99 Coping With CRISES God’s Way. Psalm 42-3.

How we handle a crisis determines how we come out of it. Here are five suggestion by Doctor Jeffrey Rossman to help us to understand and come out stronger. (1) Acknowledge your feelings. King David said in the above Psalm “When my spirit was overwhelmed...you knew my path” God already knows how you feel, so stifling your emotions just saps your energy and leaves you tense, depressed and slows down the healing process. (2.) Confide in someone. This doesn’t mean pouring your heart out to everyone; It means opening up to those who love and care about you. The Bible says (Proverbs 17:17 ) “A friend always loves, and a brother is born to share trouble” Numerous studies confirm the power of social support to help us stay healthy through crisies. (3. Start a journal or a blog. Writing about a traumatic event is a way of letting it out. It minimises your chances of becoming sick or depressed. The more you write, the more your negative responses to the memory diminish. (4.) Refuse to play the blame game; by saying “It’s the other person’s fault” or “The Doctor butchered the procedure or “The Boss never gave me a chance.” Blame-shifting makes others responsible for your pain, and more often than not, it results in lingering grudges that prolong your misery. Let go of toxic bitterness and judgements, stop feeling like a doormat; you can forgive while taking steps to make yourself less vulnerable next time. (5.) Forgive yourself; Here’s a surprise- You are human! Acknowledge you’ve made a mistake. Ask God for forgiveness, then forgive yourself and move on. God’s word says in (Isaiah 43:25 ) “When He forgives, He remembers your sins no more.” So neither should you. When you find yourself in a crisis, having the right attitude makes all the difference. Dr. Jeffrey Rossman continues by offering these further 6 steps to the right attitude; (1.) Look for a way to find meaning. Resilient people use their experience to help others. ‘(God) comforts us every time we have trouble, So when others have trouble, we can comfort them” see (Corinthians 1:4). (2.) Examine your priorities In (Psalm 90:12) We read:”Teach us to use wisely all the time we have.” How would you most like to spend your time differently? Who would you like to spend that time with? Now think, how can you use your strengths in the service of what is important to you? If you had only a year to live, what conversations would you want to have? What kind of person would you want to be? (3.) Believe you can bounce back. A crucial aspect of resilience is yourself, the bounce is having faith in your ability to cope. Even if you have the practical skills to deal with the issue at hand, unless you believe in your emotional ability, you will waiver. (4.) Get moving. Physical exercise boosts your energy and mood. It reinforces your ability to take charge of your health and well-being. (5.) Step out of your comfort zone. Keep… Growing in knowledge and understanding. (Philippians 1:9) Learn a new language or computer programme, Begin a new project at home or at work. Embracing the unfamiliar strengthens your confidence and capacity to handle new situations. The more you require of yourself the more resilient you will become. (6.) clear the weeds choking your optimism. When you start thinking pessimistic or cynical thoughts step back and reframe your perspective by looking for concrete steps to solve the problem. Remember, Crisies (For the most part) are just short-lived seasons, Here today and gone tomorrow. And time is a great healer, I don’t want to minimise “crises” Nor do I want to overstate the gravity of some of them. God is in charge, and whatever He’s doing or allowing, is part of His Will and plan for us at this present time. So instead of asking God to remove us or change the situation we find ourselves in; we need to say”Show me Father God how You can be honoured and glorified as You take me through this Crises”. Submission to the Will of God always brings fruitful results.. Thank you for reading these few words on “Dealing with Crises” We all have “Crisies” come into our lives from time to time, and sometimes I wonder if God allows them to see just how much we really do rely on and truly trust Him!! He has never let me down yet and I know He never will. My moto is “Trust & Obey” Let it be yours too. Try it, Mean it, Do it! It works! God Bless. Phaline.. ---------------------------

98. Discovering Your Vision. Jeremiah 23:16.

You don’t get to decide God’s purpose for your life. You have to discover it. “How?” you may ask Through prayer. God says in *Jeremiah 29:11) I know the plans I have for you…” Your parents may have planned your future and life, but God has His own plans for your life. Right now, you may be overwhelmed with problems, but God only, knows your potential so ask Him to show you how your potential and how His will can be achieved through your obedience. David’s family didn’t think he would amount to much. But where they saw a shepherd boy, God saw a King. Looking back, David wrote; (Psalm 139:16-18) You saw me before I was born. Everyday of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me…I can’t even count them;They outnumber the grains of sand!... And when I wake up, You are still with me.” You are unique - and so are God’s plans for you. It’s encouraging to listen and to read stories of great achievers and think “If they can do it, so can I! However, the secret is to learn from others without trying to duplicate them. It’s not enough to have a good idea; It must be the Wil of God. You don’t get to decide what your vision will be; You discover it by seeking God for direction. His Word says He will give that to you; (Isaiah 30:21) “Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘this is the way walk in it, whenever you turn to the right or the left” And that is the way you know it’s from the mouth of The Lord. Prior to His encounter with Christ, Paul believed he was doing God’s will by imprisoning and beating-up Christians. But when he discovered his true calling, it was in a dramatic way. (Acts 9:3-6) As he journeyed and came near Damascus, suddenly a light from Heaven shone around him, and he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying ”Saul, Saul, Why are you persecuting me?” and he said “Who are you Lord? The Lord replied, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. It’s hard for you to kick against the goads.” So he, trembling and astonished said ‘Lord, what do you want me to do.’ The Lord said to him “Arise and go into the city. And you will be told what you must do” That day, his ministry began; A ministry that was destined to change the world! And as his life neared its end, he could say: (Acts 26:19) “I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.” If you want to say similar words at the end of your life, seek God’s vision for it. Your vision must not be born out of a need to impress other people, or even to be like them. You and I are called to do God’s Will, not our own or someone else’s. In Hosea (5:11) we read; “Ephraim was oppressed and broken in judgement, because he willingly walked by human precept” Our vision must be the result of divine guidance and not ‘human precept.’ You must be able to pray, ‘Lord, You gave me this vision, And I’m trusting you for what I need, to make it happen.’ The Apostle John writes (1John 5:14) “This is the confidence we have in Him, That if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. ”Perhaps you think; ‘I haven’t been to Bible Collage, I don’t know the Word well enough, In fact, I haven’t been a Christian very long, so why would God trust me with a vision?’ Don’t think that way, God chooses whoever He wants to. Mother Teresa was scrubbing the convent floors when God first spoke to her and gave her a visions and look what she achieved for God!! And the Bible says in (Acts 9;10-12) There was a certain disciple in Damascus. named Ananias; and to him The Lord said in a vision: ‘Ananias’ and he answered, “Here I am Lord’ then The Lord said ’Arise, go to the street called straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, behold, he is praying. and in a vision he has seen a man called Ananias coming and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.” And Ananias went his way and entered the house;And laying his hands on Saul he said, brother Saul, The Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’ Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight. At once; he arose and was baptised. After eating some food he was strengthened.” Now, who exactly was Ananias? The right man in the right place at the right time with the right attitude! And God used him to lead the apostle Paul to Christ. Pretty impressive eh? But what’s interesting here is this; After that Ananias is never mentioned again in Scripture. Bottom line here is;- He was a “nobody” who played a key role in God’s plan and if God gave Ananias a vision and used him greatly. He can and will use you too. So be that right person in the right place at the right time. And keep the right attitude. God will use you. When G od wants to change the status quo, He often starts by giving someone a vision. That seemingly small episode is what changed a centuries-old racial barrier and had the Gentiles hear the gospel for the first time. Did you know, you can be a Christian and still be prejudiced? Indeed you can be a believer and be biased. against people you don’t really know or understand, because you’ve spent your life avoiding them and making judgements about them. Jesus told His disciples in (Matthew 24:14) “This gospel of the Kingdom will be preached in ALL the world as a witness to ALL the nations, and then the end will come.” Now, Peter was present when He said this and either he wasn’t listening, or he didn’t like what he heard. Back then the divide between Jews and Gentiles was full of mistrust and suspicion; The Jews considered the gentiles as “Unclean” But God told Peter to go to the house of Cornelius, a gentile, and preach the Gospel, this person Peter considered to be ‘unclean.’ This would not have gone down well with Peter, But, God told Peter to go and he was obedient to the vision. Sometimes, obeying a vision can be difficult, but when you do, great things happen. Prejudice is a product of a closed mind it is contempt prior to honest investigation. It is pride that must be humbled. So how did God change Peter’s heart? Not with one, but with two different visions. God gave Cornelius a vision in which He told him, to Invite a Jewish preacher named Peter into his home to preach the gospel. While at the same time, He gave Peter a vision .” in which He told him, “If I accept someone, “Don’t you dare reject them” The fact is, when God wants to change things, He starts the process by giving someone a vision – And that someone could very-well be you! The Word of God says in (Proverbs 29:18) ‘Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Here is an example of what is meant by that proverb;- From 1923 till 1955, Robert Woodruff presided over the Cocoa-Cola company wanted the beverage to be made available to every American serviceman around the world for just 5 cents, no matter how much it cost the company. That was a bold goal. But it was modest compared to the big picture which he saw in his minds eye. In fact, he desperately wanted everyone to taste Cocoa-Cola. Observe three things (1) Vision starts within. When you look inside yourself, What do you see? You can’t buy, beg or borrow a vision, you must look within and draw on your own innate gifts and desires. What is it that you feel passionate about? You are thinking and praying constantly about? What are you willing to sacrifice everything for? Your most persistent desire will point you toward your destiny. (2) vision draws on your history. Moses grew up in the comfort of Pharaoh’s palace hearing the cries of Hebrew slaves. It was that experience which prepared him to lead the Exodus. Vision isn’t some mystical quality that materialises out of a vacuum, it’s interwoven with your past and the history of the people around you. If your vision is born of God, it wont just benefit you, it will benefit others too. (3) Vision attracts resources. One of the hallmarks of vision is that it acts like a magnet – attracting, challenging and uniting people. It rallies financial and other resources, and the greater the vision the greater potential winners it must attract. The more challenging the vision, the harder the participants will fight to achieve it. Think seriously about those three points. Pray and ask God to show and help you recognise the vision He has for your life, as big or as small as it might be and be willing to follow His leading. Then you too will be able to say “I never neglected the vision.” Thank you for reading this word on achieving your vision, don’t be afraid to go for it. Keep The Lord at the Helm with constant prayer, and watch Him work for you. God Bless and keep you in His care. Phaline. -------------------------

97 TAKING THE INITIATIVE. Deuteronomy 31:7.

When God gives an unconditional promise, all we need to do is wait for it. But when He makes a conditional promise, we have a part to play in it’s fulfilment. That’s when you’re called to:- Firstly, take the initiative. For Israel it was being ready and willing to face opposition and driving the occupying nations from the promised land. (Deuteronomy 31;7-8) “Then Moses called Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel. ‘Be strong and of good courage, for you must go with this people to the land which The Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall cause them to inherit it. And The Lord, He is the one who goes before you. He will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you, do not fear or be dismayed.” In essence, God was saying, “When you take the initiative, I will act on your behalf.”And He is saying the same thing to you and me today. Here is what it means for us today to take the initiative (a) knowing what you want: Humorist and pianist Oscar Levant Once quipped “Once I make up my mind,, I’m full of indecision.” We smile, but sadly that’s the way many of us operate. The fact is one can’t be indecisive and effective at the same time. (b) being willing to take risks. The difference between a believer and unbeliever is this; as a believer, God has promised to go before you and arrange the circumstances in your favour. You may say “But I’m afraid” Faith in God doesn’t eliminate fear – it overcomes it; Believe and say these words (You promised it Lord and I believe your Word. Take the initiative. The Second thing you must do is take action: There is an old saying, “You can if you will” Initiators don’t wait for others to motivate them. They know it’s their responsibility to move beyond their comfort zone and they make it a practice. One-time U S President Theodore Roosevelt said “There is nothing brilliant or outstanding in my record, except perhaps this one thing. I do the things I believe ought to be done. And when I make up my mind to do a thing, I act. The Bible says ( Psalm 37:3) Trust in the Lord, and do good (take action)’ dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Thirdly; Learn from your failures and keep moving forward. The good news for initiators is, They make things happen. The bad news is they make lots of mistakes along the way. The fact is, the greater your potential the greater your chances of failure. Senator Robert