How God Works on Your Inner Life. Part 1.

How God Works on Your Inner Life.

In Ecclesiastes 5:1 Solomon writes to guard your steps. When you go to the temple of the Lord try not to say things that are ill considered for a vow will place you under obligation, even at the cost of your own life. We must take vows seriously. Don't rashly make a vow for hinderances come from not acting on a vow you’ve taken.

If you have made a vow to the Lord, don’t delay paying that vow. After taking a vow, don’t then say it was a mistake. It’s important that you fulfil any vow you've made to God. God honours His vows to you and He expects you to honour your vows to Him.

What happens when you fail to fulfil a vow? This can cause you to feel stuck in an area of life. It can leave you feeling you’re not moving forward, as if your life is on hold and it is, for God will not act until you move on your vow.

If you can’t fulfil the vow straight away, repent. Let God know you’re sorry for the vow you can’t now fulfil. If you break a vow, name it specifically and ask God’s forgiveness and ask that He give you the grace and power to do better. You’re not perfect. You’ll never be perfect, but God will work with you any time you find yourself out of step with Him.

Because the church has been operating under hyper grace, that anything goes and God will forgive, this causes people to do what's right in their own eyes. You tell yourself; It’s all good. God will forgive me. That’s not what the bible says. God is a God of judgement. He will allow you to go so far and then no further, so be very considered when you make promises you can’t keep.

Back in the day, traditional wedding vows were ordained by God. They still are and they’re not to be entered upon lightly. These days people write their own vows and hope all goes well. That’s not what God sees. He sees the bride and groom as united together under a vow, sworn before Himself. He takes it very seriously.

As we walk with God, we want to see spiritual advancement and power over sin. We want to see balance and joy in our life, plus revival of all the dead areas, the areas that aren’t working for us. And sometimes we’ll fail in some areas. Don't let failure cause you to stop. Dust yourself off, repent and keep going.

If you have made a vow, review it often. Don’t let it escape your grasp. Harmonise your heart with His power and He will honour the vow, if you honour the vow. Repent quickly if you fail. Repent as soon as you notice.

There are two types of Christians; carnal Christians and spiritual Christians and the carnal Christian often doesn't know they're carnal. Our hearts and minds deceive us and sometimes we don't know we've crossed the line.

The spiritual Christian will voluntarily honour Jesus; they’ll go to church, worship, take communion, give of their tithes, talent and time. They make the effort to do what Jesus requires of them. The carnal Christians refuse to make that effort, going to church only when it pleases them.

Of course, if you work on Sunday’s, it can be impossible to go to church, but that shouldn’t stop you from finding a bible study group, or going to a Friday night service and the like. There should be a consistency and predictability in the practice of our faith.

Carnal Christians detest legalism. They're dismissive of those who are walking in an honourable fashion. They don't attend church, they don’t marry, they don't like religion to the point they don't discipline themselves in any way.

You should have strong scruples about your faith. It matters! Many in leadership make sacrifices in order to increase their effectiveness, whereas carnal Christians don’t accept responsibility. If you assume a role that matters, you need to sacrifice some of your freedom in order to be effective in the role you’ve undertaken.

Vows are a challenge and if you can't fulfil them, don't take them, but consider to work towards them in the future. All things are permitted but not all things are good. It’s better to say no to certain things than to fall into disobedience and lose power.

You want power; the power to have dominion over storms or nature or other people and when your earthly nature is corrupted and you refuse to yield to it, you will lose power. You want the power so you can lead, to shape and restore people, to heal minds and bodies. The power of God is not necessarily monetary.

What are your priorities? Have a clear form of those priorities in your mind? Your iniquities have caused a separation between you and God. Sometimes something we do gets in the way and our sins have hidden our face from Him. Sin will shut down the power of God. Deal with your sin. Our indiscretions, our improper and immoral behaviour will be our downfall. Call it what it is…sin…and deal with it.

There is so much more I could add, but I need to stop here. Just know; if you sin – repent. If you make a vow to God – honour it. If you don’t know where to start or what to do, read the bible for it will show you the way.

You do Your Bit. God will do His.

