His Plan

A man’s heart plans his way,  But the LORD directs his steps. Proverbs 16:9

 

In our fast changing world it seems that nothing is certain anymore.  We can so easily feel insecure and unsafe.  We make our plans, and so we should, but in the end we do not have the final say of how things will work out.  Colin and I decided earlier this year that he would retire mid 2014 and we would return to our roots.  We have deposited on a retirement villa in Nelson, New Zealand very near my sister. 

 

Yes, we have made a decision and put our home on the market and are working towards our desired end, yet always keeping in mind this verse above, that though we make our plans, in the end it is the Lord who directs our steps.  We are happy to leave it in His hands knowing and trusting His wisdom. We can do that because we have experienced His faithfulness and His ordering of our ways in all of our life.  This morning I thought of His wonderful ordering of lives in days gone by, and the LIFE that we celebrate this Christmas season.

 

Out of eternity God moved upon one woman to birth His age-old plan for our world.  Out of eternity God stirred the heart of one Roman governor to call a census in the foreign land he ruled; a census that would move His plan for that woman's child to be brought to the place of birth prophesied so long ago - Bethlehem (Micah 5:2).  A busy, overcrowded town full of visitors for the census.  A stable, a cattle trough, no nice furniture - not much of a place for Greatness to be birthed, but it was!

 

On a hillside shepherds had their evening conversation dramatically interrupted by a glorious heavenly chorus they would long speak of with wonder.  The birth, not announced to a waiting crowd outside palace gates, but to humble shepherds alone on a hillside.  And wise men watching for signs in the heavens were led from a far off land to worship this King.

 

Thirty years pass, shrouded mostly in silence; a growing, learning time, a training for reigning time.  This King was to experience what it was like to be part of a family, to learn a trade, to grieve the loss of His earthly dad, take responsibility for His mother.  All the time knowing that there was a master plan; and waiting patiently for that time to be revealed.

 

Then three short but highly significant, world-changing years came.  God living among mankind, not a conquering hero but a servant of love with a message of life.  Then, from what appeared to be shame, defeat and failure was born the greatest victory - victory over sin, death and the grave. His plan fulfilled - peace and relationship restored between God and man.  Sins forgiven, hope restored.

 

God was in it all and His purposes continue to be worked out through insignificant lives today because He came that dark night long ago and shone His light into our world, a light which overcame the darkness of centuries in a moment of time. A light and hope that we can choose to live in.
 

Today God continues to move, unseen by most, but those who look, expect and hope, will see and partner in His plan, a plan that will bring His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Each of us has a part to play in His scheme of things that is important, no matter how great or small our part.  Come let us worship and bow down again before our amazing Lord Jesus Christ, God made flesh, and in His presence find our purpose refreshed for the coming year.  He is still moving in eternity, to accomplish His grand plan of which you are a part.  In Him we live and move and have our being.  Hallelujah!

 

God bless you this Christmas and may He find room in your heart for that is where He wants to make His home and fulfill His plan.

 

Prayer:  Great and wonderful God, thank you for your amazing plan which you have included me in.  Come fill me afresh with the wonder of your plan and enable me to trust that you are directing my steps to fulfil your purposes and plans for me.  Amen.

Today

Today you shall be with me in Paradise.  Luke 23:43

While reading Jesus' conversation with one of the criminals as they hung side by side on their crosses I was struck by the different attitudes of the 2 criminals.  One man was harsh and unrepentant, the other's heart was soft and discerning.  The latter admitted he deserved his punishment, but somehow he also knew that Jesus had no place being on that cross, that His punishment was totally undeserved. Perhaps he had been around in the background when Jesus was teaching and his heart had been stirred, but too late to save him from the full force of the law.

As the hard-hearted criminal derided Jesus along with the crowd, this one chided him then spoke directly to Jesus.  "Lord, remember me, when you come into your kingdom."  Jesus' reply was instant and reassuring, "Today you will be with me in paradise."

Today!  The sceptic who knows the Bible may say, "Ah, but the Bible says that Jesus did not immediately go to heaven, he visited the captives in hell, then he wandered the earth for 40 days, appearing to the disciples and others during that time."

That is all true, but Jesus was God in the flesh, and God dwells in eternity.  Where He is it is always TODAY.  When scripture says in Hebrews 3:7-8 ​​“Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion....", that tense never changes.  If you missed the boat yesterday and hardened your heart or failed again in overcoming a weakness, you have a new opportunity today! The Bible says that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, TODAY and forever (Hebrews 13:8).  It also says that His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:23). Hallelujah!

Our God is the God of TODAY, and He is the God of all comfort and mercy.  There is no reason at all why you have to live in your past or remain stuck in your failure.  He makes all things new.  We just have to pick ourselves up, shake off the 'dirt' and come to Him for mercy and grace today. (Hebrews 4:16).  If He could do it for a criminal condemned to die, He can and will do it for you.  Don't wallow in your failure, rejoice in his forgiveness.... TODAY.

Prayer:  Dear Lord, thank you that today is always a new opportunity to walk in the joy of your forgiveness and love.  Help me not to beat myself up over my failures but rather to rejoice in the joy and freedom that your forgiveness brings.  Amen

Freedom

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Galatians 5:1

What do you think of when confronted with the word freedom? Do you thank God that you live in a free country: free to vote, to worship, to marry whomever you choose, to live where you want to live and work at your choice of job?  Yes we have many freedoms not afforded to people in other countries.

As I was reminded of this verse today I thought of  people that we come across all the time who are not really free.  Even though they know Jesus Christ, our freedom-giver, they are still bound in many ways.  The sad thing is that some of them even like their captivity.  It's their comfortable place, and to move out of their captivity poses a threat.  They don't know how they will handle it so they are not willing to take the risk.  Yes, they talk about it, they plan for it but they never quite do it. That's because Satan, the deceiver has told them that freedom will be difficult, short-lived, not attainable and any number of other lies with which he keeps them bound.

So what are some of those bondages? At the risk of making myself unpopular I need to be honest and, at the same time look at my own life to see if there are areas where I am not free.  I'm sure there are.  The bondage of emotional baggage is often at the root of things like wanting to control others, hoarding, obsessive compulsive disorders, eating disorders, chronic illness and weakness.  Emotional baggage results from many things. Abuse, (verbal, sexual or physical), trauma, unresolved grief, unresolved anger, bullying, unfair punishment, unforgiveness...... the list is endless but the torment doesn't have to be. Jesus came to set the captives free and that means any kind of captive.