Kennedy said, “Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever hope to achieve greatly.” Are you constantly on the lookout for opportunity, Or do you wait for it to come to you? Are you willing to pray and take a step of faith, or do you endlessly analyse everything? As former chairman of “Chrysler,” Lee Lacocca said “Even the correct decision is wrong when it’s taken too late.” When was the last time you initiated something substantial in your life? If you haven’t moved yourself forward out of your comfort zone lately, you might have to jump-start your initiative. The Bible says*(Psalm 115:11) “He is (your (help) and... shield”. That means God will help you to succeed. And if and when you fail, hang in there, He will be there to protect and redirect you. “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord. (Jeremiah 17’7)” Fourthly:- Change your mindset. Does risk scare you? Are you discouraged by past failures? Do you not see the potential that opportunity offers? You wont be able to move forward until you discover what is holding you back. (Proverbs 29;25 ) tells us “The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in The Lord shall be safe.” a snare is a trap, so when you begin to see your fears as a trap, you will want to be free from them. Fifth:- Don’t wait for opportunity to knock. Opportunity seldom comes knocking, you have to look for it. Assess your assets, talents and resources. Doing so will give you a picture of your potential. But, You say I don’t have any special talents.” Yes you do, God says so in (Romans 12:6) “God has...given each of us different gifts to use.” Sixth:- Take the next step. It’s one thing to notice an opportunity but quite another to act on it. Somebody once quipped “Everyone has a great idea in the shower, but only a few step out, dry off and do something about it. Choose the best opportunity you see, pray about it, do the best with it that you can, and keep going until you have done everything possible to make it happen. And when you have done your best, - trust God to do the rest Winston Churchill said ”Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities…because it is the quality which guarantees all others.” And where does courage come from? God! “Trust in The Lord forever, for in The Lord is everlasting strength” (Isaiah 26:4) Thank you for reading about How to take the initiative. I hope these ideas and proposals help. (Some of which I have borrowed from several other writers) .The Word of God being my primary source. “Trust in The Lord always, and lean not on your own understanding.” May our God richly bless all who trust in Him, Phaline. -------------------------

96. OVERCOMING INSECURITY. 2 Corinthians 3: 5.6.

The above Scripture says “our competence comes from God” insecurity can side-line us, When we feel like we are unworthy of success, self-doubt may cause us to sabotage our chances to be successful. The truth is it’s impossible to live for long on a level that is inconsistent with how we see ourselves. As I see it, one of the biggest problems with insecurity is, that it is almost impossible to acknowledge, so we don’t deal with it, and overcome it. Why is that? Because we are afraid that an admission of vulnerability will (1) weaken us in the eyes of other people, (2) empower and embolden our critics, and (3) Give our competitors the advantage over us. Insecurity insures we keep other people at a distance. It means living without the council and support of the very people whose input can help us to succeed. The bottom line is, we have a hard time trusting others. because we have a hard time trusting ourself. It’s not a new phenomenon. Recorded in the Old Testament, (Job 20:22) we read “Zophar said to Job, in his self-sufficiency he will be in distress>” Note the word ‘Distress” then think of the word ‘tress’ our insecurity will whisper “If people don’t really know me, they wouldn’t love me, respect me, follow me invite me or invest in me. So… What is the answer? Paul has it! He writes in (2 Corinthians 3:5-6) Not that we are competent .. to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent. The first step to overcoming insecurity is to draw our self-worth from God and learn to see ourselves through His eyes .and we can only do that by spending time with Him in prayer and reading His Word everyday. If our sense of well-being comes from any source other than God, chances are that we will always struggle with insecurity. That’s why Paul wrote in (2 Corinthians 9:8) “God will give you His constantly over flowing kindness. Then, when you always have everything you need, you can do more and more good things. Another translation puts it this way. “God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things and at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” As long as we are trusting in ourselves or other people, we will struggle with uncertainty and self doubt. But once we start trusting in God and what He can do in us, with us, through us and for us, we begin to feel differently about ourselves. Insecurity destroys our self-esteem by making us feel unqualified and undeserving. And here is the worst part; often it means we can’t be taught, we can’t accept honest criticism, and therefore we can’t grow. - The thing we need most – good input, is the last thing we are willing to accept, because we’re afraid to let anyone know we are less than perfect. Consequently, we find it hard to confront challenges and seize the opportunities that come our way. Deep down we feel incompetent, unaccepted, disapproved of and rejected. In short insecurity is an ‘inside job.!” Now, Take an honest look at your life. Go ahead; Your safe no one is looking! The only person who will benefit from this is you. Then turn to God and say “Lord, Everything I need to succeed in life I have in you. Please give me the humility to call to mind your Promises and thoughts about me, the wisdom to understand your loving Words and the courage to trust you with my security. In Jesus’ name I pray. Thank you for reading these thoughts on where our security comes from, who it is born of and where it must always stay. ”In Christ, and in Christ alone.” He is our security, “The Rock of our Salvation.” God Bless us all. Phaline. -----------------------------

95. GOD AND YOUR EMOTIONAL WELLNESS 1 Kings 19:5-7

When you are feeling low and depressed, it is important to seek the support of a Medical Professional or Counsellor. But God also has some wisdom for you when you are emotionally down. Take care of your physical needs. In (1 Kings 19:5-7) we read Elijah was exhausted, So he stretched out under a tree and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat” he looked around and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals and a jar of water He ate and drank and then lay down again..Then the angel came to him a second time and said ‘Get up and eat for the journey is too much for you.’ So he ate and drank and was strengthened by the food. You can exhaust yourself in a good cause and pray until you are blue in the face, It wont do you any good until you learn to exercise a bit of wisdom concerning the physical needs of your body. God’s initial remedy for Elijah’s exhaustion called for a change of diet and proper rest. A good night’s sleep or a holiday can do wonders for your attitude. Be wise when you’re physically or mentally drained. You’re vulnerable. Notice, God didn’t scold Elijah by saying “You lazy, Coward, what are you doing here in the desert?” No, He restored him physically. And that was the starting point. So if you’re emotionally low, your first step may be to get in shape physically. Take care of your health, perhaps you need to change your diet, get more sleep or begin an exercise programme. Your Physical health has a profound influence on your moods. “Can’t God heal me in answer to prayer?” Yes, see James 5:14. But He expects us to use Faith – and wisdom! Let God know your frustration. After being restored through proper food and rest, Elijah travelled for forty days. Then he went into a cave and spent the night. In the morning God asked him “Why are you here? (1Kings 19:9) Elijah answered in the next verse “I have always done my best to obey you, but your people have broken their solemn promise to you, they have torn down your altars and killed all your prophets except me. And now they are even trying to kill me.” Notice Elijah poured out all his feelings, and God allowed him to let off steam. He wasn’t shocked by Elijah’s complaints. Sometimes it’s helpful to share your feelings with a trusted friend. It’s cathartic, a cleaning out, a venting of all the things that have been pushed down inside you that are contributing to emotional despondency. And Elijah had plenty of stuff pushed down inside. Notice the emotion he experienced. He was afraid see (1Kings 19:3), Then he felt resentment, followed by low self-esteem and guilt. In(19:4) he continues “I’ve had enough… I’m no better than my ancestors.” He was angry because he had worked hard for many years for nothing. He was lonely to the point of despair. He was worried. Now, When fear, resentment, low self-esteem, guilt, anger, loneliness and worry are combined, It can open the door to depression! So God let him spill it all out. He said “Elijah what’s frustrating you? What’s eating you up? And Elijah just poured it all out to God. So that’s your strategy too. When you’re feeling low you need to take it to God Our greatest healer. Now read on --- pursue a fresh awareness of God’s presence in your life. the third thing God did in dealing with Elijah’s despondency was to tell him, in (1Kings 19:11) “Go and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord. For the Lord is about to pass by.” Now as we make our way down to (vs. 13 ) we read: ”Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountain apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, But the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper in the breeze, when Elijah heard it, he... went out and stood in the mouth of the cave.” That day God put on an impressive display with the wind, the earthquake and the fire.” But He wasn’t speaking to Elijah through any of these big things. What really got Elijah’s attention was the still small voice – The gentle whisper. God usually speaks to us in stillness and quietness – Not through some big dramatic demonstration of fire or power, He whispered, “Elijah, I’m still right here beside you.” So if you’re feeling really low, take your Bible and go to a serene quiet place. Sit down, read the Scriptures, and just be alone with God. Just allow Him to love and speak to you, let Him meet your needs and allow yourself to feel His presence. There is no more or better antidepressant than. communication and fellowship with your God. That’s what He means when He says to you in (Psalm 46:10) “Be still and know that I am God”. Let God give you a new direction and perspective. In (1Kings 19:15) God told Elijah to go to the desert of Damascus and anoint a new king and also a new Prophet to