Courage

These last few days / nights saw me feeling both pumped (excited) and under the pump (stressed) about a number of things, including the expenses of the wedding, my upcoming marriage, plans for the future, work, ministries and business. These mixed feelings cause my emotions to be up and down lately.

But God spoke to me, which really comforted and helped me. He said:

" I am here. Fear not. Can you really trust Me? I am a God of Power, as well as a Man of Love, so human, yet so divine.

Just trust. I cannot, and I will not fail you. All is well. Many are praying for you.
Such wonderful things are coming to you: Joy - Peace - Assurance - Security - Health - Happiness - Laughter - COURAGE!!"

Praise you Lord!

May God Smile On You :)

I read the following article by Rick Warren, and was very encouraged by it.

The smile of God is the goal of life. Since pleasing God is the first purpose of your life, your most important task is to discover how to do that. The Bible says, "Figure out what will please Christ, and then do it" (Ephesians 5:10 MSG). Fortunately, the Bible gives us a clear example of a life that gives pleasure to God in the story of Noah. In Noah's day, the entire world had become morally bankrupt. Everyone lived for their own pleasure, not God's. God couldn't find anyone on earth interested in pleasing him, so he was grieved and regretted making man. God became so disgusted with the human race that he considered wiping it out.But there was one man who made God smile. The Bible says, "Noah was a pleasure to the Lord" (Genesis 6:8 LB).God said, "This guy brings me pleasure. He makes me smile. I'll start over with his family." Because Noah brought pleasure to God, you and I are alive today.Over the next few days, we will learn from Noah's life the five acts of worship that make God smile. Here is the first one:God smiles when we love him supremely. Noah loved God more than anything else in the world, even when no one else did! The Bible tells us Noah "consistently followed God's will and enjoyed a close relationship with him" (Genesis 6:9 NLT).This is what God wants most from you: a relationship! It's the most astounding truth in the universe: our Creator wants to fellowship with us. God made you to love you, and he longs for you to love him back. He says, "I don't want your sacrifices—I want your love; I don't want your offerings—I want you to know me" (Hosea 6:6 LB).Can you sense God's passion for you in this verse? God deeply loves you and desires your love in return. He longs for you to know him and spend time with him. This is why learning to love God and to be loved by him should be the greatest objective of your life.Nothing else comes close in importance. Jesus called it the greatest commandment. He said, "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment" (Matthew 22:37-38 NIV).

Let us all pursue this worthwhile goal of putting a smile on God's face :)

Reflections From Prayer

I am following the 40 days of prayer and fasting from Transforming Melbourne. This week the theme is "Seeing the Church as Jesus Sees it." God has been asking me if I am open to see and respond to what He shows me. I felt challenged when I prayed with no agenda but Him alone and felt the Lord wanted me to do more than that.

The prayer coordinator Sue Tinworth from TM said she had felt Jesus’ invitation to love 'the Church’ for Him. The Church (His bride) that He loves so much. (Ephesians 5:25-27). This dear woman whom He entrusts to His son to take to His home. (John 19:26-27). He entrusts His bride to us, friends of the bride groom, while she is waiting for Him. John 3:29 Before he left Shepherd entrusted His lambs to those who truly, truly, truly love Him, saying, Take care of my sheep. (John 21:15,16,17). Do we see the Church as lovingly as Jesus does?


I resonate with Sue's reflections on being one with Jesus, and I long for that quiet rest, satisfaction and delight in Him. I desire to focus on who Jesus is in these weeks of prayer and fasting, and beyond.....I am committed to loving Jesus with all my heart, soul, mind and strength. I must admit the idea of Jesus' invitation to seeing and responding to what He shows me about the Church and loving ‘her’ for Him is quite surprising, if not foreign.

Lord, please help me to truly see the Church as lovingly as you do.