LORD
Thank you for listening to our prayers. Thank you for caring about our small problems. Thank you that your plans are to prosper us and not to harm, but to give us a hope and a future.
Forgive us for getting bogged down in all that's wrong with our lives. Help us to remember you, to remember all that you have delivered us from. To remember how far we have come since we first believed.
This is the day that you have made
and I will be glad and rejoice in it
I choose to let my spirit soar with you
even as my body suffers
I choose to believe that you are in control
because I know i'm definitely not in control.
I choose to believe that I am more than a conqueror
even tho it feels like i'm losing the battle
Because my life is not about me. I belong to you. You bought me for a price - my Saviour's life. Who am I that I should doubt your faithfulness? You have never changed. You are the same 2,000 years ago as you are today.
Why do you care for me LORD?
Why does it matter to you if I don't know how to love?
Why do I matter to you?
Satan is trying to convince me that I would be better off without you. Then I wouldn't have to struggle with my relationships, with living up to an impossible standard. I could enjoy my life and use everything i have to get a head, buy a house, travel around the world. He would definitely stop bothering me and I would live a safe, cruisie easy life.
But I know he's the Father of lies. That he's full of half truths. I don't want to spend an eternity with him. So I would have an easy 60 years but what's that compared to an eternity of HELL?? My life right this moment is only temporary. My problems only temporary.
What are you trying to teach me now LORD? To lean on you more? To love more? To trust more? To believe more?
If I am going to suffer today then fill me with your joy, renew my mind so I can enjoy this day that you have given me. I refuse to focus on the crap. I would rather remember you. Sing your praises even tho I don't feel like it.
For nothing compares to you LORD. I know you love me. I can look back on my life and see your loving hand guiding me. How can I turn my back on you when you have NEVER abandoned me.
I'm going to do things that I love today. Already myles has planned for us to go hang out with family that make me laugh. I have just gotten off the phone with a girlfriend who has bigger problems then me and she sounded so positive. Thanks, LORD, for taking care of me.
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Monday, February 27, 2006
my fasting update
Well my first fasting went well. Not only did I manage to make the full 12 hours, but it brought me closer to the Lord. I felt his joy with me as I was tempted and suffering. I rejoiced in knowing him a little better.
It was tough as first, and I reached out in a message to the team...which helped heaps - knowing I was not doing it alone. But I also focused on the Lord. I asked for strength and guidance. I praised him for allowing me to do this.
It was a great day. It reminded me of so many things. That was the best bit. I was reminded of being with the Lord so many times. I went about my day - where I would normally be distracted from thinking about the Lord. Yet on this day I was reminded of him so often - due to my fasting.
I can't wait for the next day!
It was tough as first, and I reached out in a message to the team...which helped heaps - knowing I was not doing it alone. But I also focused on the Lord. I asked for strength and guidance. I praised him for allowing me to do this.
It was a great day. It reminded me of so many things. That was the best bit. I was reminded of being with the Lord so many times. I went about my day - where I would normally be distracted from thinking about the Lord. Yet on this day I was reminded of him so often - due to my fasting.
I can't wait for the next day!
is God a woman?
When asked if more feminine images should be used for God, CS Lewis said: "I shouldn't believe it strongly, but some sort of case could be made out."
Christianity has always insisted that masculine language be how believers address God - because that is how God has revealed himself. One argument in defense of such traditional language goes like this: since God chose to reveal himself in the Bible in masculine terms, we aren't free to alter this language to suit our contemporary, egalitarian tastes.
Can we dismiss the Bible itself as tainted by gender bias? Some say the authors lived in patriarchial times, so that is how they wrote. However, during those times there were a lot of Gods, some societies had God's for everything, and there were female Gods. People in that day were not biased against calling a God a female, if that's what they thought she was.
There are texts which deny that God is human and therefore supposedly imply that, being beyond gender in himself, God may be spoken of as either male or female. Second, there are texts which allegedly attribute feminine characteristics or activities to God, thereby making it OK for us to do the same.
Is God not a man?
Should we take descriptions of God as metaphorical (Psalm 17:8 - "hide me in the shadow of your wings"). Does God have wings? If so, then should we treat descriptions of God as 'he' so literally? The biblical writers are aware God is not male in the crude, bodily sense; and yet they see him as fundamentally masculine.
In Numbers 23:19 it says "God is not a man that he should speak falsely, nor human that he should change his mind." And in 1 Samuel 15:29 it says "He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a man, that he should change his mind." These both say that God is not human, hence not prone to acting contrary to what he has said or changing his mind (as humans do).
So God is not human, and even male. But he is referred to in the masculine in these same scriptures.
Is God a woman because God has feminine characteristics?
In Deuteronomy 32:18 God gives birth: "the God who gave you birth". Psalm 131:2 says "like a weaned child with its mother" suggesting a maternal image. Isaiah 42:14, 49:15 and 66:13 all have maternal images, with Isaiah 66:13 saying "As a mother comforts her son, so will I comfort you". They all show feminine characterisitcs, but even in these cases God is not referred to as a 'she'. Masculine descriptions of 'him' and 'he' still persist.
Indeed, giving men feminine characteristics is in the Bible: In Numbers 11:12 Moses asks "Did I give them birth?". In Galatians 4:19 Paul is likened to a mother saying "I am again in the pains of childbirth...". No one would argue that they are women.
So what is God's image?
You could say that Genesis 1:26-27 tells us that God is the image of man and woman: "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." How can both man and woman be in Gods image if God is a 'he"?
Firstly, it seems biblical authors were referring here to God's intellect and will...which we all share. Secondly, common sense says there is no necessary conflict between thinking of God as masculine and holding that both men and women are made in his image. Daughters as well as sons can be "spittin' images" of their fathers.
In summary
So, in summary, God is not a human man. That is clear. (Thank God say all the women of the world!!). But he is clearly referred to as 'masculine'.
Can we refer to God as non-masculine?
But the bible, as far as I can see (and research) does not really explain why God is referred to as a 'he'. So any
justification of God as a 'he' or 'she' seems to be done outside of the bible, and can lend to the same cultural bais that some people may say the early bible writers had. Sounds like a self-defeating exercise to me.
I started with CS Lewis so let me end with him. He said: "...Christians think that God himself has taught us how to speak of him. To say that it does not matter is to say either that all the masculine imagery is not inspired, is merely human in origin, or else that, though inspired, is merely arbitrary and unessential. And this is surely intolerable: or, if tolerable, it is an argument ... against Christianity."
(myles note: I am a 5 minute christian, and notes on this page include research from the internet. So I am happy to be persuaded otherwise!)
Saturday, February 25, 2006
1 samuel
Finished Samuel. Stand out points:
The way the lord blessed the Jewish people with a King even tho it went against his better judgement. It showed their disobedience and lack of trust in him, by demanding someone else to be in charge.
It was them conforming to this world and wanting a ruler like the other nations who would lead them into battle and victories. Rather than the God appointed prophet like Samuel. They were rejecting the heaven model and conforming to the worldly model. And yet he let them have their way. Why? Free will.
Saul, ruled like a worldly king. His rule became all about him and not the LORD. He gave the appearance of obeying the LORD and at crucial times did things which on the surface looked like obedience. But it was not what the LORD had asked him to do. A perfect example of doing something good for God does not equate to doing what God wants you to do.
He was replaced by someone who had the LORD's heart in mind, David.
Three stand out characters in Samuel - David, Abigail and Jonathan.
Jonathan for his faithfulness and lack of ill-feeling, jealousy or arrogance. He was just himself. He gave credit where credit was due. He didn't have any false illusions about himself. He knew that David would be a better and more deserving King. Unlike his Father, he didn't try to hold on to what was not his, he accepted who he was and the future the LORD had for him.
He thought of future generations of his line and did what he could to protect them by making a convenant with David. He believed in the LORD and stepped out in faith.
Abigail was a woman of wisdom, strength and action. She did what she could to protect her family from her husband's stupidity. She took control of the situation and was rewarded by David. She became one of his wives. If I were him I would have had her as one of my advisers because she was a serious problem solver.
David everyone knows about. What cracks me up is the physical description of him. He is someone who did not hesitate to do what he thought was right. He ran into battle against Goliath, full of confidence in his LORD. He had opportunites to kill Saul but did not. He was wise enough not believe Saul and to surround himself with trustworthy people, like Jonathan and Abigail.
He spent so much time on the run and even tho he was afraid he didn't give up. The LORD rewarded his persistence and faithfulness.
And yet I know that his unfaithfulness caused the death of an innocent man, Uriah, because he lusted after Uriah's wife - Bathsheba. How can someone who is described as having the LORD's heart in mind, do something so opposite to the LORD?
Maybe this is an answer to my question before...in a previous post. What is the strength associated with this weakness - sexual temptation. I think men who think they can do anything keep pushing the bondaries of what they can do. It comes hand in hand with confidence. You become over-confident and think because you can do anything then it's ok to do whatever you want.
It reminds me of that verse in corinthians everything is permissable but not everything is beneficial. Because I can do anything does not make it good for me.
David could do whatever he wanted. He knew no boundaries. Every man wants to be like this. To be king in their little world, to be able to do anything they want.
my niv notes describes David as having an indomitable spirit which according to my dictionary means unyielding, untiringly persistent. He never gives up but keeps trying until he succeeds. This shows up the story of him throwing himself at the LORD's mercy to save his child born out of his adultery. He didn't give up until the child died. Then he dusted himself off, ate and went back to his life.
David was not someone who dwelt on his mistakes. He stuffed up, asked for forgiveness and moved on. The LORD showed how AWESOME and faithful he is...he truly does forgive us...David's son Solomon became King. Solomon was his second son to Bathsheba. But all this isn't in 1 Samuel, I just know David's story!
The way the lord blessed the Jewish people with a King even tho it went against his better judgement. It showed their disobedience and lack of trust in him, by demanding someone else to be in charge.
It was them conforming to this world and wanting a ruler like the other nations who would lead them into battle and victories. Rather than the God appointed prophet like Samuel. They were rejecting the heaven model and conforming to the worldly model. And yet he let them have their way. Why? Free will.
Saul, ruled like a worldly king. His rule became all about him and not the LORD. He gave the appearance of obeying the LORD and at crucial times did things which on the surface looked like obedience. But it was not what the LORD had asked him to do. A perfect example of doing something good for God does not equate to doing what God wants you to do.
He was replaced by someone who had the LORD's heart in mind, David.
Three stand out characters in Samuel - David, Abigail and Jonathan.
