Oh boy… I hope nobody finds out…

Confession. What do you think of when you hear that word? Is your mind flooded with all of your deepest, darkest secrets that you'd sooner keep buried? Or maybe thoughts of nominalism - going before a priest sat behind a curtain and hoping you’ll be forgiven? Or maybe that typical prayer “oh God, I’m just an old sinner blah blah blah…”.

I’ve made a remarkable discovery about keeping things buried. I was reminded that things that I tried to keep well hidden, were the very things that became burdensome and dangerous. Why? Because God’s people have an ‘accuser’, whose role is to ensure you are constantly aware of your sins, and that you never receive the truth and freedom of God’s forgiveness:

“And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.”

Revelation‬ ‭12‬:‭10‬ ‭KJV‬‬

So what’s this big discovery I’ve made? 

That when I confess my sins before God….there’s nothing for the accuser of God’s people - satan - to accuser me of! Confession literally disarms him. That oppressive  and trepid  control that he wields over us by reminding us of everything we’ve done wrong, is broken. But hold on - if that sense of fear and anxiety has been removed, Something else must occupy its space, otherwise those fears and anxieties about our sins can easily return. Here’s the perfect occupant: God’s peace, in knowing that he is faithful and just to forgive our sins. Check it out:

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭1‬:‭9‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭1‬ ‭KJV‬‬

When you confess, you are no longer condemned, no longer accused, even if the devil comes with another attempt because you will now have an empowering precedent to follow. And did you note the part that says “…cleanse us from all unrighteousness”? You’re not only forgiven – God no longer even sees your sin. You can now walk free! It was never your place to carry a burden that you have no power of your own to remove -  Jesus already did that on the cross. When you confess, you will find such relief from those burdens which have weighed you down for so long, and you’ll be liberated to freely and wholeheartedly worship God.

So come on! Get confessing - the right way. There is not one single thing that you’ve done wrong that will make our God, who took on every sin  in his own body, recoil in horror by what you confess. There’s nothing he hasn’t already seen and nothing he doesn’t already know about. The confession part is for you.

It’s gonna be ok.

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New Year, New Goals?

What are your deepest desires in life? What would you say are your top three? Take a minute to mentally list them.

Did you know that those dreams, purposes and intents are often placed in your heart by God? Now don’t go crazy, I’m not necessarily talking Beverly Hills mansions here, although God wants us to prosper in all areas of life and I’m unashamedly a huge advocate of God’s word on that. (3 John 2). But contrary to this fickle world we inhabit, material desires should not be our focus. The instruction from the Word of God us for us to ‘delight ourselves in the Lord and He will grant the desires of our heart.’ Psalm 37:4’. This answers lots of questions about people who have an abundance of riches, and then become ruined by those same riches. Money has a spiritual power attached to it. If riches are your focus, your heart will follow those riches and destroy areas of your life - it can even destroy you.

Sis? Bro? Let God have your heart. He is gentle and loving and wants His desires in your heart. That’s how they become your desires. (See Psalm 37 above). There is a plethora of promises which follow when God has our heart:

”But his delight is in the law of the LORD; And in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, That bringeth forth his fruit in his season; His leaf also shall not wither; And whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.“

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭1‬:‭2‬-‭3‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The imagery here is of lush vegetation, producing in abundance. Do you know, that if that one tree produced abundantly, then it provides for everyone around it too? That’s our loving heavenly Father’s vision not just for us, but for our communities also. That should be the very reason we want to prosper, and if you ask the Lord, He will be more than willing to help you to change your focus.  The ‘law’ now is the Bible. God will lead you in ways that you and so many others too, will prosper wholesomely - not in the way of this world that leads to destruction.

So. What did you say those goals were again?

Will you put them in God’s hands today?

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When Your World Falls Apart…Thank God For Christmas

That title may seem weird. Even offensive, if you’re hurting right now. The fact is, when seasonal festivities really begin to take off, Christmas for many people is a painful reminder of loved ones lost, families divided and dreams broken. But have you ever thought of Christmas as a time for some emotional therapy? Whilst I’m a MAJOR fan of all things festive, let’s just reign that in for a minute or two and change perspectives.

Christ. He’s described as a ‘Man of sorrows’, ‘acquainted with grief’. (Isaiah 53:3) When you’re ‘acquainted’ with something/ someone, you know it/them very well. Actually, you don’t only know it, you've lived it. Jesus knew loss and disappointment extremely well. Remember, when He walked earth He was fully man, although still God. He experienced hunger, thirst, betrayal and ridicule. He had a home life - had to be raised by parents - Jesus was not born walking and talking perfect Hebrew. It’s worth noting Joseph’s absence from records very early on - we can only assume he may have died. So Jesus possibly experienced being raised in a single-parent home, too. He experienced intimate family life and friendships, so when many of these same individuals rejected Him, it would have cut Him to the core. (John 7:5). More so because they were who He came to save.