A captive is one who is locked in. We can be locked into a mindset that is often rooted in believing a lie.  Somewhere deep in our psyche a lie has found its home in us, maybe even when we were a child, through the way we have been treated.  These lies give Satan an open door to build a structure in our thinking that can affect the way we do life forever. He builds a prison and keeps us locked into the lie. We wonder why we can't change our bad habits, attitudes, insecurities.  It's because we are a prisoner.  There is a lie we have believed that we need to uncover, reject and replace with God's truth.  Only then, when we begin to believe the truth can we make the journey into continuing and growing freedom that Christ died for us to receive.

Are you brave enough today to take an honest look inwards and ask Jesus to show you if there is any area of captivity in your life that is stopping you from walking in full freedom?  If so, spend time in His presence, ask him if there is anyone you need to forgive in order to gain your freedom.  It may be even be yourself.

Lord Jesus,  would you shine your light into my heart.  Show me any lie I have believed about myself or others.  Give me a revelation of your truth to replace the lie and help me walk in the freedom that you died for me to walk in.  Amen

Trust - 8

"Return to Me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord of hosts. Zechariah 1:3 

Our friends in the USA are celebrating their wedding anniversary this weekend and to do that they have returned to the city where they were married 45 years ago.  The picture above is one of their memories that she shared.  For a marriage to last this long and this well there has to be trust.

Every successful relationship has to be based on faithfulness and trust. Sometimes trust is broken because we are weak; but if we are truly sorry and repent, trust can, and should, be restored.  God himself sets the ultimate example for this in sending Jesus to die for our sins so that we could be forgiven and our  relationship with him could be restored. 

When we have known the goodness of our wonderful God and we walk away, we actually feel the separation.  Something is missing, the vibrancy, the reassurance if his love, the joy and peace that being in fellowship with him brings. Our spirit actually misses our God relationship, just like we would miss a spouse or a friend. 

The first step is in returning (repentance).  God promises that if his people return to him then he will return to them.  What brings anyone back to a relationship?  It is a deep love for that person. It is love that draws us back.  In the story of the prodigal son (Luke 15), we are given a beautiful example of how the father waits for the son to return.  He doesn't chase him, he just waits day after day, year after year until one day the son returns, repentant and willing now just to be his father's servant.  The father's arms are open and he throws a party, not for the new servant but for the restoration of his son.  That is what God does when we return to him, he is thrilled and overflows with love for us.  There is no judgment, just forgiveness and grace, grace, grace.

 

Often the problem in our returning is that we judge ourselves so we cannot fully embrace the forgiveness that is given.  It is vital that we forgive ourselves or we will become paralysed and not able to move on.  At best we will become stunted.  Trust and humility are involved in forgiving ourselves.  Trust in God's absolute faithfulness to us to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wrong doing (1 John 1:9); but  humility to accept that we are weak, flawed human flesh and do not deserve forgiveness.   If we don't forgive ourselves, then Jesus' death on the cross for our sin was for nothing. 

Don't allow yourself to become paralysed and powerless in the kingdom of God.  Trust in his forgiveness and love, forgive yourself, drop the shame at the foot of the cross where it belongs, then get up and do your part in his work.  You are precious and your gifts are needed.  You have experienced his love in your weakness, you have a testimony. For Jesus' sake, move on.  It's not about you, it's all about Him and His great mercy. 

Prayer:  Loving Father, if there is anything that is paralysing me; if there is anything I have not truly forgiven myself for, would you please show me and help me to fully receive your forgiveness so that I may know your peace and restoration and be fruitful in your Kingdom. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen

Trust - 7

The godly may trip seven times but they will get up again.  Proverbs 24:16

One of the most difficult things for a person who is performance oriented to deal with is failure. Often this is because of how we were raised.  If you were raised in a household where failure incurred a parent's wrath, then it is likely you have an issue with failure.  It was one of the happiest days of my life when I learned to laugh at my mistakes and realised that we all make them and we don't get it right all the time.

Growing up my sister used to say, "You think you are perfect."  In a way she was right because as I look back I can see that I thought I had to be perfect or I wasn't acceptable.  Perfection is a harsh and unreasonable taskmaster.  I am glad that I have learned that it is okay to fail sometimes so long as I get up again.  Failure can be as simple as forgetting to do something we promised to do, speaking an unkind word in haste, having a day when our emotions pull us away from God's love and kindness and take us down Pitiful Path.  It is good to get over our performance problem before we go too far down the geriatric road where we face the reality of not being able to do all that we used to do.  It is not a failure to get old, but if we value ourselves only by what we can accomplish in a day we will fall in a hole.

How we handle failure can show us the true measure of our character.  The Bible says that we may fall often but we will get up.  Well that's good news!  We can do that because the Lord will offer us a helping if we allow him, and he will lift us up. Psalm 145:14 says "The Lord helps the fallen and lifts those bent beneath their loads." In times past I have looked at that hand and said, "Thank you Lord that you forgive me but I think I need to stay down here in the dirt a bit longer and beat up on myself. I haven't served my full punishment yet."  Sound ridiculous? Yes it is but some of us do that.

Jesus holds out his hand to lift us up because he is not surprised that we fail. He knows that we are dust, he doesn't discard us because He already paid the price, took the punishment for our sin.  To refuse his helping hand is to say that what he did is not complete and you know that's not true!  By refusing to forgive ourselves we fall into Pride Pothole!  That is something we want to avoid with everything  in us. Pride causes us to pretend everything is all right when we are falling apart inside.  Pride causes us to think that our sin is so unforgivable that we have to beat ourselves up.

So what is the answer?  It is to reach up and like a little child, look into Papa God's eyes and receive His help.  That is trust, childlike trust in a loving Father.  That's what pleases the Father's heart.  If you don't believe me go read the parable of the prodigal son again.

Prayer:  Papa God, thank you that you will always lift me up when I fall or fail.  Help me to receive your help and forgiveness and not feel that I have to perform for your approval, because your word tells me that you loved me and died for me even before I knew you, and your love for me never changes.  Amen

Trust - 6

And I’ll sit back and say to myself, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come. Now take it easy! Eat, drink, and be merry!”’  Luke 12:19

For people approaching retirement age, (and for Australia that is a huge percentage of the population,) the temptation is to look at your superannuation or savings and think it won't be enough. And it may not be.  It was however, not like that for the man in the parable Jesus told in Luke chapter 12.  He had an abundance of wealth to see him through.  But that night was to be his last. Death knocked at his door. Jesus told this parable to show how foolish it is to put our trust in money rather than making sure we are ready to face our maker. This man thought he had it made.  Just build some bigger barns to store his wealth and live off that for the rest of his life. But life, for him, was done.

