Remember godliness brings benefits in this life and the next.

So no matter what other people are doing or not doing, let's remember we still belong to God and He is also still leading each one of us to a glorious destiny too. Even when things don't look good we can remain steady because God is holding our hand, He still has us in the palm of His hand, and He is still very much for us and not against us even if other people seem to be. 

So we can start our week knowing we have a glorious destiny to look forward to and God is getting us there. Hallelujah. Thank You Lord, we believe it and we receive it afresh. Amen.

GODLINESS PROMISES BENEFITS

1 Timothy 4:7-8 ....Instead, train yourself to be godly. Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.

Today is my birthday so it may involve cake! Unfortunately cake leads to a need for exercise and we probably all try to do some exercise of some kind throughout the week but are we bothering to train ourselves in being godly? Godliness promises us benefits (and who doesn't like benefits?) so how do we train for it? 

As we reminded ourselves yesterday, when we read the Bible the Holy Spirit will speak to us and God's word will teach and train us if we'll do what it says. Maybe He wants to help us grow in patience or not take offence so easily. Perhaps He'd like us to practice giving our troubles to Him so we're not so troubled all the time. Whatever He shows us is always for our benefit so we need never fear we'll be worse off for obeying it.

Maybe we need to see if we have any habits or 'attitudes' that we wouldn't like anyone else to know about, things we would be embarrassed about if someone knew. Asking God for help to change would be good, a bit like us learning to stop eating doughnuts when we're trying to exercise!

God wants us to grow and bear the fruit of the Spirit and I know He meets us where we're at, so He's committed to helping us whether we keep it simple or as in depth as we're able to. I think it's more about our attitude of heart to want to please Him.

He wants us to live lives that reflect Him and His kingdom and surely that is what true godliness is - being more like Jesus every day which He  has promised will benefit us.

 

So next time we take some exercise let's remember to put in a bit of training for godliness as well.😊

Have a blessed weekend everyone.

HOW GOD EQUIPS US

2 Timothy 3:16  All scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. v.17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

God really challenged me as I read these verses so I pass them on for you to think about too.

Some Christians hardly open their bibles from one Sunday to the next, or they only read their 'Daily Notes' and think it's all they need because they only have five minutes, they're too busy.  But God tells us in our verses today that we really, really need to read His word otherwise we'll get off track and not even know it! I don't think any of us want that.

God uses it to prepare and equip us to do whatever it is He's called us to do, whether it's raising a family, going out to work or being a blessing to someone next door.  Maybe we forget that God's Word is literally supernatural, it's alive and Jesus said it is actually Spirit and Truth. We know it's not just any old book and we'll have a starved weak spirit unless we feed off it every day.

God is trying to help us to see we can live a successful Christian life if we'll allow His word to take root in us and have priority over other things and even reminds us it is medicine to all our bodies.(Proverbs 4). If we really believe what God says in His Word we will do what it says and give it first place in our thinking. When we don't know what to do it will be the first place we'll go for instruction. The letters of Paul are filled with the 'how to' for living the Christian life.

So can I encourage us all to read more of God's Word itself and allow Him to show us if we're in the wrong about something and how to put it right and give Him the opportunity to lead and guide us through it too. I know we wont regret it.😊

GOD IS LONGING TO BLESS YOU

Isaiah 30:18 And therefore the Lord (earnestly) waits (expecting, looking, and longing) to be gracious to you; and therefore He lifts Himself up, that He may have mercy on you and show loving kindness to you.....Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are all those who (earnestly) wait for Him, who expect and look and long for Him (for His victory, His favor, His love, His peace, His joy, and His matchless unbroken companionship)! Amplified Bible.

There was a knock on the door and when I answered it the postman handed me a largish parcel with my name on it.  It was a surprise for my birthday which I hadn't been expecting! Woohoo😊. Now I'll have to contain myself  till Saturday when I can open it, but will just enjoy the anticipation in the meantime. I love surprise parcels!

I think God wants us to have a similar sense of anticipation of good things to come in our daily lives as well. So often we're tempted to expect the worst instead of believing the Lord for all the good He has stored up for us. Let's not allow past experiences to colour our present and future ones.

Our verse tells us He is longing to be gracious to us which gives us a sense of Him actually wanting to spoil us and love us. That is quite a thought isn't it? He's lifting Himself up off  His throne to see if anyone is actually earnestly waiting for Him so He can show them His favour and all His other blessings mentioned. Will He find us like that or just tending to mope about, moaning about the state of the world. 

How about we put a smile on our faces and start expecting and longing for Him to do something extraordinarily kind for us just like our verse says and even thank Him for it in advance. It takes faith, and faith pleases Him, so let's please Him in the coming days and be on the look out for whatever good things He has planned and for more of His matchless unbroken companionship. 

Let's have a sense of anticipation, like me waiting for my parcel opening moment on Saturday.😊

A GREAT WAY TO START OUR DAY

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.

Different people hear different things first thing in the morning. For some it's the TV, for others it may be the radio, children asking where their socks are, or many other demands being made.

The Psalmist cries out to God though for something very different. He wants to hear God's unfailing love each morning before he ever goes out the door or even before he puts his foot to the floor. He acknowledges to God that he doesn't have all the answers for the day ahead so he wants to be sure God is going to guide him to make the right decisions and say the right things. 

On top of all that in the New Living Translation David says 'for I give myself to you'.

David has learnt a thing or two during his experiences with God and part of what he's learned is the importance of getting his priorities right first thing in the morning.

1. He wants to hear God's love for him before he hears anything else.

2. He puts his trust in His God.

3. He asks for guidance for the day.

4. He gives himself over to God completely because he trusts Him.

What a great way to start our day!   😊

GOD REMINDS US

Psalm 139:5 You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. v.6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand.

Last night I was chatting to my 10 year old grand daughter and she told me her favourite psalm is Psalm 139 so I thought I'd have another look at it myself and I see why she likes it so much, don't you?

It reminds us of how the Lord knows us so very well and knows what we're going to say even 

before we say it. He loves us so much He goes before us to prepare the way and places His loving hand of blessing on our heads which should give us such an expectation of good things to come.

It reminds us His strength will support us through our whole lives. God knew us intimately even before we were born and He has a plan for each one of us to fulfil which is a lovely thought because none of us then is a mistake. You were designed by God and He has a purpose for your life.  He has placed great value on you and you matter to Him.

It gives such an overwhelming sense of the Lord's presence with us every second of our lives wherever we go and nothing takes God by surprise.

v.18 ...And when I wake up, you are still with me! 

So in case you woke up today feeling out of sorts, or lonely or not looking forward to the day's activities, we can remember that God is still right there with us. He was waiting for you to open your eyes this morning just so He can fellowship with you.  

It took a young 10 year old girl to remind me of Psalm 139 and that whatever we have to do today His hand of blessing has already been put on us, so you know what.....we're going to be ok.😊

FEELINGS COME AND FEELINGS GO

Deuteronomy 30:19 Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses.  Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!

Yesterday we had a birthday buffet tea where everyone could choose what they would like and have as many or as few of anything as they chose. Very yummy!

Life is a bit like that. God says we can choose life or death but advises us to choose life for ourselves and our household. The strange thing is we seem to choose life one day and death the next according to our 'feelings' at the time and our feelings can be a bit rough on us.

When I was very ill several years ago I had a little rhyme on a piece of card which I used to say to myself quite often. I share it with you just in case it might help you too.

Feelings come and feelings go

and feelings are deceiving; 

my warrant is the Word of God, 

nought else is worth believing.

The thing is, feelings can change in a moment. If someone comes and says they've just put £100,000 in your bank account your 'feelings' would probably go 'woohoo' even though the thing that had you defeated two minutes before remained exactly the same. Our feelings are subject to change but the Word of God is not. 

When I listened to my negative feelings I went down a slippery slope and ended up in a heap but when I chose to only listen to the Word then the Lord would keep me on an even keel and kept me in faith believing for my recovery. When we choose to go with the negative stuff we're choosing a form of death, but  when we choose to believe God's Word it brings life.

So next time your feelings want to get the better of you and you're struggling to choose 'life', just remember my little rhyme and ask the Lord to help you to keep believing His Word over what you feel.

Have a blessed week.

OUR MOMENT BY MOMENT SAVIOUR

Luke 1:47 Mary responded, Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. Nlt.

