ON CALL, CHOSEN AND APPOINTED

John 15:16 NLT You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.

So what do you like to do at the weekends? Chill out like this cat? Play sports, go shopping, doing nothing much? Maybe you’re thinking the chance would be a fine thing!😊 

Before we retired we always used to look forward to our ‘day off’, but there’s always something to do, and in God’s kingdom I’ve learned there is no retirement!😊 

Sometimes we forget though that God needs us to be available each day, to be willing to not just hear His voice, but to have a heart to carry out His instructions. What a privilege!

God has chosen and appointed us to bear fruit and He designed us to have fellowship, to help one another. It might be tempting to be a Lone Ranger, because then we don’t need to become involved in everything that’s going on, but God called us to be part of His body the church so we can help build His kingdom with the gifts He gives us. We might be the part of the body that someone really needs today.😊

It may only mean saying a kind or an encouraging word, to offer to pray with someone, or to help in church, or to visit a friend who feels low or lonely. 

Whatever it is, whether it’s our day off day or not, let’s remember God loves us and wants to bless us as we serve Him, so we can be a blessing, and so He can give us what we ask for using His name. In Jesus name. Amen.

Have a blessed weekend.x😊

REGRETS ARE WASHED AWAY

Isaiah 53:6 GNT All of us were like sheep that were lost, each of us going his own way. But the Lord made the punishment fall on him, the punishment all of us deserved.

I expect we’re all so grateful we’re one of God’s ‘found’ sheep, not lost anymore! Sometimes though we say or do something and wish we hadn’t, and then, if we’re not careful, we find ourselves going over it and over it! 

No doubt, we all have things we regret doing, or not doing, and maybe we wish we could rewind time and undo them, or unsay them, but we need to remember the good news that Jesus has already dealt with all of it.😊

Isaiah 53 reminds us that Jesus bore all our guilt and shame, not most of it, or some of it - but all of it. Colossians 2:14 reminds us He wiped our slate clean, clearing it of all the accusations against us. Isn’t that astounding? Our part is to keep believing it and accepting it for ourselves, and not thinking our case is different, that our mistake or sin is bigger than the sacrifice Jesus made for us.

There is no mistake too big, no sin too awful, no regret too bitter, no shame or guilt that Jesus hasn’t already taken into Himself and washed it clean by His precious blood at the Cross. I believe somebody needs to hear that today.

Maybe we’re struggling with the enemy accusing us of things we did or didn’t do yesterday or years ago, but Jesus invites us to come and see it nailed to the Cross and know He has taken it away, never to be held against us again, and receive His forgiveness and His peace. What a Saviour.

Romans 8:1-2 NLT So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.

Thank God for His amazing grace, that we’re one of His sheep, washed clean each day by the blood of the Lamb. Praise God. In Jesus name. Amen.

Photo by Robinson Recalde on Unsplash

STUCK IN A RUT?

Psalm 40:2 NKJV He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps.

Yesterday we looked at exploring new things which may mean climbing out of a rut of negative thinking, and instead, choosing to have a positive outlook that sees the possibilities and hopes for the best. It will make us happier than believing for the doom and glooms!😊

You may know someone who is stuck in a rut. They’re not willing to try a new positive thought that could change the way they do life. They’ve chosen to settle for what they have, stuck with their disappointments and regrets, holding on to a grudge, or an offence, instead of allowing the Holy Spirit to inspire them with all He has prepared for them.

God has made a wonderful world, with so much to learn and enjoy, so we can think God size thoughts that say we’re above and not beneath, that we can do whatever God asks us to do, and be all He says we can be.

Today would be a good day to use our faith and allow Him to stretch our imaginations, to ‘see’ ourselves healthy, ‘see’ ourselves in a better job, ‘see’ ourselves full of renewed energy and doing what we’ve never dared to imagine before.😊

You see it’s just possible we’re missing something we could be enjoying, so don’t let’s limit the One who can light a new fire in us, who lifts us out of the miry clay, which is the same as being stuck in a rut! 

And don’t let’s forget, if He can raise the dead, which is the biggest rut, then He can raise us to new levels of understanding, new victories in Christ, the rock on which we stand, and has already seated us in heavenly places where all things are possible. Glory to God. In Jesus name. Amen.😊

Photo: Felicia Montenegro on Unsplash

DON’T MISS OUT!

1 Corinthians 14:1 & 3 NIV Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy. v.3 But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort.

“We all miss out on so many wonderful things if we only stick with what we know!”  I read that comment this past week and it stuck with me.😊 

It made me look at what I’m doing, where I’m going. Am I learning anything new in any area of my life because life can become ‘same old’ if we’re not careful! How about you? Has God been stretching you to do something new?

It might mean exploring the God given gifts He has given each one of us, or are we only willing to stick with what we know and not give new things a try? Paul says that he wanted everybody to eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially prophecy, but so often we gloss over the verses we find challenging, or we find an excuse why we can’t do it!😊

Just recently I’ve been asked to demonstrate some crafts, which I’ve never done before, so I’ve had to practice making things to help others learn something new, like making paper flowers.