Jonathan for his faithfulness and lack of ill-feeling, jealousy or arrogance. He was just himself. He gave credit where credit was due. He didn't have any false illusions about himself. He knew that David would be a better and more deserving King. Unlike his Father, he didn't try to hold on to what was not his, he accepted who he was and the future the LORD had for him.
He thought of future generations of his line and did what he could to protect them by making a convenant with David. He believed in the LORD and stepped out in faith.
Abigail was a woman of wisdom, strength and action. She did what she could to protect her family from her husband's stupidity. She took control of the situation and was rewarded by David. She became one of his wives. If I were him I would have had her as one of my advisers because she was a serious problem solver.
David everyone knows about. What cracks me up is the physical description of him. He is someone who did not hesitate to do what he thought was right. He ran into battle against Goliath, full of confidence in his LORD. He had opportunites to kill Saul but did not. He was wise enough not believe Saul and to surround himself with trustworthy people, like Jonathan and Abigail.
He spent so much time on the run and even tho he was afraid he didn't give up. The LORD rewarded his persistence and faithfulness.
And yet I know that his unfaithfulness caused the death of an innocent man, Uriah, because he lusted after Uriah's wife - Bathsheba. How can someone who is described as having the LORD's heart in mind, do something so opposite to the LORD?
Maybe this is an answer to my question before...in a previous post. What is the strength associated with this weakness - sexual temptation. I think men who think they can do anything keep pushing the bondaries of what they can do. It comes hand in hand with confidence. You become over-confident and think because you can do anything then it's ok to do whatever you want.
It reminds me of that verse in corinthians everything is permissable but not everything is beneficial. Because I can do anything does not make it good for me.
David could do whatever he wanted. He knew no boundaries. Every man wants to be like this. To be king in their little world, to be able to do anything they want.
my niv notes describes David as having an indomitable spirit which according to my dictionary means unyielding, untiringly persistent. He never gives up but keeps trying until he succeeds. This shows up the story of him throwing himself at the LORD's mercy to save his child born out of his adultery. He didn't give up until the child died. Then he dusted himself off, ate and went back to his life.
David was not someone who dwelt on his mistakes. He stuffed up, asked for forgiveness and moved on. The LORD showed how AWESOME and faithful he is...he truly does forgive us...David's son Solomon became King. Solomon was his second son to Bathsheba. But all this isn't in 1 Samuel, I just know David's story!
Thursday, February 23, 2006
Stressed
Well as this week gets closer to the end the more stressed I seem to be getting. I still have not found a job and I am getting a bit worried. I'm trying to just trust the Lord and put all my faith in him, but it has not been easy.
I've had few interviews but nothing has come from it yet.
Also for the first time I said no to my brother today which has not made me feel to good but I know he has to learn and he will never learn with me always being there to help him. So I have just have to give it to the Lord and try not to feel to guilty about it.
So Lord I don't no what you have planned for me but I just pray that you will continue to help me put all my trust in you.
hungry for the truth
Read a purpose driven life devotional today talking about being hungry for the LORD. It had some great lines in it.
I like the idea of christians not being perfect but being hungry and that we don't have all the answers but we know where the food is...the best meal you have ever tasted!
It's appropriate for me because right now I am hungry for the truth. I am surrounded by misinterpretation that I have to work harder at finding the truth. My Saviour said he is the truth. It's as simple as that. I am hungry for him.
So going to do my bible study for today in this blog entry. So I can hear my LORD's voice shouting loud and clear over the many voices of this world which are trying to drown him out.
I'm studying 1 Samuel and James. Today doing Samuel, I'm up to 1 Samuel 11
I like the idea of christians not being perfect but being hungry and that we don't have all the answers but we know where the food is...the best meal you have ever tasted!
It's appropriate for me because right now I am hungry for the truth. I am surrounded by misinterpretation that I have to work harder at finding the truth. My Saviour said he is the truth. It's as simple as that. I am hungry for him.
So going to do my bible study for today in this blog entry. So I can hear my LORD's voice shouting loud and clear over the many voices of this world which are trying to drown him out.
I'm studying 1 Samuel and James. Today doing Samuel, I'm up to 1 Samuel 11
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
temptation
Fasting...we all experienced what it was like to go without something we enjoy and we did it willingly.
Going without water taught me a lot. I had to think...no, I can't have a sip of water...no, I can't just have something which is freely available to me whenever I want it and just because I feel like it.
I realised that temptation is not only the desire for something you want...but it's also taking for granted that you can have whatever you want without even thinking about it...with very little effort.
Sacrifice is a great way to learn how not to give in to your feelings...to not be controlled by how you feel because it's a deliberate choice you make to put yourself second. That's the choice our Saviour made for us.
Going without water taught me a lot. I had to think...no, I can't have a sip of water...no, I can't just have something which is freely available to me whenever I want it and just because I feel like it.
I realised that temptation is not only the desire for something you want...but it's also taking for granted that you can have whatever you want without even thinking about it...with very little effort.
Sacrifice is a great way to learn how not to give in to your feelings...to not be controlled by how you feel because it's a deliberate choice you make to put yourself second. That's the choice our Saviour made for us.
The day of Fasting
Today was our first day of fasting, Hope everyone had no problems with it. I had an alrite day, I thought it was going to be easy but it a little bit tough as its been a long time. The great thing was, we all did it. God gave us His spirit and helped us through it. I had a bit of problem though, as youse know that I had training at the end so me and Claire decided to start at 5am and finish at 5pm then it will help me have something before training. Wel it helped a lot.
