Sometimes it doesn’t matter how much you pray the armour of God or ask for the fruit of the spirit, there is an unseen arrow from the evil one that has already snuck into your being through the slimmest crack and is doing a very affective job to destroy your peace.
You pray, you cry, you can’t see or think straight!
Everyday we need to remember who we are, but on the days when we feel like we are drowning this is when we need to affirm who we are out loud.
WE ARE
Loved
Adored
Cherished
Unique
Fearfully and wonderfully made
A daughter of the King
A princess
Special
Blessed
Free
Forgiven
Redeemed
A child of God
After we have affirmed this, let’s sit back and see God work!
This tree fascinates me. It has obviously been uprooted. You can even see the stone from the riverbank it brought with it when it flipped. Yet the tree hasn’t died. It is still flourishing as you can see from the photos below.
This tree makes me think about my faith and how my faith is rooted. We are told to build strong foundations on solid ground so we can weather any storm. This tree obviously had a root system established yet has been battered and blown. However it has such a root system established that it survived the storms by having roots running deep.
This is what I need in my faith. Even when I am blown over in a storm. My roots need to be firm in Christ forever. He sustains me and helps me grow.
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
Colossians 2:6-7 NIV
Let my roots be deeply planted Only in Christ Spread so far That if I become uprooted My faith will not crumble
Let my roots keep me flourishing Bearing fruit Constantly growing So any storm that comes my way Never fazes me
Keep my roots in you alone Jesus Building me up Keeping me strong For all the glory goes to you With every breathe I take
The picture is from an old quarry we walked the other day. While walking this verse from Joel was in my mind.
As God has restored this area back to its natural beauty, despite mankind stripping it from its minerals. It reminds me of how God is constantly restoring us. He takes the lost years and restores whatever we need when we need it.
Your power Lord Jesus we limit Where really you are limitless For doing good Putting right The constant mess we make
Your power Jesus Though The cross Makes us not only forgiven But renewed, restored, revived In all aspects of our lives
So in your power Jesus Please restore us today Whatever the need Emotional or physical Lord we need you to transform us
Patience is far from my strong point. The nuts of not wanting to wait. Wanting an end to all problems instantly I desire. I need to learn to rejoice in hope that my answer is already here. God’s timing is perfect, mine is normally hurry up please!
My hope is in you alone Jesus However hard I try Patience is not my thing Why can't I have it now I cry As doubt finds a way in Eyes get diverted My head starts to spin
Patience is what I need I pray Learning to be still Why is it so hard I grumble But is hardship really here Just a loss of creature comforts My self pity needs to go The Holy Spirit needs to enter in
With words of praise and worship Nuts of lies and impatience Run and disappear Hope And patience reign As the Spirit is allowed to soar God is able to step in Bringing miracles and glory galore
So whatever your waiting for Keep your eyes on God above Let Jesus take your hand As the Holy Spirit leads Let praise part from your lips Peace and joy surround And everything is well
My youngest woke Saturday morning to a frost and wanted to go on an ice walk in the garden.
While in the garden although there was not much ice to see, I did notice new life popping through in nature. Shrubs starting to spring green leaves. Bulbs poking their leaves through the ground. Flowers hiding in buds. And fungi forming out the side of a pot.
A lot of people will have said at the beginning of the month that they will have made a resolution for a better lifestyle.
However in reality as people we do not need to wait till spring or new year to have new life in us. We can accept a new life any time.
The moment we accepted Jesus as our saviour we were receiving new life. The moment we rose from our baptism pools we had a new life. It didn’t matter what the time or date was. We received new life.
This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT
As Christians, we always seem to say that we are going through a season. However whatever the season God is changing, developing us and bringing us new life.
We just need to be mindful and pray for wisdom in our lives. As we bud and flower in our new lives, weeds can also grow and take hold. We need to keep them at bay.
Whether we are in a place of needing new life, wanting a new life or happy with our life as it is, we need guidance from the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit keeps us in the armour of God. The Holy Spirit gives us wisdom and discernment when we ask. The Holy Spirit intercedes for us. We need the Holy Spirit to stay in our new life. The Holy Spirit keeps weeds away so we can bud, blossom and be fruitful for God.
The cherry on the cake. When we have a relationship with Jesus and our days on earth are over. He is waiting in heaven to embrace us into new eternal life.
Dear Jesus Please keep us close living with you in our new lives. May your Holy Spirit lead us, so we can bud and bloom. Help us to share your gospel, spreading the good news. For we long to be fruitful bringing others to your kingdom. Yet sometimes we struggle in this task. Just let us be bold and daring for you, in sharing your story of bringing new life. Amen.
Over the holidays I watched the new James Bond movie. No spoilers, but as the end leaves things wide open, it got me thinking. Does the world really need another hero?
We may all be heroes in our own way, helping and saving individuals in distress but when it comes to saving the world we already have the hero we need.
JESUS
Jesus, the same yesterday, today and forever. We need nothing else.
As we start 2022 and look forward to a more hopeful and better year ahead. Are we looking for a person to save us from everything we are running from in 2021?
That person is here. The issue is people mock and turn their backs from him because their answer from him doesn’t match their own!
Instead of looking to your own powers, fantasies or the government to complete your 2022 dreams, look to the baby whose birth we have just celebrated.
Life is never promised to be easy. But we are promised that we do not have to be a victim of our circumstances. In Jesus we have a hero that frees us from shame, fear, poverty, addiction, sickness and much much more if we just let him in.
If it is the only thing you do in 2022, make sure you search, ask, seek and commit to the only hero the world needs, Jesus. The transformation will be life changing and possibly world changing!
On the silver screen Heroes are plenty Saving the world With imaginary powers
In reality Our hero does exist But many prefer imaginary ones Not wanting to believe
The hero already exists We need no other A supernatural being Who has already saved the world
To be saved All you have to do Is accept Jesus And live for him each day
There is no other hero No more are required Just the son Who became one of us
The hero who loves us so Takes away all sin No shame in us Just freedom
Our hero has set us free To live in joy, