Trust 0692 01IX2008

God keeps His promises.
From Genesis to Revelation, we see example after example of God making a promise and fulfilling His promise. Whether it was a reward or a punishment that God said He would deliver, He did what He said He would do.

God told Noah to build the ark and He would make it float. Noah acted with complete faith that the creator of the world knew how to build a boat, even if there was no water

Daniel and thousands of others whose stories are recorded in God's word believe that God will give all that He has promised.

Let us ask God to teach us to walk in the knowledge of His promises.

Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

(0692 01IX2008)

Learning from our experience 0691 31VIII2008

We are sometimes given situations which seem inconvenient or intolerable
so that we may stop and realize what real inconvenience and intolerance is;
so that we may appreciate what we have; and
so that we may reassess what in our lives we think we have to do, as opposed to what He would have us do.

Let us thank God for those times where He steps in to show us that we must slow down, while reminding us of others' unchangeable life situations.


Romans 8:26
Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

2 Corinthians 12:9
And he said unto me, "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness." Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

(0691 31VIII2008)

Taste and see - sprinkle the flavour around 0690 30VIII2008

Salt or too much of it is harmful
Salt makes people thirsty.
Salt is a seasoning. It adds flavour.
Salt is an antiseptic; it has a healing quality.
Salt also prevents decay; it is a preservative.

Salt has an important work to do, but it does it inconspicuously. It is not effective unless it is applied.

God poured out Himself, for mankind, in love, by sending His Son to become the Saviour of the world. Jesus poured out Himself, for the world, by dying on the cross. We are not effective for our Lord unless we pour ourselves out in service, for those in need of Jesus.

The next time we find ourselves adding salt to our food, let's pause and think just how willing we have been to share the love of Christ with others. A little? A lot? None at all? If we lose the desire to "salt the earth", then we are useless to Him, and we fail to represent Christ.

Matthew 5:13
You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavour? Can you make it useful again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.


(0690 30VIII2008)

Giving thanks 0689 29VIII2008

Do you give thanks when life is filled with sorrow, pain and suffering ?

Very often in life, we suffer losses of many kinds:
the loss of a parent, a friend, a child. These are times when God seems far away.

the loss of a job, the loss of a house. This is a different kind of loss, because it is not of life, but to some it is life-threatening.

In all losses we feel empty.

Yes, in time we must come back to our faith and never put out the Spirit's fire. For in God's will He has a plan to control our lives. We know not what His plan is, but it is for our good -- and in His timing it will all be made known to us.

1 Thessalonians 5:18
Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

(0689 29VIII2008)

Easy does it !! 0688 28VIII2008

"Easy Does It." - refers to a process of "graceful effort." Under this principle, you don't submit yourself to scenarios under which you are under constant stress and fear. Rather, you make progress by setting and realizing realistic, achievable goals. Success with less stress!
Let us ask God to give us grace not to rush through life but to take time to appreciate the beauty and wonder of our everyday world.

John 14:27
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.


(0688 28VIII2008)

It is a God thing 0687 27VIII2008

We have all experienced situations where things happened seemingly without explanation.
Sometimes we find our selves in a situation when our presence can be of help when it is really needed. Things happened to be in the right place and at the right time and this lead us to refer to as coincidences. With God, there are no coincidences.

Let us thank God for placing us in the right place at the right time; for those times when we can be of help ; for those times when whatever we are doing, our presence falls perfectly in place.


Romans 1:20
For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:


(0687 27VIII2008)

Do not be discouraged 0686 26VIII2008

Almost all of us have negative attitude about almost everything.

In 1 Peter 5 : 6 – 11 we are asked to stand firm in the faith and God will strengthen us. We are to cast all our anxieties on Him for He cares about us. We don't have to make it on our own. God is always with us. He is more than willing to help us as we journey through life. All He asks of us is to stand firm. He calls us not give in to negative thoughts, not to give in to temptation. We are directed to stand firm and God promises to strengthen us.

The greatest weapon of the devil is discouragement. If the devil can only persuade people to be thoroughly discouraged, people will make no further effort and the devil will be in control.