I did not finish my training session cos my body was so weak, and I just couldnt run. But even though that happened, I felt the joy of God in my heart.. Not because I survived the Fasting but knowing that I sacrificed a day for Our Lord.. If I dont make this team that I'm trialing out for because of what happened.. I wont be dissapointed cos I know and I believe, God has bigger and better things lined up. Its was a good day
God is good all the time and All the time God is good.
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
just not funny
I had a killer stressful afternoon yesterday...and yes it was one of my two biggest stresses that I only just wrote about in my last post!....that's just not funny...can i get the words out and at least have one full day of prayer and study before I have to put it into practice...seriously that's just wrong :)
So as it turns out I am being talked about and not talked to...I felt very heart broken last nite...it seriously proved that I was right - my family is no.2 on my biggest stress list and yes it is because they are so important to me.
I hate being the one who always has to do the confronting. So I have the opportunity to put my faith into practice almost immediately. Oh, this walking on water faith is seriously scary and hard work!!!
So as it turns out I am being talked about and not talked to...I felt very heart broken last nite...it seriously proved that I was right - my family is no.2 on my biggest stress list and yes it is because they are so important to me.
I hate being the one who always has to do the confronting. So I have the opportunity to put my faith into practice almost immediately. Oh, this walking on water faith is seriously scary and hard work!!!
Monday, February 20, 2006
stresses of life...
what are the TWO biggest stressful things/people in your life? You know what it is because it's the TWO things that keep you up at night, that you think about even when you try not to think about it. Or that you worry about most of the time, or it steals your peace every single time you are tested on it. What are they?
I realised something in the weekend if I know what these are then why haven't I worked out strategies to combat them?? If they steal my joy every time THEN I should pray about it, read the WORD on it, work out some strategies to FIGHT BACK. If it's on my mind then I will get lots of opportunites to practice FIGHTING IT!
So if what I'm doing hasn't worked to remove the stress then I need to DO NEW THINGS! New strategies so I don't just keep doing the same thing over and over and over again....and getting nowhere!
This is my experiment. Feel free to join me. I will put my faith into practice and remove the two biggest stresses in my life. Hopefully what it will teach me is how to FIGHT BACK against any new strongholds that Satan tries to create in my life. It will set me free and help me to grow. I will see this as an OPPORTUNITY to practice my faith and not just a test that I fail every single time!
The two biggest stresses in my life are:
I realised something in the weekend if I know what these are then why haven't I worked out strategies to combat them?? If they steal my joy every time THEN I should pray about it, read the WORD on it, work out some strategies to FIGHT BACK. If it's on my mind then I will get lots of opportunites to practice FIGHTING IT!
So if what I'm doing hasn't worked to remove the stress then I need to DO NEW THINGS! New strategies so I don't just keep doing the same thing over and over and over again....and getting nowhere!
This is my experiment. Feel free to join me. I will put my faith into practice and remove the two biggest stresses in my life. Hopefully what it will teach me is how to FIGHT BACK against any new strongholds that Satan tries to create in my life. It will set me free and help me to grow. I will see this as an OPPORTUNITY to practice my faith and not just a test that I fail every single time!
The two biggest stresses in my life are:
- my man
- my family
My man is my family but he is a category all on his own because he can stress me more than anyone I know....followed closely by my mum.
I think it's funny that out of all things that I could name that I named people, which means the biggest stresses in my life are relationships...this so tells me the kind of person I am.
I could have named my future, money, work, infertility, church, etc. But I named the two things which are most important to me. For me, this means the two biggest stresses in my life are what I love the most. It's the LOVE OTHERS part of my life mission....loving the imperfect...getting them to love me when I'm so imperfect....sounds like another post I wrote.
Gets back to the 3 words the LORD gave me for this year ACCEPT, SIMPLIFY AND BALANCE. That is scary...the way the LORD lines up everything in my life...and reveals the truth more and more.
first step: pray and study about it.
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Link to our calendar
OK peeps I have added the calendar link. It's on the right hand side and looks like the button here:
stupid question
thanks to zee I have this crazy thought stuck in my head. Can someone shed some light on this pleeessssseeeeeeeee!
You know how the LORD gives us strengths and these nearly always have weaknesses attached to them - it keeps us from getting full of ourselves! eg:
strength= the gift of a mouth, being able to talk
weakness=not good at listening being attentive, don't know when to shut up...
strength= awesome at leading, telling others what to do, etc
weakness=not always good at following and being told what to do, control freaks
so there is a major weakness that men and yes even women have...but men especially...sexual immorality...adultery....sexual unfaithfulness.
is there a strength associated with this? If so, what is it?????
All men suffer from it in some shape or form, whether they are leaders or not, christians or not, excellent jobs or not....what's the common denominator....
conqueror? independence?
when a man commits to one woman why do they find it so hard to stay faithful? Is it because they are so independent that a part of them always rebels against having to submit their will to another person?
what is it????
You know how the LORD gives us strengths and these nearly always have weaknesses attached to them - it keeps us from getting full of ourselves! eg:
strength= the gift of a mouth, being able to talk
weakness=not good at listening being attentive, don't know when to shut up...
strength= awesome at leading, telling others what to do, etc
weakness=not always good at following and being told what to do, control freaks
so there is a major weakness that men and yes even women have...but men especially...sexual immorality...adultery....sexual unfaithfulness.
is there a strength associated with this? If so, what is it?????
All men suffer from it in some shape or form, whether they are leaders or not, christians or not, excellent jobs or not....what's the common denominator....
conqueror? independence?
when a man commits to one woman why do they find it so hard to stay faithful? Is it because they are so independent that a part of them always rebels against having to submit their will to another person?
what is it????
prayer time
hey tribe
Remember how we were going to have a prayer schedule for all the people/organisations we wanted to pray for as a group for a month...well myles is going to hopefully put our group calendar on our website in the next couple of days. It will have on it our first prayer schedule with all the people, organisations, etc we wanted to pray for, starting TOMORROW.
I wa going to include prayer ideas for each day but it took up way too much room on our calendar. So doing it as a post now.
Remember you can pray 1 minute or longer for each person/organisation, but the aim is to pray in spirit and truth. Up to you. It's an opportunity for us to be consistent about praying for others. This will help us to increase our faithfulness as a group and to take our eyes off ourselves. We all pray for people/organisations as individuals but to pray as a group every day in unity will be an awesome blessing to others and to us.
Try to look at the calendar the day before so if you know it's your personal target group we are praying for then you can do a post/email and let us know if you have anything specific you want us to pray for. Or if you want to add to the prayer schedule than let me know.
You will be praying for people you don't even know personally. So here are my prayer ideas in case you get stuck - feel free to add to this if you have ideas too.
Remember how we were going to have a prayer schedule for all the people/organisations we wanted to pray for as a group for a month...well myles is going to hopefully put our group calendar on our website in the next couple of days. It will have on it our first prayer schedule with all the people, organisations, etc we wanted to pray for, starting TOMORROW.
I wa going to include prayer ideas for each day but it took up way too much room on our calendar. So doing it as a post now.
Remember you can pray 1 minute or longer for each person/organisation, but the aim is to pray in spirit and truth. Up to you. It's an opportunity for us to be consistent about praying for others. This will help us to increase our faithfulness as a group and to take our eyes off ourselves. We all pray for people/organisations as individuals but to pray as a group every day in unity will be an awesome blessing to others and to us.
Try to look at the calendar the day before so if you know it's your personal target group we are praying for then you can do a post/email and let us know if you have anything specific you want us to pray for. Or if you want to add to the prayer schedule than let me know.
You will be praying for people you don't even know personally. So here are my prayer ideas in case you get stuck - feel free to add to this if you have ideas too.
- ask the LORD what he wants you to pray for because he knows the people we are praying for better than we do.
- ask the person in our group what they want us to pray for.
- use the word as your prayer - Jeremiah 29:11 eg: Lord you know the plans you have for Rob, plans to prosper him and not to harm him, plans to give him a hope and a future. Proverbs 3:5,6...help Rob to trust you with all his heart, and not lean on his own understanding, and in all his ways to acknowledge you and you will make his paths straight....Romans 12:2 help Rob not to conform any longer to the patterns of this world but to be transformed by the renewing of his mind, so he can test and approve what you will is - your good, pleasing and perfect will. .....Give Rob the desire Lord to seek you with all his heart because you said in Jeremiah 29:13 whoever seeks you with all their heart will find you.
- pray for: salvation, opportunities for the person in our group to sow seeds into their lives, to build relationships, friendships, to show us what's keeping them from believing. To see them with God's eyes. To give the person in our group the desire to do whatever it takes for the LORD to save that person...to love them the way the LORD loves. To be a blessing to them, show us their needs and how we can help.
- pray for: God's love, peace, protection, wisdom, guidance over their lives, their relationships, their marriage.
- for organisations pray for God's protection over them and their organisations and their families (pray psalm 91). For continued guidance, to bless the work of their hands, to help them to remain faithful and keep their eyes on the LORD. For discernment so they know and recognise Satan's work in their midst and to bind this up so no harm will come to them, because greater is he who is in them and us, then he who is in the world!
Enjoy praying for our loved ones!
Monday, February 13, 2006
hellloooooo...
whats happenin people!!
where is everybody...i go for a whole weekend and i get back with no bloggers...slackers i tell ya!!
well...i feel like ive just had a loooooooooong week since i did not have a weekend.Work on saturday, uni on sunday and back to work on monday...its great...NOT!!! :p
tired, and in need of rest....discovered a few things about myself and my walk on the weekend, i think its safe to call it revelation knowledge...spun me out...butall the same nourishing for the soul....i tell ya, sometimes i get scared of what the Lord has instore for me with all the crap i have to put up with and do :p
He must really trust me!
faced some fears and overcame some still trying to get over others, testing testing one two three...
Thanks lORD :)
where is everybody...i go for a whole weekend and i get back with no bloggers...slackers i tell ya!!
well...i feel like ive just had a loooooooooong week since i did not have a weekend.Work on saturday, uni on sunday and back to work on monday...its great...NOT!!! :p
tired, and in need of rest....discovered a few things about myself and my walk on the weekend, i think its safe to call it revelation knowledge...spun me out...butall the same nourishing for the soul....i tell ya, sometimes i get scared of what the Lord has instore for me with all the crap i have to put up with and do :p
He must really trust me!
faced some fears and overcame some still trying to get over others, testing testing one two three...
