Now is the time....... To Listen

When you hear the sound like marching feet in the tops of the balsam trees, attack!  That will be the signal that God is moving ahead of you to strike down the Philistines. 1 Chronicles 14:15

Are you waiting to make a move of some sort but are not sure of the timing?  As I read this chapter today I was again impressed at David's wisdom in going to the Lord for direction.  On one occasion at the beginning of his reign when the Philistines came against him the Lord told David to go and he would win the battle.  Next time when the Philistines came against him David did not just go ahead and run right into battle assuming that God would deliver him the same way again.  Instead he again prayed and asked the Lord, "What do I do?"  This time God's answer was a little different, "Do not attack them straight on, circle round and wait for the sound...." (vs 14 & 15). 

When we are making a move of any kind we should always be asking God for his wisdom and way of doing it, and his timing.  That is the secret of success and the protection from great frustration or failure.  It seems easy and obvious but very often we just barge ahead and think that because it has worked one way for us at one time, then it will work the same way the next time.  Not so! 

The reason for this can be because God wants to grow and mature us and show us new ways of doing things, or he wants us to learn to wait and listen for his way of doing it and the right timing.  It is so easy for us to depend upon our own past experiences but when we rely on 'old methods', we are missing out on God's best.  It is also important when God shows us that it's time to move, that we move, and don't miss the right timing. In being slow to act we can miss out of the full blessing or benefit of what God planned for us.

There is another aspect to listening that is important.  I find that in our fast changing world that it's easy to feel a bit out of touch with things, but, if we remain tuned into God, it will not be an issue, because our God is an eternal and wise God.  That means he is a NOW God; there is no time with him and his wisdom is always there for today.  He sees the world as it was at the beginning of creation and he sees it today - all in the present tense; and he is not phased by it at all.  He is still at the helm overall.  It doesn't mean that he likes all that he sees. Neither does it mean that we have to feel we need to be 'up with everything' in technology to remain useful in the body of Christ.  The secret to remaining relevant in today's society and in his church is to remain tuned into 'the sound in the treetops'...... his Spirit speaking today's word for us and those whose lives we are to influence.  His wisdom is never out-dated, we just have to keep our 'downloads' from him current.

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, thank you that you are a TODAY God.  Help me to stay tuned into you today for the wisdom I need to live life in the fullness of your blessing and obedience.  Amen

Now is the time.... To Hold the Ball

I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:14

As we watched the nail-biting finish of the Rugby World Cup which the All Blacks won by just 1 point, I was interested in the tactic used to hold the ball in the scrum for the last 2 or 3 minutes and gradually just edge little by little towards their own end of the field. It worked and though the ball was not being played it remained in their hands (or feet) until the final whistle blew and victory was assured.

This spoke to me about our Christian life. Sometimes we are faced with situations that challenge us so much that we almost lose our way. Sometimes the battle is long and hard, and after an initial spurt of "running with the ball" and making good ground, we become weary and discouraged and want to give up. It seems that this battle cannot be won; the enemy whispers in our ear, "You're done, you can't win this one." And you believe him. You are tempted to just give up and throw it all in and settle for comfort. If you do that, the battle is over and lost.

I wonder how many times David was tempted to stop running from King Saul and just settle down in some safe place, or just let Saul kill him in battle. But he knew God had anointed him to be King over Israel. He would replace the disobedient Saul, but in God's timeframe, not David's. He was tempted a couple of times to take matters into his own hands and kill the king and take his place, but he refused to take control, instead letting God be the One to put him into leadership. In the meantime - his training time - his job was to 'hold the ball' and keep pressing toward the mark, stopping the enemy from taking ground, and being prepared to take the victory when it was granted. That is our challenge too!



Prayer:Heavenly Father, please give me your grace to continue to press in and press on towards the prize of the high calling you have ordained for me. Let me not be weary or faint in battle so that I may finish my race for your glory. Amen

Now is the time to...... De-Stress

Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Philippians 4:6 The Message

We had to consult a horticulturalist recently, concerning a plant in our garden. Not only had it dropped a lot of its fine, lush leaves but we also discovered that it had squishy growths on a lot of the lower branches. Instead of being a lovely lush ball of green foliage, you could now see through the bottom of the plant. I carefully bagged a piece of branch with its odd growth and took it to the native plant nursery for diagnosis.

The lady looked at it and proclaimed, "This plant is stressed. Something is bothering it that has caused it to lose a lot of leaves and now it's become vulnerable to scale!" "Oh," we replied, "Now what do we do?" She told us to spray it with white oil, give it some native plant fertiliser and water it well and it should recover. (That reminds me, I forgot to do the white oil!) Now we watch and wait to see what happens.

Isn't it interesting that plants can suffer from stress, just like we humans do. Stress takes its toll on plants, taking away their attractiveness, makes them vulnerable to disease and stunting healthy growth. Did you notice that it does the same to us. Just observe people in the shops, on the street or where you work; you can often tell the ones who have a lot of stress in their lives. Their bodies show it, especially the expression on their faces and drooping shoulders. Some are rude and cranky, some eat a lot and gain weight when they are stressed, others fade away to a shadow.

Stress is ugly and it affects our health. In fact many years ago I read that more than 90% of diseases have their root cause in stress. God knows the adverse effects of stress, and I believe that is why the Holy Spirit inspired the apostle Paul to write those words, "don't fret or worry". Instead we are to pray.... give our concerns to God and trust him to work things out. Don't allow yourself to be open to sickness by worrying. This verse in Philippians 4 goes on to say, (when you let God know your concerns) ..."Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the centre of your life."

We can allow stress into our lives in many ways; some things that will help to minimize or de-stress our lives are: spend time with God daily and read His word; pray and give him your concerns; allow Him to set your schedule and order your day, let Him walk with you throughout the day; keep your boundaries in place and don't allow others to 'guilt' you into doing things that you don't feel you need to do; make time for your family and friends and take time to relax. Above all, eat properly and regularly and get good rest; a poor diet and lack of sleep will stress your body. Remember too, your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, you are its guardian. Guard it well. If you need any more encouragement, remember Jesus' words "Come to me all you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)

Prayer: Heavenly Father, forgive me for the times I've worried and not allowed you to carry my concerns. Help me to pray and trust you to work out the things that I worry about. Help me to live my life in such a way that it brings glory and praise to you and demonstrates the benefits of the Christian life to others. Amen

Now is the time..... To Freshen Up

Search me, O God, and know my heart. Try me and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24

My Mum-in-law and I used to have a laugh about spring cleaning because years ago she had a young women in her office who was in secretarial training. One Friday the girl asked conversationally, "Are you doing anything special this weekend?" "Yes", said Mum, "I'm going to spring clean." "Oh really," said the girl, "My mum never spring cleans, she keeps her house clean all the time!"

I have to admit that I have never been one to spring clean, but there are times when I need to go the extra mile in the cleaning run and do some things that don't get done regularly. Last year we had friends coming to 'house sit' while we were away in the summer and it amazed me how many things I saw that needed to be spruced up before they arrived. My pantry even got sorted!

Ideally we should keep our spiritual 'house' in order all the time, but have you noticed that you can get a bit 'cobwebby' at times? Perhaps you don't feel as close to him as you used to. Some years back there was a bumper sticker that said, "If you don't feel close to God, guess who moved!" The truth is that God is always there for us but sometimes our hearts condemn us and we don't draw near to him. Perhaps we have allowed a habit or an attitude to creep in; we know we've become critical, cynical, unloving or unbelieving because of life's circumstances. Maybe you've neglected regular Bible reading and prayer or fellowship with other believers. The lack of spiritual discipline will allow dirt, mould and cobwebs to accumulate in your spiritual life. You will lose your freshness and joy because you will not be in tune with your Lord.

If this is you, then it's time to freshen up; do some spring cleaning, regain some lost ground and get back on track because Jesus said, ".....stay awake and be prepared because you do not know the day or the hour of my return." Matthew 25:13.

Prayer: Search my heart God, show me the areas that you see need to be freshened up. Help me to keep my heart clean so I am prepared for your return at any time. Amen

Now is the time..... To Test Your Hearing

....that is why I tell these stories, because people see what I do, but they don't really see, they hear what I say but they don't really hear, and they don't understand. Matthew 13:13 NLT


This past week Colin has been grappling with a blocked ear so has often been saying, "Sorry, what did you say?" We make jokes about 'domestic deafness" but sadly it is a reality. In our house we both have moments of not hearing what the other is saying (even when there are no blocked ears). It can be very frustrating when you know you've conveyed some information, instruction or request and it wasn't heard. Jesus ran into the problem of people not hearing the essence of what he was saying and he talks about it when he discusses the parable of the sower with his disciples.


