How will they know Me?

a journey that I am undertaking right now is the journey of faith - to believe that which we can not see but is certain of, to being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. (NIV).

The Amplified Bible says in Hebrews 1:1 "NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things we hope for, being the proof of things we do not see and the conviction of their reality (faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses)"

so here's the thing.... we can easily have faith when everything works according to (my) plan... that which i've prayed for, asked for, is comfortable in, expecting.

however, when that faith is called to go beyond the "what" - the job/ relationship/ financial stability/ peace and comfort to the "who", that is when true faith is displayed.

I've come to realise that God is much more interested in my character than my comfort. God is much more interested in my growth than an easy life. God loves me much more than letting me live a life of mediocrity. And if I can't follow God through that which is not easy, comfortable, gladdening, instilling hope, then what do I believe?

If people can not see how God leads me through the hurt, the desperation, the loss, the hatred, how will they ever know His love?

God is not interested in me being a woman obsessed about her own glory, but He is looking for someone obsessed with the glory of God. If others do not see the Christ in me, how will they ever know Him. My life, walking with God through the good and the bad, the easy and the tough times, the reality of a life on this earth, might be the only Bible/ Word of God that they will ever read.

How will they know Him, through me?

A Christian's answer to the changes in government in South Africa.... God is God

God's Word is very clear, it's not politicians, powerbases, even registered voters that determine the outcome of rulers' powerbases. If you read Daniel, you can clearly see God's hand in what was happening.

Therefor as Christians, let us not be dismayed, anxious, concerned, full of wrath and hatred about what is happening in our South African context. Let us trust God to be God. Some notes follow about what the Bible says about God, appointing and steering rulers and the call that we need to humble ourselves and pray for our leaders. And that we will get the leaders we deserve!

GOD’S APPOINTED TIME

Habakkuk 2:2-4 (New International Version)
The LORD's Answer
2 Then the LORD replied: "Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. 3 For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.

1 Corinthians 4:5 (New International Version)
5Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.

Acts 4: 23 – 31 (NIV)
The Believers' Prayer
23On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. "Sovereign Lord," they said, "you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David:

" 'Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 26The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One. 27Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. 29Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus."

31After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

Acts 4:24 - 28 (Amplified Bible)
24And when they heard it, lifted their voices together with one united mind to God and said, O Sovereign Lord, You are He Who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything that is in them 25Who by the mouth of our forefather David, Your servant and child, said through the Holy Spirit, Why did the heathen (Gentiles) become wanton and insolent and rage, and the people imagine and study and plan vain (fruitless) things [that will not succeed]?
26The kings of the earth took their stand in array [for attack] and the rulers were assembled and combined together against the Lord and against His Anointed (Christ, the Messiah).
27For in this city there actually met and plotted together against Your holy Child and Servant Jesus, Whom You consecrated by anointing, both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and peoples of Israel, 28To carry out all that Your hand and Your will and purpose had predestined (predetermined) should occur.


GOD AND RULERS' HEARTS

Deuteronomy 2:30But Sihon king of Heshbon refused to let us pass through. For the LORD your God had made his spirit stubborn and his heart obstinate in order to give him into your hands, as he has now done.

Exodus 14:8The LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out boldly.

Ezra 1:1[ Cyrus Helps the Exiles to Return ] In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah, the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and to put it in writing:

Proverbs 21:1The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.

Daniel 11:27The two kings, with their hearts bent on evil, will sit at the same table and lie to each other, but to no avail, because an end will still come at the appointed time.

HUMBLE YOURSELF AND PRAY

2 Chronicles 7:14 (New International Version)
14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land

2 Chronicles 7:14 (Amplified Bible)
14If My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves, pray, seek, crave, and require of necessity My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.