Thanks lORD :)
Friday, February 10, 2006
freely give
remember this song anyone? The chorus just filled me with tears as I sang it with mum...
freely freely you have received
freely freely give
go in my name and because you believe OTHERS WILL KNOW THAT I LIVE...
the LORD loves us so much that he freely gave to us and he asks us to do the same...to freely give...and and it's in going out and practicing this belief in him, that he is our Saviour, that he loves us, that he gave his life for us that will convince others that HE LIVES.
freely freely give....that's the call on our lives...because he did the same for us.
freely freely you have received
freely freely give
go in my name and because you believe OTHERS WILL KNOW THAT I LIVE...
the LORD loves us so much that he freely gave to us and he asks us to do the same...to freely give...and and it's in going out and practicing this belief in him, that he is our Saviour, that he loves us, that he gave his life for us that will convince others that HE LIVES.
freely freely give....that's the call on our lives...because he did the same for us.
my question...
well, my beautiful little cousin, i have waay too many questions, but if I was standing in front of my LORD I would probably be all in AWE of him and completely emotional...I doubt there would be any questions left in my head when standing in front of my Heavenly Father...i would probably run into his open arms and cry like a baby! There's a song like all of this...myles would know.
But if I could cut out my heart and just think with my head then my question would be...
HOW MUCH FAITH do I need to walk on water because I would like that to be the MINIMUM faith allocated to me...so that right now I have enough faith to walk on water...and tomorrow I would have even more faith than this...enough to heal the sick...and the next day even more...enough to love every single person i meet...cos i need maximum faith for that one!
But if I could cut out my heart and just think with my head then my question would be...
HOW MUCH FAITH do I need to walk on water because I would like that to be the MINIMUM faith allocated to me...so that right now I have enough faith to walk on water...and tomorrow I would have even more faith than this...enough to heal the sick...and the next day even more...enough to love every single person i meet...cos i need maximum faith for that one!
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Just a thought..
So if God were to grant you a face to face audience and you were given one chance to ask one question.....what would your question be??
Monday, February 06, 2006
40 days
Hey family
i was talking to claire today, zella yesterday, and it feels like ages since we had a catch up. So tomorrow nite lets have a catch up on each other's lives. It would be good to hear what's happening with everyone.
So lets meet at zella's house tomorrow from about 7:30-8pmish. Let's keep our eyes on the LORD and count our many blessings - big and small.
If we have nothing in this world we always have the LORD. But we are so blessed that we have more than enough for each day. We have so much to thank the LORD for including the problems we have because we always have options...unlike some of our brothers and sisters around the world.
See you all tomorrow.
i was talking to claire today, zella yesterday, and it feels like ages since we had a catch up. So tomorrow nite lets have a catch up on each other's lives. It would be good to hear what's happening with everyone.
So lets meet at zella's house tomorrow from about 7:30-8pmish. Let's keep our eyes on the LORD and count our many blessings - big and small.
If we have nothing in this world we always have the LORD. But we are so blessed that we have more than enough for each day. We have so much to thank the LORD for including the problems we have because we always have options...unlike some of our brothers and sisters around the world.
See you all tomorrow.
Friday, February 03, 2006
love
I just watched a silly romantic movie and came away thinking how amazing is love. If love is the essential character of our LORD and it's so amazing and incredible than why is it so hard to love?
I love my man and after 15 years together I'm still crazy about him. But their are times when he drives me crazy...what's that about??
If my life's mission is to love God and to love others then why do i struggle at it? Why can't it always be easy? I want to bless people and pour so much love into their lives...and it's times like that I get completely carried away and invite strangers to live in my house because they have no where else to go...
I know the LORD made me a giver because it's easy for me to think of others...I see something and I think of someone who could use it...I hear a problem and I think of a way to solve it...I am looking to rent a place with a double garage because we need somewhere to store all our stuff for church...a swimming pool because my nieces and nephews love to swim...a landlord who accepts pets so my niece can have a dog at my place cos they can't afford to keep a dog...near a station so my cousin can come and stay whenever she feels like it...this is how crazy love makes you!
I give away so much of our income that my man could only spend $3 on his lunch today. Even as he said this I was trying to figure out how we can help my brother find the money to send my nephew to a better school and pay for my brother's courses. I can't help myself.
It sounds so easy...love God and love others. What's so hard about love - it makes you feel like you can do anything, it picks you up when you fall, it fills you with such passion that you have to sit on your hands to stop yourself from jumping up and doing something. That's the Lord, HE IS THIS LOVE.
What gets in the way is people...people can't accept people. people are imperfect - God is not. Maybe i need to change that life mission of mine to love God and accept people even if they are unwilling to accept me and all my imperfections!
I love my man and after 15 years together I'm still crazy about him. But their are times when he drives me crazy...what's that about??
If my life's mission is to love God and to love others then why do i struggle at it? Why can't it always be easy? I want to bless people and pour so much love into their lives...and it's times like that I get completely carried away and invite strangers to live in my house because they have no where else to go...
I know the LORD made me a giver because it's easy for me to think of others...I see something and I think of someone who could use it...I hear a problem and I think of a way to solve it...I am looking to rent a place with a double garage because we need somewhere to store all our stuff for church...a swimming pool because my nieces and nephews love to swim...a landlord who accepts pets so my niece can have a dog at my place cos they can't afford to keep a dog...near a station so my cousin can come and stay whenever she feels like it...this is how crazy love makes you!
