Stand!

Stand Firm!
Don't let your foot be moved an inch. The Battle is won by gaining ground. Do not turn back. Face forward. Clothed with the Full Armour of God. Pray. Read your Bibles. The Battle is not to come it is here and now!

This morning we happily got up and got ready for Church. We managed to get everyone into my car with enough time to get to there on time. So we headed down the hill. Suddenly the car swerved to the left. I stopped the car and saw a flat tyre. Wonderful! My husband then put the spare on, which is one of those pathetic little things. We decided to park the car in the garage and then take his car. What happened instead was the pathetic tyre getting a flat on the way up and having to get the kids out the car and roll the car back down a little and park it off on the side of the road. Now at this point we could just have given up about going to church. We were already late and it meant swapping carseats around etc. But we decided to go to church anyway. I commented to my husband that something really does not want us going to church.
I was right. The service really spoke to us and challenged us and God gave us a word to hold on to.

The last few months have been full of mishap and mayhem. My sister in-law has been having a rather hard battle with cancer and has broken her hip and arm. She has had a hip replacement now. She broken her arm which will not heal.
My Mother in-law has broken her arm at the wrist after a fall and a few weeks later broke her elbow after yet another fall where she was trying to protect her broken wrist. A few days after this my Nephew broke his elbow. He was going into have surgery the next day. I prayed like I never prayed before. 4 broken arms and a broken hip were not coincidences. The next day my nephew did not need to have surgery as bones had moved back into place. He now just has to wear a cast.
That week my Father in-law took a turn and needed surgery for a problem with his bowel that was caused by a problem with the way his appendix had been removed 50 years ago.
My husband has been working long hours for the last few weeks too and with my helping my Mother in-law out in any way I can and having sick children I have had to draw on every little bit of strength I had.

I am busy starting to go through the Full Armour of God. What it means. Why we need to put it on and how to use it.
I have felt the Battle going on in my life and in the life of my family in this time. Something is happening. The more I step out, the more uncomfortable I get and the more I itch to get moving to not be sitting around waiting for that magic day when everything will be just perfect for me to start serving the Lord. The more I claim today as the day the more I feel that there is someone shivering in their snake skin boots.
Making my life difficult so I will curse God and die. I have felt really low and upset a few times during this time. But I draw my strength from JOY not from happiness. Happiness is a temporary feeling. Joy is my permanent way of BEING. The Joy of the Lord is my strength.

A lot of celebrities are looking for that thing that will make them happy. Money, fame, the big house, fancy car, the latest thing or craze, the in fashion clothing, alcohol, drugs. People seek these things because they want to have a good time and be happy. They strive for personal happiness, their happy place. But what happens when all that falls away? What is left? A lonely, pitiful existence. It was all a fake life. Happiness is not a fruit of the Spirit. No one is promised a happy life.
Life is no picnic. It is tough. No one gets out alive after all. Ever since the fall of man life has been tough. We have been fighting against our fleshly desires, disease and decay. rot and destruction are woven into our core.

Joy. Joy is the answer. I can have Joy. It springs forth from the pit of despair. When I focus on God, when I draw close to Him that is when my Joy is made complete. When I am poor, when I live in a mud hut and ride a tricycle, when I am poor in spirit, when life is tough nothing can make me happy but I know that Joy will always be there to give me strength and press on to stand firm in times of trouble. When the clouds come in and it starts to rain and I do not know when the sun will shine again I can rejoice in the small things. It is more than just looking on the bright side. It is a way of life. I draw my strength from God's Joy. He is pleased with me just as I am today. Yes I have room for improvement but God did not choose me to be in His family today your yesterday or the day I committed my life into His hands. He chose me before I was ever thought of. I existed to Him before even the world existed. He knows me better than anyone else. I am accepted and loved and I had a purpose for my life before the beginning of time. If Joy doesn't not well up deep within your soul at the thought of God having a purpose just for you, having chosen you and accepted you as his child. just think of it for a moment :)
Do we really have a reason to worry? Do we really have to have this woe is me attitude?

From Joy we can draw Strength to get on with our day and our life. To push through when there seems like no way out. Happiness leaves too much of a hole to be filled and most friends of someone who has taken their own lives have said "But when I spoke to them and saw them last they were so happy"
You can look happy but still have a broken heart. Joy cannot be faked and is permanent and sure.

Stand Firm. Keep it up. You are doing a good job.

So much happening

I am so excited about what is happening in my life.