take his place. In other words, He gave Elijah a new assignment. Try not to spend too much time in negative self-analysis. Try to get your eyes off yourself and look for the needs of others, get involved in their lives through a ministry where you are giving out and God is giving through you. If you are constantly looking at yourself, you will get discouraged. In (Philippians 2:4) Paul says “ Don’t just think about your own affairs, but be interested in others too.” Now, you may say “I have failed badly and even disappointed myself. Surely God must be disappointed in me too.” Disappointment only happens when someone expects you to do something different from what you do. Jesus knew Peter would deny Him, but He called him anyway. Why? Because He also knew that Peter would grow and learn from the experience and go on to even greater things. God wants to give you a new purpose and direction in life. He’s not finished with you yet. Maybe you blew it Big Time. But If you let Him, God will pick you up and help you start again. One mistake – or One hundred – Doesn’t make you useless for life in God’s Kingdom. Today God wants to lift you out of that low place. He can help and change you. You don’t have to go through life being manipulated by your emotions. Your emotions can be affected by your thoughts, and with God’s help you can change how you think and what you think about. Let’s take a moment and take a look at the sort of self-talk that can increase emotional dependency and keep us stuck there. For instance, instead of saying “I made a mistake” we say “I’m a total failure.” Instead of saying “ I accidentally tripped up” we say “I’m clumsy.” Instead of saying “I ate too much.” We say “I’m a pig.” And when we label ourselves with such titles, we reinforce our problems and can even make them worse Let God change the harmful misconceptions you have of yourself, such as (1) “If somebody criticises me I’m useless.” (2) “I have to be loved and accepted by everyone in order to be fulfilled .“ or (3) I can’t admit an area of weakness, I must be perfect or else I’m a failure.” Those are the kind of misconceptions that lead to depression. Jesus knew the importance of correct thinking when He said in (John 8:32) “You will know the truth and the truth shall set you free.’ The Good New is you can be emotionally strong! How? By establishing a personal relationship with Christ. This may not automatically cure all your woes, but without Him in your life, you don’t have the power to change anything. When Christ comes into your life, He gives you a new power and a new perspective. You see, you need something greater to live for than just your own interests. People who live just for themselves often end up depressed. You need something bigger, that draws you out of yourself. And that something is a relationship with Jesus Christ .Through Him (And with the support of a Professional if needed) you can experience healthy mental wellness. Thank you for reading these thoughts, I do not profess to be any sort of professional in this area, but, I do know that “Without God we can do nothing” and with that thought and well over eighty five years of life experience, almost sixty years of marriage and bringing up seven reasonably well adjusted children, in mind, I don’t think I can be too far off the mark May our loving father bless us all. Phaline.

93. EXERCISE YOUR FAITH. Matthew 17; 20.

Faith is like a muscle, for it to grow, get strong and work for you, it must be exercised. Yes, it’s a Gift from God, but, like all God’s gifts to us, they must be nurtured and fed to reach their full potential. You may be a gifted pianist, but unless you practise regularly and learn the finer points of Piano playing, you will never be a “Concert Pianist”. You will remain a party player. or a party prayer as in the case of group prayer, which is a good place to start and practise your potential ministry, First of all in small things. Then, If you still feel God is leading you in the direction of a particular ministry ;-- As you grow in faith, and through trusting in Him, practise and become more sensitive to the leading of His Holy Spirit, God will confirm His “Gifting” to you as He does for all of us, Some gifts can be very demanding, and the need for constant prayer and sometimes even fasting or other sacrifices may be called for, but don’t fear, If God calls, He equips us for the task. In (Hebrews 11:1) Paul writes “Now Faith is the substance of things hoped for” Observe the words Now Faith” Thank God for the faith of our fathers. But to move the mountain that stands in your way, you need “Now Faith!” Jesus said (Matthew,17:20) “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, move… and it will move” Your Grandmother’s faith may have moved her mountain, but it’s going to take you’re own faith to move “this mountain”. We all have mountains in our lives, and God is willing to move them. So what is the problem? Doubt!! Other peoples opinions!! Failure to understand God’s Word!! Even though Jesus gave the disciples the power to heal the sick, they were rendered helpless against a demon-possessed boy. “Why could we not cast the spirit out of him?” they asked (Hebrews 17:19) Notice what Jesus told them;- 1. Be willing to start small, and in most cases that takes time; when Jesus was talking about “mustard seed faith”, He wasn’t talking so much about the size of the seed but about the time it would take to grow into a large tree. To reach the fullness of any gifting from God takes Faith plus time. Of course God can and sometimes does immediate healings and miracles, but, mostly He works on the faith of both, the recipient and that of the prayer. Have you ever noticed what Jesus said to many of the people who were cured of their various illnesses , eg. To the woman with the issue of blood’ Jesus said “YOUR Faith has healed you” to Jairus regarding his daughter, Jesus said “Don’t be afraid, JUST BELIEVE”.