So what was the point of all this suffering? We can recite scripture to the point where it sounds cliched - ‘surely He has borne our sorrows and carried our weaknesses’. (Is 53)‘Borne’. Take a long hard look at that word. It suggests something more compelling than sympathy. Sympathising is feeling sorry. To ‘bear’ is to take on that very sorrow. This thought brings us back to where we started - thinking of Christmas as a time of therapy.  The whole point of Christ’s suffering in this way, is because He knew we would suffer in this world, so He made a supernatural provision to help us. Emotional pain can be all-consuming; it can even manifest physically. It’s in these moments that we must off-load all of our hurts, thoughts, etc to our Lord. He’s listening. Don’t stop - He never tires like people do. Do this regularly, when it all seems too much. Keep on going back to that well of water and drinking. Keep on leaving that pain with Him, no matter how many times it returns. In time, you will begin to notice a strength and peace that wasn’t there before. You’ll find that you’re able to think about other things, and you won’t feel guilty for it. You’ll begin to encourage those around you, and they’ll draw strength from you. 

My precious, this is a journey - a tough one - but you have therapy at hand that few people are aware of at this time of year. It’s called Christmas.

Have a good one.

Never Forsaken

 “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

(Matthew 27:46)

This is one of Christ’s final utterances on the cross. But what  does it mean for us now? To answer this question, let’s take a look at some events leading to this harrowing moment.

Prior to this scene, we are presented with a wonderful image of the close-knit relationship that Jesus and his disciples enjoyed. The disciples would have spent the majority of their time with Jesus, not just learning from him but fellowship  with him. Hanging out just like you do with very close friends. In fact they were more like family. The Bible depicts some of the squabbling that went on amongst the disciples, and Jesus correcting them like ‘big bro’. (Matt 18:1-5). And no doubt they would have spent time laughing and joking together - yes Jesus had a sense of humour. 

Do you see it? Do you see moments like that in your life? Surrounded by friends and family, simply enjoying the moments together? A meal out, a party, holiday, shopping trip, or maybe a date?

Now let’s paint another scenario. A moment in your life when everything turns black. I mean - it’s so intense, it feels like someone has literally pulled the curtains of your life, and you feel very alone in your situation. You have tried just about everything you know how to and hit a brick wall each time. There is simply no one who gets it; no one who understands. And no one who can get you out of this hole. So you simply continue digging your hole because you just don’t know what else to do. Or continue to plod through your daily, painful and mentally exhausting routine.

Now look back at today’s scripture that we  began with from Matthew 27, and you will see a connection between what you are facing and what Jesus faced on the cross. Friend, there is hope. The truth is, Jesus’ disciples - his friends, and even his very own brothers abandoned him at the point where he could have really done with their support.  (John 7:5) (Mark 14:50). Take a moment to imagine the curtains of life being drawn for the Saviour of the world, who died for you and me. Those who would have been His ‘church family’ today were His most ardent accusers. 

Jesus was ‘forsaken’ (or ‘rejected’) on the cross because He was carrying our sins. Yours and mine. Do you know what that means? It means that your time of dark abandonment, rejection, or being ‘forsaken’, is over. A divine exchange took place on the cross - Jesus took on your forsaken state, nailed it to the cross, and opened the way for you to “come forth” from your dark tomb, into the light of His resurrection. Yes, there’s a resurrection for you too! Let this be your day, your hour. Believe these images I’ve presented here today are for you personally. You can start to live again instead of just existing. You have God-given life and purpose.

If you would like further support or help, please do contact me: peacebrown38@gmail.com or comment below.

The Trouble With Arguing…

 

Recently, I attempted to visit a poorly relative in hospital. Frustratingly, the hospital had decided to close the car park which generally means encircling the hospital repeatedly in the hope that a space will become available somewhere nearby. After three attempts of doing this without success, I finally pulled over to a patient transport waiting area, where I waited for 40 minutes. At this point a lady came along in her car, and also proceeded to wait for a space. Time crept by and almost an hour passed when a visitor finally relieved a parking space. Hooray! My patience had finally paid off… hadn’t it?. The lady who had also been waiting, sneakily arranged for some of her passengers to block me from entering the now- available space so that she could have it! Can you imagine the opportunities I had right there to shout, holler and scream about the injustice of it all?

Anyone close to me  will tell you that going back a few years that’s exactly what I would have done. I was argumentative, confrontational and always had to prove I was in the right. After all, in this case I was! However, my peace over the years has become far more valuable to me than proving that I am right. So I sat. And waited. No more spaces became available and eventually I was forced to return home. I will attempt it again another day, but I have already decided that I will not become angry if this is repeated. I went away with my peace perfectly intact and importantly, people I love didn’t  have to tolerate a foul mood emanating from me.

You see, my precious readers, the trouble with arguments is that there are just no winners. I’ve never once seen an argument where both sides have walked away saying “that was fantastic! I feel great!” The truth is, most people believe that they can spew a whole load of bitter negativity during an argument and that once they’ve stopped arguing, it’s over. I’m sorry to say, it isn’t. Words do not simply disappear into thin air. They land on the hearts and minds of people and remain there, ready for the next round of arguments with whoever and about whatever - whether the issue is serious or trivial.You may look back over past broken friendships, broken family relationships, work or even church relationships and wonder to yourself: “how did it come to this?” I think it would be really healthy to go back and reflect on the disputes and sharp exchanges of words over time and you will see that you have built an unhealthy stronghold. It may be painful to think this through, but if it’s done with a humble and open heart before God, he will gently lift the burdens and unforgiveness  you carry and you will begin to see restored relationships in your marriage, with your children, with your siblings and in friendships. But this is not an exercise in condemnation. Don’t beat yourself up - there is so much help at hand! 