I give away so much of our income that my man could only spend $3 on his lunch today. Even as he said this I was trying to figure out how we can help my brother find the money to send my nephew to a better school and pay for my brother's courses. I can't help myself.
It sounds so easy...love God and love others. What's so hard about love - it makes you feel like you can do anything, it picks you up when you fall, it fills you with such passion that you have to sit on your hands to stop yourself from jumping up and doing something. That's the Lord, HE IS THIS LOVE.
What gets in the way is people...people can't accept people. people are imperfect - God is not. Maybe i need to change that life mission of mine to love God and accept people even if they are unwilling to accept me and all my imperfections!
Thursday, February 02, 2006
My Rock
I have felt different all day today, its like I have no emotions today, its hard to explain. It's like my body is here but my spirit is somewhere else. There has been so much going on lately and at times I feel like I can't do it anymore but then the Lord gently puts his hand on my shoulder and reminds me that I can do it because I'm not doing it alone. The Lord is with me every step of the way.
Its funny how one minute you feel so empty and ready to let go of everything and all you have to do is call out his name and you are filled with this strength. Its like you have used up all of your energy and just as you are about to fall, he puts his arms out and catches you. But the beautiful thing is he doesn't stop there, he continues to carry you till you have the strength to walk beside him again.
Thank you Lord for being my rock and never giving up on me.
Its funny how one minute you feel so empty and ready to let go of everything and all you have to do is call out his name and you are filled with this strength. Its like you have used up all of your energy and just as you are about to fall, he puts his arms out and catches you. But the beautiful thing is he doesn't stop there, he continues to carry you till you have the strength to walk beside him again.
Thank you Lord for being my rock and never giving up on me.
all the glory belongs to you
one last obstacle - test results came back and my immunity to rubella has increased and my doctor was positive it would be enough to start IVF even tho it was still low immunity. I rang the IVF clinic and spoke to the Nurse.
I prayed as I spoke to the nurse that the LORD would go before me and help me to find favour. The nurse put me through to reception and they said the next appointment wasn't till the end of Feb. I waited for the LORD and she said ' since your case is urgent - next wed 2:45pm.' I thanked her.
Just like that my LORD intervened on my behalf.
LORD
as I step out on this final part of a very long journey, I give you the glory. I'm not sure what's around the corner but you are LORD. I know that you have prepared the way for me and you are in control. No matter what the outcome, I know you have laid out the days of my life. I trust you LORD with my life and the lives of my children.
I look forward to giving my new niece some playmates close to her age! All my hope is in you LORD.
I prayed as I spoke to the nurse that the LORD would go before me and help me to find favour. The nurse put me through to reception and they said the next appointment wasn't till the end of Feb. I waited for the LORD and she said ' since your case is urgent - next wed 2:45pm.' I thanked her.
Just like that my LORD intervened on my behalf.
LORD
as I step out on this final part of a very long journey, I give you the glory. I'm not sure what's around the corner but you are LORD. I know that you have prepared the way for me and you are in control. No matter what the outcome, I know you have laid out the days of my life. I trust you LORD with my life and the lives of my children.
I look forward to giving my new niece some playmates close to her age! All my hope is in you LORD.
Relying solely on God
last night was the very fist night i stayed in my flat all by myself...i feel like a big girl now :p
God is so good at preparing me for this....though i was a bit nervous and anxious, i felt the need to stay there by myself, my doubting mind was giving me all excuses to call someone to come over and keep me company, but the Lord won!
its great to get confirmation through others that the Lord wants you to LIVE WHAT YOU BELIEVE NOT JUST KNOW IT!!! its like walking the scriptures you meditate on not just memorizing them!
Psalms 91 says "he will send his angels concerning you" and last night i had to live it...ALL BY MYSELF!! (wheres the teamwork in this place) :p
Our God is a good, merciful, compassionate, loving God whose tender mercys are renewed everyday....these are the things we must strive to LIVE out in our lives, not just medtate on it and do nothing with it.
Its like what Tali said " you either get out of the boat and walk the water trusting that Jesus will come to your rescue or stay in the boat,know your scriptures and hang out with your fellow Christians"
The Lord is giving us glimpses of his purpose in even the little things we do and say, little by little he prepares us, stregnthen encourage us through our decisions......he wont push us off the boat unless we choose to get out ourselves!
I want to get out of the boat and meet Jesus not know my scriptures and stay in the boat and meet only the disciples...no offence to the disciples, but Jesus is the WAY the TRUTH and the LIFE!
decide today to "GET OUT OF THE BOAT" (i cant swim) you will sink, you will be scared as i was previously,but i had no one else to cling to last night but my faith and trust in the Lord that he will not leave me nor forsake me.
That he has authority over any storm!!!
God is so good at preparing me for this....though i was a bit nervous and anxious, i felt the need to stay there by myself, my doubting mind was giving me all excuses to call someone to come over and keep me company, but the Lord won!
its great to get confirmation through others that the Lord wants you to LIVE WHAT YOU BELIEVE NOT JUST KNOW IT!!! its like walking the scriptures you meditate on not just memorizing them!
Psalms 91 says "he will send his angels concerning you" and last night i had to live it...ALL BY MYSELF!! (wheres the teamwork in this place) :p
Our God is a good, merciful, compassionate, loving God whose tender mercys are renewed everyday....these are the things we must strive to LIVE out in our lives, not just medtate on it and do nothing with it.