(stir up YOUR faith) In the Gospel of (John 11:40) The Raising of Lazarus we read “Jesus said ‘Didn’t I tell you, you would see God’s glory IF YOU JUST BELIEVED’ Now who or what are you believing in? Not in yourself, or in the adequacy of your prayer, but a real all-in faith in Jesus Christ. This doesn’t come naturally, it comes via The Spirit of God, so one has to submit to His leading A tiny mustard seed can grow into something much bigger, so start where you are, and believe God for ordinary everyday things, and when He honours your faith, thank Him and build on it. 2. Watch what you say. “If you have faith…, you will say to this mountain...Move and it will move.” Your words will release the life-giving force of God’s Word. So line-up what comes out of your mouth with what’s written in Scripture. 3. Be willing to do what’s needed. Some mountains need a bit extra prayer or, as in the case of this demon-possessed boy, the power that comes through fasting. And sometimes a few more questions need to be asked and dealt with. God will not submit to us, like a genie in a bottle ; No! God is God and it’s in our attitude of humble submission to His will that He will respond. So if your mountain does not get removed, it’s not God’s fault, He is in the business of moving mountains. So go back to the drawing board. Go to the reason why you want God to act, Look at the purity of your intentions, is God talking to you about something you need to sort out first, is God saying “Not yet” or even “No” God didn’t remove Paul’s mountain, and in retrospect we can see why. More than half the epistles would not have been written if He had. I too have had a “No” from God, and I know that I wouldn’t have the relationship with my Saviour that I presently have with Him if He had removed my mountain, in fact I doubt if I’d even be a Christian today if God had removed it...So just trust Him But in saying that, I firmly believe God does and will remove mountains when and if you meet His conditions. When you do what God says in His Word, you will see mountains move in your life, and the lives of others. I t’s not enough to simply listen to a sermon in church. You must hear what God is saying to YOU. You can hear something totally different from what the person sitting beside you is hearing Why? Because God is personalising the message to you. In (Hebrews 4:12) the Bible is called “The Living Word” That’s because the words of certain Scriptures suddenly come to life and take root within each of us. Sometimes you will hear what nobody else hears, you may even miss several of the sermon’s key-points and still come home with the answer you need. Paul tells us in (Romans 10:17.) “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” When you can say “I get it, I understand it, It’s mine to keep.” That Faith that comes by hearing is doing its special work in you. Before Israel went into battle, The Prophets would consult God, to be sure He was leading them. That’s because God honours Faith only when it’s based on what God promised. So what you should fight for, is what God has promised! Remember this, You can’t say “God failed me”, if He didn’t promise it in the first place. Another point to think about is when your own misguided desires push you to reach for what He has given to somebody else. When you admire someone else’s gift, it’s because it suits them and they can use and express it so well, that’s why God gave it to them. Ask God to bless you with a gifting, and He will do the same for you. Years ago people used to sing, “Every promise in the book is mine, Every chapter, Every verse, Every line.” And that is true, inasmuch as God loves us all equally. But there are specific promises He wants to fulfil in each of our lives. Your calling is different from mine or that of your friends and neighbours, That’s why we must all seek God for clarity and confirmation. Don’t assume or presume,! He said “If you seek me with all your heart, you WILL find me. So look, seek and find God in all you do, all you think and all you speak. I did, and still do. Thank you for reading how to exercise your Faith God is waiting for you to seek and find Him, to make Himself known to you and move your mountains. And the first and best way to start is to read “The Bible” His Word daily. You will meet Him on every page, in every chapter and every verse God’s Blessings go with you. Phaline. ----------------------------

94.The Spirit Does An Inside Job. John 14:16