There is something that counsellors call 'active listening' which is really the same as intentional listening. The hearer becomes an active part of the conversation by reflecting back what they have heard the person say. This shows that he is interested enough to 'digest' what is being said and also that he has heard correctly. That also means that the speaker needs to leave the listener time to reflect back. Not everyone is good at that!


The disciples were constantly with Jesus but often we read that they didn't understand what he was saying. The good thing that they did though was to stay tuned in and press him for explanations which he willingly gave. This should be a lesson for us; we need to not just read the Bible and think we've done our duty. It will only have benefit to us if we understand what we read. We should approach the word of God in the same way that the disciples related to Jesus. We should ask for understanding and revelation as we read, opening our spiritual ears to hear what God wants to convey to us. If we don't do this we will be like the people that Jesus spoke about in our verse above; we will hear but not really understand what is being said.


The other part is that we need to be obedient to any instructions that we feel God is conveying to us from our reading of the word otherwise we are only fooling ourself in our Christianity. James puts it this way in chapter 1 verses 23 - 25, "For if you just listen and don't obey, it is like looking at your face in a mirror but doing nothing to improve your apprearance. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you keep looking steadily into God's perfect law - and if you do what it says and don't forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it." (NLT)


Prayer: Heavenly Father, forgive me to not always hearing what you are trying to convey to me. Help me to be more diligent in pressing in for understanding of your word and obeying it. Amen

Now is the time.... To Pray for Our Nation

Pray......for kings and all others who are in authority, so that we can live in peace and quietness, in godliness and dignity. 1 Timothy 2:2

No matter which nation on earth we live in, our leaders need our prayers. Even more so in the days in which we live. Some of the denominational churches which follow a set order of service are very good at following many of the calls to prayer that the Bible makes upon Christians. For others it's a bit of a 'hit or miss' thing. We remember when the government is in crisis and forget at other times. I was challenged afresh today to pray for our land and her leaders when I read in Proverbs 14:34 "Godliness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people."

We know ourselves the pressures that come to bear on society today and we need to remind ourselves that our leaders, whether on a national or local level, whether making the laws or upholding the laws; all need our prayers to be effective.

As I write, Norway is facing the challenge of dealing with a radical mass killer who calls himself a Christian. How deceived can one be? Followers of Jesus Christ do not go around killing people for ANY cause. The United States of America is facing a problem that many face on a weekly basis.... it has no money to pay its bills. By the time this blog is published I truly pray that they will have solved their problem or the whole world will have a problem! Australia's government is facing much criticism and unrest over the proposed new carbon tax. Our policemen face the challenge of unthinkable acts of violence and disobedience and the courts face the task of meting out justice. Scripture in schools is being undermined. We need to pray that this opening to tell children about a God who loves and cares for them and wants only good for their lives, is not snatched away. We need to pray for those teaching scripture in schools and for open hearts and minds for the children to believe and receive the truth.

Yes, our countries need our prayers. Will you ask God to help you remember to pray for your nation and your leaders so that we can live the lives of peace and safety that God wants for us.

Loving God, please help me to be faithful in remembering to pray for my country and her leaders and for the generation of new leaders that you want to rise up. I pray that godliness will indeed be what exalts our nation and that you will strengthen our leaders and give them integrity to rule over us in justice and truth. Amen

Now is the time.... To Wonder

Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. Psalm 100:1-3

I read an article on the internet this morning about a 21 year old woman who lost half her brain in an accident. Her skull was so badly crushed that bone entered her brain and surgeons had no option other than to remove the damaged part; the part that is logical. You can imagine the fear of her mother for her daughter's future. However, this wonderful creation of God that we call our body is so complex and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14), compensated in such a way that she has developed a wonderful talent as an artist.

As I wrote this I remembered seeing a programme about a woman who was a gifted brain scientist who had a stroke. She had an important career and responsible position. One morning she woke and realised she was having a stroke and managed to dial a colleague's number. She couldn't even talk but it raised the alarm and she was hospitalised. She lost all the logical side of her brain but the amazing story was that her character changed. The stoke cost her an amazing career but she also lost her emotional 'baggage' and became quite a different, more amenable character. I seem to remember that she, too, developed her artistic side and was so much richer for it.

