Month: February 2017

God is still on the throne

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There are a lot of changes afield in education. Examinations are changing – many which had a large component of coursework are now 100% exam, also the way schools are run are changing.

In particular, my child’s secondary school is becoming part of a multi-academy trust, and a new Church school is being created in our town.

Change can be a good thing, similarly it can be a bad thing. People often become unsettled when thinking about change.

However, when thinking about this I am reminded that God holds the destiny and purpose of my children in His hands. He is not on the throne panicking because things have changed in education. God knows the end from the beginning. He knew about all of these things when my daughter started attending secondary school, in fact even before she was born, and His purpose is not going to be thwarted because of these changes.

God knows the plan He has for my children , and nothing will stop Him from accomplishing that purpose in their lives.

Relax! You can trust Him. He is still on the throne and His purpose will not change.

Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (NIV)

 

Rest for the weary

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I have had a really busy day today. I left the house at 7.30am; dropped my children off at breakfast club; drove for 55 minutes to work; spent all day at work with about 100 young people ; then drove 55 minutes to the children’s music parents evening;  collected three of my children from the after school club; as soon as I got home I cooked dinner; as soon as we’d eaten I dropped off my eldest daughter at her band rehearsal; I returned home at 7.30pm and could finally relax with a cup of tea. My husband returned home from work at about 8pm. Some of my days are busier, and some are quieter, but this is typical of my life at the moment with four children and bills to pay.

So now I am feeling weary and soon I am going to sleep.

Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

Life is busy and, if we’re not careful, it can weigh us down. We can be tempted to carry our burdens ourselves. We were not designed to carry heavy loads. Jesus says, in His Word, unburden yourself. Give Him your burdens and He will give you rest. It’s a good deal.

New Experiences

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There are new experiences waiting for you in 2017.

In Acts 3 when the lame man was healed he experienced things he never thought he would experience: –

  1. He walked – which he had NEVER done in all of the 40 years of his life
  2. He went into the temple instead of being an outsider ,as he had been for all of his life
  3. He was touched by Peter, hence he touched and experienced the anointing of God through the Holy Spirit (one of the first recorded in the New Testament)

The Bible is full of stories about people having new experiences

Elizabeth , who was barren and very old, experienced the joy of childbirth; blind people became able to see; people were healed and raised from the dead; Joseph experienced prison and then promotion. Many things happened that they couldn’t plan and were not prepared for. They could never have imagined these things happening to them.

You cannot say that you are old now and there’s no time left for new experiences

Moses was in his eighties when he saw the Burning Bush; lead the Israelites out of Egypt; witnessed the parting of the Red Sea and wrote the Ten Commandments.

Serving God is exciting, there are always new things around every corner – for all of us.

But, as it is written in 1 Corinthians 2:9, ” Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” (NKJV)

 

 

 

Modern day miracle workers

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1 Corinthians 12:27,28 says, “Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.”

One of the things God laid on my heart for 2017 was “notable miracles” , so I want to reflect on that today. The Greek word used here for “miracle” is “dunamis”, which is from the word “dunamai” meaning force. Dunamis specifically means a miraculous power, ability, mighty (deed), worker of miracle, power , strength, violence and mighty (wonderful) work.

When I think about this the Scripture from Matthew 11:12 comes to mind : “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.”

God has equipped the Church with everything it needs. How many times do we hear people say, “I’m okay, under the circumstances”. We are not supposed to be merely surviving, from day to day. We should be seizing the opportunities and seeking God to be overcomers in our situations and in our towns.

I have been thinking about miracles and healings and God spoke to me that He has appointed people in His Church who are workers of miracles, who have that specific gift. How many do you know in your Church? If we ever needed that gift, we need it nowadays. Many people are getting diagnosed with cancer and other incurable conditions. We raise money to aid cancer research and run marathons but can I remind you that God has placed people in His Church who have this spiritual gift of miracles and gifts of healings. We need to identify these people and we need them to be exercising these gifts. People need miracles and they need healing. It is not for us to think that this gift is reserved for the “Healing Evangelist “, or one or two special people. No! Why not you?

It is not a “gift of healing”, actually in the Greek it is translated as “Charismata lamaton”, which means “gifts of healings”. I have heard people say that they seem to have an anointing to pray for certain types of diseases , but not always others. Some people seem to be especially effective when praying for people to be healed from tumours, for example.

The gifts of healings, miracles and faith are closely related.