You do Your Bit. God will do His.

Close fellowship with God takes time to develop. He will speak to us only through our patience. The Lord wasn’t in the wind, earthquake or fire but in the gentle whisper (1 Kings 19:11-12). When we listen more, we hear more. Wait, meditate, consider and enquire. Often, it’s in the power of silence that God moves mightily. Listen to that whisper; the one which is easy to fob off. Listen closely and act on what the whisper says.

God tells us all things but the one thing God loves is when we head out to catch fish. To catch fish, we must go where the fish are. Jesus didn’t avoid the culture. He engages himself in it. Speak with gentleness and respect when fishing for souls. What sinners need is the power to change. They already know they’re sinners. They just don’t know what to do about it. You can teach them how to be free.

It’s also not our job to remove the ungodly from the godly. We cultivate the wheat and God removes the tares – the true believers from the false. You do your bit. God will do His.

True believers fight and hold their ground until the battle is won. True believers act on the Word of God. True believers know God loves them and know their identity in Christ. True believers will work on becoming better in their walk with God, on forming a closer relationship to Him.

False believers believe there are other ways to God than Jesus. Jesus said; “Most assuredly I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.”

False believers take bits out of the bible that suit them but don’t follow the whole Word of God. Ungodly people pervert the Word of God and deny Christ. They invade church, ministries and leadership and they teach counterfeit false doctrines. They pretend to follow Jesus. They love to be noticed and want to be in authority; in the church but against Christ.

False believers are unsaved. Determined and destined for destruction. They don’t, wont and didn’t love Jesus. Just because someone says they’re Christian, doesn’t mean they are. False believers try to trick God’s people. They deny Jesus Christ as Lord and Master. They don’t mind Jesus forgiving them their wrongdoings, but they don’t want Him leading them; happy to have Him as Saviour but not as the Lord of their life.

In following God, the devil will bring contention. We all go through battles and you may still feel some hurt and resentment after your battle is done. It’s the act of forgiveness that God is well pleased. God will heal your hurt and restore your peace to you, once you have acted out of forgiveness. You do your bit. God will do His.

Having zeal for God is like tending a fire. A fire requires constant refuelling. Your fuel is the Word of God. Keep reading. Keep studying God’s Word. Keep asking forgiveness. Keep a repentant and humble heart. You do your bit. God will do His.

Follow God with your whole heart. David made many mistakes, but he had a heart for God and continually turned to the Lord. Amaziah never repented, instead he turned away from the Lord. Amaziah was the ninth king of Judah. He was a double-minded man; swayed this way and that.

King David’s repentant heart was a joy to the Lord and the Lord blessed him through his generations. David did his bit. God did His.

Amaziah’s lack of loyalty was his downfall and his walk did not end well as his own people murdered him while he was fleeing. His body was returned so he could be buried with his ancestors. If only he’d repented as David did. There’s a lesson in that, for all of us.

Follow God’s Word. Keep Jesus close to your heart. When we put on the robe of righteousness, we can be sure we’re dressed in the splendour of Jesus. You do your bit and God will do His.

Redemption.

Redemption.

For a little while now I’ve been hand copying books of the bible. In hand copying books of the bible I’ve found I take more notice of what’s written there. Things jump out that I hadn’t noticed before. 

I just spent an hour and a half on one page of the bible. Thirty minutes of which was directed towards a semicolon.

I got an awful lot out of it and it all started when I questioned that said semicolon. Who does that? Question a semicolon from a book completed 2,000 years ago? It’s such a little thing; a semicolon. Ah, the joys of being a writer.

Now, explaining what I learnt is the hard part. Putting it all into words is the challenge, but here goes.

The semicolon first…

Ex 12:50 Thus all the children of Israel did; as the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did.

It could also be written as – Thus all the children of Israel did as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron. A slight variation with the self-same meaning. A prerogative of the author at the time.

Then we move down to Ex 13:4 On this day you are going out in the month of Abib, which is March and April. Further study revealed March/April to be the connection between Passover and Easter. Also, that the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt with a strong hand (Ex 13:9), denoting the futility of resisting God, as Pharaoh had tried to do when God sent various plagues upon his nation.