So often our logical side hampers our softer creative side, we give it far too much space! We get so caught up in the busyness of our minds, and trying to work things out in our life, that we forget to allow ourselves time to stop and wonder at God's amazing creation both in nature and in humankind. I often find myself filled with praise as I stop and gaze at the wonder of creation in nature and lately I have had reason to stop again and wonder at the amazing talents and creative abilities with which God has gifted people. We can try to empty our minds, sleep, veg out or drown the world out in an attempt to de-stress but the best thing of all is to just stop, drink in the awe-inspiring things of creation, both large and small. To take time to do this is the best de-stresser of all.

If you are weighed down with 'baggage', be it emotional, professional, study, or family, perhaps it is time that you stopped and took time to wonder at the amazing world we have been given, or even the giftedness of the people who enrich our lives in various art forms. See God's handiwork and worship him, it will do you a world of good.

Prayer: Amazing God of all creation, open my eyes to see anew the wonders that surround me, then to take the time to wonder at it all again and worship you. Amen

Now is the time.... To Step Out of Your Prison

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has appointed me to preach Good News to the poor, He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be realeased.... Luke 4:18 (NLT)

During the school holidays I usually take the grandchildren to a movie. This time their choice was Kung Fu Panda 2, so off we went. I am not a fan of martial arts at any time so was a little wary of what we were in for, but on the other hand I decided to look for some seed of truth. I found one which I deliberately committed it to memory thinking, "There's a Daydrops in this!"

KFP was on his way to thwart evil and early in his mission discovers two of the evil peacock's workers (I think they were wolves), who had been imprisoned for some misdemeanour - I didn't quite work that one out. Anyway KFP comes to the prison, finds them cowering in the corner and breaks down the prison bars and sets them free. The wolves cower in the corner and refuse to be free. Finally in frustration KFP says, "Okay then, stay in your prison of fear, shut in by by bars of hopelessness eating three square meals of shame a day!" Wow, what a message! But the wolves still didn't get it, they were afraid to come back into the world so stayed in their prison.

The picture of the gates above do not really look like prison gates but I deliberately chose them (and also because I haven't been in prison lately with a camera!). The things that hold us prisoner can look quite respectable really and we can pretend that they are not imprisoning us. However, if we look closely, our prison gates are just excuses for not doing what God wants us to do. Excuses that mask our fear of stepping into the unknown. I know people who make excuses (perhaps I do too sometimes); excuses that sound plausible but when you really look at them they are just excuses. We can build beautiful looking gates of excuses but we are only fooling ourselves.

Life with God is an adventure, but adventures usually hold challenge. Challenge is uncomfortable but it's good for us. Joshua could have chosen to stay imprisoned in the wilderness rather than step into the river and experience God's delivering power at work in bringing them into their promised inheritance. God knew this was a challenge for Joshua, he had to fill Moses' very big shoes, so he encouraged Joshua with words that we can use in our own challenges. "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9. Take a risk today and step out from behind those bars and live life with God. Trust Him, He will go with you, do not be afraid.

Heavenly Father, help me to see if I have any prison bars that are preventing me from stepping out into all that you have for me. Help me to face life's adventures with you, in the full knowledge that you will not fail me. Amen

Now is the time...... To Stop

Why arouse my anger by burning incense to the idols you have made in Egypt? You will only destroy yourselves...... Jeremiah 44:8

Recently I had to walk past a shop advertising psychic readings and other 'new age' things. The smell of incense almost knocked me over and the door wasn't even open. I can't imagine how people breathed inside the shop!

Incense seems to have become a vogue thing to have in one's home but because it is so commonly tied to the new age world I wouldn't think of buying it even though it is not wrong in itself. I can think of plenty of other ways of making my home smell good. It is sad that incense has this kind of connotation nowadays because it was widely used in the worship of God under the old covenant and some churches still use it today. It is yet another 'God thing' that Satan has hijacked for his own purposes.

The children of Israel in the reading today were by this time in Egypt and had taken on the worship of foreign gods, a practice that had angered God because, as he told them, it would destroy them. God had commanded them to worship him only, he was their protector, provider and they had been warned many times of the consequence of idol worship. They did not listen.

I am fairly sure that no one reading this will be burning incense to idols, but we may have idols in our lives which pose as harmless yet hinder our relationship with God and can destroy us if we don't listen to the Holy Spirit's warnings. What kind of things could these idols be? Perhaps relationships that are not healthy for us, too much television, over- indulgence in food or alcohol, sport or other past times. Even our work or ministry can become an idol if it steals time from us developing our relationship with God by spending time in studying God's word and prayer, having fellowship with other believers, serving in the church or other parts of God's Kingdom.

It is always good to stop and take stock of our lives every now and again. It may be that we are heading down the track of making some legitimate thing an idol in our lives. Let's allow the Holy Spirit to speak to our hearts today and let Jesus really be Lord of our lives. Let's pray the prayer that David prayed in Psalm 139:23-24

Prayer: Search me O God, try me and see if there is any wicked way in me and lead me in the path that leads to life. Amen

Now is the time ....... To Wait

Ten days later the Lord gave his reply to Jeremiah. Jeremiah 42:7

In this day of instant gratification, emails, sms and all things fast, we have lost the art of waiting. I confess that I need to learn patience with wait-staff in cafes after years of fast and great service in Asian restaurants. I am so thankful that God is patient with me.

The people of Judah were in crisis at this point in their history (read Jeremiah 42 & 43). Babylon had captured and now ruled their land. At yet another low point in their lives they cried out to the prophet Jeremiah to "Beg the Lord your God to show us what to do and where to go" (42:3). (Isn't it interesting that they weren't taking ownership of God but were wanting his help!) "All right," Jeremiah replied, "I will pray to the Lord your God and I will tell you everything he says..... " (42:4). (Jeremiah reminds them that God is indeed still their God in spite of their disobedience.)

It took 10 days for the answer to come from God - that's slower than most 'snail mail! Sometimes we just need to wait awhile and be patient for God to answer us. Those times are a little dark, like this picture I chose, but we need to be sure that God will answer us as he did the Judeans. I'm sure he doesn't have to think about the answer but he probably knows it's a good thing for us to have to wait sometimes.

The answer that came was not what the people wanted to hear. They were unhappy under Babylonian rule and they feared their captors - in a nutshell, they wanted out, but God said, "Stay in the land.... I am with you. Do not fear the king of Babylon any more.... I will rescue you from his power and make him kind so he will let you stay in your land." (vs 10-12).To me that was a very clear and reassuring answer from God yet the people were angry and accused Jeremiah of lying. Amazingly the people refused to believe the answer and set off to 'rescue themselves' by going to Egypt (vs 43). This turned out to be the death of all but a few.

Sometimes we find ourselves in a difficult and uncomfortable situation and we just want to run away, hide or find some other way of escape to make us feel better. It is good in those times to remember that God is with us - he's promised that he will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). We need to wait and allow him to do whatever work of character-building he wants to do, or perhaps he just wants us to realise in a fresh way how good he is in every situation.

Prayer: Father God, thank you that you are faithful and all wise; that you know about every situation and detail of my life. Help me to trust you in the uncomfortable times as well as in the good times. Amen

Now is the time..... To Hang On

God blesses you when you are mocked and persecuted and lied about because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted too. Matthew 5:11-12 NLT

A few months ago I came into my den and noticed this big beetle hanging onto the fly screen. Of course I had to take a photo, I knew there was a Daydrops just waiting to be written!

Recently I have been reading in Jeremiah and wonder again at the obedience and tenacity of Jeremiah, sometimes known as the weeping prophet because of the great anguish he felt knowing the destruction that was coming upon the disobedient and rebellious people he was sent to bring God's warning to.

During his time in prison God told him to write the prophecies from the past and send them to the king which he and Baruch his friend and scribe faithfully did. The king just cut up the scroll and burned it, showing no repentance at all. Again God told Jeremiah to write and again he was obedient. Later he was reported by the officials for telling people to surrender to the enemy and so save their lives (Jeremiah 38). With the king's permission Jeremiah was imprisoned but not just in the normal prison. They lowered him into an empty cistern in the prison yard where his feet stood in a layer of mud. They wanted Jeremiah to die of hunger, because as far as they were concerned he was a trouble-maker. But God provided someone to be an advocate for Jeremiah. Ebed-melech pleaded for Jeremiah's life and was allowed to rescue him from the well.