Have you ever thought 'Jesus is my Saviour, He's taken all my sins away and given me eternal life' but forgotten Jesus is our moment by moment Saviour too. Mary responded to the serious news she'd just had by rejoicing in her saviour. Sometimes we don't always respond quite so well!

We probably all have moments of despair and discouragement but Jesus our Saviour is there with us at that moment.

Remember when we take the word 'despair' and take the 'd' out, if we rearrange the letters they spell 'praise'. Can I encourage us to turn some praise music on when we feel down. All those negative feelings begin with 'd'!  If we'll praise the Lord those giants will be weakened and rendered powerless because our eyes will be on our Saviour and His finished victory on the cross. Praise defeats the enemy. Kick the 'd' out!

When we experience times of pain or sickness or disease Jesus is our Saviour in those moments too. He tells us He is our Healer both of broken hearts and broken bodies, that He is the restorer of our souls. Let's turn to Him by faith and respond with thanking Him for 'saving' us from these things too and believe for His healing and restoration.

What about those moments when the bills may be coming in or we have unexpected things to pay for? Jesus is our Saviour, the God who is more than enough, and we can look to Him to provide for these things. He is our Source of supply, He is our Saviour from all things that oppress us.

Whatever happens let's respond like Mary and rejoice in God our Moment by Moment  Saviour.

Here's a couple of praise song to help:       

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Sa9N-j_uuso

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07uh5zZLsPA

Have a blessed weekend.😊

WITH LONG LIFE I WILL SATISFY HIM

Genesis 6:3 And the Lord said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years."

You may have been raised like me, to think our days will be roughly 70 or 80 years but God's decree in this verse was for 120 years! 

The 70-80 thinking comes from Psalm 90 which was written as a prayer by Moses who is recounting all the sins of the Israelites in the wilderness and how God's wrath came on them. v. 10 Seventy years are given to us! Some even live to eighty. But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble; soon they disappear, and we fly away. He was describing their experience in the wilderness.

Many people have latched on to the idea of 70-80 as though God said it applied to all people and they start believing and talking themselves into old age, even in their forties, long before they get there!

God didn't say that to mankind generally. When we read the context it was for the disobedient Israelites at that time period because He didn't want that generation going into the promised land with their idolatry. But as we read in Genesis 6, God says He has given us 120 years.

Psalm 91:16 With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation. 

If the enemy tries to shorten your life, stand on these verses and believe God for healing and health to be strong and sound, way beyond 80, to live to the age where you will be satisfied. 

Next time you hear someone thanking the Lord for 120 years in faith, they're not being strange, it's because they're believing what God originally said.  It's something to think about and study but however long we live let's do it to give God the glory and bring Him praise. Amen. 😊

KNOW WHERE TO GO FOR HELP

2 Chronicles 20:12 We don't know what to do but our eyes are on You.

King Jehoshophat knew he didn't have the resources or ability to fight the armies coming against him but he did know where to go for help. He knew he was totally dependent on his God and without His help they would be defeated.

What about us? Do you ever wake up and think 'I don't know what to do?'  If so can I encourage us all to remember that we too are totally dependent on our God and He has told us to come to His throne of grace to get all the mercy and help we need at any time. His door is never closed to us. His help, wisdom and strength are available, whatever time of day, or season of life we find ourselves in.

One of the enemy's chief weapons is discouragement or pointing us to our own failures, but God says to keep our eyes on Jesus. (Hebrews 12:2) Why is that? Because He is our Redeemer from every situation, He is our Saviour who has already paid the price for our forgiveness and our healing. He is the Holy One who is pure and righteous and He has given us His righteousness to wear and we're hidden in Him. He is the Author of our faith, the One who designed it and without it we can't function properly.

In ourselves we often feel defeated but 'in Christ' we are victors because He is the Victor. He leads us in victory not in defeat so let's keep our eyes on Him and put our trust in Him to get us through every dark valley and back up into the light.

Our eyes are on You Lord, our faith is in You, and we thank You for helping us today in whatever way we need it. Amen.

ASTONISHED AND AMAZED

Luke 5:9 For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken;  

Luke 5 v.25 Immediately he (the paralyzed man) rose up before them, took up what he had been lying on, and departed to his own house, glorifying God. v.26 And they were all amazed ...