2 Chronicles 7:14 (The Message)
If I ever shut off the supply of rain from the skies or order the locusts to eat the crops or send a plague on my people, and my people, my God-defined people, respond by humbling themselves, praying, seeking my presence, and turning their backs on their wicked lives, I'll be there ready for you: I'll listen from heaven, forgive their sins, and restore their land to health. From now on I'm alert day and night to the prayers offered at this place. Believe me, I've chosen and sanctified this Temple that you have built: My Name is stamped on it forever; my eyes are on it and my heart in it always. As for you, if you live in my presence as your father David lived, pure in heart and action, living the life I've set out for you, attentively obedient to my guidance and judgments, then I'll back your kingly rule over Israel—make it a sure thing on a sure foundation.

PRAYER FOR THOSE IN AUTHORITY

Timothy 2 (NIV)
Instructions on Worship
1I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— 2for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time. 7And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a teacher of the true faith to the Gentiles. 8I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing.

1 Timothy 2 (Amplified Bible)
1FIRST OF all, then, I admonish and urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be offered on behalf of all men, 2For kings and all who are in positions of authority or high responsibility, that [outwardly] we may pass a quiet and undisturbed life [and inwardly] a peaceable one in all godliness and reverence and seriousness in every way. 3For such [praying] is good and right, and [it is] pleasing and acceptable to God our Savior, 4Who wishes all men to be saved and [increasingly] to perceive and recognize and discern and know precisely and correctly the [divine] Truth.
5For there [is only] one God, and [only] one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 6Who gave Himself as a ransom for all [people, a fact that was] attested to at the right and proper time. 7And of this matter I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (special messenger)--I am speaking the truth in Christ, I do not falsify [when I say this]--a teacher of the Gentiles in [the realm of] faith and truth. 8I desire therefore that in every place men should pray, without anger or quarreling or resentment or doubt [in their minds], lifting up holy hands.

1 Timothy 2 (The Message)
Simple Faith and Plain Truth
1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know. Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation. This is the way our Savior God wants us to live.
4-7He wants not only us but everyone saved, you know, everyone to get to know the truth we've learned: that there's one God and only one, and one Priest-Mediator between God and us—Jesus, who offered himself in exchange for everyone held captive by sin, to set them all free. Eventually the news is going to get out. This and this only has been my appointed work: getting this news to those who have never heard of God, and explaining how it works by simple faith and plain truth.
8-10Since prayer is at the bottom of all this, what I want mostly is for men to pray—not shaking angry fists at enemies but raising holy hands to God. And I want women to get in there with the men in humility before God, not primping before a mirror or chasing the latest fashions but doing something beautiful for God and becoming beautiful doing it.

PRAYER FOR SOUTH AFRICA

'Heavenly Father, thank you that we can take comfort in the fact that you are in control of every situation.
We pray for godly, honest leaders for our country, South Africa
God YOU make the impossible, possible. We pray for leaders who will bring peace and reconciliation to our land.
We pray that YOUR people in South Africa will keep their eyes on YOU and that you will bless them.
Please protect all innocent South Africans from the violence in our country.
We pray this in the precious name of JESUS.' amen

JESUS THE ALPHA AND THE OMEGA

Revelation 1: 4 – 8 (NIV)
Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits[a] before his throne, 5and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen. 7Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen.
8"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty."

AMEN

God is sovereign - He does not get intimidated by politicans..

as South Africa watch the politicians play their power games and wonder what the future holds, i would like to implore you to know the God that holds the future.

it's not by accident that Pontius Pilate was the ruler in the time of Jesus, not by chance that at that point in time the whole "known" world was united with one language and a very developed road system.

if one reads Daniel, you can see God appoint and dethrone leaders. throughout the history of the Bible, it speaks about God appointing leaders and therefor also urges us to submit to their authority. The only time that Daniel for instance did not submit, was when they asked him to bow down to another god.

But this is my call, that we will pray more fervently for this country and the appointment of a Godly leadership. That we will be more vigilant in praying and hoping and believing that God is in control, also of this. And that we will stand on His word, that He is able to do so much more than what we can imagine or think. Whether it is Jacob Zuma or Mbete or any other leader, that gets appointed, do we stand as unbelievers, thinking that the rule of our country is in the hands of the masses, or do we know that God answers prayers and we will get the leader we deserve, and it will depend on our prayers and God's grace.