The apostle Paul was grateful when he wrote to the Philippians to thank them for sending him money.  He said, "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want"(Phil 4:12).  Paul didn't have a credit card to rely on, only the Lord and the generosity of His people.  But that meant he probably wasn't in debt either! 

Trusting in our bank balance can limit our lives in so many ways.  We may feel called by God to some special task but if all we can see is the lack of money in our bank to follow through with it we may never be obedient.  Did you know that God will provide all your needs according to his riches in Christ Jesus and that if he calls you to a task He surely plans to provide the necessary finance for you to do it.  If you had what was needed up front you wouldn't have to trust God and thereby have the joy of seeing him provide.

In the same way retirement is a step of faith.  Not one of us knows what tomorrow will bring and we should never trust in our savings to carry us through this life in our closing days.  We've seen plenty of global financial crises in the past few decades so we should know better than to trust in our money.  Rather, let us be open to God's leading in our last years.  Our 'use by date' is not passed until we move to heaven.  God has a task for each day, whether big or small and we do it because we are to live for His glory.  Trusting God in our finances will enable us to be free to do His will and bring him glory in the tasks he calls us to.

Prayer:  My God, my provider, help me to trust you rather than my bank balance.  You are faithful always and will never let me down.  Amen
 

Trust - 5

We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Isaiah 64:6

When a Pharisee hosted Jesus to dinner he got more than he expected (Luke 11:37-38). We don't know if the man actually voiced his thoughts, it just says that 'he marvelled' that Jesus sat down to dinner without doing the ceremonial hand washing that was so important to the Pharisees.  Jesus heard him anyway and launched into a stream of 'woes' against the Pharisees hypocritical, religious ways.  At first glance it may seem to us that this was rather rude of Jesus to do this in his host's home and certainly he placed himself at risk of being out out on the street before dinner!

However, there was something more important than food to Jesus.  It was that this man know the truth that would set him free (John 8:32).  The truth that Jesus needed to convey to him and his religious friends was... 'trusting in your religious rituals will do you no good and win you no prizes with God'.  They were trusting in their own outward piety and good works, but God looks at our heart (1 Samuel 16:7).  They were concerned about cleaning up their outside, but their hearts looked putrid to God.  If they didn't change their ways they would incur God's judgment.  Jesus didn't want them to miss out on the blessing of God's favour.

God's approval will never be given on the basis of our good works no matter how good they are.  We can never be good enough for God which is why he sent His son Jesus Christ to be the perfect, sinless sacrifice for our sins.  Jesus had God's approval as the 'spotless lamb of God' and he died so that we might obtain the forgiveness that would qualify us for God's favour and eternal life.

It is such a temptation to try and perform our way into heaven but it will never do. We can never be good enough. It will just discourage us as we continually disappoint ourselves by our failures.  Trusting in Jesus as the one who died for our sins and has clothed us with his righteousness will release us from works and free us to walk in the joy of our salvation.

Even if we have been Christians for a long time, it is still good to have an honest look at ourselves to make sure that we are not going through religious ritual thinking that it will impress God.  He is only impressed by Jesus!

Prayer:  Loving God, thank you for providing a way for me to be acceptable in your sight which does not depend upon my good works.  Help me to remember always that trusting in Jesus' death on the cross for me is the only 'ticket' into heaven.  Amen

Trust - 4

But Moses protested to God, "Who am I to appear before Pharaoh....?"  God answered, "I will be with you." 
 Exodus 3:11-12

Can you recall a time when you were asked to take on a task and your immediate response was, "Oh no, I could never do that!"?   Perhaps it was something in the workforce and you didn't have a choice so you did it afraid.  Perhaps it was a position in Christian ministry in your church or on a committee or Board; perhaps it was something you felt God wanted you to do but you really didn't want to do it at all.

There is a man whose story I was reading again recently who was in just such a position, except that this man had very real cause for concern when God spoke to him.  It was a pretty scary time in the history of the early church and Christians were dispersing from Jerusalem for fear of threats to their lives or at least imprisonment which may end in the arena with hungry lions.  One Saul of Tarsus was a scholar and zealous for his Jewish faith.  He knew the scriptures and knew them well.  He knew that the Christians were wrong and he was out to get rid of them.  He would put an end to this "Jesus nonsense" once and for all.  So, armed with letters permitting him to arrest any 'people of the Way' he could find and bring them back to Jerusalem for trial, he set out on his mission.

Nearing Damascus he was blinded by a great light, fell to the ground, heard a voice and asked a question, "Who are you Lord?"  Yes, Saul had an encounter with Jesus Christ and his life was changed forever.    It is the man who was sent to him that caught my attention.  His name was Ananais and the Lord appeared to him in a vision and told him that he should go the house of  Judas and there he would find Saul of Tarsus who was blind.  Ananais' mission was to pray that Saul's sight would be restored.  Now that was a scary mission. " Really Lord?  Don't you know that he's come to kill us all?"  But the Lord told Ananais that he had chosen Saul to carry His name to the Gentiles and in doing so he would suffer much for his message.  This was a huge trust challenge for Ananais.

I thought about Ananais and what he was called to do was; what if he had refused to do it?  Well, no doubt God would have found someone who was willing.  But what if this was to be Ananais' main mission in his whole life and he had missed it through fear and disobedience?  We don't hear of Ananais again but his trust-filled obedience set in motion a whole new part of God's plan to reach mankind.  His one act of obedience opened Saul's eyes to a whole new way of thinking and living.  Now that was radical, but he could have missed his place in history if he had not been obedient.

Is there something God has asked you to do and so far you have resisted?  Perhaps you ought to think again, because if God asked you to do it, then he has also provided the ability and resources for you to accomplish it.  Perhaps your act of obedience will open to you a whole new way of living and ministering or maybe your praying for someone will open the way for their greatness in God's kingdom.  Perhaps this opportunity is what you were created for.  Don't brush it off.  If you are scared, then "do it afraid", as Joyce Meyer says, but do it anyway.

Prayer:  Father, please give me courage to obey you when I feel inadequate so that I allow you to accomplish through me, what you have created me to do.  Amen

Trust - 3

Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5

This week I have been looking into the difference between the words 'believe', 'trust' and 'faith'.  In checking them out in Strong's Bible Concordance I find them to be quite similar which is not very surprising, but I thought it worth the exercise.  Believe is to support, confirm, be faithful and uphold.  Trust is to have confidence in, trust in, be bold, be secure. Faith means firmness, fidelity, steadfastness and steadiness.