Let us confess to God that
we are easily discouraged.
we ignore Him and depend on our own strength
we trust in our own plans and not His for our lives

Let us ask God to give us strength to move forward and to trust in Him to lead us in the paths of righteousness

1 Peter 5:6-11
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.


(0686 26VIII2008)

Trust HIM 0685 25VIII2008

When God told Gideon that he had chosen him to deliver Israel from the Midianites, Gideon was surprised.

Gideon was aware of his own limitations.
God already knew all about Gideon’s limitations.

God did not choose Gideon because he was a mighty fighter, or because he commanded a huge army. Gideon was not chosen for his tactical skill or his range of weapons. God told Gideon that he would be able to do what God asked, because God would be with him. Gideon was not in this alone; he had God at his side. And Gideon went out, did what God called him to do and followed God's instructions, and Gideon was successful in driving out the Midianites.

When God gives us a task, God will help us to accomplish it. Just as God was with Gideon, God will be with us, too. We need not fear the tasks that lie ahead, because it is not up to us to tackle them alone. We must never forget that God is at our side, and it is not our strength, but God's strength, that will get the job done.

Judges 6:14-16
Then the Lord turned to [Gideon] and said, "Go in this might of yours and deliver Israel from the hand of Midian; I hereby commission you." He responded, "But sir, how can I deliver Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family." The Lord said to him, "But I will be with you."


(0685 25VIII2008)

Give to HIM, complete and without reservations 0684 24VIII2008

We all have times in our lives when things do not go as we had planned. There are always bumps in the road. If we could just give the difficult times to God, freely and without reservation, He could remove the pain from our lives, and help us live more peaceful lives. We often find it easy to ask God for things, or to thank Him, but when things aren't going well, we sometimes find it difficult to give our lives to Him. We need to learn not to hang on to those parts of ourselves that are better given to God. He can make even the most difficult circumstance bearable.

Let us ask God to help us to give our lives to Him, completely and without reservation. Let us ask God to bring us peace in the knowledge that He is with us, waiting for us to offer to Him our pains and sorrows.

Luke 11:13
How much more, then, will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!


(0684 24VIII2008)

Work out your own salvation with fear 0683 23VIII2008

Today many things have changed. The world has become smaller. Life is more complex and technology has grown to a point where we are totally dependent on electricity.

The good news is that we live consciously in this world. We have thoughts throughout the day - we make decisions and we carry anxieties and worries.

What happens when we turn to the Bible for guidance. We find competition between spiritualities and idolatry. Faithfulness to God alone is always in question and in opposition to those worldly things that compete for people’s loyalty and devotion. And there is the old internal temptations of greed, lust, covetousness and many others.

In the face of these onslaught of daily commercials, working hard on our desires for comfort, security and safety, we find ourselves inundated with a constant barrage of information and suggestions about the way life is or ought to be or could be, we are sometimes tempted to respond to something that has little or nothing to do with our actual lives.

Paul reminds the Philippians that all of life is a process of working out the transformation of salvation. Not “working on” as if such transformation was self initiated or self inflicted, but “working out” as in moving mindfully through life, directing and redirecting ourselves back to the basic belief that God is constantly working in and through and around us. It means, at the very least, giving God as much “brain space” as possible as protection and guidance through all of the other messages that come our way.

Philippians 2 : 12 - 13
Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

(0683 23VIII2008)

Be mindful 0682 22VIII2008

Our minds, our imaginations, are powerful aspects of our selves and our potential! It is at this level of our imaginations that modern media tries to win us over.

When we are watching a movie or a television show, we are seeing exactly what the director wants us to see. Lighting, sound, set and camera angles all seek to draw us into the scene. When the camera shifts and we “see” the scene through the perspective of a character in the story, we become that character. We are doing what it is that character is doing. We are, in our imagination, experiencing what that character is experiencing.

Video games and movies and television shows now come with ratings. Such ratings play on our mind and stirs reaction. We would do well to pay attention to those ratings.

Consider these

if children spend their most formative years shooting and zapping and destroying people on video games, it can’t help but affect how they see the world.

if men, once the rest of the family has gone to bed, sit in the dark watching television content that isn’t appropriate for the rest of the family, it can’t help but negatively affect them, their wives and their families.