Its like what Tali said " you either get out of the boat and walk the water trusting that Jesus will come to your rescue or stay in the boat,know your scriptures and hang out with your fellow Christians"
The Lord is giving us glimpses of his purpose in even the little things we do and say, little by little he prepares us, stregnthen encourage us through our decisions......he wont push us off the boat unless we choose to get out ourselves!
I want to get out of the boat and meet Jesus not know my scriptures and stay in the boat and meet only the disciples...no offence to the disciples, but Jesus is the WAY the TRUTH and the LIFE!
decide today to "GET OUT OF THE BOAT" (i cant swim) you will sink, you will be scared as i was previously,but i had no one else to cling to last night but my faith and trust in the Lord that he will not leave me nor forsake me.
That he has authority over any storm!!!
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
walking on water
I was just reminded of a few things about the LORD:
When the LORD speaks directly to me it's usually a simple statement and in the middle of my busy mind I hear this statement and usually it's contrary to my own thoughts. It's a simple truth or a revelation.
You can do one of two things in the silence when he doesn't speak to you again for a while...you can act on that revelation OR you can wait...and wait...and wait...what are you waiting for?
People wait for the details...how am I going to do this, when? who?...was that for me LORD or for someone else???
He's expecting you to be obedient and do what he told you to do...not wait...because really he's WAITING FOR YOU to take that first step...
So he gives a revelation you believe it and you step out in faith - act on it. When you go the wrong way or when a storm hits because you r actually out there doing something for the LORD and not yourself. You start to panic and doubt.
It's like Peter walking on water....he got out of the boat, than heard the wind, felt the storm and doubted.
The storm is when you are meant to stay focused. Keep your eyes on the LORD...this too will pass, don't start looking around at the storm and doubting the LORD's revelation. He believed in you if no one else believes in you - he does, because he doesn't change.
So you start to sink...a key to the Peter story is that the LORD rescued him. He so loved Peter that he let him take that leap of faith even though he knew a few steps later Peter was going to doubt. Why didn't he say ' look mate, stay in the boat, you ain't going to make it to the other side! Don't waste your time and energy, just stay put I will come to you!'
Because our LORD is about the journey - not just getting from A to B. He was building a relationship with Peter, teaching him that even though he was going to be the rock he built his church on - he had to stay focused on him, keep his eyes on him, to run his race.
He wants to teach us because he wants us to learn from EXPERIENCE even if the lesson is hard. Imagine if he didn't let Peter get out of the boat because he knew he wasn't going to make it.....Peter would have never known what it was like to walk on water. He would have never known even for a brief moment what it felt like to do the impossible, just him with the LORD.
Peter actually got to walk on water! What must that feel like?! If you knew you were going to start sinking after a few steps on the water would you still have gotten out of the boat? I would have! If I knew the LORD was going to rescue me I would have jumped into that water.
Where is the real risk with God on your side? Sinking, or failing, is not the risk because the LORD will never fail us and he always has a rescue plan. The real risk is doing nothing, never experiencing what it means to truly believe. SAYING you believe and EXPERIENCING what you believe is so very different. It's in experiencing it that we learn to walk on water.
When the LORD speaks directly to me it's usually a simple statement and in the middle of my busy mind I hear this statement and usually it's contrary to my own thoughts. It's a simple truth or a revelation.
You can do one of two things in the silence when he doesn't speak to you again for a while...you can act on that revelation OR you can wait...and wait...and wait...what are you waiting for?
People wait for the details...how am I going to do this, when? who?...was that for me LORD or for someone else???
He's expecting you to be obedient and do what he told you to do...not wait...because really he's WAITING FOR YOU to take that first step...
So he gives a revelation you believe it and you step out in faith - act on it. When you go the wrong way or when a storm hits because you r actually out there doing something for the LORD and not yourself. You start to panic and doubt.
It's like Peter walking on water....he got out of the boat, than heard the wind, felt the storm and doubted.
The storm is when you are meant to stay focused. Keep your eyes on the LORD...this too will pass, don't start looking around at the storm and doubting the LORD's revelation. He believed in you if no one else believes in you - he does, because he doesn't change.
So you start to sink...a key to the Peter story is that the LORD rescued him. He so loved Peter that he let him take that leap of faith even though he knew a few steps later Peter was going to doubt. Why didn't he say ' look mate, stay in the boat, you ain't going to make it to the other side! Don't waste your time and energy, just stay put I will come to you!'
Because our LORD is about the journey - not just getting from A to B. He was building a relationship with Peter, teaching him that even though he was going to be the rock he built his church on - he had to stay focused on him, keep his eyes on him, to run his race.
He wants to teach us because he wants us to learn from EXPERIENCE even if the lesson is hard. Imagine if he didn't let Peter get out of the boat because he knew he wasn't going to make it.....Peter would have never known what it was like to walk on water. He would have never known even for a brief moment what it felt like to do the impossible, just him with the LORD.
Peter actually got to walk on water! What must that feel like?! If you knew you were going to start sinking after a few steps on the water would you still have gotten out of the boat? I would have! If I knew the LORD was going to rescue me I would have jumped into that water.
Where is the real risk with God on your side? Sinking, or failing, is not the risk because the LORD will never fail us and he always has a rescue plan. The real risk is doing nothing, never experiencing what it means to truly believe. SAYING you believe and EXPERIENCING what you believe is so very different. It's in experiencing it that we learn to walk on water.
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