I thought this picture illustrates quite well the belief, trust and faith of the people who live in these 'island homes' and use this walkway which connects them to the mainland.  To me the bridge/path looks uneven and not particularly safe yet I am sure these people use the path confidently on a regular basis.  They probably don't even think about whether or not it will hold them because they are familiar with it and have gone this way so many times.  If I were to go for a visit, (perish the thought), I know that I would want a walking stick for extra balance and I know that I would have to watch my feet every step of the way, because my confidence in the safety of the path would not be strong.

When Joshua was given the incredible responsibility of leading the Israelites into the promised land God spoke these words to him, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God [is] with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9.
Even though Joshua had spent much time alone with God in the tabernacle and much time in the presence of Moses where miracle after miracle had kept the people alive in the wilderness, God still had to encourage Joshua with these words to build his faith.

There come times in our lives when God requires us to step out on new and unfamiliar paths that will stretch our confidence and even our willingness to trust Him.  Those are the times we need to go back to His promises and support our faith with the faithfulness and truth of His Word.  The Word is the foundation for our belief, faith and trust in Him who is always faithful.  It is our 'walking stick' if you like which aids us greatly in our times of walking in unfamiliar territory.

I have written this before but it is a good illustration from my own experience.  In 1976 when we were preparing to go to Papua New Guinea I asked God to confirm our plans through a specific word to me.  Three times, over a number of weeks, I came across this scripture in different ways (one time it was even on a picture in a house I had not visited before); "If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand will lead me, your right hand will hold me." Psalm 139:10.  And He did!

Prayer:  Faithful God, help me to realize that there will be times when I feel you are asking me to go out on shaky ground.  But help me to draw near to you and trust you to bring me safely through.  Amen

Trust - 2

The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes.  He is close to those who trust in him.
Nahum 1:7

If you haven't read the previous Daydrops, Trust - 1, please do so now as this is a continuation of the thoughts begun there.  Also you may like to remind yourself of what I wrote last week.  How did you do on bringing God's will to earth?  I know I missed it a few times but let's keep working on it!

There is nothing more comforting, when you are in a place you are not familiar with, to have someone to guide you and give you local information.  Some time ago we were in a huge traffic hold up in North Sydney on our way home and Colin headed off down a side street and wound his way through beautiful leafy suburbs.  I had no idea of the direction we were heading after so much twisting and turning but he knew, because he'd been that way before and he soon brought us out onto the highway past the blockage.

When we get into a tough place and try to rely on our own resources, strength and wisdom, to find a way out instead of inviting Jesus to come and guide us through, we risk 'getting lost' and lengthening our journey.  However, it takes trust to invite him to come and take the steering wheel that we so badly want to keep hold of.

Nahum says "He is close to those who trust in him."  Trust is like a magnet for God.  He is drawn to those who trust in him. In fact he can't resist it.  It releases his power to go to work on our behalf. Think of the response of a loving father whose child says, "Daddy, please show me what to do," or "please can you help me with this...".  The heart of a father is drawn to give help and guidance and is delighted to do so. 

James 1:5 says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him."  This verse tells me that God is simply 'hanging out' for us to call on him for help and he is ready with open-handed liberality.  

Not all of us have had a good father role model and this can be a hindrance to our being able to trust God as a father.  If this is an issue for you try and find a good 'earthly father', look at how he relates to his family in love, protection, provision, kindness and wisdom and then realize that this is what God our heavenly Father is like, and so much more.  Then ask yourself why you should not trust such a One.  He is worthy of our full trust.  Draw near to him in faith and enjoy Him. God is good.

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, thank you for being the very essence of  love and goodness.  Please help me to trust you fully with my life in every situation I face and each ordinary day. Amen

Trust - 1

The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes.  He is close to those who trust in him. Nahum 1:7

Recently I prayed with a lady whose life is filled with trouble.  Having dealt with breast cancer in the past couple of years, she is now having chemo for lung cancer.  She is a believer but she told me that when she was diagnosed with lung cancer she had drawn away from God but now she was coming back.  It was so good to be able to remind her that God is indeed good and that he had not sent this; that the enemy of our souls, the devil is the one who comes to rob, kill and destroy, and that Jesus came that we might have abundant life (John 10:10).  The devil's mission is to destroy our future, our hope and the purpose that God has put us on earth to fulfil. Jesus mission was to stop the enemy's destruction and to take back the ground that had been given to the devil when Adam and Eve sinned.

This verse from Nahum tells us that the Lord is good, and that he is a strong refuge when trouble comes.  We all need a strong place to run to when trouble comes; why then do we often turn away from the One who can help us?  I believe that the simple answer to this is that we believe the lies that the enemy puts into our vulnerable mind.  Lies which Christians often buy into so easily.  Lies like, 'God doesn't really love me or he wouldn't have let this happen to me', God has sent this to teach me a lesson', 'God wants me to glorify him in my suffering'.  Lies which we may not actually give voice to, but which we allow to niggle in the back of our mind.  Doubts!

Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8).  How did he demonstrate this during his time on earth?  He went about doing good, healing all who were oppressed by the devil (Acts 10:38). He came to show us what God wanted us to continue.  "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.." We can pray those words without really thinking into them, but if we stop a moment and consider them, it will change our way of doing things.  Selah.... pause and reflect.

I was going to keep writing but I feel that I need to leave you to reflect on those words this week and I will continue with part 2 in my next Daydrops.

Prayer:  Lord help me to reflect on these simple yet very important words.  Keep me mindful of your desire to bring heaven to earth, so that I become an active part in the answer to my prayer, recognizing that Jesus lives and works in and through me.  Amen

Keys to Growth - 9

I am the vine, you are the branches.  He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.  John 15:5

This photo was taken at the cellar door of a vineyard in the Hunter Valley. This grapevine was trained up a veranda post and was only there for decoration but it was preparing to bear fruit just like its cousins in the vineyard nearby because fruit bearing is in its DNA.  Given the right conditions of nutrients and climate it couldn't help but bear fruit.

Jesus likened our relationship with him, and our ability to bear fruit, to a vine.  He said that if we stay connected to him and allow his life to flow into us we cannot help but bear his kind of fruit.  How do we do that? Further on in verse 7 he says it again with an addition... "...if you abide in me and my words abide (remain) in you, you may ask for anything you want and it will be given to you." (NLT).  That seems like such a simple promise but sometimes we misunderstand it.  That's why we have to read in context and compare scripture with scripture so that we get understanding.  God is not just going to give us whatever we ask for, like a father spoiling his child.  There is a purpose to his giving, and that is found in the following verse (8), to bring glory to God.