May God bless South Africa! And may He call His children, every one of us, to prayer, real prayer that stays faithful and waits up on God!

for small mercies...

today i will be thankful for small mercies. in a week where my heart was shattered in a million little pieces, i was held by the Almighty God. Held by a Father that protects us, and never lets us go...

and although this weekend feels like an eternity, i will be thankful for small mercies. for a brother that SMS me to see that i'm ok, i am eternally thankful. for a niece that is lying sleeping on my couch to keep me company, i thank God.

for a roof over my head in this intense storm, water pouring as if it is emptying heaven. for a gift to be able to write and put down my thoughts and emotions.

for a rugby team, that played like they should :) (yeah, i know it's a bit shallow). for the opportunity to enjoy the moment. for friends who truly care for me, and check up on me when i become too quiet. for a new little baby Nate added to our cellgroup at church and his parents that are keeping their eyes on God, even though they don't know the detail fo God's plans for this special child.

for the ability to exercise at the gym - albeit under great protest. for a cupboard overflowing with clothes, a fridge full of food, electricity and water and music equipment and everything else we take so easily for granted.

for the love i have known in my life, for the grace that has been more than enough. for a family which i could not have chosen better myself. for a mom and a dad that is still in love and speaks of the way a marriage should be.

for new opportunities in work. for having loved and lost. yes even for that i am thankful.

and when i look at all these things, i know that my gratitude is not for small mercies, but immense vast showers of blessings. God has said my grace is enough for you and i know, that is true. how is it then, that sometimes we get caught up in what we don't have, instead of what we do have.... today i will overflow with gratitude.

one day at a time...

today is a hard day. having received so many blessings on a spiritual, emotional and financial level i do not want to sound like i am not being thankful, for an amazing God that provides and cares and never abandons us.

but today is hard.

having woken up with a sms to carry my brother in prayer (the one that lost his darling little girl) and just feeling the great pain inside again for my little niece that was supposed to turn 7 in little less than a month and a half, today i've found hard. i've battled to concentrate, i've battled to go on with a "normal" life. i've battled to keep on keeping on. and i've known that in struggling, i'm definitely not the only one carrying pain.

i have stood amazed at the different ways that people try and help and make you feel better or relate or do not know how to relate others pain. to be quite honest, dealing with someone's pain is hard, no matter how trained we are in counselling or caring for each other as Christians. because when it really comes down to it, there is nothing you can say to make things better. you can be there, you can physically hug someone, but no words can make the pain go away. the only thing to do in the coalface of pain is to pray... and even that is hard sometimes... trying to find the words when none is left.

some people in not knowing what to say have said, perhaps it was for the best (for who? even though i know on an intellectual level that eternity is better). someone has said whether we're feeling better now (how, when there is still so much pain and missing). some even says that you just have to tell yourself she's never coming back and to get on with life (sound advice, but the reason we're hurting is because we know we will only see her again in the after-life). someone else even mentioned that God plucks the most beautiful flowers for decoration in heaven (do you know how cruel that sounds).

i am thankful today for people that care... even those who muck it all up in trying to do so. i am even more thankful for family and friends that has just held us, in their arms, in their thoughts and in their prayers. i am thankful that i know that God loves us and have experienced Jesus personally in my life.

i am thankful today that there is eternity, that i know where ilne lives and that i know that she is happy and looked after. but i struggle with wondering why our little angel had to go. and i am struggling seeing the hurt that it causes my family.

i suppose life isn't fair and it would even be more unfair if God let all the bad stuff only happen to those who are not His children. i suppose there is so much we will never understand in this life. and i suppose that is ok.

so even on a day like today, i'll remember that God's grace for today will be sufficient. i'll be thankful for those who uphold us in their prayers. and i'll keep close to God... when there's nowhere else to go.

if you are in pain today, whether physically or emotionally, may God through this simple prayer, cover you in cotton wool, hide you beneath His wing and keep your mind at peace through His Holy Spirit.

When we're hurting...