I expect that Jeremiah also expected that his task was finished and his end had come. He probably wondered why God would allow him to be in such a horrible place, but in that ghastly cistern he was not forgotten, God made a way of escape.

Perhaps you feel that you are trapped in a hole at the moment. You feel a prisoner of circumstances, persecution, sickness or adversity. Perhaps you feel that God won't or can't help you. You may even be so discouraged that you've stopped talking to God because you think he's forgotten you. Fear not, His love never fails (Lamentations 3:22), keep hanging on and keep expecting Him to rescue you. Remind yourself of His faithfulness and hold onto your faith. Remember that his promise is "He knows where I am... and when he has tested me I will come forth as gold". (Job 23:10) Job trusted God and knew how to hang on in difficulty.

It is so important for us to store up the word of God in our hearts so that it rises up in us when we most need to be encouraged by it. Sometimes when we read we think we have forgotten what we read, but the Holy Spirit can bring all things to our remembrance. We just need to do the work of sowing it into our hearts by regular study. We won't always understand why God allows us to go through some difficult things but we can be sure that through it all he is with us and working to deepen and strengthen our faith.

Prayer: Loving God, thank you for the truth of your word that you will never leave me nor forsake me. Help me to always believe and trust in you no matter how hard my circumstances appear to be for a time. Amen

Now is the time..... To Clean Up

All his life Joash did what was pleasing in the Lord's sight because Jehoiada the priest instructed him. Yet even so, he did not destroy the pagan shrines, and the people still offered sacrifices and burned incense there. 2 Kings 12:2-3

Some years ago during one of our many lakeside walks Col was irked by an old vinyl covered mattress that had obviously fallen off a boat years before and become water-logged near the water's edge. Finally one day he couldn't bear it any longer and he decided to try and move it. It was quite a mission and took a few days of gradually pulling it clear of the water and then squeezing and rolling it till it was finally light enough for him to dispose of. What a man!!

As I am reading through the book of 2nd Kings right now and the story of good king Joash who began his reign at the age of 6 under the watchful eye of Jehoiada the priest, I was taken by these verses above. It is interesting to me that Jehoiada did not advise that these shrines be taken away. We don't know the reason but even so, they were obviously displeasing to the Lord. Perhaps Jehoiada had a mind to compromise just a little to keep the people happy. We don't know.

What we do know is that it is quite possible for us to follow the Lord and yet still allow things in our lives that are not entirely pleasing to Him. It may be our attitude towards our spouse or a family member, it may be dishonesty in business or paying taxes. Perhaps it is spending time with people who are not helpful to our walk with God; gossip, unforgiveness, pornography, spiritual laziness..... it could be any number of things. So why should we do a clean up?

I was watching a Youtube clip of a plane crash at an airshow with my pilot husband recently and he pointed out where the guy went wrong.... actually this 'cowboy pilot' did a lot of things wrong before he finally died. But what Col pointed out was how low and steep his angle was and that the aircraft was 'dirty'. In other words he had lots of flap hanging out which causes drag so the aircraft doesn't fly properly. This time his sloppy ways caused this pilot's death and the crew with him.

The things that we allow in our lives which are 'dirty' have the same effect in the final result as the flaps hanging out on an aircraft. They cause drag and so we lose momentum and at worst we can crash. They may not even be particularly sinful things but if they are not helpful then let's get rid of them. Paul said "All things are permissable for me but not everything is beneficial." 1 Corinthians 6:12. The writer in Hebrews exhorts us to ".....let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress." Hebrews 12:1 NLT.

It is time to find out what is holding us down, dragging us down and slowing down our spiritual progress. These things affect our functioning in the Kingdom of God and it's time to wake up and be active for God. He has gifted us and called us for such a time as this. Find out where you are supposed to fit in the Kingdom and be effective. One day we will all stand before the Lord and be called to give an account of how we have lived our lives for him. (Romans 14:12 and 1 Corinthians 3:12-15). Let's be ready for that time.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for the gifts that you have given to me. Help me to clean up my life so that I can be more effective in my service to you. Help me to count each day as my last so that I will not be ashamed to stand before your judgment seat. Thank you for your grace and mercy to help me on this journey. Amen

Now is the time.... To Do Your Best

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed....
2 Timothy 2:15

Every now and again something just touches me in a way that inspires me to be more than just mediocre. This time it was watching a cellist in an orchestra play her heart out in an amazing solo item on stage. Her eyes were closed in concentration and she just went for it. We all knew that this didn't just happen, it was the culmination of years of practice and no doubt, at times, frustration and pain. But what she gave me that night was a gift that delighted my senses and inspired me to be the best that I can be.

This past weekend at our church, Olympic Gold medallist swimmer Duncan Armstrong delighted us with stories of his career including his 1988 world record win in Seoul, Korea. He spoke of weeks, months, in fact 4 years of intense training which led up to that 1 minute and 47 second swim which took him to fame overnight.

We may never be performing on a world stage of any kind, but for each of us God has a purpose, a time in history (his story) that He has purposed for us to fulfil in a way that no one else can. Not one of us knows when that time is. Some of us may have some idea about God's destiny for us but usually we do not know the timing. Ours is but to work, train and prepare and be ready for God's time. Training involves hard work, pain, dedication, time and commitment. Those who train for their passion give up their sleep, time and comfort in order to become the best that they can be.

Our life as a Christian should be our passion. We will reap a far greater reward than '10 minutes of fame' on earth. Our reward is eternal. What are we willing to endure for our passion? The apostle Paul endured great hardship and persecutions for his faith, but he looked to the future glory and so should we. Sometimes we forget our destiny in the day to day drudgery. Let us look with anticipation and let us train well for our part in God's Kingdom. In doing so we will be found well pleasing to God and maybe we will even inspire others to be the best that they can be just as that musician did for me !

Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for calling me into your kingdom and preparing me for your purposes. Help me to cooperate with your Holy Spirit to train and be ready to fulfil all that you have planned for me to do. Amen

Now is the Time.... to Give Thanks

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

In Australia, May 28 has been designated National Thanksgiving Day. The idea is to send messages to people who have been a help, encouragement or blessing to you in the past year. It's not a bad idea to be reminded to be thankful to those we may otherwise take for granted and bless them back.

However God's will for us is that we maintain a thankful spirit. there are many, many scriptures which encourage the giving of thanks to God, and after all it is "in Him we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28); every breath we take is a gift and worthy of our thanks.

People often have a problem with the idea of being thankful for everything and I can understand that. In the past I have been quick to point out that this verse in Thessalonians does say "IN everything" and not FOR everything, but as I searched for this verse I came across Ephesians 5:20 which does indeed say "giving thanks always FOR all things to God the Father in the name of Jesus Christ". Mmmmm, I had to reconsider my thoughts and modify my 'theology' because it can be very difficult to give thanks FOR everything; so why would we do it? How do you give thanks for impossible life situations, tough times, trouble, persecution, tragedy and so on?

In Thessalonians it states clearly that thankfulness is God's will for us. His will is always for our benefit. The benefit of thankfulness is that it takes our eyes off our situation and turns them towards God - that's always beneficial for us. When we turn towards God and look into his word we find comfort, strength and hope for a future that will be better. After all doesn't his word tell us that his plans for us are to give us a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11)? His will is to bless us; just the same as we want to bless our children and see them do well in this world. So how does that work?

I don't believe that God sends us trials to make us miserable, but he allows them to come in order to develop our character and to grow us in areas of patience, perseverance and faith; to give us life experiences in which we learn to lean on him and receive comfort from him so that we can be a comfort to others who experience similar trials (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). there is nothing like receiving encouragement from someone who knows what you are going through because they have been there themselves.

To see that God can use trials for our benefit and blessing is to enable us to give thanks in and for everything. When we can do that we are growing in trust and faith and God is pleased with us. Keep trust that the end will come, darkness will turn to dawn, mourning into dancing, weeping to joy. Relief is on its way and thanksgiving will make our burdens lighter as we trust our God.

Prayer: Dear Father, thank you for your promise of a future filled with hope. Thank you for your faithfulness to me which is constant in spite of my weakness. Amen

Now is the time...... To Check for Holes!

Then Moses told them, "Do not keep any [manna] overnight." But, of course, some of them didn't listen and kept some of it until morning. By then it was full of worms and had a terrible smell. Exodus 16:19-20

Last week I made the mistake of picking a small rose from the tub on my front deck because I really wanted a flower on the counter in front of my kitchen sink. I had been watching this little rose for a while and I noticed that some insect had been chewing at it but I thought that it would be okay - I was desperate!