The key to this is in the abiding which is to be vitally connected to Jesus and having his words residing within us, not just in a head knowledge way but in a way that gives us intimate understanding of His ways and desires for His children.  Proverbs, the book of wisdom. speaks a lot about getting understanding.  Get wisdom but also get understanding (Prov 4:7).

 I think we all like that verse in Psalms 37:4 which says, "Delight yourself in the Lord and He shall give you the desires of your heart."   The promise is conditional; we first have to delight, make merry, rejoice, in the Lord.  To do that we need to know him, have a relationship with him which means we have to spend time with him, get to know him and how wonderful he is, then we take pleasure in him.

It is an ongoing challenge for me to spend meaningful time with Jesus.  It's not easy to quiet myself  and my mind for long enough to hear him clearly but when I take the time to nestle into his presence and allow his words to soak into my being and become a very part of me, I truly become delighted with him.  When I am delighted with him, he becomes my heart's desire.  Fruit bearing then just happens.  Just like the vine, we don't have to struggle and push and try hard to bear fruit, it will come naturally.  The struggle is about making the decision to spend time with God, alone in his presence.
Will you join me in a new season of actively pursuing his presence to allow the nutrients of his Word and Spirit to bring forth a harvest in us that will bring him glory?  It will be worth it.

Prayer:  Lord Jesus, help me to take the time to delight myself in you so that I will bear much fruit for your glory, for I cannot do it without abiding in you.  Amen

 

Keys to Growth - 8

.....let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God.  Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.  1 John 4:7

At the time Colin and I were married we were not walking closely with God but we chose 1 Corinthians 13 (commonly known as "the love chapter") to be read at our wedding.  That's what many people do.  The challenge is then to walk that out in life, through thick and thin.  Sometimes we succeed and sometimes we fail.

For Christians, love should be the hallmark of our lives. Not the romantic, ooey, gooey kind but the strong love that comes from God.  If we will allow Him, God will pour his love into our hearts.  I know that I need His love in me because my own love is flawed and weak and kind of like this picture of the word written on the seashore, easily washed away.

I love this letter of John because John wrote from his own revelation of the great love that God had for him.  Until we truly feel secure in love it is very difficult to love others.  The world is so hungry for love because we are made in the image of God whose very nature is love. We are made to be lovers - of God first and then of people.  The world has turned that hunger for love into something cheap and nasty, trying to fill the gap in the wrong way.  It's a love that is selfish and wants to receive for itself.

God's love on the other hand is all giving.  It's always there waiting for us to receive.  The difference his love makes to us is that it then causes us to want to love others, whether they love us or not.  We want them to experience the wonder and fulfillment of this love we have found.

You will notice that this verse says, "let us continue to love...".  We can only do that if our hearts are established in His love (Ephesians 3:17).  His love is strong and unchanging, the kind of love that the world is craving.  Having His love will help us to love the unkind, the unlovely and the unloving.  It will test us to the limit at times but as we continue to love, we show that we truly are children of God, with His nature manifesting through us. The kind that drew people to run to Jesus everywhere he went; the kind that resulted in changed lives, healed bodies and mended hearts.  This is our challenge today and everyday - to show that kind of love to our world, starting in our families, our churches and our communities - one person at a time. 

Prayer:  Father God,  I want to receive the fullness of your love so that I can show the world what true love really is, just as Jesus did.  Please fill me afresh and give me opportunities to show your love to others every day, and help me to remember that it won't always be easy.  Amen

Keys To Growth - 7

      Rejoice in the Lord always.  Again I will say, rejoice!  Philippians 4:4

It is easy to read this passage and agree when life is going well and we have plenty to rejoice and be thankful for, but it is quite a different story to rejoice when everything is crashing around you and life seems out of control.  However, I have a feeling that it was for exactly those times that Paul wrote this.  He was a normal person. He wrote in another place that he knew how to "do it tough and how to live well".  He was used to the ups and downs of life.  He suffered more in his life than most of us ever will.

At the time Paul wrote these words he was a prisoner, probably in Rome, not free to come and go, no freedom to travel and encourage the churches as he loved to do.  He didn't know what his future would be and yet he had a key to contentment..... rejoice in the Lord always.  Not now and again, not when things are great, but always, no matter what life's circumstances at that particular time. Though he was in prison Paul didn't let it prevent him from continuing in his ministry.  He wrote letters and received whoever was allowed to come visit him. His life continued to be useful and we still read his 'prison letters' today. 

Why do we need to rejoice? Because to be able to rejoice in a time of trial shows maturity and a level of trust in God's faithfulness.  It means that you are growing, and that's always a good thing! It was in Philippi a few years before, that Paul wrote this letter. He and Silas had been severely beaten and thrown into prison for their faith. Their feet were fastened in stocks - all their freedom taken from them.  Yet in Acts 16:25 we read, "about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them."  Here they were in great pain yet they chose to demonstrate trust in God by singing hymns.  In the midst of their songs the prison doors flew open and everybody's chains were loosed.  Go read the story.

When we choose to rejoice (and sing) in a situation that is difficult, we release our faith and our 'chains' are loosed.  Not only that, people around us will see and they too can experience release from bondage and darkness through our demonstration of faith.  It happened then and it can still happen today.  We are urged in Ephesians 4:15 to "grow up in all things", that includes learning to rejoice always.  Let's do it!

Prayer:  Faithful Lord, thank you for the example and the exhortation of your servant Paul.  Help me to rejoice and be thankful even when life deals me difficulties.  Amen

 

 

Keys to Growth - 6

  .... if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another. 1 John 1:7

Misunderstandings and breakdown in relationships can occur so easily if we are prone to any number of things.  These things can be in the form of dishonesty, unfaithfulness, our own insecurities, jealousy, bigotry, believing lies about ourselves and/or others, and you can probably add your own 'deal-breakers' to my list.  One of the most common ones is possibly a lack of good communication.

There are any number of books written about communication in marriage and how necessary it is, but communication is also necessary to keep any relationship healthy.  Women can tend to have more problems with this than men because generally they seem more inclined to think about relationships more than men do. Also our emotions can be more of a hindrance. That's just how we are.  If a friend, or even a husband, is a bit 'off' with us it is too easy to think we have done something to upset them rather than thinking that perhaps they are not feeling well, or are stressed about something that has nothing to do with us.  When this happens it is the time to pray, but also to gently ask, "Are you okay?". Perhaps you haven't heard from a friend in awhile; instead of thinking that they don't want your friendship and getting upset, a quick call to say "Hi, how are you?" keeps communication open.