I've realised early on in life that "Life is what happens when we've got other plans." I'm not always sure whether it is because God says His grace is new every morning and our society has taught us that we have to make the 5 year plan / 10 year plan, which does not seem to align....

But the fact is, that more often than not life does not turn out the way you planned it or expected it to. And sometimes even the best intentions from people that love you, hurt.

And it's so easy to turn that hurt into resentment and anger. To feel self-righteous and justified and hurt back. It seems to be part of our old nature.

But God says: "Bring it to me. Bring it all to me."

So when we're hurting Jesus says I've already paid the price, and in the New Heaven and on the New Earth there will be no more tears, no more sorrow, no more hurting. But seek my Kingdom here, today.

I suppose that is why so many people who return to this life after seeing heaven, says "we do not understand, the life hereafter is more amazing than we could ever imagine". And it is forever...

I could do with sitting at the feet of Jesus, today, while I am hurting and forever more.

I don't understand...

It's been almost two weeks since our little Ilne left for heaven. Some days are harder than others and some days are easier.

There are some days that I wish the sun would not rise and then there are some when I have complete peace.

Do I understand why even when we stood in faith, God still allowed Ilne to make the choice and leave this earth... no I don't. Do I understand why we got so many confirmations on so many occassions that we had to pray and believe? no I don't. Do I understand why God allowed our family to go through this heartache, even though I know that I know that He loves us more than we could ever imagine?... no I don't. Is it easy for me to say that healing can also mean in this life hereafter.... no, it still feels like a cop-out.

Do I understand why some people get healed and others dont... No I do not have answers for that. Is it going to be easy to walk this road and learn to trust what I hear God saying... no it is still a long road ahead.

So what do I know?

• I know that Ilne was never alone, through all of it Jesus was there right beside her


• I know that we're in Christ and He is in us, so that our pain and our anguish He felt and carried, and paid for on the cross long before these days


• I know that we will be reunited with her one day in heaven, because this life is just a sandgrain compared to the rest of eternity


• I know that one morning I will get up and although there will always be a gap in my life, I will smell the flowers and see the colours in the sunrise again - not because I've forgotten her, but because she would want me to live life to the full


• I know that through all of this, God brought us closer as a family and as a family in Christ. We were never alone, His life-giving Spirit carried us where we couldn't walk and will continue doing so on the hard days


• I know that God is faithful and that God is God, sovereign and holy!

Someone asked me during the time if there was any good news? I could not help but answer "The good news is that Jesus is alive and therefor, no matter what happens, we can live and never die!!"

I definitely do not claim to have the answers and I definitely do not claim to have overcome it all. But I know that God's grace is infinite and even there where there are no answers... there still is God.

do you believe in miracles...

in december God warned me to pray for my family and loved ones. having walked a path with God for more than a number of months about growing in faith, it felt easy to theoretically speak about wanting to see more of God and His power and Glory, and Him healing people... it's all good and well, until it is your own niece.

by some freak accident, my niece, Ilne Meyer (little girl on the picture) got shocked on Friday night. Her heart stood still and even though four doctors (including her mom and dad) did everything they could, her heart would not start. They said that they would continue for 60 minutes at which point in time, they would believe that God had taken her home... We all united in prayer to plead for God's mercy for this little girl, aged 6 that loves Him with all of her heart. On 59 minutes my eldest sister in her mind's eye saw a nurse saying "call it, call it", meaning to say that it's time to give up. She cried to God and said "NO!! You say that by your stripes, Jesus, we are healed!". i believe God said to me NO, it's not her time. So God started her heart somewhere between minute 59 and 60! It was a miracle....

There seemed to be no brainswelling, the organs were ok, Sunday morning i testified in chuch to His Glory... God said to me it's not her time, and gave me the story of Jairus. We were rejoicing... as she was in a deep sedation, we did not know, but slowly it started being clear that her brain is showing very little activity. Doctors have said there is very little activity in the brain... and that's where God said to us... do you really believe I am the miracle God? Forget about being theoretical about this, this was my niece.

And that is when God said: I am the God that healeth... that is truly what we believe. And all over South Africa, in Australia, in the UK, even in Puerto Rico, there are people that's praying for little Ilne's life, for the Spirit to restore her and breath life into her brain. Some moments it's easy to believe, some moments it's really hard!

Yesterday God gave me the same story which i got on Friday in Luke 8:50 in Mark 5, i wrote her name next to it. At the same time without sharing this with my brother, a friend of his, who really searches the Lord saw a hand writing on a piece of paper, Mark 5. Another friend of my sister's wanted to send her a sms that didn't go through, but confirmed it later that she wanted to tell my sister to remind God of Jairus' daughter. All the scriptures confirmed, what we believe God is saying.

This afternoon, after having a long struggle and crying hysterically before God... yes i'm in no ways perfect or not failing in my faith, God told me to send my brother Isaiah 40:31 "But they that wait upon the Lord, shall renew their strength". Shortly afterwards my brother sms'ed back to say that God told him more than 4 times this morning, to just wait upon Him, the one who holds life and death in His hands. what a confirmation!

So do i believe in miracles... YES, i believe in a God that never stopped doing them, maybe we're just a people that have stopped asking for them, looking to circumstances and people and not what God is saying. i believe that we are entering end days, where people will need to see more of God and less of us, more of His glory and less of institutions and what we think, more of His power and more of His transforming powerful change in people's lives.

so we believe God is about to do a BIG thing! Ilne, our little angel's favourite song is "Big God". "Big God, Big dreams, big plans, Big EVERYTHING, because I've got a BIG GOD!!!" and so here we will stand, upon His word, waiting for His healing miracle! Please pray with us! To Him all the glory and honour!

rollercoaster ride...

it seems so often that just when i'm really in a very good space with God, it is so quickly for me to experience the opposite. it's not that i think i get into spiritual "pride"... it just seems that my foot sometimes is just not as secure as i would like it to be.

maybe it's got something to do with my emotions, that rides high and low so quickly... and maybe it's because of the war raging for my soul... and that's when i need to remind myself... Love is not a feeling, it's an act of your will.

God's love doesn't change. His intimacy with me doesn't change, unless i let it. His intentions for me doesn't change. And often it's just an attack on my heart from the evil one or one of his evil mates. the heart is the source of all things and it belongs to God.

important to know that God renewed it, it's new... not sinful and awful, but new... yet, sometimes, satan still tries to plant a thought in there, that's not from God. and that is where we need to take those thoughts captive in the Name of Jesus. and remember that every day, every step of the way, we are on a battle ground. sometimes we get a bit of a reprieve, but still the battle rages on through the ages. so stand up and FIGHT!

and when those thoughts come and you feel a bit like a wave in the sea, stand upon the Rock... ask for His protection and closeness. plead the blood of Jesus. read His word, do not forget any of His promises, or any of the things He's already done for you. And know that He is intently interested in every detail of your life. That's what a true relationship means.

and HANG ON to His glorious Name... and praise Him. nothing that gets us on the winning side like Praising His Holy Name!!

The year of the Lord's favour!

There is nothing more amazing, than when God reveals Himself to His people. And this is what we are currently experiencing... in more than one church, people have experienced God saying: "This is the year!" "This is the year that I will reveal my glory to my people".

And I am excited. I believe there has been a time where we havent really thought that much about God's glory. That we sort of got used to not seeing miracles, that we started believing the great lie that God only did it in the olden days.

But this is the Truth: God says "This is the year of the Lord's favour!". All we need to do is to seek His face. Ask me and I will show you great things, says the Lord. Let's seek Him with all of our hearts! And see His glory!

Mustardseed faith

what is faith? so often we speak about faith as if it is something that is still to happen, and that like Thomas, if we can only see it, we will believe.

In the Amplified Bible Hebrews 11:1 says "NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, [a]the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]."

This means that even though we can not perceive it in the physical world, God says through faith we have the titledeed of that which we can not see.

Faith is not based on anything we are, but totally on who God is. It is not about our strength of believe, it is about God's allmighty power. It's not about my ability to "think" things into being, it's about God's sovereign might to bring things into being.