Please pray with me that these people are identified in every Church. If you feel God is speaking to you that you are gifted in this way, start to pray ,in faith, for the sick wherever you can. As you exercise these gifts God will increase them.

This is the year for notable miracles to be done in our town and beyond!

We need to see people healed from cancer; sight restored to blind people; hopeless cases receiving hope; lame people walking; tumours disappearing; rare conditions healed;people saved and set free.

I have just picked up a book from my bookshelf and I want to quote from it. It is a book entitled “Visions from Heaven”, by Wendy Alec, one of the founders of God TV. In it is found the following:-

” There has been a violent onslaught of infirmity against My children by the enemy in this past season. The enemy senses the mighty move of healing that is about to be released in power and might upon the earth. Millions of my healing angels are preparing to come to Earth. Heaven’s storehouses of healing are about to be emptied in the greatest, most powerful move of My healing hand that the Earth has ever seen….. THE TIDE IS TURNING. THE TIDE IS TURNING… Tell my children that what I said in my Word is true. It stands. It stood 2000 years ago when I walked the Earth…. I am the Lord that healeth thee….Nothing is impossible with my Father. Tell my children – NOTHING is impossible with my Father – EVERY disease, every affliction, every cancer, every deaf ear and blind eye, if My children will only believe… My Father and I are about to release the most powerful, unstoppable tsunami of healing and creative miracles from the windows of Heaven upon the Earth. Mighty flames of fire – called as healing evangelists in this last hour are rising. The dead will be raised, the blind will see, the deaf will hear, and AIDS and cancers healed will be commonplace.”

“Kidneys will be created, new lungs transplanted from Heaven, hearts created, deformities will be healed, backs straightened, cripples will walk by the thousands in the arenas in the healing crusades of this last hour.”

“And the healing anointing will not be confined to the evangelists, but there will be a great impartation of healing and creative miracles that will flow even to the very least of my brethren, and they shall go out into the highways and byways and even as their shadow falls on the sick, so I tell you, My child, the sick shall be restored and healed.”

I receive this in Jesus’ Name. I want to see miracles of the power and magnitude as when Jesus walked on Earth. It is possible because the same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you and I!

 

 

 

 

On loan from the Lord

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Today I will be finishing off a message that I will release next week at a Women’s event,  so I will just share a few thoughts today

My eldest daughter is away this weekend on a brass band residential and I’m really missing her.  This morning I looked in her bedroom,  saw her empty bed,  and wondered what she is doing.

It’s not the first time she’s been away without me and it won’t be the last,  and each time I have to content myself with a few sentences of text messages to give me a clue about what she is doing and how she is feeling.

Even when I dropped her off at the coach,  as soon as she had found her friends,  she told me. “You can go now!”

Really! After carrying this person around in my womb for ten months,  feeling every kick, praying and agonising about which name to give her,  witnessing her first steps,  first day at school,  first performance – now I am experiencing her first steps of independence and it’s a bit scary for me.

I remember her first day at secondary school when she got on the school bus and I was waiting in the car for the bus to set off so I could wave goodbye. Then,  ping! I got a text… “You can go now!”

It’s starting to be a familiar theme.

The. Bible says in Psalm 127 verse 3 that “children are a heritage from the Lord,the fruit of the womb is a reward”. What I also must remember is that my children are on loan to me from God.  God loves my children more than I could ever love them.  (And I love them a lot) . God has a unique plan and purpose  for each of my children. While they are in my care I am a steward of that purpose.I can never be fully in control of everything my children experience  I have to be willing to open my arms and entrust the unknowns to an all-knowing and all-seeing,  ever loving and wise God,  who sees into all eternity and knows the bigger picture for my children.

My child,  at some point in time,  will stand before God,  by themself,  and give account of their life.  This will be a journey I cannot make with them. I won’t be able to shield them from their mistakes or make excuses for them.  It will be them and God.

Today,  I entrust my four children to Almighty God.  I will endeavour to do my best to raise them in a godly way,so they will not depart from that later,  but I give all the things that are out of my control into the hands of my loving Heavenly Father.

Duty or Delight?

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I will never forget a prayer for me by Pastor Ronnie Moore to know the delight of God and not just duty. It really struck a chord within me, as I had recently left a church that was quite legalistic in nature. Today I feel led to write about this.