Always remember that in an argument, both sides want to prove that they are right. However, the moment you begin to argue, you are wrong. Whilst you may be right about the issue itself, what actually rises up is pride, because of course we must be proven right! There is simply no merit to engaging in conflict - it requires no self control, patience or love… all fruits of the spirit. Have you noticed that? Whilst you are busy trying to prove your “rightness”, you have forfeited everything that the Holy Spirit has embedded within you in order for you to experience his grace. That’s why nobody wins an argument. In fact, over time, you cause long-term damage to both your loved ones and to yourself. There’s an awful lot of shouting going on, but can you hear each other? You are merely exchanging hostilities without listening. 

Here’s what the word has to say:

“A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger calms dispute.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭15‬:‭18‬ ‭BSB‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/3034/pro.15.18.BSB

“It is honorable to back off from a fight, but fools jump right in.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭20‬:‭3‬ ‭CEB‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/37/pro.20.3.CEB

“But reject foolish and ignorant speculation, for you know that it breeds quarreling. And a servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome, but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, and forbearing.”

‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭2‬:‭23‬-‭24‬ ‭BSB‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/3034/2ti.2.23-24.BSB

The Word of God  is pretty candid about arguments! But the benefits of avoiding them are also lucid. It calms disputes and it’s honourable. But look at the final verse from 2 Timothy: “… Kind to everyone, able to teach and forbearing“. Imagine yourself sitting having a coffee with someone you’ve  fallen  out with and being able to offer kindness to them, being able to teach them and bear with them in their areas of weakness, and them helping you in your weaknesses too - no hostilities, just an understanding between you, whether you agree or not. 

This journey towards ousting clamorous arguing from your life will not be an overnight process, but the moment you decide to do it, you have divine help. When you get on board with God, then and only then can he come to your aid. And with the same kindness we’ve seen in the book of Timothy, he will lead you gently and without judgement, because he loves you. 

I pray for restored, and healed relationships in your life! 

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Do You Still Believe When It’s Winter?

 

 

I often venture out on prayer and wildlife walks, as I find those elements are a great combo. I get to take time out from busyness and purposefully direct my attention to our creator God.

Check out  the two images above, taken of my favourite place to walk. Take your time, and study the first image, taken in winter. Who would have believed anything could ever grow in that barren looking land? It looks dead. Hopeless. 

Now study the second image taken in late spring. I can tell you that this gorgeous scene was accompanied by an equally beautiful scent! But it’s the same park. It turns out that there was an awful lot going on below the ground during that winter scene. 

That’s exactly what our walk with God can be like sometimes. There are things that we need God to do in our lives and it looks as though nothing at all is happening. Our situation looks dead. You’ve prayed and sought God, and now anxiety is beginning to take the place of faith because you can’t see anything happening. But did you know that God heard you the very first time you made your request to him?

Prayer is a supernatural weapon given to us by God. As such, we don’t always see its effects immediately – there is a spiritual and a physical dimension  to be considered  when you pray. 

The Bible informs us that it is at the point of prayer where things happen: “So I tell you to ask for what you want in prayer. And if you believe that you have received those things, then they will be yours.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭11‬:‭24‬ ‭ERV‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/406/mrk.11.24.ERV. 

A note of caution about the ‘what you want’ bit - you don’t have grace to get revenge on someone you don’t like, or to ask God to make you a millionaire overnight! Prayer is not a fruit machine that you simply insert cash and hope to get more cash from. Our God is holy, and He deals with us at a heart level. He knows what’s really going on in your heart. 

The verse prior to this contextualises things nicely, as it refers to ‘mountains’, or ‘problems’ that seem impossible to move: 

“The truth is, you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, mountain, fall into the sea.’ And if you have no doubts in your mind and believe that what you say will happen, then God will do it for you.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭11‬:‭23‬ ‭ERV‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/406/mrk.11.23.ERV

The point is, we are to believe God when things look as desolate in our lives as the first image above. Times like these can produce our richest prayers. Study the second image, and use it to believe God when your life still resembles the first. 

I encourage you to do this:

1. In your difficult circumstances, spend time reading and absorbing the verses in Mark 11: 20-25.

2. Allow God to bring these verses to life on the inside of you. That’s called ‘faith’. 

3. Once faith is stirring - and ONLY when faith is stirring, go to verse 23, which actually tells you the words to speak concerning your situation. Insert your specific problem where it refers to ‘mountain’. 

Why do I recommend time in the word of God first? Because without it, all you have is sheer willpower. You’ll run out of steam before you know it. And we also have an adversary, the devil, waiting to steer you away from the word of God. (1 Peter 5:8).

You see, many times people wander around making great-sounding, biblical declarations as though simply saying them repeatedly will get the job done. It won’t. That’s why you need my very first step above! You can walk around all you want, declaring ‘I’m healed! I’m healed!’ or whatever your need may be. But remember, your mind/ body knows what you really believe. There’s no shame in that. We all believe wrongly sometimes. So use step one above to get your heart in line with right believing. 

My brother, my sister, our God sees your ‘springtime’, resplendent with abundance, whatever that abundance may represent to you, and He wants you to see it too.  For some, it’s simply a desire for lasting peace in a life of turmoil. For others it means having pressing needs met. It could mean the healing of relationships, or the restoration of health. There really is no limit. But it begins with what you see through the eyes of faith. 

Remember, as you go through whatever you may be facing, let your words take you where you would like to go, as Mark 11:23 specifies. If you are in ‘winter’, take time in the word of God to believe, allow faith to flourish, and ONLY then, begin to speak. Your situation is not hopeless. It is simmering with breakthroughs!

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Don’t Give Your Precious Heart to Just Anybody

John 4:4-26

Have you ever read this story about the Samaritan woman at the well? It’s worth another read.

It begins by stating that Jesus “needed” to travel via Samaria. There was a much faster route to reach his destination but he was setting himself up to meet the pressing need of this Samaritan woman. You may know that Samaritans were considered heinous outcasts. Not to mention being female too! On the face of it, this woman really didn’t have much going for her. And yet, it was with this apparent female  “outcast” with which Jesus engaged in the longest ever recorded conversation in the Bible. If you’re someone who follows worldly views about the Bible being sexist, at this point you should realise that’s a lie.

Next, I’d like to focus on the considerate, gentle approach of Jesus. Note, he met her alone-scandalous at this time! But he was about to get to the root of her needs and he was not going to embarrass her. A conversation takes place about physical water and spiritual water. She doesn’t understand that the water that Jesus would give her was not physical. He was talking about the deep desire she had for love. Real love.

You see, this is an innate desire that our Lord has placed on the inside of each of us. This precious lady would go on to confess sins of a personal, sensitive nature which she could not possibly share with anyone else. In other words, she was about to place her fragile heart in the hands of someone she could trust. Her physical desires were laid out for Jesus to see - nothing hidden. Then, and only then, was Jesus able to replace her physical “water“ with his spiritual “water”.  Symbolic of this, was that she left her water jar behind. Let’s look at that jar. Whatever its size, it had limited capacity to contain water. It would have been very heavy. And she would have to return every day, making this trek to refill. It was insufficient and could never meet her innermost desires. She had already been through five husbands, and Jesus knew this. Her deepest desires had not been met and she was searching in all of the wrong places. 

But this day, her narrative was about to change. She was about to encounter “living waters“ and she would never “thirst“- seek fulfilment in multiple partners - again. She found Jesus - an unlimited, unburdensome supply of water.

This can be your story too. If you’re ashamed of what you’ve done, where you’ve been, or who you’ve been with, there’s one who is standing by waiting to listen without judgement. He wants your heart, because it is a safe place and only he can protect it. He will not add to your load, he will gently and lovingly take it. And when he does, your search will be over.

Will you trust Jesus with your heart today?

If you want help to receive Jesus, praise this prayer:

Jesus, I’ve been searching and never found fulfilment yet. Please come into my heart today.

I turn everything I’m ashamed of over to you and place my fragile heart in your hands. Thank you for loving me unconditionally. 

Amen.

Please post a reply if you’ve prayed the above prayer and I will respond to you directly.

Alternatively, you can use: peacebrown38@hotmail.co.uk.

Turning the Spotlight Back to God.

The spotlight. A powerful tool on stage. Projecting an iridescent beam on whatever the focus of the performance is. It’s an illuminating device with the power to keep every eye on where the action is at that particular moment. It’s such a powerful tool that by capturing the attention of audiences, they can be enthralled with the drama one moment and in absolute distress the next. In other words it has the influence to control what it wants us to see. It’s not that there isn’t anyone else on stage, it’s just that the spotlight isn’t on them at that moment because the director has decided to select a particular moment to focus on according to what he/she believes is integral to the performance. 

Have you noticed how this works? Do you see how you can do the same thing in your life? If you focus on what’s happening around the world for long enough, you will be negatively influenced. Yes, we all need to be aware of current issues. But it’s up to us to decide what we place our ‘spotlight’ on. Fact: we live in a fallen world. Truth: Jesus has overcome the world. Fact is not the same as truth. We absolutely need statistics, science etc, but although they are factual they can be doctored- manipulated and so they seem to portray a true message. Truth however, can not be altered. God does not change, and neither does His word. That means it can be trusted.The direction that your life takes can reveal much about the focus of your spotlight. But that’s all it is - your focus, not necessarily the truth. Are you consumed with fear, worry and doubt? When you visit the doctor are you on edge, wondering what prognosis will be given? When letters come through your door is your heart racing with the thought of yet another bill? Do you hang on to the words “cost of living crisis“ Which is repeated daily until it begins to form an image in your mind of shortage and struggle? If you tick any of these boxes (as well as a host of others) I submit to you that your spotlight is in the wrong place. But it’s not a problem, now that you know! The same way the habit was formed subconsciously by consuming what’s going on around you, is the same way you can form a new habit of consistently and deliberately turning everything over to God. And leaving it there. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. (Heb 11:1). Unbelief, worry etc. also come by hearing - Yep! You’ve got it - By hearing the wrong thing consistently. You consistently listened to the bad news didn’t you? Well it’s time to consistently listen to the good: 

When that bill comes, say “thank you Lord for being my provider“. (Matt 6:26).

When that pain , cough, irritation comes - note how these are also characteristics of the devil - say “thank you Lord that you are my healer“. (Ps 107:20),

When there is strife in your family between your children or anyone else say “thank you Lord that you are the peace in this family“.  (Phil 4: 6-7),

And when you are experiencing such a deep sorrow to the very core of your being, remember that the Lord is called “man of sorrow, acquainted with grief” (Is 53:3) and say “you are my comfort, joy and strength”.  (Ps 30:11).

In other words you are taking back control of the spotlight’s focus, joining hands with Almighty God and allowing him to shine instead. (1 Cor 3:9).

Be encouraged. There is so much more to life than what this world’s “spotlight“ wants you to see!

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Be led by the Spirit

What was it like for Jesus to walk in the spirit? Yes, our Lord had to do this because he occupied a physical body whilst on Earth.

It was the Spirit of God who led Jesus in Luke 4, to deal with the attacks of the devil after He had fasted for 40 days.

But look it Mark 5. I’m  convinced that Jesus probably didn’t know beforehand that He would:

a. face the Gadarene demoniac. A man in such a pitiful spiritual state, Which manifested mentally and physically, that he dwelt among tombs, uncontrollably self harming, unable to be tamed by anybody.

b. encounter the woman with the issue of blood, bleeding profusely for 12 years, becoming increasingly worse. Shunned and despised by everybody because she was considered unclean. Stripped of every last penny by physicians who could not heal her.

c. encounter Jairus, whose daughter - interestingly also 12 years old (the number of power, authority and completeness in the Bible) who would die by the time He reached her.

But He went where he was led.

You see, Although Jesus never sinned and he was perfect, this physical body was not perfect in the sense that it was limited. He didn’t necessarily know ahead of time what he would encounter. Although he was the son of God, his physical body was a limitation. But he was ready. Because he walked in the Spirit. There is so much in this for us. 1 John 4:17 says as he is so are we in this world. Do you know what that means? Yes, we too must be led by the Spirit of God. If Jesus needed to, much more so do we need to. Ever wondered why so much evil seems to prevail in this world? Yes, definitely a consequence of a fallen, sinful world. But it’s also partially a consequence of God’s people not realising that we are his hands and feet. Living in this physical body just as Jesus occupied a physical body, we too are to  ‘go’ just because he said so. We don’t realise all the missed chances we’ve had to comfort, encourage, heal and even to share a laugh- laughter is medicine.

As we spend time in his word let’s ask him to help us become ever more sensitive to his still quiet voice, and shut off some of those things that hinder it - He’ll help us every step of the way.

And then, let’s ‘go’.

Education, career, family, retire….then what?

 

Life is so brief isn’t it? If you’re an adult reading this, you’ll remember your childhood well. Almost like yesterday.

Don’t you ever wonder if there’s more? I mean, we’re born into this world, and many of us are blessed enough to receive an education. We grow up and become adults and may choose some sort of career. Some of us will marry, some of us will remain single, some will have children and some won’t. But whether or not we do any of that, life is moving on all the time and those things don’t define who we are. So now we may have reached retirement age. Some of us may be facing health challenges, whilst others may find it hard to retire when we’ve immersed ourselves in our careers all our lives. Or you may have  looked forward to retirement only to  realise that after just a few years  it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. 

Did you know that we are designed to live life with purpose? Did you know that this sense of lack and deep desire on the inside of us was placed there by God and can only be satisfied in him? The day you were born into this world- in fact before you were born into this world God had a purpose for you. You have a role to fulfil in this world, specifically designed for you by God. 

This is what God says about you:

“Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

”‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭1‬:‭5‬ ‭KJV‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/1/jer.1.5.KJV

Whatever stage of life you find yourself at, I encourage you – it is never too late to find purpose in life. I can honestly say that I was in my 40s before I really began to see God’s purpose for me. Until then I was drifting along on a boat of religiosity. But I’ve never been as fulfilled in life as I am now. I don’t have it all figured out. There are lots of things I don’t get, even now. But one thing I do recognise, is that I have a destiny and even one day when I reach retirement I have lots of plans-God given plans to reach other people because of the gifts God has placed on the inside of me. 

So if you feel you’re missing that purpose in life, start with God’s plan for your life. Read that verse above again and ask God to reveal his purpose to you. You are going to be such a blessing!

Please share!

Place it in His Hands

 

“The feeding of the 5000”. It’s quoted so much it almost sounds like a cliche! But there are some astounding truths in this wonderful miracle, found in John 6:8-13, that I had overlooked.

I was feeling grouchy. Really grouchy. Awoken by the shopping delivery very early on a Saturday, when I thought I could catch up with a bit of shut-eye, having been up extra late working/studying the night before. (Don’t judge me, the earlier delivery times are cheaper!😆). You know what it’s like, your time is so tight and just when you think you have your organisation skills perfected, another issue pops up and rocks the apple cart. Yes, there was yet another very important event happening this weekend that I had not factored in to my already-limited schedule. Grrrr!

Then I saw the title to a devotional from someone who I love to listen to, Joseph Prince, Called “place it in His hands”. I am going to share with you what was revealed to me as I began to read this account of 5000 people being fed miraculously from Jesus’  hands, with only five loaves of bread and two fish.

The first thing I noticed about this story, was that the limited resources available needed to be placed in the hands of the Supplier. That’s called “Prayer”. We take our issues, however small or large they are and we ask for God’s help in prayer. We ‘place it in his hands.’ Note that Jesus then placed this supply in the hands of his disciples. Then they distributed it to everyone else-‘the world’. This is intended as a model for us to follow, of God supplying pastors, elders, leaders etc. with His life – giving word, and then they distribute it to us. That’s not by any means the only way we are to receive it. We are supposed to spend time alone with God too. But remember, this story is a pattern to be followed. But there’s more.

Did you know that miracles are limiting? As exciting as they are, they are momentary- not lasting. The baskets show us this. They are containers - the supplies within them are therefore contained. The supply that Jesus made possible was supposed to be on a continuum. It was never meant to be the final point of arrival. When our leaders over us in the Lord spend time in God’s presence being fed by Him, they are able to “feed my sheep” from a place of love, which is what Jesus was communicating to Peter when he asked Peter three times, “Peter, do you love me?” In John 21:15-16. Jesus told Peter to “feed my sheep“. In other words get this life-giving “bread“ to everyone else. But there’s more.

As our pastors, elders etc. Feed us, we feed the world. That’s the whole point! We were never meant to be inward looking – there’s a whole world out there in need of help, guidance, supplies and above all, God’s love. The limitations of the metaphorical baskets have been utterly removed. Remember, Jesus left. He couldn't  stay with the disciples, He had to go back to heaven. This actually meant that a huge limitation to people receiving what they needed was also removed. Why? Because the Holy Spirit came, representing an unlimited supply. Jesus was one person limited to one space at one time. He couldn’t get to everybody. Couldn’t heal, teach, encourage, deliver and empower everyone all the time. But when the Holy Spirit arrived at Pentecost, he represented unlimited supplies. Because of Him, we now have unlimited ways of getting to the supplies He wants to give to us, unlimited ways of receiving those supplies, unlimited ways of  getting the good news out there, with plenty left over for us - The story tells us that there were 12 baskets full of leftovers. That sounds like abundance to me!

But don’t forget what our very first step was – placing it in his hands-telling him all about it in prayer, always being conscious of his love for us and his absolute will to supply whatever the need is. God has met every need through His son, Jesus. He is the ultimate “bread”.

For steps two and three, look at verse 11 of our scripture for today. It says that Jesus gave thanks before He distributed the bread. As we pray,  and way beyond our prayers let’s maintain an attitude of thanksgiving. As seen in the story today, Thanksgiving increases supply! Step three is about positioning. The people were sitting down, it says in verse 11. That looks like they were waiting to me. Nothing about them seemed frantic, fretful or concerned. They simply waited expectantly. That was their position. To them, they had already received what they needed. Lamentations 3:26 tells us that this kind of expectant waiting on God is a good attitude to have. And they were rewarded- John 6:11 tells us that they had as much as they wanted! So God doesn’t just scrape the bottom of the barrel to give us what we need because He’s on a budget. He wants to give far more than that. Keep that in mind with the current crisis facing the economy - but I’ll save that for another blog! In fact he wants to give much more than you can ask Him for. (Eph 3:20).

Honestly? This makes my griping at the beginning of this blog seem so trivial now. I’m going right now to place these issues in my Father’s hands. Then I’ll thank Him. And then…well, I’ll ‘sit down’ and expect. He’s my daddy, and He won’t let me down. And I encourage you to adopt this approach today.

Please share!

What have you told yourself today?

Do you know, that you have convos with yourself all the time? Each time you say “what shall I wear/ eat”? Or “I need to do this/that….”, you are talking to yourself. Sometimes aloud, sometimes internally. Now, I want you to do something very practical:

Take an inventory of your habits. What do you say to yourself every day? Maybe even several times a day? 

Now look at some of the things that have manifested in your life. I don’t mean things you can’t control, like rising energy costs, wars etc.  I mean things which you may have more control over than you realise. Things more nuanced, like your moods, or your tendency to fly off the handle, overspending, overeating,  habits like hoarding, obsessing, worrying - plus many more. I can guarantee that you weren’t born doing those things. At some point, you had a convo with yourself. It wasn’t a healthy one. But it became regular, and over the years has formed these habits. 

Would you like to see a change? 

I’m going to tell you to do something ridiculous: Keep doing the same thing! “WHAT?” Yes, keep on regularly speaking to yourself. But this time, where you say “I can’t“, you’re going to change it to:

 “I’m going to give this a try. And even if it doesn’t work this time I’m going to try again and again until it does.“ It’s taken many years for these negative habits to form, and yet exchanging them for positive ones for a few weeks on a regular basis means that your future can change. You are being deliberate, in your actions because you want change.  I can’t tell you that you will never fall into old habits again. But they will drop off if you don’t waste precious time entertaining them. They will dominate your thought patterns less because now you have a weapon in your arsenal which you are actively deploying against those unhealthy habits. Tell God:

“I don’t know the answer right now, but I’m telling you about it Lord, and I know I’m receiving your peace as I do that. Lord, every time my heart races, and questions come, and the threats surround me, I’m creating a habit right now of running to you. I’ve worried myself sick, I’ve turned things over and over in my head and discovered that it doesn’t work. Literally every time I feel panic, I’m running to you. Beginning TODAY.”

Whoever you are, I can tell you first hand, that you will find freedom and peace in exchanging your negative habits with biblical ones.  Here is an invitation, personally for you:

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭11‬:‭28‬-‭30‬ ‭KJV‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/1/mat.11.29-30.KJV

Why don’t you accept this invitation  today?

What Do You Have On the Inside of You?