So as we walk with God and get to know His faithful nature more and more, and His loving Father heart towards us, we can look more at Him, and the promises He has made than at the so called "facts" which we can perceive in this world.

And with the power of faith, the size of a mustardseed, God can move mountains. Let's ask God to grow our faith, so that the world can see He is alive!

emotions, emotions, emotions

in those moments where i am totally at peace, but yet also just so human and feel the strong pangs of missing the one i love and can not be with right now, i know that God sees me and reaches out.

and this is where i think we often make the mistake. God took great care in giving us a range of emotions and when the Bible speaks about finding your joy in the Lord, it doesn't mean that we should always walk around with a "haha" happy happy attitude. too often Christians do not get real about how we're really feeling in the hope that others will think that we find our joy and peace in Him, and it becomes a bit of an achievement culture. the happier, the closer we must be to God?

serving Jesus does not mean that i will only have the so-called positive emotions. too often sadness or feeling tired or down is seen as "negative emotions". it is only when satan uses these to keep us in bondage that it becomes a problem.

but the Bible shows us that Jesus felt anxiety and anger and sadness. when he heard that Lazarus had died, he cried. i think he mostly cried for Lazarus' friends and his family, but also for him. i think he also cried, because it made the gap that had come between God and man because of sin, so tangible for Him to see. when He saw what the sellers had done to God's beloved temple, He got angry and chased them out. when He saw how the leaders of Israel were misleading His people, He called them for what they were. when He realised that His time to be separated from His Father and the time to carry the sins of the world was upon Him, He took it to His Father in anxiety, and was sweating blood. He asked God if it could not be different.

And maybe that is what we need to learn - in all our emotions, albeit feeling good or feeling like death, we need to take it to our heavenly Father. He longs to help us carry where we are too tired to go on, He longs to share the moments where life just seems incredibly good, He longs to hold us when it just hurts too much. He longs to walk with us, speak to us, commune with us.

He longs to be there every step of the way, whether we're crying or celebrating. He is our God.

Closer to God

When bad things happen to good people, there is often one of two responses. Either God doesn't care or God is not in control. So quick are people to then say that free choice is not that important and that God could have stopped whatever happened from happening.

God sometimes allows bad things to happen to His children. Not because He wants to punish them. Not because He doesn't love them. Just because He is a fair God and He it would not be fair that all the bad stuff only happened to people not believing in Him. But so often, if we ask Him He does protect us, or something happens that seems really terrible but in hindsight was a warning for something worse.

And when bad things happen which we dont understand, we do have the amazing promises of His word. He says in Romans 8:28 " And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." In Romans 8:37 - 39 the Word says "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

And in this lies the secret, when bad things happen to you, God wants us to move closer to Him, not further away. He wants to lift you up in His arm, surround you with His goodness, calm you with His peace. He wants to reassure you of His love, carry you were it gets too hard to go any further. He wants to be your rearguard and your Salvation. So move closer to Him! Under the shadow of His wing, He can dry your tears and let all things work for the good of those who love Him. By looking to Him in faith, we allow Him to take even the bad and turn it into good. He can do that because He is God - and He loves us.

War... and I know who wins!

so often i've complained or heard Christians complain that life is hard and that it always feels like a struggle. having just gone through some major heartache about the Godly man that I love, having my car stolen, having my work contract cancelled and having seen bad things happen to Christian friends of mine, I've realised once again, this is War.

Ephesians 6: 12 says "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Having just started to ask people to pray for the business I'm in, praying for the deliverance of the one I loved, believing God for miracles, I am suddenly aware that it is War. God has been preparing me for months for this, for war. I had no idea, I had NO idea how hard it could be.

But Jesus' promises still remain: John 16:20 - 24 "I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete."

So I will remember that faith is to believe that which we can not see. Faith is knowing that God works everything to the good of His children. He reminds me that it is a war and therefor I have to hold onto Him even more so and pray constantly.