Having struck down the first born of Egypt, the Lord then exacts a return with the redeeming of the first born of Israel (Ex 13:13). This is a foreshadow of the redemption of God’s one and only Son, His sacrificial Lamb.

The first-born son to be given to the Lord. The first-born animal, sacrificed. The donkey, viewed as unclean, could be redeemed by a lamb. That Jesus (the Redeeming Lamb) rode on a donkey, shows an example of humility. A horse was considered an animal of war, a donkey; meekness.

The whole purpose of these passages are to show us how God will deliver His people from the curse of the Law, our prior condition being one of slavery, and what is entailed to set us free. From Genesis to Revelation God’s hand points us to Jesus, moving us out of sin and slavery and into our King/Priest inheritance.

One more thing today; in looking all this up, God showed/reminded me to enjoy where I’m at as I live my dream. We are redeemed by the blood of the Lamb and the devil cannot defeat us if we’re resolute in our faith, although we’re not guaranteed earthly success or prosperity. 

I do believe we are overcomers in the Lord, that success and prosperity are within our reach, for God promises to meet our needs and desires. He doesn’t promise wealth as we know it, but peace, joy and longevity. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? Mark 8:36.

We need to be chasing God and not our own prosperity because following God leads to true satisfaction. Psalm 37:4 says; May He grant you the desires of your heart, not He will grant you. If we make God our focal point, rather than riches, it will point us to God and our desire of love towards Him. Delight yourself in the Lord and you won't be disappointed with the outcome. 

Disaster Action Plan.

Disaster Action Plan.

When disaster strikes you have three directions you can take; regress, stagnate or rebirth. The decisions you make following disaster cause you to either turn back, shut down and withdraw, or move you to action.

Disaster is a lesson to learn, to grow and to move through, like a birth canal. Once you get to the other side, you’re stronger and wiser. Don’t let disaster break you. Instead, use it as a spring board to move you forward at a greater pace.

The school of hard knocks are difficult to go through. Better is an action plan, an intention of where you want to head and when you get off course, reset your dials towards your desired destination. It’s better that you decide what you want and need for your life, than to let the disasters of life toss you like a small ship in a large ocean.

Be intentional about who you want to become, where you want to go, who you hang out with, how much money you want to earn. Set goals, make a list and take action every day, for that is the only way you’re going to arrive at your destination. You’ll never get where you’re going sitting in your rocking chair, for you can rock as hard as you like, but you won’t go anywhere. It’s never too late and there’s nothing like today to get started.

You don’t need to be ready; you just need to take one action today which will move you towards your goal. And another action tomorrow and keep going. Don’t quit until you reach your destination. Will you have difficult days to traverse? Absolutely. Pick up the pieces as soon as you can and keep plugging away.

You need to be intentional every day. We’re all busy and some days are busier than others. Write up a schedule which will incorporate your dreams and desires and continue to work towards your action plan. Don’t ever stop. Keep asking the question; “What’s next?” and your world will open up to you.

God is Willing. Are You?

God’s Willing. Are You?

When Elijah arose into the clouds, he dropped his mantle. Elisha had to stoop over and pick it up. When Samson attacked the Philistine’s, he had to stoop down to pick up the donkey jawbone, which then killed a thousand men.

We need to stoop, to bend to the Father, as we pick up what we need in order to defeat our enemies. There’s much trouble and distraction in the world today and we cannot allow ourselves to be railroaded into what isn’t our concern. Yes, pray over matters but don’t worry over them.

Neither Elisha nor Samson had to go looking for what they needed. Both found what was needed close by their side. What we need is also close to us. We don’t have to go looking. Keep your focus on God and He will direct you to the right pathways.

There’s your perceived truth and then there’s God’s truth. Who are you going to believe? The devil is not in charge – God is! And if you’re not liking your journey so far, start to live from a place of joy, for it’s only from a place of joy that we shall hear the Father speak.

God will make you aware of His plan for your life. God will transform your life, as long as you give Him praise, honour and glory. As you praise, honour and glorify God it will also rub off on you for what you behold you become.