It is the same with our relationship with God.  If we make mistakes and beat up on ourselves instead of coming to Him for forgiveness and cleansing, we keep ourselves from freedom and joy.  This affects our whole attitude to others as well.  Believing the lie that God is sick of us sinning so therefore we are unloveable will also block our fellowship with one another.  Allowing ourselves to be forgiven keeps us walking in the light.  It is then so much easier to have fellowship with one another.  The Bible is truth, and so practical for every area of life.

Prayer: Thank you Lord for your Word which is truth. Help me to follow the advice it offers for my success and joy in life.  Please show me if there is anyone I need to make contact with today to restore relationship.  Help me to know when I begin to block your light. Amen

Keys to Growth - 5

...let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. Hebrews 12:1

Have you ever sat on a jumbo jet as it rumbled down the runway and wondered if it was ever going to make it into the air? As you watch those thousands of feet/metres pass below,and you think about all that luggage people put into the overhead lockers, you just pray that this runway will be long enough for this plane to get off the ground. So far we have always made it!

In a couple of weeks I am about to embark on a Christian Women Communicating International (CWCI) Central Safari. For most of that time, apart from getting to Darwin and then home from Alice Springs, the speaker and I will be travelling in a small Bible Society, single engine aircraft, something that I became quite accustomed to during our time in Papua New Guinea many years ago.

I have been informed by our pilot that I may take only 15 kgs of luggage....including my handbag!! For me to be able to do that I am going to have to offload some things that I would normally take on a trip. My hairdryer will not be one of them! The thing is the weight is critical to an effective and safe flight.

When we come into the Christian life we often come with loads of 'luggage'. This can include habits that are harmful, unforgiveness towards people who have hurt us, attitudes towards ourselves which hinder our progress in life or lies that we believe to be truth, that cause us to stumble over and over again. For example, "I am not good enough", "I deserved the abuse I went through", "It must be my fault", "I will never be good enough", "I have to deserve God's love/favour"... and so on.

We come with twisted thinking which has resulted from what life has served up to us. It is like excess luggage what we need to rid ourselves of. It is important because those thoughts and attitudes hinder us and cause us to sin. Did it ever occur to you that your thought life can be just as sinful as your actions? Thinking that you are no good or not good enough will cause you to be held back from your destiny. It will prevent you from properly appreciating and receiving God's grace, which is freely given to you, not because of how good or bad you are (Ephesians 2:8-9).
 
Yes, the "sin that so easily trips us up" can so easily be coming from how we perceive ourselves. Perhaps this is why there are many who sit in church faithfully each week but never venture out to participate in building God's kingdom. We are loved by God, gifted for His purposes in this world, an overcomer because we are more than conquerors through Christ (Romans 8:37). Get your thinking sorted out and in line with God's word and start to live the way he planned for you to live. Abundantly! Come on, it's time to lift off!

Prayer: Lord God, forgive me for allowing wrong thinking about You and about me to hinder my usefulness in Your kingdom. Help me to know how to apply Your truth to my life and walk in the joy and freedom of Your grace in a way that brings You glory.

Keys to Growth - 4

Continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, ..... not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard.. Colossians 1:23

This is not a creepy Australian insect, but a wayward sweet potato that 'jumped ship 'in my pantry cupboard. It separated itself from the rest of the potatoes and got missed until today.  I figured it was a good illustration in our growth series of something that, even though it was in a dark place, with no soil to grow in, and no one around for 'fellowship', it still sent out shoots to grow.  Now I know this illustration has some 'holes in it' I want to use it today to illustrate and enforce the previous Daydrops on letting the word of God dwell in us richly. 

If we will study and embrace the word of God and allow it to become a part of us, we will have a store of nutrients on which to feed if ever the time comes when we are cut off from fellowship with other Christians for one reason or another.

The Bible tells us that we should not give up meeting together with other Christians (Hebrews 1:25).  We need fellowship and good Bible teaching to keep us on the right track.  It is too easy to become deceived and unbalanced and unbiblical in our beliefs without good fellowship and teaching.  However, sometimes circumstances arise where we  become unable to be with others.  It may be a dark place of separation through incarceration.  There are many Christians imprisoned for their faith and cut off from their families and churches, even from their Bibles, but if they have stored God's word in their heart, the Holy Spirit is then able to bring scriptures back to their mind to encourage, bless and strengthen them. (John 14:26). Don't forget to pray for these dear ones (Hebrews 13:3).

There may come times when sickness or travelling or something else takes you out of routine and fellowship.  I always struggled with being away from my routine of time with God and in the Word when we were on holiday.  I found it difficult to feel like I was staying connected with God, but I learned that even when I feel a bit cut off from God, He holds me and brings His word back to my mind.  The word keeps us grounded and we need to keep believing in the good news of the gospel, that we are children of the living God and no one can pluck us out of his hand and we continue to trust in Him, (John 10:29). 

Let the word of God dwell in you richly so that you can remain grounded and steadfast in your faith.

Prayer:  Precious Lord, thank you for your word which is such a strength and encouragement to me in difficult times.  Help me to allow it rightful place and space in my heart and mind so that it can keep me steadfast and grounded in faith.  Amen

Keys To Growth - 3

....let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom. Colossians 3:16

I think I was only 9 years old when I asked for a Bible for Christmas. (I got it.) This desire can have only been Holy Spirit born because my family were not active Christians although my sister and I always went to Sunday School and our parents would generally attend church on Family Service days every month. 

When I was 13 I asked Jesus to be my Lord and Saviour and then began my real journey in God's word.  I used the Scripture Union Daily Bread devotional notes for years and their key verse was Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.  I believed it, and though I had no significant personal discipling or strong teaching in church until in my 20s I tried faithfully to read and understand God's word.

One of the joys of my life is weekly Bible Study with a group of wonderful ladies.  Whoever thought that studying God's word could be such fun and cause so many laughs along the way.  It is also a wonderful time of developing loving, supportive relationships.  Ladies, I thank God for each of you!

This verse from Colossians 3 has certainly been a 'life verse' for me.  I am so glad that I have studied the word in my early years because I found that I now have a 'storehouse' of scripture within me which is so useful.  As I write these devotionals, scripture verses often just come to mind.  I can't always remember where they are from but I can use a concordance (usually www.blueletterbible.org on line), and I can locate them.