Let us pay very close attention to what we let inside our minds. The world has become more ingenuous at cutting through and getting into our lives with messages and images that are ultimately harmful to us. Let us ask God to work in us, correcting our consciences, keeping us mindful and leading us to what is good and right and helpful.

Matthew 5 : 27 - 30
"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell.


(0682 22VIII2008)

Am I my brother's keeper ? 0681 21VIII2008

The world is a smaller place than it used to be. That is one of the benefits of modern technology and the modern media. We have the ability to see places we could only have imagined before. We are aware – sometimes – of situations and events in the world that we never would have known about.

While that can be overwhelming, it can also be encouraging in that it holds out hope that the world community can make a difference in places we might otherwise ignore. The world can come to the aid of any countries experiencing devastating events, like Tsunamis, earthquakes, forest fires and other calamities.

But is the world really getting any smaller ??

This is about mindfulness. Paying attention. Becoming an active participant in our own lives.

A mile is just a mile. What has changed is not the geography but the awareness. Once there is awareness, there is the possibility of making choices. In our daily lives, the world
around us, beamed daily into our lives, is choked full of challenges, obstacles and brokenness How do we react to what we see, to what we hear and to what we have read ?Do we act like it? Do we pray like it? Do we vote like it? Do we lead like it?

Genesis 4 : 8 - 9
Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let us go out to the field." And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel, and killed him. Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" He said, "I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?"


(0681 21VIII2008)

Our daily work 0680 20VIII2008

Every morning, everyone in the country will be getting up early and heading out to the office, the factory, the store, the field. Some travel to the airport, some travel by train, by bus or by car. Some will be getting home after a long night’s work. Others will be working at home, fixing lunches, preparing dinner, cleaning the house, volunteering at churches and schools and community centers.

What do they make out of their daily work ?

Every day, the wheels of life and the engine of our economy grind away as people use their talents and their ingenuity and their strength in return for the symbols of the same efforts of others, a paycheck

Do we consider the value of daily work to a paycheck? Some people work in select careers and make loads of money. Some fall lower on the pecking order and still there are others at the lowest rung of the ladder. Today the difference between the top money makers and the people at the bottom rung is bigger than ever and is continuing to grow.

In God’s economy, the value of our daily work isn’t measured by a paycheck or by community status. It is about adding value to the lives of others, about serving a need, about building a community, about making the world a better place. We see out work as an opportunity to make a difference, to serve others, to make the world a better place.

Psalm 105 : 1 - 6
“O give thanks to the LORD, call on his name, make known his deeds among the peoples. Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wonderful works. Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice. Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually. Remember the wonderful works he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered, O offspring of his servant Abraham, children of Jacob, his chosen ones.”

(0680 20VIII2008)

Who guided you ? 0679 19VIII2008

Who are the giants on whose shoulders you stand?
Who are the mentors who guided you along the way?



Life is a mystery. People come into and leave our lives. We go through experiences that seemingly make no sense. We make choices and decisions with no idea of their ultimate consequence. We find ourselves at a decision with little idea of how we got there or what it means. Only later, looking back, can we see the hand of God that has been hard upon our lives.

Let us thank God for the people who have shaped us along the way, for the experiences of our lives which have come to define us. Let us ask God to continue to use His hands to guide us along the way everyday of our lives.

Exodus 24 : 12 - 18
"The LORD said to Moses, "Come up to me on the mountain, and wait there; and I will give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction." So Moses set out with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up into the mountain of God. To the elders he had said, "Wait here for us, until we come to you again; for Aaron and Hur are with you; whoever has a dispute may go to them." Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. The glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the cloud. Now the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel. Moses entered the cloud, and went up on the mountain. Moses was on the mountain for forty days and forty nights."

(0679 19VIII2008)

Living by faith 0678 18VIII2008

Life is like walking with a blindfold on. We never know what's in front of us.. None of us knows what tomorrow brings, what disappointments will come our way, or when death may be knocking at our door! But one of the greatest truths in the Bible is that God is all-knowing.

Living by faith is saying to God, "I do not know what tomorrow or even the next moment will bring, but I know You do! Which way do You want me to go?"

Let us ask God to speak to us today in regard to any area of our lives that we need to turn over to Him. Let us listen for His guidance. Let us spend some time asking God to use each of us as a source of joy to someone today.