God didn’t create boring in the Garden of Eden and He wants our lives to be interesting. Whatever He made, at the end of each day, He saw that it was ‘good’. We’re made in His image so let’s climb out of our comfort zone, into the ‘try something new’ zone.😊 

We’ll never know what we can do unless we try, and God wants us to see the treasure He has placed in each one of us, and especially desire the spiritual gifts so He can surprise us with what He enables us to do, to encourage, comfort and strengthen others. 

So please don’t let’s just stick with what we know- there’s so much more! Let’s explore something new, and not give up too soon, but practice till we can say with God, “It’s good!” Amen.😊

RECOVERY TIME

John 21:15 After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

Life can go pear shaped sometimes and we find out if we’re in faith or not when an illness hits, or the money runs out, or we didn’t get the job we were believing  for, or someone lets us down or leaves us. 

We all have our faith tested to see whether we’ll give up praying for a particular issue when we can’t see anything changing, or turn away from God because He didn’t do what we asked. Will we choose to trust Him no matter what happens, and keep a thankful attitude?

Apostle Peter had his faith tested when Jesus was taken away to be tried and crucified and he found himself denying even knowing Jesus, not once but three times, but thankfully Jesus didn’t write him off! He gave him the chance to put it all right, to recover from his setback and he went on to be stronger than ever before.😊

God wants to encourage somebody today, to say even if something has happened and you feel like you’ll never recover because something has been cut off, or if you’ve missed it, or your faith failed for a time, even if you’ve denied the Lord, God will recover you and you will be stronger than you ever were, and fulfil all God has for you. It’s not hopeless, because God is merciful to us all. 

Our picture shows the new blossom, hope of new life bursting forth again. God is still in the recovery business even if we’ve been pulled apart by circumstances beyond our control, because He loves us.😊

So whether things didn’t turn out the way we wanted, or we think we’ve blown it, the important thing is to not run away from God, but run to Him because we can trust Him to be merciful and full of grace towards us. His arms are open wide to receive us because He still loves us and we can still love Him and serve Him. 

Thank You Lord. Amen.

Photo by Aarón Blanco Tejedor on Unsplash

FRESH SUPPLY EACH DAY

Psalm 136:1 NKJV Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.

We can be so thankful that every morning God comes with a fresh supply of mercy and grace to meet our day.😊 He never asks us to face our challenges on the stale bread of the used up grace of yesterday, but gives us fresh loaves, new provisions of grace, prepared by Him to be more than enough to help us today. 

The thing is, we have to obey His instructions along the way. We need to just do what He says and don’t question His wisdom or tell Him why we can’t do it His way!

Like the manna the children of Israel collected each morning, He wants us to come to His throne room to collect our ‘manna’, our fresh supply of mercy for forgiveness if we’ve had a bad attitude, an ungrateful heart for all His blessings, and to receive His wonderful grace to help us overcome and deal with whatever we have to do today.

We all have different challenges, different giants, different mountains that loom up but Jesus said, “Cheer up, I have overcome the world for you.” Sometimes we have to take that by faith because it may not feel like it! We can’t fight the battles on our own, but we know our God is fighting them for us. Like the King who sent out the praising choir in front of his army, we need to trust God and start singing our praises for all His goodness, His faithfulness, His wisdom, His help and His victory before we even see it.

As we begin our new week, let’s start with a thankful heart for all God has already done for us, knowing His ways are not our ways, but His heart is always for us and never against us. Whether things go the way we want them to or not, let’s bring down our enemy by praising our God that His mercy endures forever and declare His goodness to us, and know His love will never fail us. In Jesus name. Amen.😊

Photo by Shaya Kass on Unsplash

HE IS WORTHY OF ALL OUR PRAISE

Psalm 18: 1-3 NLT 

I love you, Lord; you are my strength.

2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;

my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.

He is my shield, the power that saves me,

and my place of safety.

3 I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise,

and he saved me from my enemies.

Our strength, our rock, fortress, Saviour, protection, shield, power, safe place - you name it - God is it to us!

Apparently David sang this song to the Lord on the day He rescued him from all his enemies and from Saul. Now we may, or may not, have a whole gang of enemies trying to kill us, but we can still sing the same song from the same song sheet because God has rescued us from the Devil and Hell itself! What a mighty Saviour we serve!😊

I love how He lists all the Lord is to him and how we can say the same things about our God. He is our place of safety, our protection every moment of our lives. He is our rock holding us steady through the storms of life that try to rattle us, and when we run to Him, His presence shields us from everything that tries to pull us down. 

David had learned to put all his focus on his God, to acknowledge that everything that mattered and had value to him was being looked after by the Lord. He knew who to call on when his back was against the wall and we can always do the same.😊

So will you join with me and acknowledge all that the Lord is to us today? Let’s thank Him and tell Him we love Him, and how worthy He is of all our praise. In Jesus name. Amen.

Photo by Karen Chew on Unsplash

MEET TOGETHER

Hebrews 10:24-25 NLT Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

For those of you who read about the arrival of our Triceratops dinosaur on 4th August, I just thought I’d keep you updated on his latest activity, just to make you chuckle.😊 He decided he needed some company, so he invited friends for a bit of fellowship. 

Seriously though, God tells us to have fellowship with other believers, to gather together to worship because there is a corporate anointing when we’re together, to support each other in prayer, or help practically if we can.

Colossians 2:2 NLT says God designed us to be ‘encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love…’ We all benefit from meeting together if we can, because God knows we each have a spiritual gift which God wants us to share for the benefit of others, otherwise why did He give it to us?

(1 Corinthians 12:7)😊

When an army goes into battle it doesn’t send out a lone soldier, it sends in a battalion because they all work together, watch each other’s backs and bring down their enemy as they each do what they’re trained to do. Ecclesiastes 4:12 NIV Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

In the same way, God wants us to be connected in church because we’re easy prey for the enemy when we’re alone but when we know we have others praying for us and with us, then we stand strong.

So why not be like our dinosaur and make the effort to get together with fellow believers this weekend, if you’re able, and be a blessing to others.😊Amen.

Have a blessed weekend.x

WE CAN DO IT

Ephesians 2:10 NLT For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Regardless of what may or may not have happened yesterday, isn’t it lovely, and reassuring, to know each new day is a fresh start? and I heard someone say recently, “In Christ I have it, in Christ I can do it.”

How often have we told ourselves we can’t do something, or we feel we don’t know enough, or don’t have enough? It’s a little groove we’ve made in our brains because we’ve said it over and over again till we believed it, but it’s contrary to the word of God. If God says we can do something, then we can do it!😊 Philippians 4:13 NKJV I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

The truth is, in Christ we are more than able, because we have His ability in us. Jesus is our wisdom and His Holy Spirit is our Counsellor. What we don’t have in us, we do have in Christ. We’re all in a process of growing and learning but we have to be willing to do it.😊 

God has planned all sorts of good things not only for us, but also for us to do, and He put them all in Christ. Now we’re ‘in Christ’  and in Him we have His wisdom and whatever we will need for today and tomorrow and for eternity.

When we start the day, how about starting it with some God thoughts and say, ‘I am in Christ and in Christ I can ‘do’ today, because He is strengthening me. In Him I’m able to meet every challenge, overcome every obstacle, and be all that God has made me to be. In Him I am ransomed, healed, restored, and forgiven. In Him I am the righteousness of God, in Him I have His love, His joy and His peace, so in Him I shall walk in victory today because Jesus is the Victor and I am in Him.” Thank You Jesus.😊Amen.

Photo: Alysha Rosly on Unsplash

SO WHAT NOW…

Ephesians 2:13 NLT But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ.

What a wonderful verse that is if we know Jesus as our Saviour! Scripture is full of ‘Now’ verses, they’re all about what we have now, and what is expected of us in our now. So what is now, what does God say we have? What is being left behind if we move into His ‘now…’?

It’s a bit like saying “What’s next? What has been promised and what should we expect in the now?”

1 Peter 2:10 NLT Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy.

Ephesians 5:8 NLT For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!

Romans 8:1-2 NIV Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, …

Colossians 3:8 NLT But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language.

1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

There are probably loads more ‘now’ verses we could investigate but it’s worth a moment of our time to see what God has blessed us with right now, not in the sweet bye and bye - His mercy, His light, His forgiveness, united with Christ, brought near to Him, His faith, hope and love.😊 

Our part is to believe His word, live in the blessing and truth of all His ‘nows’, and declare them over our own lives so we experience them to the full. 

Father God, we want to live in the reality of Your ‘nows’. To know Your love is always in our now, no matter what’s happening, to walk by faith not by what we see throughout today, to hold on to our hope and not let it go.  In Jesus name. Amen.

Photo: Aleksey Oryshchenko on Unsplash

GOD HEARS OUR EVERY SIGH

James 1:12 NIV Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

In the book of Job we read how Job went through great trials where his wife ridiculed him and told him to curse God, he lost all his children, his wealth, the respect of his neighbours and even his own health. He was covered in boils, was in great pain and distress and wanted to know why. He asked a lot of questions, but in the middle of it all he still could say in Job 19:25 NIV I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. He chose to still trust his God.

There are times in life when we go through trials where nothing makes sense, where our prayers don’t seem to be working but God has not changed, His faithfulness has not failed, His love is still wrapped around us and no matter what happens we need to remember that, and not give up our faith in Him and in His word. God is still working behind the scenes and He hears our every sigh, the cry of our hearts.

Just because things don’t appear to be working out the way we have asked, doesn’t mean God is not answering our prayers, it means His plan is different to ours and because He knows the end from the beginning sometimes we have to stop putting question marks where God has put a full stop.

This side of heaven we won’t understand everything that happens, but our hope of heaven, where there will be no tears, no loss, no sorrow is still secure when we love Jesus. We still have our God in our ‘now’, an ever present help in our trouble. Don’t let go of that, but run to Him and know He is holding you up. 

Job’s trials were eventually turned around and he lived to be 140 years old. He had double restored to him of everything he had lost.😊 So be encouraged, we serve the same God and He is still our Redeemer. In Jesus name. Amen.

Photo: Samuel Martins on Unsplash

THE NOW OF FAITH

Romans 4: 20-21 NIV Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. 

We all love Abraham because he showed us how to live the faith life. We read how he lived by faith, and left home by faith not knowing where he was going. He believed God for a son and at 100 years old He had one, and his faith was counted as righteousness in God’s sight. God blessed him richly with family and great wealth because of his faith.

Fast forward centuries and God reveals Jesus and the entrance of His grace and mercy to anyone who will receive it by faith. Once again we see how graciously our God deals with us when our faith is totally in Jesus and all He has done for us. Jesus shows us His Father is a God of great mercy and loving kindness, He shows His goodness and long-suffering patience to deal with us, and His forgiveness which we receive by faith.

Hebrews 11:1 says Now faith is… I love the fact that faith is in our now, not off in the future somewhere, which means everything we need is available in our now as well. God’s forgiveness, His protection, His provision, His unlimited love and favour, are all available now.

So let’s stir up our faith today, in our now, and experience the goodness and kindness of our God, where His face is shining down on us, where He sings over us with songs of victory, where all things are possible, where we don’t receive because of anything we’ve done, but because of all Jesus has done for us - just because of His grace and give God all the glory.😊 In Jesus name. Amen.

Hebrews 11:1 NIV Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

INSTINCT OR INTUITION?

Job 38:36 NLT Who gives intuition to the heart and instinct to the mind?

Have you ever had a ‘knowing’ in your insides? You have an inner instinct when you meet someone and there’s a warning in your spirit  you should be careful? Or you have a ‘feeling’ you should go a different way to town and discover later that you avoided an accident? You may have a strong nudge to not say anything when a situation crops up, or not to eat any more chocolates!🤣

The reason I’m saying all that is because in Job 38  God challenges Job with huge questions, saying who does he think he is to question God’s wisdom! He asks him if he was there when God laid the foundations of the earth, what supports its foundations, who laid its cornerstone? Has he ever commanded the morning to appear? Does he know where light comes from, and where darkness goes? Who robes the earth in brilliant colours each day? And then He asks, “Who gives intuition to the heart and instinct to the mind?” And the answer, of course, is God Himself!

And then we realise that the Spirit of this same God is living on the inside of us if we belong to Jesus. We have His God given instinct and intuition, His wisdom and His insight are available to us. He knows what is coming round the corner and He will warn and instruct us if we’ll listen and pay attention to His still small voice. The other day we looked at God thundering across the skies to come to our aid, but we also know it’s in the still small voice when we hear God speak to us.

So next time you have a ‘feeling’ you shouldn’t do something, prick up your ears like the rabbit, don’t ignore it, and be wise and listen to your inner Counsellor, the Holy Spirit. He’s trying to protect you, warn you and watch over you. Or maybe He’s wanting to promote you by giving you a ‘knowing’ that you need to pursue a certain course of action, and take the next step.🙂

Whatever it is, as we go into another week, let’s listen to that inner voice, your God given instinct and intuition, and obey whatever He says. In Jesus name. Amen.

Photo by Emiliano Vittoriosi on Unsplash

WHAT DOES GOD WANT?

Hosea 6:6 NLT 

I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. 

I want you to know me 

more than I want burnt offerings.

I’m sure we all have an “I Want” list and we probably remind God about it quite frequently, especially where family and friends are concerned. 

But today’s verses are a role reversal. Here we see what God wants, not what we want and it’s not a great long list, but very simple so we can’t get confused! 

We know there are other things He desires of us but these are top of His list for today.😊

The children of Israel had lost their love for the Lord, they’d wandered off and done their own thing, and you can hear the Lord’s heart as He calls them back to Himself.

God doesn’t change and His heart is still the same to all of us. He loves us with an everlasting love that will never weaken, never fade away and He simply wants us to love him and know Him. 

If you’ve never stopped to wonder and think about what God wants, then maybe this is a great opportunity to do it today.😊 There’s no time like the present and God hasn’t gone off anywhere on His holidays. He is still our ever present help in trouble, our Strong Tower, our Shepherd and our Saviour who suffered and died in our place, and loves us forever.

So this just a reminder, it’s a call for us to show Him our love and to know Him in a deeper way, and if we do have an ‘I want list’, maybe we could put those things at the top of our list too.😊 In Jesus name. Amen.

Photo by Sixteen Miles Out on Unsplash

WHICH STEP ARE YOU ON?

Philippians 4:13 NKJV I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Click to enlarge

Some days we wake up and think “Yay, let’s do today!” and we have the get up and go, mentally and physically to go out and do whatever we have to do. But then there are the days when we crawl out of bed and say, “Lord give me strength!”

The truth is, we need His strength every day, it’s just some days we recognise our need is more obvious!😊

Today’s picture made me smile though because we’re all on one of those steps at some time or another. We go through the stubborn ‘I won’t do it’ because we think we ‘can’t do it’. Slowly we begin to think we’d ‘like to do it’ but wonder ‘how to do it’.

God wants us to climb each step and reach the ‘I’ll at least try to do it’ stage, because then we’re believing that through Christ, He’s giving us the strength and ability to do it. We’ll say with His confidence in us, ‘I will do it!’ And before you know it, we’ll be at the top step saying, ‘I did it!’ Why? Because we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.😊 

So, which step are you on today? The wonderful thing is, when God asks us to do something, whether it’s big or small, or just going through our day, He wants us to know He will give us everything we’re going to need to do it.