Did you know, that what’s ‘conceived in you is of the Holy Spirit? 

That dream you’ve always had - it’s from Him. Do not abort it. It’s a divine conception. Matt 1:20.“… that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit”. Understandably, Joseph was concerned to learn that his betrothed, Mary, was already pregnant. What if they had decided to abort that Holy Package! But when God revealed this to me personally, a holy reverence fell. 

You see, like Mary we have a holy commission in our lives. Our very lives - God wants them to be shaped by GSU’s. (‘God set-ups’). That idea that’s been with you for literally decades, which when you think it’s long gone forever, somehow keeps popping up again from deep down on the inside of you? That’s a ‘Holy Seed’. Don’t be afraid of it. The angel told Joseph that it’s by the Holy Spirit” that Mary conceived the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, and Saviour of you, me, and the whole world. And God would say the same to us today. 

What’s on the inside of you waiting to be birthed? Give room to it. Begin to think on it. Here a little …there a little…He will lead you to it.

Please share!

Don’t Be Lawful (😱)! Be Helpful!

Just because something is ‘right’, or  ‘correct’, that doesn’t always make it ‘helpful’. 

For example, I like to help the homeless in various ways, but when there’s a street that (sadly) has homeless people along it’s length, I know I simply can’t help all of them. I used to go away feeling guilty about this. I can just hear the voice of the enemy whispering “well what about this one?” And “You missed that one”. But check out what Paul has to say in 1 Cor 6:12:

“All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.”

This captures the idea of the law being attached to punishment. Not everything enshrined in law is good for us. Look at the contrast between “lawful” and “helpful”. The focus for us should always be on the “helpful”. If our reasoning for doing things is because it’s helpful, we’ll most likely have a more natural desire to do them, rather than doing them under duress, leading to compunction. That is so much more powerful than doing things out of duty! You’ll do them with the right motives, not because of the consequences, or punishments that will follow if they’re not done. 

These consequences, or punishments, have the propensity to bring us under their power- you know, it’s that feeling of overpowering guilt. That’s why 1 Corinthians 6:12  says “I will not be brought under the power of them”. Think eating habits/diets. Many diets fail because of this legalistic mentality: 

“I’ve put on a stone! ” = feel bad = comfort eating = more weight gain = punishment = work harder = eventually give up and try a new eating plan. 🥵

And so the cycle continues. All the while feeling  bad about yourself. Now let’s contrast that with being “helpful” to yourself:

“I’m going to eat this because I enjoy it and it just happens to be good for me too”.

Or even:

“I’m going to eat this just because I enjoy it. Although it’s not particularly healthy, it’s not my every day way of eating”

= No punishment = 

Feel good = 

Liberated.

You are no longer “brought under the power” of legalism. And importantly, you’ll have a far more holistic approach to health, not just physically, but emotionally and mentally too. 

Conclusion? Be helpful to yourself, not legalistic, and be FREE!

Don’t Quite Fit In?

Acceptance. It can seem so hard to fit in sometimes. When it feels as though you’re always the odd one out. You know, you don’t look the same, act the same, and especially, believe the same as everyone else.

It makes me laugh, how we’re ‘encouraged’ to think liberally, embrace ‘difference’, and yet when someone expresses a belief that’s different to popular thinking, this is apparently not allowed.

My sister, my brother, I urge you to not be afraid because of your perceived flaws, or of criticisms and rejections. Keep on getting back up as many times as it takes. Not in your own strength - you’ll definitely fail. Lean on God’s unfailing love for you and know who you are in Him.

Remember: Acceptance doesn’t mean perfection, and flaws don’t mean rejection.

If it’s acceptance you’re seeking and you keep on being rejected, it may well be because you’re actually on the right path, the less popular one that leads to Christ. If this is the case, you’ll find that He will surround you with His presence, and perfect acceptance.

In Christ, you are: blessed, chosen, blameless, predestined, adopted, redeemed, forgiven and definitely… Accepted! Ephesians 1:3-7.

I look forward, as always, to hearing your comments on: Hisheartoyours.blogspot.com

His Providence - Not Your Bank Account’s.

I just wanna say this to y’all fr Ps 23. If the Lord is your Shepherd, you shall not want. In other words, you will not lack anything if He’s leading you. 

He leads us beside green pastures. When the land is green, it’s healthy and lush. It’s fruitful, and produces abundantly. This is pastoral language which would be familiar to those living in the Bible days. What does this look like for us now? Well, it’s just as relevant. It looks like -  no matter about price hikes, energy/ food bills that have plagued the UK (and the world it seems), this world was never our source. It was, is and always will be the God of Psalm 23. The God of abundance. 

So whilst the world is busy with worry and fear, let’s spread our finances before God, to demonstrate our faith in Him, not in news reports, and declare “the Lord is my Shepherd, so  I shall not want.”

Amen.

A Troubled Son/ Daughter

When our children struggle through pressing issues, such as depression, gender uncertainty, homosexuality, addictions, or anything else, make sure you are giving the correct report about them. Don't simply condemn them in your frustration, even though you yourself are feeling overwhelmed and battle-weary. Even if it's through gritted teeth, make sure you are giving the correct report about your child. In other words, say what God's Word says, not what you feel. 