God's word teaches us how to grow in so many ways.  It is our handbook of how to do life successfully.  It is nourishment for our spiritual life which will challenge us and help us grow as healthy disciples of Jesus Christ.  The only way for the Word to dwell richly in us, is for us to make it a part of our daily routine and to meditate upon it and allow it to change us.  It is also good to have this word come up in our spirit when we are around people who need a word of encouragement.

If you are not a part of a Bible Study group, I would thoroughly recommend it.  If there's not one near you, why not start one and you might find a wonderful source of fellowship and strength in your community as I did.  We use the Know Your Bible Studies (KYB) which delve into the word and make us think and apply the scriptures to daily life.  They are available in many languages.  If you want to know more you can email me.

Prayer:  Jesus, thank you for your Word which guides me through this life.  Please increase my desire to have it dwelling richly in me, not only to cause growth in me but to be a well from which I can draw encouragement for others too.  Amen

Keys To Growth - 2

.....know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness do God.  Ephesians 3:19

Just this week I heard it stated  in a TV segment that something like 60% of women (interviewed) said that they didn't like their husbands to see them without makeup; that they sleep at night "with their face on".  Now I didn't laugh too much about that or think that it was ridiculous because early in my marriage I was the same.  I got over it, probably after getting sick of trying to get lipstick off the pillowcase, but it took me many more years to get over other people seeing me without makeup.  I don't think I'm fully over it still!  There I've exposed my insecurity!  Why are we like this?  Because we think people will think less of us if they see 'the real me'.  That is so untrue.  When they see us they won't feel so bad about themselves!!  Golly I'm being naughty today!  To all women who wear no makeup......hooray for you!

 

We can be like the 'can't see me with out makeup women' with God.  We can 'hide' from him in different ways, thinking that he won't like what he sees.  Actually, the truth is we can't hide so don't bother trying.  He sees it all and loves us in spite of our junk.  

 

I think that is why Paul admonishes us in today's scripture to 'know the love of God that passes knowledge.' He says that God's love surpasses our understanding. I think that means that we will never fully understand it, but we should delve into the truth of it and allow it to become imbedded in our thinking.  Why is it so important that we believe and embrace the truth of God's love for us?  I believe it is because it fulfils our basic human need for acceptance, validation and to know that we are loved just as we are.

I am thrilled to find that there is a whole new generation of Christians rising up who have embraced the love and grace of God in such a way that it is changing the way they take the message of the gospel into the world.  They don't go and preach on street corners, or give out tracts, they go out with the specific purpose of loving people where they are at, and offering words of encouragement and validation.  Isn't this what Jesus did? He mixed with the outcasts, not the religious.  He didn't preach to them, he loved them and accepted them and healed them.

We know that the world is looking for love in all the wrong places.  We cannot and must not just sit back and acknowlege that and do nothing.  We have the power to change lives, one at a time. When we embrace and understand the love of God for ourselves we will be secure enough and fully equipped to go out into our world and love on others.  It's just that simple.  Let's go do it!

Prayer:  Father God, thank you for loving me in spite of my imperfections.  Thank you for laying down your life for me while I was still a sinner.  Help me to embrace the truth of your love so deeply that it will produce a life-changing flow of love from me to a loveless world. Amen

Keys to Growth- 1

That Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong. Ephesians 3:17

It seems like we are still in gardening mode! This is not a picture of anything I have grown. My attempt to grow vegetables was in those new style corrugated iron, above ground gardens. I was very excited at the prospect of picking dinner vegetables from the garden, but I lost the battle. It seemed to be a lot of work for too little return in our case. More of that later.

For anything to grow it must start with something - a seed, a bulb or a cutting.  The Christian faith is the same.  It must start with something, that something is the seed of trust. We put our trust in God's loving gift of Jesus Christ and Christ's sacrifice, in our place, for our sins.  When we do that, we have the beginnings of a new life, the spiritual life.  Our spirit becomes alive to God and so then we have something to develop and grow. 

It is helpful to know that there has been a time in my life when I have invited Jesus Christ into my heart as Lord and Saviour.  It's not about church attendance or being good or never hurting anyone.  It's about trusting that through Christ I have received the unconditional love of God, cleansing from sin, and that is my only qualification for eternal life when I die.  It is all about faith.  Ephesians 2:8-9 says God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.  It is as simple as that.  If you can't remember doing it, why not do it now.

To get a plant growing it needs nutrients and water.  The problem with my garden boxes was that   I couldn't keep enough water to the plants.  The ground always seemed dry.  When we dug the ground over we found wads of fine root growth.  The very clever eucalypt trees, big ones, nearby had developed a source of water in my gardens and were robbing the vegetables.  Result- poor growth.

A Christian's nutrition comes through reading God's word and getting to know the nature of God and what a Christian life should look like.  It's like getting to know 'the family guidelines'.  We also need the fellowship of other Christians and good Bible teaching to help us grow. Given these conditions, we can't help but grow and develop.

The verse above in Ephesians speaks about our roots needing to go down deep into God's love and this will make us strong.  When we know that we are loved with an everlasting love, and accepted with an unconditional love we will become secure and ready to produce good fruit for God's Kingdom.  This is the first part of our discipleship process.  Becoming a Christian is not the end, it is only the beginning of an exciting and fulfilling life journey. 

Prayer:  Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for new life in you. Thank you for your great love for me. Help me to be committed to growth and fruitfulness for your Kingdom.   Amen

Growth

  ........ grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 3:18

Increasingly in the past few months I have been drawn to notice how natural it is for plants to grow. Recently a young Grevillea shrub near our driveway had been snapped off a few centimetres above the ground.  Now, a month later, it has lots of new growth bursting out.  Some other plants that I wanted to divide into more than one head suffered at my hand, being topped by my secateurs and they have obligingly sprouted either side of the main stem now.  Growth can't help but happen if the circumstances are right.  Pruning caused double growth!

On the other hand, Colin found a beautiful rose when we were enjoying a cooling swim in a river when we were on holiday.  It was on a good stem with leaves. I took it back to the caravan and enjoyed it's beauty for our last couple of days then decided I would cut it back and bring it home to plant, which I did.  After a week of good conditions, just the right amount of water and sun it started to sprout and soon had little leaves, much to my joy.  Then in my desire to encourage it even more I over watered it and it drowned!  I was devastated.

Christians have the inbuilt propensity for spiritual growth given the right conditions.  Growth is part of God's plan and purpose for us.  We do, however, have to have the right conditions.  I thought I would list some for you to mull over, not necessarily in any order.