Things have by no means become easier and I still have my tough days and I still get grumpy and upset but the good days far outweigh the these bad days.

I am getting something put on my heart. I am yet to add definition to it but it is slowly taking form. God is giving me a heart for the lost.

I find myself stopped and looking out over my town (we live on top of a hill and can see for miles) people going home from work. Lights shining. What are these people doing? How are they feeling right now? Do they know my GOD? Do they feel his presence? How do they cope without Him? What are we Christian's doing with our lives? Our time? Our inheritance?

I stop and look at people's faces. Are you a Christian? What ales you? Do you need prayer?

Is God speaking to me to pray for this person or is it my own thoughts? How do I know if it is God and not just me thinking that God is telling me? Do I go out and lay hands on strangers for their healing on some whim? Is it God? God do you hear me? Do I hear you?

All these questions. I weep. I cry for these people who are filling their lives with things that do not matter. Crying out for help but not believing God is the one to help them.

It is like they are drowning but refusing the Lifeguard.

I feel more and more that I need to get on my knees, read my Bible, know God more so that I may know His voice and do what He is telling me without doubt. Without hesitation.

The time is now. No more when and if this and one day. NOW! Can we not see the urgency. Earthquakes, Tornados, Cyclones, Volcanos, Wars.... Flights delayed, lives lost. When are we going to rise up and stand up for what we believe. Why can we not see that it is not about us and our agenda. How we are feeling right now about how Christian we are has got nothing to do with what God has called us to do. He has chosen us for such a time as this! Not in 10 years time when life is simpler and we have a degree or have read the Bible cover to cover and God has finished His work in our lives and we have achieved some state of perfection.

No one is perfect let's face it. Sorry to say but perfection is our greatest downfall. We want to be the perfect Christian first. We spend so much time waiting for change, waiting for that amgic moment, the magic formula to be what God has called us to be. We hop from conference to conference soaking in God's word like a sponges but all we end up is soggy and smelly. No good to anyone. It is time now to squeeze out our sponge on the Nations of the world. All the disciples waited for was the Holy Spirit and out they went.

I have this very heavy feeling in my heart. I look around and think about these questions and I hold the keys but I have a problem I cannot put my finger on. Am I lazy? Am I ashamed? Shy? What makes me so apprehensive? We haven't got time for this. If we don't step out and obey God we are in deep trouble. Someone needs healing, someone needs to hear from God and here we sit in our cushy homes, our warm blankets, fridge full of food.... there isn't anything wrong with having all these things but there is something very wrong with having so much yet giving so little. We become a sponge and leech. Sucking the church dry and not adding to the Kingdom. Shame on us. You have been blessed with much. When do we stop consuming and start sharing our news. Instead we live as if we have not heard the good news. As if we have not been given the greatest gift ever. We go through our everyday without even mentioning to anyone that we are Christian without sharing the greatest story ever told. What is wrong with us. When a beautiful sparkling clear pond becomes stagnant it stinks. Do we want to stink or do we want to actually do something.

No one is guaranteed tomorrow so what are we waiting for? Tomorrow a soul will go to Hell or today a soul will be destined for Heaven. Which would you prefer?

I pray that God will help me identify this road block, this obstacle that prevents me from sharing my testimony with others. I want to recognise His voice and do what I am told. I don't want to miss another opportunity.

Seasons. Change!

Wow what an evening.

As with always when women get together it has to involve chocolate. We learnt how to make chocolates. Dipping dried fruit and marshmallows in chocolate and even making chocolate leaves. It was all very interesting and such a great idea for Christmas presents. So sorry family that is what you are all getting for Christmas.

God really speaks to you where you are. Kathy Monk spoke about checking your side mirrors and your blinspot, to keep looking forward because if you keep looking back instead of looking forward you will crash. Your past is behind us. Look out for those who are next to you (your kids and family) Sometimes things hit you from your Blindspot. Check your blindspot, deal with offences and don't dwell on them. And most importantly keep your eyes fixed on Jesus. Keep moving forward.

I have had some really hard times where I have taken offence over what people had said to me or about me. I have been on guard and on edge in new surroundings and so focused on what people thought of me. It has been a wound that would not heal and I felt any little knock from people would bump open the wound.

Tonight I have been healed from this and have learnt something very valuable. And I would like to add to Kathy Monk's word she brought by adding Give Way rules. I have been learning to drive and this week I passed my restricted license. I learnt about Blindspots, checking my review mirror and side mirrors before moving and making sure I indicate etc.