In John 4:46-53, we're told about a Nobleman whose son was at the point of death. This was in Cana, where Jesus had miraculously turned water to wine at a wedding. So this Nobleman would have had this event at the forefront of his mind - recalling what Jesus had done previously, giving rise to faith in reaching out to Jesus. What came out of his mouth however, was the fear-stricken statement - "my son dies!"

What words do you say about, or to, your child as they face their seemingly unending struggle? Do you say: " I've tried everything, and nothing works". Or do you, in a weary, stressed, I've-got-nothing-left moment tell them they're good for nothing? Please don't condemn yourself over this - I'm not condoning it, but beating yourself up isn't helpful - it actually gives the devil an inroad for all sorts of lies about yourself. It's time to hear a better report. The words you've spoken may be similar to the Nobleman's. Maybe the situation does appear to be `dead', or hopeless. But what was Jesus's report? "Go your way, your son lives." `Go your way' to me means that as far as possible, continue to live your life. Don't stop everything you would normally do because of what you're facing. Things may need to be altered, or rescheduled, but keep on living. It can seem a pretty tall order when our child may be at the point of literal or metaphorical death! But the point is, you need to trust God enough to take your hands off the situation, because as long as they're on it, He cannot deal with it. It really is too big for you, so change the narrative. By continuing in this way, with scriptures like the one above to stand on, you're allowing God in. By the way, the Nobleman's son indeed, did live, and so will your child.

Anyway, here are some practical tips to help through those rough terrains:

- Whenever your mind is bombarded with replays of things which you or they've said and done, maybe in angry outbursts, speak aloud: "my child lives". Make it a habit, several times a day or however many times it takes. In this way, you are speaking the Word of God and giving it free reign in your circumstances - which means the devil no longer has freedom to continue to cause turmoil.

- Get an image on the inside of your mind as you speak these words, of what your child "living" looks like. Maybe you see them at peace, enjoying life in a way they aren't right now. Or maybe it's a physical, long-term illness. See them doing what they haven't been able to. Get that picture in your head and the Word in your mouth.

- Last, but definitely not least, make God's Word your priority. Not only will it paint the true image of God's great plan for you and your child's life, but it will set your mind straight - "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he". Proverbs 23:7. Or as I like to say: "where the mind goes the man follows." 

Look up my brother, my sister,  things are about to change!

A Fasting Myth

 

You know you should do it...all the powerful Christians do, don’t they? And they see results too, don’t they? 3 days, 10 days... like, super-holy, right? But that yummy food is calling me...well get this:

‘If you’re fasting to ‘move’ God, you’re on a hunger strike. 😆. Fasting doesn’t move God. Fasting moves you - God isn’t stuck. It sensitises you to Him’. 

(Ashley Terradez).

So the next time you broach the idea of fasting and your heart sinks at what the prospect of what you’re ‘missing out’ on, change the focus, because that’s not the truth. As long as you are focused on God’s Word, You’re actually gaining. Exchange this lie of ‘missing out’  with the idea of gaining, through great Word-rich music, podcasts, etc. For once, you’re taking control of all of your body’s wants and desires, and feeding your spirit instead. Do you know how this plays out? 

If you struggle with loneliness, God will show you how to forge great new friendships, where you can help each other, build each other up and enjoy God in a more tangible way, as we often experience God through people. Proverbs 18:24.

If you struggle in any mental capacity, you’ll begin to have your mind renewed by God’s Word - Romans 12:2 - exchanging unhealthy thought patterns with healthy ones over time, like applying medicine. Where your thoughts go, so do you. Prov 23:7. 

If you struggle to receive physical healing in your body, the Holy Spirit will teach you how, by revelation of God’s deep love for you - why on earth would He want you to remain sick? 3 John 1:2. 

If you are constantly running out of money before the month has ended and debt is increasing, you’ll begin to receive ideas that you would never have thought of before, to extend your finances and deliver you from debt. And God doesn’t promise ‘just enough to scrape by’. He promises abundance - Ephesians 3:20. And He won’t allow you to become greedy - getting more, more, more is a wrong motive. He’ll show you how to tune your heart in with His. Psalm 37:4.

All this because you shut down the ‘noisy’ clamours of your body screaming ‘feed me’!

Don’t get me wrong, fasting’s not a quick fix - the benefits increase with regularity - but here is a chance to stop stressing about it and to learn to chill out with God. ( I’m on my phone, lying in bed as I draft this - and yes, I’m fasting! 😆)

So go ahead, and begin a new approach to fasting today. And don’t be intimidated by the way others do it! Just try half days for now. It will produce great results!

Ever Stepped Out in Faith and Got it Completely Wrong?

 

Have you ever thought you were doing what God told you to do, only to fall flat on your face? 

Yes I know, "without faith it is impossible to please God". (Hebrews 11:6). But you've just made a massive mistake, and now you think God's angry with you.  Maybe you tried to share the good news with someone and they reacted badly.  Or you prayed for someone/ something and things just became worse.

Well here's a real revelation: when you stepped out in faith, you pleased God. You see, it's not really about the outcome. It's about stepping out in faith, and just because we get it wrong, doesn't mean we weren't in faith.  So keep stepping out. Don't look back. Then you will become increasingly sensitive to God. He loves the fact that you're willing to step out. And He sees in you someone that He can use.

So seriously? Stop stressing! Whether you get it wrong or right, when your intentions line up with His Word, you please Him.