Isaiah 41:10 NLT Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

So be encouraged today.  You not only can do it - with Christ’s help - you will do it. I hope that has made you smile!😊

Have a blessed ‘I did it!’ weekend.x🤗

NO COMPARISON

Galations 6:4 NLT Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct.

God made us all to be different, like these cacti and Paul is so reassuring when he says to not compare ourselves to anybody else.

God has assigned each one of us different natural abilities and spiritual gifts. In fact, I’ve learned some gifts don’t even show up till much later, so don’t be surprised if God asks you to do something new you didn’t know you could do! Only this past week the Lord had me learning how to do something I’ve not done before!😊 

If we’re doing what God shows us from day to day, then we have a satisfaction in that, but it may change from season to season in our lives. What is important is to do whatever He sets our hand to do today, with a right heart, and to the best of our ability and strength. 

He may be asking you to pray for families, or for a whole nation. He may ask you to give someone a lift in your car so they can go to church. It may be to tell someone God loves them as you stand in a queue, or tell a colleague they’re doing a good job. He may give you a word of knowledge that will change someone’s life, or the gift of healings or miracles that someone is desperately waiting for. 

The size of the work is not what is important, it’s the willingness to obey and just do whatever God wants us to do today.😊

Galations 6:8-9 NLT …But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.

What a great promise that is, so let it encourage you, even if we missed it yesterday, we can ask the Lord for help to do better today and know His grace will be more than enough to do whatever He asks, with His help. In Jesus name. Amen.

Photo by charlesdeluvio on Unsplash

ALL THINGS TO ENJOY

1 Timothy 6:17 NIV …but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.

I enjoy looking round garden centres and recently went to a different one which had huge fern trees for sale. It was like walking into a jungle!

You may enjoy spending time with family or gardening, or maybe when you go out for coffee. Perhaps you spend time on the internet, or playing a sport, or you’re an avid reader, but God has given us all things to enjoy. The challenge I find is to not let them take over and take up the time we need to spend with God and His word.😊

Colossians 3:23-24 NLT Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people… Whatever we do, do it as unto God. That includes our work, or our service to the Lord, or going through the routines of our day, but it can also include our hobbies. They can all be an expression of who God has made us to be, and of our talents. Whatever we do we can do it for His glory, and praise Him we’re able to do it.

Maybe we do things a bit half heartedly sometimes, but it honours God when we do it with enthusiasm and a positive attitude, and we put our whole hearts into whatever we have to do. No one likes working with a reluctant, ‘I wish I was somewhere else’ person! 

When we wash the dishes - ‘Thank You Lord I have a home and a sink of my own to wash up.’ When we go to work - ‘Thank You Lord I have a job to do even if it’s not what I’d like to be doing.’ If we don’t have work -‘Thank You Lord You’re providing the job I need and it’s on the way.’ When we enjoy our hobby - ‘Thank You Lord I have the time and ability to enjoy relaxing for a little while.’ 

I’m sure you get the idea. Whatever our hands find to do today - let’s do it as unto the Lord who gives us all things to enjoy.😊 Amen.

HOLD ON TO YOUR PROGRESS

Philippians 3:16 NLT But we must hold on to the progress we have already made.

Learning new software on the computer is not easy and if I leave it for a few days I forget what I’ve just learned! I need to hang on to the progress I’ve already made by practicing it over and over again or I forget! It’s like that with any new skill we’re learning and the thing is not to be discouraged or feel defeated when we don’t ’get it’ straight away. Some things take time and practice, so don’t let one setback put you off!😊

In the same way God wants us to hang on to our spiritual progress, to the things we’ve already learned, and keep practicing or we’ll forget. Did the Holy Spirit show us a new verse this past week that we need to have another look at so we can remember it? Maybe you wrote it down so you wouldn’t forget?

We may have made some progress in other areas, our relationships, our finances, our health. Let’s hold on to the progress we’ve made and not slide back. Any small progress is something to celebrate. 😊

God says we’re all responsible for our own growth. He gives us His word to instruct, rebuke, encourage - whatever we need - but we have to apply it and practice it for us to reach any kind of spiritual maturity which is what God wants for us. Paul talks about going from the milk to the solid food of the word.(Hebrews 5:12-14)

We’re all learning in life but let’s make every effort to hold on to our progress so we don’t have to go round the same mountain again and have to learn it all over again! I’ve done that a few times!😊

So God is encouraging us today to hold on to the progress we’ve made, keep going, keep encouraging one another in every way, but especially the things of God and know God is smiling down on us as we grow to be more like Jesus each day. Amen.

A WHISPER OR THUNDER?

Job 26:14 NLT These are just the beginning of all that he does, merely a whisper of his power. Who, then, can comprehend the thunder of his power?

Even a child knows the vast difference between a whisper and thunder!😊 Job has just recounted in verses 7-14, the wonders of God spreading out the northern sky over empty space, of how He hangs the earth on nothing, how He covers the face of the full moon shrouding it with his clouds. He describes His power to calm the sea and how His Spirit makes the heavens beautiful. Then he makes this amazing statement ‘these are merely a whisper of His power!’