I have also had to learn who to Give Way to and when it is my turn to move forward.

"It is very important to know the Give Way rules. Otherwise, you may be involved in a nasty crash at an intersection. Giving way means that the road user you're giving way to (whether they are a driver, cyclist, pedestrian or any other kind of road user) doesn't need to stop, brake or slow down, swerve or take any other evasive action to avoid you."

We sometimes need to Give Way to people. Give people a break. No one is perfect. We are all human and have all offended someone along the way. We never have meant to do it. And we surely do not go out of our way to offend (I hope). Or if we do it is out of our own hurt and misunderstanding of who the other person is and what the other person is doing and how they think.

We may not understand why people do things and say the things they do but we should not let this interfere with the course God has set us on. We must not veer to the left or right. Once we have decided on our course we need to follow it through, give others right of way, yield to oncoming traffic and be patient.

We are all rushing around doing our own thing. Sometimes we just need to slow down on the roundabout of life Give Way to those on the right of us and slow down and look at what is going on around us. Sometimes we can be so absorbed in our own lives and what we are doing that we forget that their are others around us.

While I was being prayed for this evening, the lady praying for me said that it was as if I was always on guard. I have felt so very weighed down by these hurts. My mind has been so focused on worrying about what others think, when the next hit is going to come from and from where, that I have had no peace.
I am going into a new season in my life. Or maybe I had entered into this new season a few years ago when the first hurt hit my drivers door. But now it is only reaching it's peak, the clouds are parting. I can see the shore. Land Ahoy! Like a Phoenix rising from the ashes. I can shine again for Jesus.

God loves me. His Joy is my strength. He has a plan and a purpose for my life and all I need to do is focus on Him.

Though people will come and say things that will offend and hurt I no longer need to become enslaved to it.

I kept on feeling hurt that I was not apologised to. No one said sorry to me for hurting to me. But what does the Word of God say? Forgive others.

If Jesus waited for an apology before he forgave our sins we would still be in the bondage of sin. Thankfully Jesus did not wait for an apology even when His disciples fell asleep in His hour of need, When Judas betrayed Him, when He was beaten and crucified. He never asked for an apology. While He was on the cross in the state He was in and all He had already been through He cried out to God to forgive us.

We have been betrayed, hurt, bruised and broken and in our pride we try and make sure others know we are right and everyone else is in the wrong. Forgiveness is the key. If you are still talking about the hurt to others you have not dealt with the offence. You have not fully forgiven. When Jesus forgives He tells us He forgets it and it is as if it never happened.

It is like when your child has done something wrong and comes to apologise and you accept their apology and forgive them and yet years later they are still apologising for the same wrong doing you kind of feel that you aren't being taken seriously.

Jesus loves you and died for you. He has forgiven your wrong doings. You may feel unworthy, not good enough, not right yet to be called His Son or Daughter but God would have you know that He takes you where you are and He washes you clean and gives you a new heart and a new mind. Sets your feet on the Rock. He will never let you fall.

Don't wait until this or that criteria is met. Follow Him where you are right now. Who you are right now. He meets each of us where we are. We do not have to achieve some form of perfection first.

Open your arms today and ask Him to pick you up and mold you into His image. In the hands of the potter things are shaped and molded. Out of mud is created something beautiful.

About 2 years ago now 1st April 2009 I wrote about one of Brooke Fraser's songs titled As surely as the sun will Rise. Today I feel the sun has risen on my life. I have been in such a dark place the last 2 years. My heart has been heavy, my mind clouded. Tears bottled up within.

Tonight the tears came and it may take another week of it but by the end of this week the clouds will part the sun will rise and shine.

'Arise and Shine for your Light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen in this place.'

Wow God you are awesome. I just got this song in my head. I went and googled it to get the lyrics for the whole song and got the verse instead. Isaiah 60 speaks right to me this morning. what an amazing promise. I am blown away by God's grace and mercy.

AMEN

Update Time

Okay so it has been awhile. Hopefully life has gotten to a point where I can post more... maybe.

I feel God challenging me everyday to do something new and exciting.

Last week Sunday I had music rehearsal. I really enjoyed myself. It was so exciting to sing again for the Lord.
Today I started a Social Network for Christians in New Zealand. I did not start it for it to become very big or even one of the top websites. I started it for all the Christians in New Zealand who feel they need a place where they can talk to other Christians about their Faith and bounce ideas off each other and to encourage each other.
I have been looking for a NZ Christian site for awhile now and didn't find anything. There are heaps of American ones but I didn't feel like I could relate to them much.