The first mistake I made with this rose was that I hadn’t cared for it properly, that is, I hadn’t been diligent in spraying it to protect it from the insects. The second mistake I made was trying to use it to decorate my kitchen. Why was that you ask? Because as the bud began to open it became apparent that there was a hole right near the centre of my rose (see picture), and a mess began to appear on the counter. You see the little worm was still at work feeding on this beautiful flower and ‘recycling’ the waste. I felt a bit like Jonah when he got angry at a worm eating his shade plant!

So why am I writing about this? Because the thought that came to me is that we often have worms ‘eating at us’ and sometimes we don’t realise the mess we make, which other people then have to suffer or perhaps even clean up. If we are holey and not holy we cause a lot of problems in the body of Christ, or with family, friends and colleagues.

We need to have the courage to examine ourselves and see if there are areas that need cleaning up. There can be holes of hurt from past abuse, (verbal and emotional abuse can be just as damaging as sexual abuse). You may have holes from disappointments suffered in broken relationships or there may be bitterness, anger or unforgiveness from situations that you have either faced in the past or are facing right now. I promise you that if you do have these, they will be eating away at you just as that little (unseen) worm was eating away at my rose. You may think these things are well hidden but I can assure you that our insecurities and ‘issues’ do show up….. sometimes to everyone but us! If you are very brave you could ask a wise and trusted, loving friend to suggest any area of weakness that is obvious to them.

We need to do ourselves, (and those around us), a favour and face the worms and find healing at the cross of Jesus Christ. We can bring our ‘baggage’ and leave it with Jesus; and we need to if we are to live lives that will demonstrate the love, grace and power of God. If we refuse to deal with our stuff then our lives will be like the manna that the Israelites held onto overnight when they were told not to. We will be full of worms and have an unpleasant smell. There, I’m kind to you…. I didn’t say you would stink as the King James version says! Our lives are to be a sweet-smelling aroma of Christ to all we meet. Is yours?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, please help me to honestly face my issues and bring them to you for healing. In Jesus’ name. Amen

Now is the time.... To Be Renewed

…….arrayed in holy garments, your vigour will be renewed each day like the morning dew. Psalm 110:3 (NLT)

There is no better time to be reminded that there is renewal of strength available to us than right now. As I write we are already into the second month of a new year that will bring new challenges.

After the Christmas holidays (which last for a few weeks here in Australia) I am finding it a little difficult to get my mind and body geared up for what is proving to be a busy and challenging first half of this year. Though not so challenging and heartbreaking as thousands of people in our land who are dealing with severe floods in the north and south and fires in the west. Many have lost everything but their lives and our heartfelt prayers go heavenward for them.

What a comfort the word of God is just when we need it; “As your days, so shall your strength be….” (Deuteronomy 33:25); “those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength;” (Isaiah 40:31); “The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped;” (Psalm 28:7). There are so many passages of comfort and encouragement for us as believers to grab a hold of and walk in.

The scripture at the top of this devotional grabbed my attention late last year. The full verse reads “In that day of battle, your people will serve you willingly. Arrayed in holy garments, your vigor will be renewed each day like the morning dew.” What a promise to have. There will be battles this year, maybe not severe ones for you personally, but you will know people who face battles; sickness, loss, loneliness, fear and so on. For those times, the word of God gives us clear promises to believe. You will see that there is almost a condition here. It says “arrayed in holy garments…..” . What does that mean for us? I think it means that we put on the garment of salvation and the robe of righteousness that Jesus has given to us (Isaiah 61:10), we put on the garment of praise (Isaiah 61:3) and we put on the whole armour of God (Ephesians 6:11). If we array ourselves in these garments the promise is that our strength will be renewed each day for whatever we face. Hallelujah!

Not only that we will be in a position to take up the challenge that Jesus gave Peter before he realised that he wasn’t as strong as he thought he was…. “But I have prayed for you, that your faith fail not: and when you are converted, strengthen thy brethren.” (Luke 22:32). We need to realise that we need to walk in His strength, His power, His righteousness, His holiness. We do not rely on ourselves because without Him we are nothing. Then we can strengthen those around us.

Prayer: Jesus, my Saviour and my friend, help me to walk through this year strengthened in the knowledge that I can do nothing without you, but with you I can do all things with you. Amen