Do you remember family dinners with conversations at the dinner table; friends and family enjoying each others company and conversation, eating lovely home-cooked meals with knives and forks not a fork in one hand and a cell phone in the other. What has happened to one of the most precious family occasions we shared? Like so many of our treasured family times, we have allowed technology to overtake and corrupt our values. We are a generation who have all but lost the art of conversation, and are well on the way to loosing the value of communication and intimacy as well. This is also impacting on the time we spend with God. Although Jesus preceded the High-tech age, He was in constant demand; multitudes pursued Him at all hours of the day and night. But, the Scriptures tell us; (Mark 1; 35) “Long before daybreak Jesus went alone out into the wilderness to pray”. Jesus made time to be alone with His Father; He made time to communicate and have a conversation with His Dad. There are many of us older people who remember our parents and families around the dinner table, the stories and chatter that went on there and how we wish we had spent more time and paid more attention to their advice and ideas; Those fond memories never fade away, what a shame! for those of us who are too buzzy to enjoy those times today.. It requires spiritual discipline to eliminate anything that takes you away from being quiet and listening to God and people, constant noise and roaming eyes need rest, our Spirits need peace and quietness, we need peaceful hearts, listening ears and a quiet spirit to hear God’s voice. That’s why it’s good to have a designated time and place to be alone with God. If you practise achieving this, you will discover a heart-satisfying intimacy and fellowship with God. Invest a few minutes reading John chapters 14-16. and let your spirit absorb Jesus’ message there. Notice He wants His disciples to have peace, and He comforts them with the assurance that they are never left alone. These are blessings He wants you and me to share as well. How can we find this peace, rest and comfort? Answer:>It’s an inside job!, because The Holy Spirit lives in us. Jesus told His disciples,”I will ask the Father and He will give you another comforter, and He will never leave you” (John14;16). The Holy Spirit indwells every believer and can provide everything we need to handle life’s difficulties with a peaceful heart and mind. The Comforter was promised by the Son, sent by the Father, and today He is ours by faith. Embrace Him, trust His power, experience His peace and follow His unfailing guidance, Even as the disciples’ hearts ached about Jesus’ departure, He assured them that it was to their advantage He was leaving them, because it would bring them to a new era of power and authority, see (John 14:12). Being as it were “Under new management” wasn’t the end, but the continuation of Christ’s ministry as The Holy Spirit took the baton from the Son’s hand and placed it in theirs. The Son would leave, but The Spirit would come and abide (continue to live) with them forever (John 14:16) That was the “advantage” Jesus was talking about (They didn’t understand then, but they soon would) The Spirit would enter their human bodies and live permanently in them. This is no tentative, vague connection. It’s God’s Spirit choosing US to be His permanent residence (dwelling place.) That is some “advantage” Wouldn’t you say! Have you ever stopped to consider the advantage this gives you? Here’s a simple example: Tomorrow you may wake up feeling stressed, weary and irritated, and humanly speaking these feelings could easily dictate your day. But, because The Spirit lives in you, these things don’t have to control your day or your life. Paul writes “Do you not know that your body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit that dwells in you (1Corenthians 6:19). Once you accept that promise by faith, you become God’s temple. You can be at work, driving the children to school, walking the dog, waiting for biopsy results or attending the funeral of your best friend. And as you go about your everyday life, God’s Spirit, The third Person of The Trinity is living in you. (It’s mind-boggling) Can you now see why Jesus told His disciples it was good for Him to leave and send The Holy Spirit? Whatever you do, don’t let this life changing truth slide by you. In the New Testament account, (John 14:16) Jesus told His disciples “I will ask The Father and He will give you another comforter, and He will never leave you.” The Greek source for the word comforter is “Parakletos” which means ‘one who comes alongside’ to strengthen, encourage and advise you. How good is that? When you feel discouraged confused and powerless; You have access to a wise, compassionate, competent helper who will show up to support you, supplying you with what you need. Instead of struggling alone, learn to lean on The Holy Spirit, draw on His power and trust Him to do His mighty work in you. Paul tells us, (Galatians 5:16) He (The Holy Spirit) gives us directions, where to go and what to do, and then you won’t always be doing the wrong things as your evil nature wants you to. The battle of The Spirit versus th flesh is unrelenting, and our fleshly nature can never be subdued by human thinking; which just produces defeat and discouragement. What’s the answer? Paul tells us “Read again the two top lines of this paragraph” (Romans 8:14) Tells of another great benefit the indwelling Holy Spirit will bring you. “For as many as are led by The Holy Spirit of God, These are sons of God.” Praying and taking your best guess, isn’t God’s way. The Holy Spirit’s guidance – not our – guesswork should direct our lifestyle. Remember “it’s an inside job.” Thank you for reading, understanding and accepting How why and when God’s Holy Spirit comes to live in you. It is one of the most important truths you will ever need to know about God’. The Holy Spirit of God will be your greatest ally and strongest weapon against anything you may encounter in this world, and as you follow His leading He will take you triumphantly into the next. I pray the indwelling guidance of God’s Holy Spirit on us all. Phaline