2 Corinthians 5:6-8
So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. That is why we live by believing and not by seeing.
Yes, we are fully confident and we would rather be away from these bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord.

(0678 18VIII2008)

The challenges of life 0677 17VIII2008

How often in life do we let fear take away the things we would love to do --not just the fun things, but the using of the gifts we have been given? There are also the way our lives can be, the ups and the downs, the curves we encounter. Our challenge is to leave our fears with the Lord and take up the challenges offered by God to live our lives in Him, without fear.

2 Corinthians 13:6
And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test.

(0677 17VIII2008)

Do not neglect the good in our lives 0676 16VIII2008

When we neglect ourselves and perhaps get a little run down physically, it can put a strain on our spiritual lives. In order to see the good in our lives we need to keep a good attitude about ourselves.

We need to call in an expert in the area we're feeling troubled. In the case of ourselves with physical ailments, a good doctor is in order, and in reference to our spiritual needs, we sometimes need an expert in spiritual living. We know it is God whom we need, but very often a caring friend can direct and encourage us.

Let us not neglect the good in our lives, for it is in Christ we live and move and have our being. It is in Him that we do our best work and through Him we are blessed and renewed again.

1 Peter 5:10-11
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.


(0676 16VIII2008)

A time of frustration 0675 15VIII2008

Has there ever been a time in your life when you were so frustrated because you did something and, after having done it, regretted it?
At such times, the days, the months, and sometimes years, become dark, and hope seems to be an eternity away.

Friends offer us well-meaning advice, which is sometimes very helpful, and yet at other times, leaves us all the more confused.

Jesus continually shows us the depths of darkness into which He will travel in order to bring forgiveness, healing and wisdom to His children, and glory to the kingdom of God.

John 8:12 - Again therefore Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life."

Isaiah 9:2
The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them.


(0675 15VIII2008)

Are you armored ? 0674 14VIII2008

Have we learned how put on the armour of God or to use it when we are under spiritual attack? Sometimes we are ill or have loved ones or friends who are suffering.

In our rundown or weakened condition, Satan moves ever so quietly into our presence, sowing doubts and fears we know we should not have. That is the time we must surrender all to God, putting on His full armour identified in scripture.

We can stand our ground but we must also be alert to the signs, so our minds won't be altered by the evil that is present, waiting to pounce upon us. We need to pray continually, giving thanks to God for the tools He has made available for us.

Ephesians 6:11-12
Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 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.

Ephesians 6:13-17
Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

(0674 14VIII2008)

Wait, just wait 0673 13VIII2008

All of us, at some point in our lives, have wanted something so badly that, we have a built-in desire to obtain those things we want in a timely manner.

Psalm 27 : 14 says, "Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; yea, wait for the Lord!" is definitely a message that God is trying to get through to us. Patience, or waiting on the Lord, is something that we often struggle with. We know of the promises that God has made, and we know that God answers prayers. We also know that all of these things come in God's timing and not our own.

In Psalm 27, the psalmists also had desires, and also made many requests of the Lord.The psalmist comes to the conclusion that he must indeed wait on the Lord. We often expect God to be our "waiter" giving us all of the things we need and want. Waiting on God is indeed a difficult lesson to learn, but we know that if we can ever master this lesson, our lives will be much more full and peaceful. If we realize at the start that we may have to wait on something, we can then set that thing aside and concentrate our efforts elsewhere while we wait on God to move, rather than sulking in our impatience and trying to make things happen in our own timing. While we wait on God, we can be waiters for God and serve Him.

Psalm 27:14
Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; yea, wait for the Lord!

(0673 13VIII2008)

Direction 0672 12VIII2008

When you are lost, how do you find your way back ?

You can get direction from a gas station. Maps give us direction. A compass points us in a direction. There are signs along roads, giving us direction.

Do we read the Bible for directions? It has so much to tell us. God offers direction to each and every one of us.

At some points in our lives we come to crossroads. With faith and trust we can ask for direction about which way to go.

Sometimes, our lives feel like we're travelling up a steep hill, but again through prayer and trust we know that we will be all right, and the road will level out at some point.