This chapter is full of strange things happening, first with a supernatural catch of fish which threatened to sink the boat, then a leper being miraculously cleansed, followed by a paralyzed man walking home!

What the people saw and heard that day must have made their minds tilt because they'd never seen anything like it before. When we read the four gospels it turned out that most days with Jesus were like that.

We know Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever which means we should still be expecting Him to do the impossible, supernatural things He did then.  Walking with Jesus should make us astonished and amazed too.

Maybe it's time we really sought the Lord and asked Him to do those kind of things again in our lives. It's time to grow in our expectation and our believing for those wonderful things that might just make our minds tilt a bit as well.

Jesus tells us we will get what we believe for. We are called 'Believers', so my question is, are we actively believing Jesus for something astonishing and amazing in the coming days?  I don't mean vaguely hoping for something, I mean really believing for something specific, based on God's promises. If not, let's ask Him to show us what He wants us to be believing for. Amen.

GOD WHO IS MORE THAN ENOUGH

Psalm 68:19 Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loads us with benefits, The God of our salvation!...(Nkjv)

Yesterday we looked at how generous God is to us. Today we see even more of His heart for us. Whatever we need God to be in our lives He is more than enough, the One who loads us with benefits. He is the God of overflow as the Psalmist reminds us in Psalm 23 'My cup overflows'.

God is an over the top Father to us. The One who gives so much there are 12 baskets of left overs which will supply others too!

He is the God who is a well of salvation which is so deep and so fresh it is bottomless in it's supply for each and every day. He wants us to draw out of His well whatever we have need of, whether it's health or peace of mind, finances or renewed strength. He says get your bucket out by faith and draw out what He has already provided.

He is the loving Father whose heart is to throw a party for his wayward sons, to kill the fatted calf, to embrace us with love and kisses when we've been far away. He is the One who gives us a new robe of righteousness, who puts shoes on our feet to stand with no condemnation in His presence, who puts a ring of His authority on our hand with His seal of approval.

He is the God who gives us all things to enjoy, the One who has made His love so strong that nothing can separate us from it, whose hand is so powerful no one can snatch us out of it.

What a Saviour, what a loving, caring, wonderful Heavenly Father. 

We have so much to thank and praise Him for today, for being our God the One who is More Than Enough. Thank You Lord. Amen.

THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD

Psalm 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Part of the bedrock of our lives is this truth 'The Lord is my shepherd'. The Amplified says  'who feeds, guides and shields us.'  So we can have such confidence as we go out into our week that The Lord is personal. We can say He is my shepherd. If ever you can't sleep at night just keep meditating on that phrase.

Regardless of what others do, our eyes are on our Shepherd. He is the One providing for us, showing us what to do, where to go and He is our protection against all the attacks of the enemy. He is our shield. It's a bit like in Star Trek, we have a force field around us. He is a person not a thing and His name is Jesus and He has assigned angels to protect us.

David had such confidence in his shepherd that he made this statement 'I will not want.'  To be in want is to desire something you don't have, to be in lack, to be insufficiently supplied'. So David is saying, 'I wont be in a state of lack, I wont fall short, I will be sufficiently supplied. God will also supply the desires of my heart'. Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.

I've heard people say that God doesn't give you your 'wants'  but only your 'needs', but God's word says He will give us our heart's desire when we delight ourselves in Him. David knows his Shepherd loves him so much, that He is such a wonderful Shepherd that His heart is to bless us to overflowing.

God is so generous, He's not mean or skimpy. God's heart is to bless and cherish and pour good things into our lives. His grace and favour are superabounding towards us through Jesus. (Eph 1:8)

As you start this week know you have a wonderful generous God going with you and you wont lack any good thing, and He is protecting you. (Psalm 84:11, Psalm 34:9-10, Phil. 4:19 Nkjv) 

Have a blessed week with your Good Shepherd.😊

JESUS INVITES YOU TO HIS TABLE

1 Corinthians 11:23(b) ...the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread;

Judas had spent hours with Jesus every day and Jesus called Him His friend, they'd laughed together and yet Judas betrayed Him but Jesus didn't let it stop Him from carrying on and fulfilling His destiny. He knew that if He trusted God it would lead through to the glorious Resurrection and God's plan of redemption for all mankind.