• That Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong. Ephesians 3:17
• .. know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:19
• Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly. Colossians 3:16
• Continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard..  Colossians 1:23
• ...let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. Hebrews 12:1
•  .... if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another. 1 John 1:7
• Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Philippians 4:4
• ....let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. 1John 4:7
• I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5

Prayer:  Lord Jesus, thank you that you have given clear directions in your word for my growth, but that the key is just resting in You, because without that I can do nothing.  Amen

•  

Foundations - 3



Stand therefore, having tightened the belt of truth around your loins....  Ephesians 6:14

Have you ever experienced the frustration of trying to have a relationship with someone who seems so perfect, has it all together, has an answer for every situation and never seems to make a mistake? It is almost impossible and very discouraging.  I tried to be that kind of person because I felt that's what God wanted.  It was about performance and it was not helpful to anyone, especially not to me or my family.

When I learned how to laugh at myself I allowed myself to make mistakes and life became so much easier.  It's good that I learned that a few years ago because I really need to be able to do that more and more these days. Those of my contemporaries will know what I mean!  Mistakes seem to happen so often.

I discovered (from Kris Vallotten in his book Spirit Wars, and checked it out for myself) that when Paul speaks about the belt of truth in Ephesians 6:14, the word 'truth' not only refers to God's word, but in a subjective sense it means 'truthfulness not only in our speaking but sincerity and integrity of character'.  Truthfulness is an important foundation in our life.

Truth is not only about the words we speak but the actions of our lives - how we present ourselves to others.  Many people hide, like I did, behind a wall of perfection or high performance.  They are afraid that to show themselves otherwise is to be vulnerable to rejection.  The opposite is more often true.  We frighten people off with our perfectness because they feel they can never be good enough for us. 

Others hide behind a wall of privacy, afraid to let anyone see what they are really like.  Their 'truth' is, "I've been hurt before, I'm not going to let you hurt or reject me."  As soon as you try to get close to them the wall goes up and you find yourself shut out, confused and frustrated that you can't have a real relationship with that person you really like a lot.

It takes courage to be vulnerable.  It also takes being able to receive and be comfortable in the truth of God's unconditional and unending love for us, because when we feel secure in His love we can love others and allow them into our lives. 

Loving Father, please show me if I have walls of protection in my life that prevent me from having meaningful relationships with others.  Help me to have the belt of truthfulness firmly in place in my life, trusting in you to be my protection and shield.  Forgive me for trying to protect myself.  Amen

Foundations - 2

For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:11

 

We live in a developing area so preparations for house foundations are a very common sight. In preparing foundations for a building there are a number of steps.  First the site is cleared and then often there is a bit of digging out to be done, then often a load of gravel is laid before various reinforcing steel is laid, box work for the cement to be poured into built , plumbing pipes to be set in place and so on.  Attention to detail is vital.

 

In Foundations - 1, I mentioned about our foundation being our belief system; about God and about ourselves.  There is a lot of foundational work to be done in our lives and if it is not done correctly we will be building on a poor foundation. 

 

In our early Christian years we were part of a church that taught the word of God and evangelised and discipled well but some of the doctrine was incorrect.  When we finally realised, 5 years down the track, that we were trapped in a controlling, religious church, rather than a releasing, grace-teaching church, a certain amount of damage had already been done to our foundation.  Our  belief system was off centre in some areas.  It has taken us many years to become really free of some of that belief system that was instilled into us back then.  Praise God for the freedom that has come as we have re-aligned our thinking with God's help and good teaching.

 

This verse in 1 Corinthians 3:11 talks about Jesus being our foundation.  Through faith in Him and who He is; the Son of God, Saviour of the world, soon coming King, lover of our souls, healer, deliverer, peace-giver and so much more, we have a wonderful and sure foundation.  I want to leave you, today, with some verses to check out and meditate on to strengthen your foundation. Enjoy!

 

Matthew 14:33, John 3:18, Luke 2:11, Revelation 19:16, Psalm 135:3, Psalm 147:3, Psalm 18:2, Romans 5:1

 

Prayer: Wonderful Saviour, let my foundation be strengthened and established so that when the winds of adversity blow, I know that He whom I have trusted in is faithful and able to keep me. Amen

Foundations - 1

Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. Matthew 7:24-25

As this goes to my blog we are being beaten about by winds and heavy rain, though not so heavy as many north of us have experienced in the wake of a serious weather system.  Again the Lockyer Valley out of Brisbane is under serious flood watch as are other areas that were inundated just a couple of years ago.  The conditions remind us again of the necessity of building upon substantial foundations.  When we first came to Australia in 1986 we were looking to buy a house in Maitland which was flooded in the 1950's.  People told us not to buy anything on the floodplain and we didn't, but we notice that areas that were not allowed to be on then because they were considered floodplain, now have houses.  We can only hope they will not be sorry later.

When a large building is being constructed these days it seems to take forever before we see anything appearing above the ground.  The foundational work is very important to the longevity and safety of the building.  This is what Jesus was speaking about in these verses; the importance of getting the foundations right. But he was referring to the foundations of our life.

The foundation that needs to be developed is our belief system.  What we believe about God and what He says about us and life.  This does not happen overnight.  Our building block is the Bible, God's word.  Reading it and allowing it to become part of our life is vital to having a strong foundation.  We need to build our life upon God's word by obeying the principles it portrays.  We have to continue to allow God's word to guide and convict us daily.  It becomes our plumbline, keeping us on a good and safe track.  We ignore it to our own detriment. 

To obey God's word is to walk in the fear of the Lord and to honour Him.  Not that we are afraid of Him, for He is our loving, compassionate, kind and merciful Father, quick to forgive (Exodus 34:6-7).  Today I notice the lack of respect that many (fortunately not all) young people have for their elders.  It shows up in so many ugly ways.  Disobedience to parents was one of the marks of the 'last days' that Paul wrote about to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:2. 

However, it is just as possible for Christians to be disobedient toward their Heavenly Father, and think nothing of it.  I'll leave you to pause and think about that!  Are there ways that your foundation is shakey because you are not building well upon the truth of God's word?  Sometimes God's ways can feel uncomfortable to us.  We want to do it our way or the 'easy' way.  But often when we try to do it the easy way, we find out the hard way!

Prayer:  Father God, open my eyes to see when I walk in ways that will erode the good and strong foundation that you want me to have in my life.  Help me to stand firmly upon your word and so experience the fullness of life you want and have planned for me.  Amen