Sometimes we forget how awesome our God truly is, how powerful beyond our understanding and if we did remember and understand, we would never worry again, because with our God all things really are always possible.

Creation is just a mere whisper of what God can do! When things loom up and seem unsolvable or unhealable, or too far gone, let’s remember that God has already whispered and hung the earth on nothing! How much more can we expect, when we ask Him to thunder in our direction to shift the unshiftable, move the unmovable and save the unsavable .

Let’s allow our imaginations to expand and conceive a new picture of our God which is far bigger than the one we have. Let’s go from a whisper to imagining what the thunder of God must look like. God told Jesus that He had glorified His name and it says the people who heard it thought it had thundered!(John 12:29) When Jesus went to the cross and God raised Him from the dead it was God thundering through time and space to change the course of history.

Next time you have a problem, why not get these verses in Job 26:7-14 out and let God’s whisper grow in you, to become a thunder of possibilities and of grace beyond your imaginings. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Photo by Suâm on Unsplash

AN UNUSUAL BLESSING

Proverbs 17:22 NLT A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.

In the corner of a charity shop the other day was a huge Triceratops dinosaur with feet like a duck, and a sticking out tail, all slumped over, facing the wall as though he was in disgrace! We laughed and commented to the sales assistant and she immediately said “You can have him for free. Just take him!”  She said it twice!

Well we were amazed and looked at each other as though we’d be crazy to take it, but we couldn’t say no, so he came home with us! Now every time we come in the room he makes us laugh, he’s so huge and cheery. Maybe we all need a ginormous dinosaur in the house! If you live near us and would like to borrow him, feel free to ask and we’ll share him around, he’s so very cuddly!😊

Sometimes life can be hard and we need a bit of light relief, just to lift our spirits or to lighten the atmosphere when we can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. In our case it just makes us chuckle, for no reason at all really, other than he’s so ridiculous! He’s just funny! We so easily could have had said, “No thank you! We can’t fit him in”, and missed the light hearted blessing he has brought.

So this is just a little encouragement to accept whatever unusual blessing comes your way, even if it doesn’t fit your idea of what a blessing should be, and just enjoy it till it’s time to pass it on to someone else.

And if you need cheering up as you begin this week just expand the photo and let him put a smile on your face before you start the day, because Proverbs 15:30 says A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and we all need some joy in our hearts, don’t we?😊 Amen.

QUIET CONFIDENCE IN OUR GOD

 Psalm 62:1-2 NLT

I wait quietly before God,
    for my victory comes from him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation,
    my fortress where I will never be shaken.

Here is another of David’s psalms where His confidence in God shines through. There’s no question in his mind that he’s going to have the victory. He doesn’t say, “If I get the victory”, he states it as a fact because he knows the victory will only come to him from God, and he is such a wonderful example to each one of us.

This is not a picture of David wringing his hands and saying “What can I do!” No, he has decided to wait for God to act on his behalf because he’s reminding himself, and us, that all things are possible with our God.

There are bound to be times when we’re facing a battle, but like David we need to declare by faith that we are going to have the victory in our situations because God is on our side, fighting our battles for us. If we’ve obeyed what God has instructed us to do in our situation, then it’s just a case of waiting quietly for God to work things out when the time is right.

And if you start to feel a bit shaky about it just remind yourself, like David, that God alone is your rock and as long as you stay in Him you will never be shaken.

Verse 8 says O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge.

Whatever victory you are waiting for be like David. Trust in God at all times, pour out your heart to Him and know your victory is on the way. In Jesus name. Amen.

GOD IS FAITHFUL TO HIS PROMISES

Hebrews 10:23 NIV Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.

Last year our church was given a list of 31 declarations to speak over our lives each day of the month and one of them is this, “I declare everything and anything that has been lost or stolen is being restored. I am pursuing, overtaking and getting back everything the enemy has taken. (Joel 2:25; 1 Samuel 30:8).

I wonder has the enemy ever stolen anything from you? Was it your confidence, your health, your peace of mind, your finances, your job, your relationships? It could be any number of things that the enemy has stolen from us because John 10:10 tells us the thief (Satan) comes to steal, kill and destroy if we’ll let him. But the good news is God has given us authority over the enemy, Jesus defeated Him for us at the Cross.

God says to put our faith in His promises and believe Him for restoration because He says He will give us double blessings for our trouble. Zechariah 9:12 NLT Come back to the place of safety, all you prisoners who still have hope I promise this very day that I will repay two blessings for each of your troubles.

What a promise to lay a hold of! God can make up to you whatever has been stolen in ways that we don’t know or understand because He is a faithful God, faithful to His word and if He promises it, then we can believe it, claim it for ourselves and receive it by faith today. 

Have you had some trouble? Then today would be a good day to start thanking God for His faithfulness, that He’s restoring to you double blessings for your trouble. Let’s believe it!😊 Amen.

Have a blessed weekend.x😊

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OUT OF THE HUMDRUM

 Psalm 139:16 NLT You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.

Life can seem very humdrum when we go through the routines of the week, when one day runs into another and before you know it we’re at Friday again!😊

I was praying and asking the Lord about it, asking Him to lift us up out of the humdrum, to learn to see each day as a blessing of God that He has already written in His book for our lives. God doesn’t write humdrum books! He writes books of purpose, of passion and possibilities, but we have to enter into them!