In Jeremiah 42 : 3 the people asked the prophet Jeremiah to pray to the Lord for them "that the Lord your God may show us the way in which we should walk and the thing we should do."

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; He shall direct your paths.


(0672 12VIII2008)

God is in control 0671 11VIII2008

How many of us would allow God to be the author of our lives and that we would allow Him to write out the pages as the story of our life unfolds. We need to recognize just how much God truly is in control of our lives. We spend a great deal of time in our lives making plans for the future and establishing goals that we wish to fulfill. God gives us the wisdom and ability to make such decisions and develop such plans for our lives, and I truly believe that He expects us to make those plans wisely. But sometimes what we lose sight of is that even though we make our plans and establish a blueprint for our lives, God is still in control.

We must bear in mind that when we make our plans and establish in our minds the way we are going to go, but when we go, God is in control of and directs each step that we take. If, en route to a destination we planned in our minds, we stumble or fall, He is always there to pick us up and put us back on our path. If we establish a path for ourselves that would lead us out of God's will, His direction and guidance will help move us toward the right path that leads to Him.

Proverbs 16:9
A man's mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.

(0671 11VIII2008)

The amber traffic light 0670 10VIII2008

The amber light is a warning for us. It is the time between go and stop.

Does God represent the amber light in our lives? Yes, He is the one who stands before us to warn us as we go through our lives. He stands as a beacon: Don't go too fast; be prepared to see the warning before the stoplight turns red.

We must not try to run God's red lights. "Wait for the Lord."

In running a red light, one can put oneself and others in a position of injury. Regarding God as the amber light in our lives, we do well to remember Deuteronomy 6:16, "Do not test the Lord your God." We must never put God to the test or try to make any deals with Him. He is sovereign and in full authority.

How often do we use or not use God as our warning signal?
God has given to each of us the way in which to live our lives; the rules are all set up in the book of life, our Bible. We must be ready to take caution in how we tread through our lives, and always be on the watch for the signal to stop.

Psalm 27:14
Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

(0670 10VIII2008)

Never lost but always loved 0669 09VIII2008

In Luke 15:11-24 we read of the story of two brothers. The younger son wanted his portion of his father's estate. He wished to go off to a distant land and have his own space. After a short time, he blew it all. The young man decided to go back home to seek his father's favour. His father, when he saw his son returning home, greeted him with open arms. There was dissension with his brother, for he had remained home all of this time and thought his father loved the wayward son more than him.

This passage reminds us of our relationship with one another. In our lives, when a loved one goes astray, we don't just stop loving them. Even when there is nothing we can do, we are called to trust God and let Him deal with the situation. We are to avoid ever hardening our hearts. In knowing we have done all we can, may they know they are never lost and always loved.

Luke 15:20b
But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

Correct others with gentleness

This is the real secret revealed to us in 2 Timothy 2 : 25. If we realize that another's beliefs or opinions may be leading them down a wayward path, or in a direction away from God, then we should approach that person in a gentle, non-rebuking spirit. If we approach them with a desire just to prove them wrong, then they will immediately become defensive and our chances of "redirecting" their path will be wiped away.

If we strive to do our best to abide by these guidelines, we can bring more peace and happiness into our lives and the lives of others. We will also be able "to present ourselves to God as one approved, a workman who has no need to be ashamed".

2 Timothy 2:14-16,23-25a
Remind them of this, and charge them before the Lord to avoid disputing about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. Avoid such godless chatter, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness. Have nothing to do with stupid, senseless controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kindly to every one, an apt teacher, forbearing, correcting his opponents with gentleness.

(0669 09VIII2008)

Like what you want to hear 0668 08VIII2008

How often we do things until we get, not necessarily the right answer, but the answer which we feel is right for us, for that point in time. Sometimes we might open the Bible at random, thinking that the scripture we read will be our guidance for the day. However, if it happens to be one of admonition, or something which makes us uncomfortable, we perhaps press on until we find one to our liking. Sometimes in games, we might keep going until we find a number or a card we prefer. Sometimes we may ask for help with a problem but, not liking the answer one person gives us, and already "knowing" what we think the answer should be, we'll ask others until someone gives us the answer we want to hear.

