Saturday 27 April 2013

An Amazing Exchange Rate

I have a big decision to make, a crazy busy summer, and anxiety about my finances!

This morning I was praying and The Lord pressed upon my heart

Today is a NEW day, focus on today, it has enough going on, I will take care of you today, and tomorrow!
- Do not be anxious about anything! 

Maria you are my DAUGHTER, I love you so much, I will never ever leave you high and dry, have I ever before? (Nope, never ever, actually the opposite, you have always provided for me in abundance.)
- OK so remember this, cling to it!

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6, 7 NLT)

Are you anxious about anything, anything at all, are you discouraged, depressed? Tell God EVERYTHING, absolutely everything, write it out, scream it out, do what you got to do but get it out, give it to him, really give it to him, give up the control, and guess what you get!!? PEACE! What an amazing exchange: anxiety, anger, saddens, bitterness... for peace! This is very very good news :)

Amen!

Monday 15 April 2013

Be a Zealot!


For the grace of God (Jesus) has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, (Titus 2:11, 12 ESV)
- The Grace of God trains us to be like Jesus!

Jesus gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds. (Titus 2:14 NLT)
- Jesus died so we can say NO! to being selfish ungodly people and instead say YES! to be his people that are zealous to do acts of love, to be like him!

But wait there is more good news...

Paul says that he is certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. (Philippians 1:6 NLT)
- the training grace of God that is at work in you will be completed, God will be faithful to transform you into someone who is like Jesus, filled with love and grace, not selfish but self giving! 

Praise the Lord! Thank you Jesus! 

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed... that exhilarating finish line with God! (Hebrews 12:1-3 MSG)
- we are running this race, with the Breath (Holy Spirit) of Jesus in our lungs, he has already finished and won the prize for us! now we just need to complete our lap...

OK so let's be zealots of love and grace, forsaking all selfishness. 
We can do this! I know we can because God will be faithful to see us cross the finish line! 

Saturday 13 April 2013

What Do You Want From Me!?

This morning I cried to the Lord " what do you want from me!?"

He whispered  into my spirit "you, I want you my dear one, you are all I have ever asked for, I long for you to love me back, as I love you with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength."

Not my sacrifices or "good works", but my heart, my love, my focus, that is what Jesus seeks. 

Oh help me as my spirit is willing but my flesh is resistant. 

Amen.

Monday 8 April 2013

Look Carefully and Intently

Praying through a Decree prayer book, I came across this line:
I look carefully and intently at the manner of love the Father has poured out upon me.

I stopped and felt the Lord saying "yes, look carefully and intently on how I have loved you." Holy Spirit brought to my mind (through the devotional page I opened to, and the song that was playing) of God's saving love. 
Psalm 106: 1-4, 6-12... remember how God has saved me, take time to reflect on God's saving love HIStory in my life and the worlds.
Jesus has set me free! He has deliverd me out of the domain of darkness and now I am living in the Kingdom of God! No longer will I be oppressed by the enemy, for Christ has defeated him, and now I am more than a conqueror in Christ Jesus. Amen!

Take sometime to look carefully and intently on the manner of love that God has poured out all over you! It doesn't have to be His saving love, ask him to bring what he wants you to reflect on, his everlasting love, his faithful love, his transforming love...
Close your eyes and let his Truth fill your mind and heart, look into the Word, journal, and talk to Him, praise Him for His love! 

Sunday 7 April 2013

Something Blue

Blue Tassels

"Speak to the people of Israel, and tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a cord of blue on the tassel of each corner. And it shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the Lord, to do them, not to follow after your own heart and your own eyes, which you are inclined to whore after. So you shall remember and do all my commandments, and be holy to your God. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God: I am the Lord your God." (Numbers 15:38-41 ESV)

This morning Jesus brought me to this passage after spending time sitting, listening to music and letting His love and Truth wash over me . I pulled out a piece of blue paper and wrote in blue ink at the top Blue Tassel, then I wrote down the Truths Jesus has flooded my mind and heart with, such as I love you, and you are my chosen, beloved daughter.

I believe that Jesus is saying "Maria you are inclined to follow after your own heart and eyes, so take these 'blue tassels' remembering all the Truths I have told you, and remember that I AM the Lord your God who has taken you out of bondage and captivity to sin and death so that you can live a life of love in me, this is the commandment I have given you: love me with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength and love your neighbour as you love yourself." 

I think Jesus is also saying this to you...

So take up your blue tassels (spending time with Him, in praise, prayer, worship, the Word) everyday so that you can remember the Truths He has spoken to you, and so that you do not follow your own heart and eyes, which lead to death and destruction!

Oh how He loves us, and has so much good in store for us, if we would only take our eyes off of ourselves (our ways) and fix them on Jesus the Author and Perfecter of our faith! 

Praise His Blessed Name!

Amen?

Wednesday 3 April 2013

Are You A Mirror?

A quick reflection - Hebrews 1:3 says Jesus is the perfect mirror reflection of God and that he is stamped with the nature of God... Now I do believe as "little Christs" we are meant to reflect Jesus to the world, being stamped with his nature. Agreed?

So that got me thinking, how can I reflect Jesus, with his nature stamped all over me, to the world today, right now? (If you are a visual learner close your eyes and picture this, reflecting Jesus like a mirror, being stamped with his nature, if your not repeat this over and over again till it really sinks in).

The first nature stamp that popped into my head this morning was selflessness. Jesus thought of others more often and before he thought of his own needs, wants, and desires... OK so for me to reflect Jesus to the world will be to make choices that put others needs, wants, and desires more often before my own. Do I want to go for a walk with my sister? Not really, but I know that would be loving her. Do I want to listen to this old man ramble on about whatever? No! But I know that sometimes that is a small way I can love him. Do I want this chocolate even though I know it's not fairtrade? Yup! But saying no to participating in that injustice is again just one small way for me to love people. All of these are just small ways I can think of others needs, wants, and desires before my own.

What about you? Make them practical, how can you think of others more often then you think of yourself, putting their needs, wants, and desires  before your own? In these small ways we will be reflecting Jesus to the world! WOW! What a privilege, glory to God! Amen