Now there’s a thought! We all have a purpose in this life to praise and thank God for all His goodness to us, to love Him because He first loved us. When we do that we’re entering into His passion for us, so we have a passion for Him and His kingdom, a passion to save the lost.

Each day is a day of possibilities, of new horizons, of trying something different, go a different way to walk the dog, try some French toast instead of cereal for breakfast!  We may not be able to change where we go, but we can go new places in our thinking - entering into the thoughts of God on every subject we touch that day. 

We might even be bedridden, but our thoughts are not! We may be housebound, or caught in a mundane job, but our spirits can still soar like eagles into spiritual realms where we can pray and move mountains not only in our own lives, but the lives of others, and change the course of nations! The possibilities with God are endless! We can be difference makers, because God hears every prayer.😊

Humdrum? Not really, not when we understand we are a spiritual being who happens to live in a physical body regardless of age. God says our spirit man is being renewed everyday.

I pray your day will be filled with God’s purpose, His passion and His possibilities, that you will see it doesn’t have to be humdrum after all.😊 In Jesus name. Amen.

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START NOTICING

1 Thessalonians 5:18 NLT  Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

Have you ever asked God what His will is for you? He says He wants us to be thankful, and we’ll find it easier if we notice the things to be thankful for.😊 I noticed the cloud formations the other day were so pretty and wispy, so I took a photo.

I think we’ve all been feeling how fast this year is flying by, so it’s good to pause for a minute and appreciate each moment, to just enjoy the clouds, and thank God for their beauty. On some days God paints us a fresh sky every few minutes but if we forget to look up it’s easy to miss what He’s doing!

Yesterday it was the bumble bees vying with each other for the flower heads that caught my eye. Maybe for you it’s your first cup of tea or coffee in the morning that you’re thankful for!😊 All little things but all to be enjoyed in the fleeting moment of time. I was sitting eating my bowl of cereal when it struck me how good it tasted and enjoyed every mouthful when often I don’t even notice! How about you?

It’s in the shared joke with a friend when you’re on the same wavelength, or even the shared sorrow when our souls connect for comfort. It’s in the inspiration when we suddenly know how to do something we couldn’t do before. All things to be thankful for.

They’re moments which in themselves are fleeting but they go to make up the rich fabric of our lives, so let’s recognise and notice them, grab a hold of them, be thankful for them, and enjoy each and every one of them. Notice the smile, the kind gesture. 

Then it won’t matter how quickly the year rolls by because we’ll have been present in the moment and appreciated every second of it that God has blessed us with, and noticed the wonderful fact that He was present in it with us too.😊 Glory to God.

Thank You Jesus for it all. Amen.

TIME TO INVESTIGATE

Romans 15:8 NLT Remember that Christ came as a servant to the Jews to show that God is true to the promises he made to their ancestors.

Have you ever read the Sherlock Holmes stories? Well I was thinking about all the reasons why Jesus came to earth and gave up His glory in heaven for us. Why would He do that? Well, when you get a minute imagine you’re Sherlock Holmes and investigate those reasons. It will really bless you.😊

V.8 says He came to show that God keep His promises to the Jews, even the promises made centuries earlier to Abraham and Isaac. God is the same yesterday, today and forever and He still keeps whatever promise He has made to us in His word.

V.9 Jesus also came so that the Gentiles might give glory to God for his mercies to them. That’s for you and me. Lord we do give you all the glory for being merciful to us as well.

1 John 3:8 NLT…. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. And Acts 10:38 says Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit and power to destroy the works of the devil. Now we know Jesus went about casting out demons and healing people of all their diseases and sicknesses, so we know where sickness and diseases originate from and Jesus came to get rid of them. That’s worth investigating in the new covenant.😊

We read how He also came to seek and save the lost, redeem us from the curse of the law, give us forgiveness and the gift of righteousness and eternal life. He came to reconcile us to His Father, to be a Light to the world, to show God’s love, to give abundant life, to serve and to be a sacrifice, to fulfil the law and the prophets, to be our Good Shepherd, our Mediator, and many other things.

Maybe it’s time to get our magnifying glass out and delve deeper into all Jesus came to do in our lives personally, so we don’t miss out on any part of it - because our part is to give Him glory but it helps if we know why! So… happy investigating my lovely friends.😊

 Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash

OUR BUBBLING SPRING OF LIFE

John 4:14 NLT But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.

I love the thought of having a fresh bubbling spring of life inside us. Jesus was saying life was never designed to stand still and if you feel like you haven’t moved forward for some time then this word is maybe for you today.😊 

John 6:63 The Message The Spirit can make life. Sheer muscle and willpower don’t make anything happen. Every word I’ve spoken to you is a Spirit-word, and so it is life-making.

The word ‘life’ makes us think of movement and growth in every area. When a baby is born it can’t help growing, and even when they’re feeding on milk we know by the time they’re a few months old they’ll want solid food!