We have all been hurt at some time and God wants us to know He has a resurrection on its way for us too. His plan for our lives has not been stopped by it, whether we are the betrayed or the betrayer.  Peter betrayed the Lord but Jesus lovingly restored him.  Resurrection means newness of life, the old has gone for whatever reason, and God has something new and wonderful for us. 

Jesus bore our griefs and sorrows for us on the cross which includes our emotional hurts. He also carried our pains, sicknesses and diseases and by His wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53:4-5 )  He has taken them all into His own body and carried them for us because the weight of them is too great for us to carry, and because His love for us is so great and understands what we go through.

So if you are hurting for any reason, whether it's physical or emotional, Jesus invites you to His table to take the bread and wine afresh, and as you take the bread allow Jesus to take the hurts away. Know He is exchanging them for His peace to your soul, restoring health to your body and mind, giving you strength for every day and pouring His amazing love into your very being. 

As you take the wine remember He bore all our sin, guilt, shame and condemnation for us and bore it all and took it all away so we could be free indeed and walk in His righteousness for evermore. Thank You Lord. Amen.

I pray the following link will be a blessing to you

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpE0vIUgVPA

GOD IS POURING INTO US

1 Thessalonians 5:9 For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us. Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever. So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.

If ever you've felt like God is punishing you, or felt He's mad at you about something this verse is a really good reminder that God is not in the business of pouring out His anger on us. He poured it all out on Jesus at the cross instead, in our place. Jesus took our punishment.

 

What God is pouring out on us though is His kindness and grace along with all wisdom and understanding (Eph 1:8). 

Not only that but Acts 10:45 says God has poured the Holy Spirit out on us. (that's God Himself!) Romans 5:5 tells us the Holy Spirit has then poured out the love of God in our hearts. It just gets better and better doesn't it? 

The Psalmist gave us a picture of his cup overflowing in Psalm 23:5 ...You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over, and that's the picture God wants each one of us to have today. Our cup is overflowing with the love and kindness of God and it's so full it will spill over on to others. It also mentions the anointing we talked about yesterday and shows it all being tied together. Isn't the Lord good to us?

So the next time the enemy comes and whispers in your ear that God is mad at you about something and is going to punish you in some way, just resist that lying spirit by reading him these verses. They'll cause him to flee from you fast!

Thank You Lord You're not mad at us about anything but You've poured your Holy Spirit, Your love, Your kindness and Your wisdom and understanding and Your anointing into us. Praise You Lord, our cup runs over. Amen.

YOU HAVE AN ANOINTING

1 John 2:20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One,....

If we're born again believers in the Lord Jesus Christ then we have an anointing from God and it's powerful.  As we know 'Christ' means Anointed One and His Anointing, and because we are 'in Christ'  and He is in us, then we have, and are partakers of His anointing. 

Now let's see what Isaiah tells us about one of the things the anointing does. Isaiah 10:27  It shall come to pass in that day That his burden will be taken away from your shoulder, And his yoke from your neck, And the yoke will be destroyed because of the anointing oil.  That word 'destroyed' means to break down, out of existence.

The reason I'm reminding us all about our anointing is because the enemy tries to con us into thinking  that addictions can't be broken, that illnesses can't be healed, that 'because granny had it I've got it too'.  Those are all lies of the enemy because God says Jesus has redeemed us from the curse of the law (which includes diseases, addictions and every other evil thing) and became a curse for us on the cross (Gal 3:13) and His anointing has destroyed every yoke or bondage off our necks, out of existence!  That's a Hallelujah right there!😊

Now no curse has a hold on us, every yoke has been broken off, and we are sealed and protected by Jesus' blood because we're 'in Him'.  

Our part is to get into agreement with God and 'see' ourselves as His anointed ones. He empowers us, infuses us with His strength and enables us to go out into our day fully equipped with His ability in us and His anointing on us. Thank You Jesus.😊

WHAT GOD IS DOING RIGHT NOW

Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength,  A very present help in trouble.