God has chosen you to reflect His glory. You are an army of 1. No matter how you feel, God has confidence in you.

Seize God’s power; seize the power of Jesus. You are not the problem but part of the solution. You were born for a time such as this. You are here at the right time and in the right place to make a difference in the lives of others.

The nation of Ester was spared, because of one person, one story. One person can make all the difference. You are that person. Realise: You’ve been chosen!

Billy Graham was just one person and yet he reached over 2 billion people. Billy Graham started because of his Sunday school teacher, who was just one person.

Are you willing to go forth in Jesus name? God’s willing to lead if you are willing to go.

I Am that I Am.

I Am that I Am. I Am the Living God.

Lightning and thunder - fireworks in the sky.

A living light for all the world to see.

I bring you that light.

With it comes joy and wonder.

Awe and majesty.

A showcase of My glory.

The stars in the night sky.

The comeliness of a splendid sunrise.

The marvel of all creation.

The rainbow, the northern lights, the southern aurora.

The magnificent colours of the true and living God.

From My throne these emanate perpetually.

A display of My greatness reflected upon this planet.

A bursting forth from the heavenly realm to the earthly.

That you shall know; I Am that I Am.

I am the living God!

The Hidden Manna.

The Hidden Manna.

What is manna? Manna is substance, bread from heaven, heavenly food. It’s akin to a pool of water, a respite from the midday sun. It’s both worldly and heavenly in form, still being found today in the Sinai Peninsula.

The hidden manna – a reward for those who help Jesus carry out His plan to return the world to its original state. Hidden manna is the help you receive from the prayer you sent out; it’s nourishment to the soul from on high.

Did you know there are rich rewards for those who say ‘yes’ to Jesus and overcome sin? The more you struggle, the greater and more noble the reward, but only if you continue and don’t quit during a tough season.

Your testimony and spiritual truths are the foundations of the Christian life. They are hidden – a hidden hand pours in secret the food and the fuel needed for success.

The abundance of life is in the moral qualities, vitality and energy, not in what we possess.

We come to God spent and weary from the battles we’ve fought. As we enter into God, we enter into peace. In the place of peace, a table is set with a spread to absolute satisfaction of all who hunger.

The wider the heart expands, the more we’re able to receive a sustenance of the Spirit. The tree of life becomes the crown of life, the hidden manna, the bread of life; sweet, fragrant, flavour, sustenance.

Feed on Him. Trust in Him. Give your heart to Him. Obey Him. Think about Him. Tread in His footsteps. Taste, touch, feel, hear and see the angelic food given by Christ. It’s there for all who desire it.

The pot of manna, hidden in the ark; a sacred treasure of the temple which had not perished, but buried in secret spot on the mountain Moses climbed.

The ark, the oil, the stone, the rod, the manna and Jesus himself – hidden and then restored.

The above writing has been sitting in the computer for a few weeks now. I’d forgotten it was there. Today I had a vision, after which I came across this small body of work and I realised how well the two married up.

As I was writing, I got that overwhelming sense of tiredness, the one which tells me God is about to speak. I closed my eyes and a vision came to mind; two hands coming together, forming a circle between arm, heart and chest, converging into prayer. God’s very large hand, wiping away all our troubles.

In this vision, all the troubles were represented within a speech bubble as lots of unrelated chattels, and with one swipe of the Lord’s enormous hand it was all gone.

The circle; the symbol of eternity and never-ending existence. Totality, wholeness, perfection, infinite, timelessness. God; the circle whose centre is everywhere and circumference is nowhere. Zero in number yet full of potential.

I felt God to be saying, when we bring our hands together in conjunction with our heart (the connection to Him), one swipe of His hand will cast aside all our fears.

Who knew I’d get all that out of a quick snapshot of two hands coming together and a speech bubble? It made sense too, as I’d written a snippet only yesterday, called “Praying in the Spirit.” This piece spoke of a greater anointing when we see the Spirit in Him; the complete wholeness of the Trinity together with each of us.

As we open our heart to the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ and the Holy Spirit, the convergence between them and you, the hidden manna stored for this day is revealed; then shall our troubles fade into oblivion.