The site has 4 members now. My husband, Mom and myself and one of my Mom's friends. I am praying that those who are looking will find it and join us. I have added two widgets. A daily quotes one and the bible on one year.
A lot of us want to read the Bible from cover to cover in one year but never get the opportunity so I thought it was a nice addition to the front page.


(Please note I have had to take this site offline but I am considering opening another one. I just need to consult all the options. Thank you for your support)

Making the first step of this Journey

On Sunday I will be Auditioning for Worship in church.

This is the first time I have auditioned for the privilege to lead God's people into worshiping Him.

I will be singing Brooke Fraser's "You'll Come" and "Thine is the Kingdom" by Richard Knott
I am slightly nervous but I know that this is a step I have to take. If what you have been called to do isn't scary it is not big enough.

Making a step in the right direction and making it knowing that it will could change you is a huge step. It is a step of Faith and Trust.
Sometimes we are most happy staying in our little comfort zones. Stepping out to do anything new leaves us quaking in our boots.
I am learning to drive. Eek!! It is something I know I have to do but thinking about driving a big machine on wheels in traffic scares me and almost makes me sick.
Prayer. Prayer is what gets me through these things and Faith and Trust in my Heavenly Father is what helps me take the first step. I close my eyes and step into what He has for my life.

His ways are not our ways. For this I am most grateful. He has had His hand on my life since the beginning of the world. He know me through and through. My Father knows my fears, my failures, my wrong doing, my emotions and struggles. He knows it all. He sent the Holy Spirit to be with us to get us through our life on Earth (our temporary home)

What will we do today to make a difference. Are we all just going to be happy going to church on a Sunday, maybe writing a few notes, singing a song or two maybe clapping hands an little hop or maybe even raise our hands a little? Or are we going to say this is not enough for me. I want more I need more out of life. God has something great planned for me. Life is too short. Let's live it today.

The message I am getting from God this year is that this year will be the year of thing coming to fruition. A year of much fruit. All that you have sewed and worked hard for. All your perseverance and faithfulness will be rewarded and you will see the fruit.

So far this year I have seen the fruit of my life coming through. I hope most of it is good fruit and I know being a sinner there will be some bad fruit. Thought's, feelings, my dreams, my hopes, my greed.

When is it going to become not okay with us to live as we are? Church on Sunday and then for the rest of the week we do not touch our Bibles nor do we talk to our Father. The Holy Spirit is ignored, we forget what Jesus accomplished and why and for whom. Our neighbours still haven't heard the good news and we turn a blind eye to those who look like they may ask us about our Lord and Saviour.

Do you know how to answer the questions you will be asked if you do step out? Why are you an Christian? why did Jesus die on the cross? How do you know He rose again? Why is Christianity different?
Be prepared be ready, these questions will come. You will need to answer them. Pick up your Bible and read. Listen, prepare, pray. Find the answers to your faith. Ask yourself why you believe.

John 4:27-42

As surely as the sun will rise

"As surely as the sun will rise, You'll come to us. As certain as the dawn appears"
Hillsong - Brooke Fraser

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

1 Corinthians 2:9
No eye has seen,
No ear has heard,
No mind has conceived
What God has prepared for those who love Him.

These two scriptures have stood out for me all my life and I am sure to many others too. It has an air of expectation. A feeling that there is really more to life. Trusting God wholly and knowing He is there always to guide you. He has a plan. My life is not going to end with me feeling it was all for naught.

As surely as the sun will rise You'll come to us as certain as the dawn appears.
The sun will rise tomorrow that dawn will come at the end of the day. These are some of the certainties we have in life and just as we have these we have the certainty that God is there for us all the time no matter what. Like the footprints in the sand.

With the Poem of the footprints in the sand I realise that there is a part that we need to play to. God may be holding us during the tough times when we cannot walk ourselves and we need to be carried but maybe we need to at these times remember Him and recognise His presence in our lives and recognise Our Father's footprints in the sand instead of thinking we are alone and that those footprints are our own.

Trust in the Lord your God and lean not on your own understanding.
"My ways are not yours" says the Lord.

He said He would never leave us or forsake us. Do we beleive that? Do we somedays feel like He has? Why do we not feel Him carrying us in our darkes hour or not recognise that the single set of footprints in the sand are not ours but His?

Find the Poem here ---> Footprints

Will we walk by Faith and Trust in Him? I'd like to say I do maybe somedays I need to remind myself of this.