It's easy to fall into the habit of remembering the 'good old days' when things were better and we keep looking back to what we had then but don't have now, etc.

Or we may be people who like to look forward and live in the future. 'I'll be happy when I have that thing sorted out, or when I'm feeling better, or when I get that job or when Co-vid has gone!' 

The truth is we only have 'now' and God tells us He is a very 'present' help in trouble. The past is gone and now is the day of salvation and He's in the 'now' helping us and that's all we need Him to be. He's present to heal, restore, lead and guide us, whatever we need right now.

Matthew 6:34 Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. (The Message Translation)

God wants us to enjoy this present moment in time knowing He's in it with us. He doesn't want us to let the past steal our joy for today and He doesn't want us living in the future and missing the moments He's blessing us with right in front of our eyes. 

Remember the raspberry story? (Sept.20). It was a 'now' moment and we can learn with His help to be grateful we have 'now' and enjoy it more and more, then let God take care of the rest.

Let's not delay our joy to when everything is sorted - let's live in and enjoy the present because God is here with us and doing things right now. Thank You Lord.😊

A LIFE THAT KNOWS NO LIMIT

Psalm 78:41-42 Yes, again and again they tempted God, And limited the Holy One of Israel.  They did not remember His power; The day when He redeemed them from the enemy.

I woke up this morning with this song running through my head...'I am a new creation., No more in condemnation, Here in the grace of God I stand. A lightness in my spirit, A life that knows no limit, Here in the grace of God I stand. And I will praise you Lord,  ...'

The phrase that stuck with me was 'A life that knows no limit'.  It's easy to forget that God has given us a life that knows no limit in Jesus. This life is not all we can 'see' with our eyes, but God has placed a 'no limits' banner over our heads in the spirit realm and the only thing that hinders us is our unbelief.

Perhaps you're thinking 'Well it's too late for me, you don't know my circumstances, I don't have the money, or I'm not well enough...' and we come up with seemingly legitimate reasons why we can't do something. 

The wonderful news is that God has no limits and with God all things are possible.  

He took three million slaves out of captivity, gave them miracle after miracle of provision, and even caused them to leave Egypt with gold and silver and no infirmities ! Now because He's the God who is the same yesterday, today and forever, then we know He is well able to do that for us too.

When God then wanted to take the Israelites into His promised land they let fear in and limited Him by their unbelief and that generation never got there. They had the opportunity but their unbelief stopped them. How sad was that?

If God places a dream or instruction in your heart please don't smother it with unbelief! Can I encourage your faith today to really believe that God will make a way, and He will provide the means. Take the unbelieving limits off!  Put your faith hat on and allow God to do 'above and beyond' for you in the coming days. All things are possible, and with God you can do it!  Amen.

BLOG ACCESS FOR YOU

Hi everyone who reads my blog. Thank you so much for reading it!😊

As we all know Facebook and Whatsapp were closed down temporarily yesterday and I just thought I'd let you know, in case I can't send the blog directly to you through them in the future, that you can still read my blog anytime if you want to, at the following link. 

myberrythoughts.blogspot.com

Hope you can keep a separate record of it somewhere so you can put it in your browser if needed.😊

Hope this helps. Thanks again for popping in and have a blessed week. 

ENTER GOD'S REST

Hebrews 4:9 There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.

We all get weary and there are some days when we're a lot wearier than others! Sometimes the cure is to go to bed and sleep or just relax and do our hobbies or whatever.

But what about when we're weary spiritually and we're just worn down by all that's happening around us and we feel discouraged and tired on the inside?  We feel worn out. What do we do then?

 

We've often been carrying all our cares and the cares of the world on our own shoulders and forgotten to give them all to the only One who can carry them all. We've forgotten to enter into His rest which means we're trusting in the finished work of Jesus and all He's done. We've been thinking it's all up to us but Jesus said to go to Him when we're weary and heavy laden. 

God has a place of rest for each one of us and it's part of our salvation which He wants us to grow into. He doesn't force it on us but He gives us the answer here....

Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Are you in a time of need? Then come with confidence to the throne of God's grace (His supernatural favour), and get the mercy and refreshing you need for a tired spirit. Sit at His feet for a little while and rest in Him knowing He's forgiven you, He's got you covered, He's providing all your needs, He loves you and He doesn't want you carrying all those burdens. Take them off and leave them at His feet and let Him deal with them. 