`The definition of duty, according to the Oxford dictionary is 1. A moral or legal obligation; a responsibility or 1.1  (of a visit or another undertaking) done from a sense of moral obligation rather than for pleasure)

Do you serve God and obey His Word out of a moral obligation, because you feel it’s the right thing to do, or is it a delight to you? God does not want anyone to feel obligated to serve Him. Even about giving, in 2 Corinthians 9:7 the apostle Paul writes that we should give thoughtfully and with purpose, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. I don’t think God wants us to do anything for Him grudgingly or because we have to, but because we want to – because we love Him.

This is the privilege that we have as Christians to be in a relationship with God. A Father does not only want to give to his children because he must – he gives and provides because it is a delight to him to see his happy children. This is the product of relationship.

Galatians 5:1 says, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” Obeying the Law was not enough then for people to be made right with God, and it’s not enough now.

Jesus redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us i.e. by dying on the cross so that we could be made right with God.

In Galatians 3:26 it says, “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.” If you are a Christian and you have faith in Jesus you have entered into a relationship with Him. You can be called his child.

I believe what God wants from us now is to delight in Him. Psalm 37:4 says, “Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.”

The definition of the word delight in the Oxford dictionary is “great pleasure”. Synonyms for delight are happiness, joy, joyfulness, glee, gladness, gratification, relish, excitement, amusement, bliss, rapture, ecstasy, elation, euphoria.

Psalm 1: 1-3  says, ” Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.”

Job 23:12 says, “I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.”

There has been times when I have got so caught up in studying the Bible that I have kept writing for several hours and haven’t thought about eating or doing anything else, because I love the Word of God. God wants us to treasure His Word to us – it is important, it is precious and it is liberating. The Bible was written by various people who were inspired by the Holy Spirit. It is God’s message to mankind.

BIBLE = Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.

When you delight in someone you want to be with them, and that  desire is a priority in your life. You are excited about that relationship and you do as much as you can to spend time with them.

In Revelation 2:4 it says, “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love” The church in Ephesus did many good things – they worked hard for God; they had patience; they did not tolerate evil; they persevered; they had discernment about false apostles – but they were admonished for leaving their first love.

Likewise, we can do many good things for God and we can have many good qualities, but God wants our hearts, our love, our devotion and our total surrender.

What does God say to the loveless Church of Ephesus? He tells them to “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works” (verse 5)

Today, can I encourage you to fall in love with Jesus again? Repent of your coldness of heart, of the business and activity that is draining your soul and draw near to Jesus again. Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. He delights in you.

 

Raising the Dead – Hopeless cases continued

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I have a busy day ahead so I’ll just write a few thoughts.  More to follow on this topic.

People say, “Where there’s life,  theres’s hope”  Conversely it could be said then that,  “Where there’s no life,  there’s no hope”. There’s no hope for a dead person.

That didn’t stop Jesus.

Jesus raised dead people to life;so did quite a few of his followers. This is also our heritage,  as believers.

MARK 10 verse 8 says, “Heal the sick,  cleanse the lepers,  raise the dead,  cast out demons.” This is our commission too.

Hopeless cases

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The definition of a hopeless case, according to the Babylon Dictionary is “a situation or instance incapable of improvement, irreparable specimen, lost cause.”

There is no such thing as a hopeless case with God. There are many times in the Bible where hopeless cases received hope.

In Acts 3 Peter and John were going to the temple to pray. On their way they met a man who had been crippled from birth. He was in his forties and he had never known how to walk. He was not expecting to receive healing – when he saw Peter and John he just expected them to give him some money. He was totally resigned to the situation he was in and did not expect things to change.

Yet suddenly , there were two men in front of him who decided to intervene. They said to him, “In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” And the man, who had never known how to walk started to walk, leap and praise God. No longer an outcast, the previously lame man went into the temple with Peter and John.

When all the people saw him walking and praising God they were filled with wonder and amazement.

There are hopeless cases in your town that God is going to do a miracle for.

Nothing is impossible with God.

In Mark 5:25-29 the woman had an issue of blood for twelve years. She had been to see many doctors. She had spent all that she had to try and receive a healing but instead she grew worse, not better. Her situation was hopeless – the doctors did not know what to do or she would have been healed. Yet, she was healed by Jesus.

Saul hated Christians and believed he was doing God a service to kill them. Yet he became one because he had a personal experience with God.

No-one is a hopeless case in God’s eyes. Every sickness can be healed in Jesus’ Name; every sin can be forgiven; every family can be restored; every burden lifted.

Bring your hopeless case to God. Let Him do a miracle.lame-man-healed