We have the very life of God inside us as believers in Jesus, and His life brings inner change, His word transforms us.  Jesus gives us His river of life to flow in us and out of us to others, to bring them His life as well. But if we’re still the same way we were a few years ago or even last year then we’re not growing or changing and something probably needs adjusting.😊

We can be in a constant process of becoming more like Jesus, reflecting His glory (2 Corinthians 3:18 NKJV). The more we see Jesus, the more we will look like Him and reflect His life, He will rub off on us and in us and produce His life giving water bubbling up in us.😊

So this is a little nudge to not get stale or stuck but to keep being willing to change, seeking God out in any way we can and letting others see Jesus in us.

Lord we ask You to fill us afresh so we have your spring of life bubbling up in us, ready and willing to move forward however You show us and leave the past and its stories behind, to make room for Your lovely new stories You want to write in our lives.😊 In Jesus name. Amen.

Photo by Bernd-Dittrich on Unsplash

START WITH A SMILE

Proverb 15:30 CEV A friendly smile makes you happy, and good news makes you feel strong.

I read some good advice the other day. “Kick start your day with a smile!” Now isn’t that a better way to start the day, or the week, than with a gloomy face? Just the act of smiling lifts our spirits up a notch and, if necessary, just do it by faith.😊

Even when things look rough and situations are tough, reach inside to where the Holy Spirit’s fruit of joy is being manufactured in your inner spirit’s ‘Joy Factory’. Take some off the conveyor belt and pin it on your face and see what happens. And then go to the Love and Peace conveyor belt and help yourself to some of those too, or the Patience department, or the Kindness and Goodness warehouse - whatever it is you need - it’s all in there!😊

God has provided us with every grace that’s necessary for today, whether it’s Monday or Saturday because we have His Holy Spirit dwelling inside us - it’s just a matter of knowing Who and what we have. When we remember we have been made more than conquerors already, then we can tap into our conquering ability by the power of the Holy Spirit. But when we forget who we are and what we’ve been given in Jesus, then we will have a sad face.

So this is just a little encouragement to kick start your week with a smile, because you have things to do, places to go, mountains to remove, blessings to receive and blessings to give. Bring a smile and some joy to somebody else along the way and enjoy your day.

Don’t forget God is smiling at you too and here’s an extra smile from me so you have one to give away.😊x Amen.

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THERE IS NO OTHER GOD

Isaiah 45: 21-23 NLT 

….For there is no other God but me,

a righteous God and Savior. 

 There is none but me.

22 Let all the world look to me for salvation!

For I am God; there is no other.

23 I have sworn by my own name;

I have spoken the truth,

and I will never go back on my word:

Every knee will bend to me,

and every tongue will declare allegiance to me.”

Eight times throughout Isaiah 45, in the New Living Translation, God tells us there is no other God but Him. He really wants us to get the message! But we only need one God and I’m so thankful for that, aren’t you? 

No matter how many gods other religions may have, one day every knee will bow to the One and only true God, to Yahweh, to the name of Jesus, to the One who lives forever. 

Our God is so merciful in sending us a Saviour, a Redeemer who is our source of righteousness and strength. Jesus was the only One who made it possible for us to be put right in God’s sight so we can call Him Father. 

The awesomeness of what Jesus has done for us just hits you sometimes when you realise that without Him there would be no reconciliation, no righteousness, no strength, no hope, no joy, no peace no sense of belonging, of being his son or daughter for eternity. Indeed there would be no one to love us or watch over us and keep us safe in His hand.

But the wonder of it all is that we have all of that now, and in the life to come. Sometimes we forget how very blessed we are!😊

One day we will be part of the great cloud of witnesses who will gladly bow the knee with the angels in heaven, to give all our praise and thanks to our God, the only true and righteous God, who reigns forever - our Father. What peace and joy that brings. Hallelujah. Praise His name today. Amen.

Photo: Ben White on Unsplash

ONLY YOU CAN BE YOU

Psalm 139:14 NKJV I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.

I saw this children’s book called ‘Only You Can Be You’ and on the front cover is a blue penguin (not black and white) wearing a bright orange woolly bobble hat, while in the background all the other penguins look ‘normal’.😊

It reminded me that each one of us is unique and we all have our different characteristics and idiosyncrasies, since God didn’t create robots because He didn’t want us all the same! Instead of trying to conform to the normal (whatever that is), let’s enjoy and celebrate our uniqueness and bring something fresh to our environment instead of just trying to blend in and be like everybody else. We need to wear our orange bobble hat sometimes!🤣

Don’t let’s be tempted to look at others and wish we were more like them because God doesn’t want us to be like them but who He has designed us to be. God never created us to be average but one of a kind because there will never be another you!😊 You are His marvellous work, and our uniqueness is a joy to God not a trial! 

We know we’re all a work in progress and yes we all have attitudes or behaviours that are not quite right yet, but the good news is God is transforming us by the renewing of our minds, if we allow Him to (Romans 12:2). 

Isaiah 64:8 NLT And yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We all are formed by your hand. 

So enjoy who God has made you to be, a difference maker, an encourager, a joy spreader - whoever God has made you to be, His masterpiece, His treasure and shine out with joy and bless others around you. 

Just be the glorious, marvellous you God made you to be, and have a blessed weekend.😊x Amen.