And I believe the closer we move to God the harder the resistance will be. The nearer we get to the end times, the fiercer the battle. Let us prepare ourselves, by wearing the armour of God, by not letting satan have even the slightest hold on us. Let us not forget to remind the world who is God.

And let us unite in battle, with prayers and with faith and with the sword of His word in our hands. This is war... but we know who wins! God is in control.

surrendering...

surrender.... we use the word so often, that one could be forgiven for thinking that it is easy. and then i find that it is not...

and although i love God with all of my heart, i find that i still doubt, still try and hold on, still try and figure it out, still try and adjust and control in some sort of way, even if it is just to keep on praying and feeling a bit frantic, and that my actions and my prayers might somehow persuade God to answer...

and time and again, i fall on my face, i bleed, i cry, i wish things were different, i rebel at what doesn't seem fair or right, i worry, and i sometimes even resent not being able to change things around me.

and it's then, when at last i actually just feel like dying, crawling into a corner and never waking up, that God's gentle Spirit whispers into my secret place, there where just Him and I can go... deep down inside I become aware of this: "Surrender".

surrender your heartaches and your battles and your fears and your doubts and your human thoughts and your cries and your needs, because I say "I am the Way". "I am the Jesus that resurrected people from the dead, I am the Jesus that cried with Mary and Martha about Lazarus, I am the Jesus that calmed the storm." "I am the Father that says cast all your anxiety upon Me, because I care for you, I am the God that has good plans for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you." "Even if a mother could forget her only child, I have not forgotten you, I have your name (and his) engraved in the palm of my hand."

"I have loved your with an everlasting love, I have bought you with the blood of my Son." "I will never leave you nor forsake you".

And in that quiet whisper, i know that i am home and nothing i can ever do will change things, but God can. And it's then that i surrender...

Because that is what LOVE does!

Jesus humbled himself.
He went from commanding angels
To sleeping in the straw.
From holding stars
To clutching Mary's finger.
The palm that held the universe
Took the nail of a soldier.

Why?

Because that is what LOVE does.

Jesus went from being God
to being human too.
From intimate communion with the Trinity
to being forsaken by God.
From having the right to condemn sinners
to dying for them on a cross.

Why?

Because that is what LOVE does.

Jesus went from heavenly thronerooms
to a humble manger.
From angels bowing before him
to shepherds at night.
From loving us always
to loving us more.

Why

Because that is what LOVE does.

The gift of God
The birth of Christ
This is Christmas

This is love... from the God of LOVE.

May you experience the Love, Joy and Peace that Jesus brought into this world, a Love, Joy and Peace that transcends any human understanding, a Love, Joy and Peace that is still relevant, even for you today. All you have to do is to accept it. Right now.... today.

God with us!

It's Jesus' birthday... we could go into a major philosophical discussion on whether this is the real date, on whether we should be celebrating Christmas at all as it started as a pagan ritual. We could debate a whole bunch of things.. but this is not what Christmas is about.

A very dear friend of mine often says, keep it simple. God loved us so much that He sent His only Son to be born as a mere mortal being. I'm sure it wasn't all smooth-sailing. Like any birth there was pain and a baby crying. There was simplicity in where He was born. There was no doctors to help with painkillers or the delivery. There wasn't a host of angels to smooth the birth.

But there was joy on earth, where a host of angels told the shepherds about this amazing thing. There was PEACE! as God fulfilled His promises... as He always does. There was hope for a world that had become numbed in its hopelessness.

There was amazement by the world's wisest. The star that they followed across the evening sky moved in the opposite direction to what was a natural law.

That day when Jesus was born, to start His journey on earth, God came to be with us, Emmanuel. God came to make a way back to Him. God loved us that much, that He left His throneroom, and became man. Both Human and Divine.

What a glorious day! He was the fulfillment of all promises. I will never leave you nor forsake you. I will provide your every need. Nothing can separate you from My love. My burden is light and my yoke soft. I will be with you till the end of time. I will be Your Father and you will be my children.

All we can say is Amen, Amen to that. Come Lord Jesus, Come.

May you be very blessed this Christmas in the notion that God is WITH US!! Glory be to the one and only faithful God.