Be Determined

Blessed is the man... whose confidence is in [God]

Jeremiah 17:7

It takes courage to be led by God. It's not easy to 'break the mould' and rise above the limits others place on you. When you do, you'll face disapproval. Jesus did. When the folks He grew up around said, 'Isn't this the carpenter's son?...' (Matthew 13:55 NIV), they were really saying, 'He should stay in His place!' When they tell you that, don't listen. '...each of us will give an account of himself to God' (Romans 14:12 NIV). In the final audit you'll discover that not only is it wrong to be judgmental of others, it's also wrong to permit their opinions to control you. 

'Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.' To follow God's leading you must have confidence that He loves you in spite of your shortcomings; He has a definite plan for your life; you are capable of hearing from Him for yourself; and whatever He asks of you, He will enable you to do. Once you've heard from God, be resolute! Things worth having never come easy. If you find yourself weakening, ask God for determination and He will impart it to you through His Spirit. If you find yourself being in two minds, go back and ask yourself what God told you in the beginning - then stick with it. Don't go in a different direction because of worry, discouragement or the sentiments of others. Remind yourself that you have what it takes to succeed in whatever God has called you to do. If you've made Jesus Lord of your life, His determination lives in you - because He lives in you.

Used with permission from UCB Word for Today. Free issues are available here for the UK and Republic of Ireland.

Skywatch #126

Sunburst, originally uploaded by duopastorale.

It's been dramatic in the sky department this week, angry skies one minute, cloudless blue the next. My walks have been good! Happy skywatching to all :)

God Will Not Forget His Promise

I will remember my covenant

Genesis 9:15

When Noah preached about rain it was a symbol of judgment. But after the flood God said, '...Never again...' (Genesis 9:15 NKJV). He told Noah, '...the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud; and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you... the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy...' (Genesis 9:14-15 NKJV). From that point on in Scripture, rain became a symbol of blessing. '..."I will... open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it"' (Malachi 3:10 NKJV). Are you afraid that the heartache of your past is going to return? Don't be. Just keep walking with the God Who promised, 'Never again!'

When God uses the thing that should have destroyed you to develop you, you'll look back and say, 'It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes' (Psalm 119:71 NKJV). Without hard times you wouldn't have discovered certain things; for example, that stress can create in you a passion to seek God more and other things less; the power of your own prayers; what God can accomplish in spite of adversity; that when He heard you crying, your tears were so precious that He collected them in his bottle (Psalm 56:8);that the angel of the Lord protected you when the enemy wanted to take you out (Psalm 34:7); that God didn't need your friends to support you in order to bless you and that He brought you through, because He saw the rainbow and remembered His promise.

Used with permission from UCB Word for Today. Free issues are available here for the UK and Republic of Ireland.

Hell, We Can't Afford To Get It Wrong

Skywatch #125

Clouds & Cow Parsley, originally uploaded by duopastorale.

Walking On Water

 Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water... But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” 

                                                                                   Matthew 14:28,30

It's often been said, "If you want to know what it's like to walk on water, apart from Jesus, Peter is the one you'd have to ask". It's an incredible thing he did, stepping out of the boat, not on to a calm lake but the raging sea of Galilee! It wasn't that Peter was especially courageous, although it certainly took some guts, but that he was totally fixed on Jesus. When I have my eyes on Him and see Him as I've never seen Him before then I can step out in faith and do what seemed impossible before.

But the greater test comes after that initial step. When I realise what I have done, when I look around and see where the Lord has asked me to come it takes continued faith and vision to see Him as the One who is in control of everything, including my storm. Bob Gass says of stepping out in faith;

It's doing what you've never done before, in order to go with God where you've never been before to receive from Him what you've never had before. It's choosing to take the road less travelled - the hard path - because it's the right path.

If you're there today. God says to you, "be strong, vigorous and very courageous. be not afraid, neither be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you", Joshua 1:9, and, "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever", John 14:16, and "Surely I will be with you", Judges 6:16.

My Soul Longs For You

I believe... I see the cloud and oh the rain is coming, oh revival, revival rain... I see the cloud... it's coming... I believe... let it rain

Elijah

Go up now, look toward the sea

1 Kings 18:43

Elijah said to his servant, '..."Go up now, look toward the sea." So he went up and looked, and said, "There is nothing." And seven times [Elijah] said, "Go again"... the seventh time... [the servant] said, "There is a cloud, as small as a man's hand, rising out of the sea!" So [Elijah] said, "Go up, say to Ahab, 'Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you"' (1 Kings 18:43-44 NKJV). Notice four things in this story. 

First, you must look to God for your answer, not people. 'Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord...He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream...It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit' (Jeremiah 17:7-8 NIV). Second, you must keep believing what God says. Elijah kept getting the same negative report, 'There is nothing'. But he kept believing God until finally, the seventh time, his servant said, 'There is a cloud, as small as a man's hand, rising out of the sea.' God had promised it was coming, so he stood on God's Word. 

Third, you must not be influenced by those who don't share your vision. Elijah's servant kept saying, 'Nothing is happening.' But Elijah knew better. You can't be led by those who aren't in sync with you spiritually. Finally, you must position yourself to receive. '...He... put his face between his knees' (1 Kings 18:42 NKJV). That's the birthing position! 

Today what you sense within you is real, but if you don't get into position and push it won't happen. If you do, God will bless you with 'abundance' (1 Kings 18:41 NKJV).

Used with permission from UCB Word for Today. Free issues are available here for the UK and Republic of Ireland.

Skywatch #124

Wakehurst Place, originally uploaded by duopastorale.

I took this photo at Wakehurst Place last Monday. Wakehurst is a beautiful garden that belongs to London's Kew Gardens in the Sussex countryside. These wicker sculptures caught my eye.

Seeking God, Not Things

The Lord... closed her womb

1 Samuel 1:5

Sometimes the door will open only when you understand why it was shut in the first place. Consider the story of Hannah. She wanted a son but God wanted a prophet. When she prayed, 'If you...give me a son, I will give him back to you all his life...' (1 Samuel 1:11 NCV), God not only gave her Samuel, but also six more children (1 Samuel 2:5). When you pray for a harvest God will ask you to sow a seed. That seed may be something you love and want to cling to, but don't - rather, surrender it to God. Hannah discovered she couldn't be satisfied with less than God's will. Elkanah had two wives, but he loved Hannah the most and granted her 'a double portion' of his possessions (1 Samuel 1:5). 

But when you're not doing what you know God has truly called you to do, the love of people and material things won't satisfy you. 'Ordained' people are not just those in pulpits! Hannah was ordained to be a mother. You may be ordained to be a secretary, a landscape gardener or a teacher. Find whatever God's called you to do, and do it! Finally, Hannah's desperation led her to her destiny: 'The Lord... closed her womb.' Why? To get Hannah's attention, to draw her closer to Himself. Hard times cause us to re-examine our lives and seek God as never before. Our emphasis changes from 'Lord, here's what I want' to 'Lord, what do You want?' Then He blesses us, because '...He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him' (Hebrews 11:6 NKJV).

Used with permission from UCB Word for Today. Free issues are available here for the UK and Republic of Ireland.

Hosanna - TW3

Two weeks ago on Palm Sunday we were blessed to have the worship group TW3 from our local RC church lead the worship in our service, and it was great to have it recorded. I played the keyboard with them and had such a joy filled time of worship. These days I don't get to play in a worship band setting very often but I love it!!