The Future Is Bright

It's been a while since I wrote anything here but I think it is time to take up my virtual pen and begin to track my day to day goings on again. So much has happened but it's not always easy to describe commit to words. I have now completed my three years ay CBC and I am now contemplating my next move. For the time being I will stay in the midlands and wait for direction. I still have my job and because wy work is predominantly afternoons I have some spare time in the mornings. With this time I intend to pray, study, read and reflect on the life that God has given me. I am also recording a new cd of love related songs which I am hoping will complete within the next month or so.

If one could go back and see the future I am not sure if I would have come to CBC but thankfully that is not an option. All I will say is, despite the setbacks, the upsets, the losses and crazy circumstances I have come to a place of freedom, contentment, peace and satisfaction. Not because of these things but because in all of these things I have found a true relationship with my Father God and the peace I have is from Him. I am not content because of or with the circumstances but I am content IN them because I am in Him.

The future is bright. I have an amazing life ahead of me and God through CBC has equipped me and shown me that in all things I am an overcomer and the peace of God reigns in my heart. He has promised me great things, great adventures, great victories. But it's all about Him. He calls me, He equips me, He fights for me, He overcomes through me and I enjoy the spoils of battle and live in the benefits of His great plan.

So, taking time out to meditate on Him and His Word is the best thing I can do and as He speaks to me and directs me, all I have to do is believe and receive all He has for me.

I am blessed.

Beware The Counsel of Balaam

OK so the picture is not Balaam but a baa lamb...it's the best I could do.

I was having my morning shower and got to thinking, as you do, about what i would do if I was challenged about my faith. I will say now that there is absolutely nothing anyone can say or do that will unconvince me that Jesus is Lord and the creator of the all we see and don't see. I know Jesus personally and I know what He has achieved and one for me.

Then I thought about the story of Balaam in Numbers and how a king tried to get him to curse the Israelites but all he could do was bless them simply because God had spoken the blessing over them. But we see in Revelation that he counselled Balak to infiltrate Israel using enticing words, temptations and deception and Israel fell because they listened to the lies of the enemy.

There is nothing we can do to remove our self from the blessing that God has already spoken over us. What we can do is allow the enemy to deceive us, lie to us and cause us to bring about our own downfall. Psalms 57, 108 and 112 remind us to fix our heart on God and let no thoughts settle in our mind which speak against such blessing.

This is spiritual warfare...the battle for the mind.

True Friendship

If you have a friend with whom you can share everything and talk about anything without embarrassment, shame or fear of it being broadcast; someone who knows all about you and still loves you; someone who prays for you and shares what they receive; someone who has your best interests at heart and will do anything and everything to make your life good; someone who wants to see you happy, blessed and at peace and will do everything to help you achieve it, then you are a blessed person. I am blessed to have such a friend. I am blessed.

Destiny

What do you do when your future is partly in the hands of someone else and there is little you can do about it?

Kick back and remember the following:

1. God says, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."

2. God says, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

3. God says, "In Him we live and move and have our being."

4. God says, "I am your rock and your fortress."

5. God says, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths."

6. God says, "He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth [shall be your] shield and buckler."

7. God says, "Fear not, for I [am] with you; Be not dismayed, for I [am] your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, Saying to you, 'Fear not, I will help you.' "

And rest..........................

2010

It doesn't seem like five minutes since we saw in 2009, but here we are again beginning another year. I don't tend to look back and peruse what has occurred because the Word exhorts us to press on.Phil 3:13,14,12 says Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing [I do], forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Besides which 2009 was a testing year for me and I do not wish to revisit many of those situations, even though I know they were for the testing of my faith to prove it, establish it and strengthen it.

I am grateful that God has brought me through many things and has developed character and steadfastness within my heart. I still want to grow in those things but I am really hoping the method of attaining this is a little easier. But I am willing and I want to grow and become useful to Him so He can use me and I know there are many layers that need to be stripped away and thought patterns that need to be altered and renewed.

As tough as it is I know it is for my benefit. God has been showing me that He really does want me to prosper and have all the best of Him, but for me to receive and move into all of those things I need to get out of His way and let Him have His way. Not easy, but necessary. His desires and dreams for me are far greater than mine and I want what He has for me because I know it is the best. Laying down everything is not easy and the flesh complains, but even as I have begun to do this I can see results and that encourages me to walk on. I have seen needs met in unusual ways and often before I have even "prayed about it" on several occasions.

So the remit for the summer was all of the above. His remit for me for the next stage is very clear to me. Matt 6:33 says seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. I know that seems obvious and logical and we often overlook the depth of it because we quote it so often and freely. This was a clear word for me and something deep in me has responded already and I know that this year I am going to see great things, receive great blessings and a few surprises along the way as long as I am doing what He says! I need to make the main thing the main thing and keep it real. I will observe the Hand of God working for me as I am obedient. But the best thing I feel in my heart is that I want to do this because I know how much He loves me and how much He cares for me, and how much He wants me to live in the prosperity of His Life. He has called me, anointed me, appointed me and blessed me already with everything I need.

His agenda is top priority, and there are many things that have to be removed from my priority list because he says that as I seek His Kingdom and His righteousness, everything else I need will be given to me. I trust Him that He is a God of His Word and His Word is Truth. He has the words of eternal life and eternal life is knowing God and His Christ. His Word is Life, His life, abundant life.

I wish all who read this a very joyful and prosperous new year.

Upon Reflection

I don't normally like to look back but sometimes it's good to reflect on what has happened and maybe glean some nuggets. I remember this time last year and looking forward to 2009 and thinking this will be the best year of my life so far. So was that a correct prediction? I have to say that, especially since around August, it has certainly been one of, if not the hardest year(s), in a lot of ways. Hard in the sense that I have found all those things I put my security in have one by one been removed and have had to deny the flesh and lean heavily on God. He did warn me in May/June that he wanted to build character into me so that my faith would be grounded, refined and honed. I have found that to have certainly happened. Even very recently God showed me that He disciplines those He loves, but His discipline is always for our bettering. By implication I know He loves m. Hebrews 12:10,11 says Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. I can vouch for that, but reading the second part encourages me to keep on. verse 12 continues Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.
So it has been a year of letting go: letting go of relationships (my divorce is pending), self-sufficiency (which is a form of pride), releasing my children to Him (which is the hardest thing of all), financial control (as I don't have any money), my car (my means for getting to see my children and a certain amount of independence). Having said that, I have also seen the blessing of God in so many other ways: I have made some amazing friends, i have been given so much love and encouragement, I have had my needs met on many levels, have been well looked after and helped when I needed it, I share my college life with awesome people, I have had money given me just when I needed it, I have had my vision expanded, I had an awesome trip to South Africa, I graduated from college, and my heart has been evangelised by the love of God. I have so much to be grateful for and I really do believe that the pouring out of God's abundance is just around the corner. All these things have been for my growth and benefit. I know God wants to give me so much but in order to do that the things I value have to be let go so He can give me better and more valuable things, friendships, relationships and a ministry that will succeed and bless others. Jesus said let us go to the other side of the lake. He didn't say let us go halfway over and drown. My boat is full and I'm cold and wet but Jesus is in the boat with my and He said..let's go...so I'm going. He has the words of eternal life, where else is there to go? I don't know what 2010 holds for me but I know who holds 2010 and I know who holds me. One step at a time....let Him lead and guide and as hard as the road may be sometimes it is always worth persevering. 2 Peter 1 says His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
That's His will and my desire.
So that was the year that was, tomorrow is a new day with new grace, new mercy, new hope and all the resources I will need. He is my strength, my fortress and my shield and He has called me to be an overcomer, but it's not by my might or my strength but by His Spirit in me. And I will get to the other side!

Seven

This is a quick thank you to everyone who has encouraged me in my blogging. I wasn't sure if I should carry on but having heard from people who are inspired and encouraged by what I share I am certainly going to continue and probably increase my ramblings. I see it as a part of the gift of encouragement that God has given me. I am particularly blessed that seven people are following it, especially as I haven't met four of them. Thank you for the feed back and I hope God will continue to bless you as I share what is on my heart and how He shows me stuff in life.