Tired spirits also need feeding so feed on His word, and allow Him to pour His strength and energy back into you and receive it by faith, it's part of your salvation.

God is supernatural and what He gives us is supernatural so He asks us to trust Him today and let go of all the striving and enter God's rest so He can work in our lives. Amen.

COMFORT FROM GOD

Isaiah 57:18-19 "I have seen what they do, but I will heal them anyway! I will lead them, I will comfort those who mourn, bringing words of praise to their lips. May they have abundant peace, both near and far," says the Lord, who heals them. 

These wonderful verses talk of God healing, leading, comforting, giving us His peace and causing us to praise. Only God can do all that!

Maybe you are mourning the loss of something or someone and it's stolen your peace and joy.  God knows, whatever it is, and even if it was life changing, and whether recently or long ago, please receive the Lords's words to you today that He will comfort you and even bring praise to your lips. God has an amazing way of turning things around for our good. All He asks of us is to receive His words and mix them with faith.

We can have confidence in Him and His word that whatever we have lost, whatever trouble we have experienced, He has promised to comfort us by healing our hurts and distress. God says in Isaiah 61:7  that He will give us double blessing for our trouble. 

God's plan is to lift you back up, bless you and give you abundant peace. God never leaves us where we're at, He always brings us back up. I've heard it called 'bounce back'. I believe God has put the 'bounce back' in you and He is activating it in you today. 

Maybe it would help to remind ourselves every day 'God is putting His bounce back in me and I am bouncing back with His help.' 

It makes me think of the character Tigger  in the Winnie The Pooh stories. He had wonderful bounce and I pray this will be a week of God putting His 'bounce back' in you too.😊 Let's receive that by faith today.

Have a blessed week.

GOD'S DESIGNER RANGE

Colossians 3:12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 

Those qualities sound like Jesus don't they? And God chose us to be 'in Him' and be like Him so we will produce those qualities too.  

When we get up in the morning we choose what clothes we will wear according to what we will do that day. God, however has given us His designer range of clothes to wear. 

He says you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, and humility. Clothe yourself with gentleness and patience. Sometimes we don't even think about it, which is why He's reminding us today what He wants us to wear. 

You could always have a bit of fun with it to help you remember and think 'Today I'll wear navy blue mercy shoes. I'm going to put on a green kindness jumper and yellow gentleness shirt and turquoise patience jacket with a pink humility scarf'. You'll look like a rainbow but whatever colour you choose, having painted such a funny picture, I hope we will all remember to put them on now.😊

Paul continues with these words ...v.13 Make allowance for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. v.14. Above all, clothe yourselves with love....

The one we must not forget to put on, on top of all the others is love, but it's not our love, it's God's love. Romans 5:5 .... For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. How lovely is that, we have God's love in us to share with others.

So, whatever we're wearing today, let's remember to put on all of God's designer clothes first and make them any colour we like. They'll make us just like Jesus. Have a lovely weekend. 😊

GOD WANTS US TO GROW

1 Peter 2:2 Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord's kindness.

I'm sure we've all tasted the Lord's kindness on so many occasions and the Psalmist wrote Taste and see that the Lord is good.  

Peter exhorts us to go on from tasting the Lord's kindness to crying out for the nourishment of pure spiritual milk so we grow into mature believers who have the full experience of salvation. That implies that we can stay spiritual babies if we only go so far and no further. Praise God we have our sins forgiven, we're on our way to Heaven, but forget to then cry out for further nourishment, more insight.

Peter says go on from there - cry out for this nourishment! If you haven't done any crying out for it lately let me encourage you to. God has so much for us but we have to really want it, we have to have a craving for it. When you crave a bit of chocolate you go and find a bit! Let's develop a craving for God's nourishment which is better than chocolate.😊

So how do we get it?  We can ask God for it. Every time we sit with Him and listen through reading His Word, through anointed preaching, prayer,  through just sitting quiet and listening we will grow up. Maybe God has some new flavour spiritual chocolate for you to try and 'taste and see that the Lord is good.'

God wants us to grow up spiritually so we get the full experience of His salvation not just a part.