It is when we are able to accept such seemingly insignificant things as a randomly chosen passage from scripture, or the advice in the answer from a friend, that we begin to live within the statutes as handed down to us. For it is when we are able to differentiate between what we want to see, to hear, to have happen, and what He wants for us, that we really begin to experience living life to the fullest.

Psalm 119:5
O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!




(0668 08VIII2008)

Do not ever give up 0667 07VIII2008

There are times when we feel down, and all seems to be going wrong. Those are the days when even friends seem to be far away. Usually it is the way we are thinking about ourselves. Nothing is going right.

None of us is perfect. We know we should be able to shrug off these feelings of doubt and depression!? Yes, but it is only in the Lord: we can we reach out in prayer to Him and feel His touch.

Luke 6:18b-19
Those troubled by evil spirits were cured, and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all.

Psalm 31:7
I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul.




(0667 07VIII2008)

The things we pack away 0666 0VIII2007

We tend to hold onto the hurts we experience, and, rather than deal with them, we try to forget. We avoid these things, or people, so we cannot be hurt again. They get packed away and as long as we can't see them, they are out of our minds.

How long? Sometimes we never take time to resolve our differences. We should change the hurt to love. We need to get them out and deal with them

Let us ask God to help us deal with them, for ourselves and for those whom we long to hold close to us.

Psalm 51:10-12
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.




(0666 06VIII2008)

Watch your words !! 0665 05VIII2008

Sometimes our mouths can get us into a lot of trouble.

When we use them the wrong way they have the potential to gobble up people on the inside. Mean and unkind words, filthy words, thoughtless words have the power to gobble up the good feelings people have about themselves, leaving them feeling all chewed up inside -- consumed by feelings of inadequacy, self-hatred, depression and the like.

The truth is that God never wants anyone to feel eaten up. He loves us so very much and He wants each one to be whole and healthy inside. This is why within His Word He speaks clearly to us concerning our mouths and the right way to use them. Instead of using words that bite and gobble others up, He says: Watch the way you talk ... say only what helps, each word a gift. Now isn't that something to think about!?

Ephesians 4:29
Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift.


(0665 05VIII2008)

Wait for HIS direction 0664 04VIII2008

How often we have become preoccupied in areas where He has not called us, going blindly ahead without waiting for His direction. Then, after sorting out the self-inflicted muddle, He has been gracious enough to reward us anyway!

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.

(0664 04VIII2008)

Keeping pace 0663 03VIII2008

Within our world, God calls us to act justly and to love mercy but amid the hustle and bustle of what we term reality, it is often easy to become side-tracked, to get off on a tangent and lose our place or focus. Before we know it we have all but forgotten God's original purpose for us.

Other times we forget to keep pace as we walk with Him. We seek to lunge ahead of His timing, or lag behind due to lack of faith or will-full pride which often results in undue frustration, fatigue, even pain as we may experience the humiliation of falling to failure.

The only way that place and pace can be maintained is through trust and obedience to His commands, which calls for our submission to His leadership, through humility, loving submission to our wonderful and wise, all-knowing, heavenly Father whose place (focus) and pace is always geared for our well-being, refreshment, joy and pleasant communion.

Micah 6 : 6-8
With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

(0663 03VIII2008)

Quiet time 662 02VIII2008

Today finding time to hide ourselves alone with God for steady spiritual growth is a lost priority. Many view it as non-essential, as something for those who have nothing to do.

But King David knew his daily need of time alone with God and, though faced with trials and pressures that were pulling him other directions, he vowed that nothing would keep him from meeting with God daily and at the beginning of his day. He vowed:

The rewards of time alone with God are often not immediately evident, and in our impatience we run to something more visibly practical. But there is a self-deception at work here as well. The negative effects of ignoring daily time alone with God are also not immediately visible. It's not like falling off a roof where gravity immediately takes over and swiftly plunges us to the ground.

Unless we make time alone with God a priority, the other hours devoted to our busy schedule will be poorly used. Doing seems so much more practical than praying or meditating on the Word. But the spiritual disciplines of prayer and meditation on the Word do not constitute idleness. They are rigorous disciplines that are vital to the spiritual life.


Psalm 5:3
In the morning, O Lord, Thou wilt hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayer to Thee and eagerly watch.


(0662 02VIII2008)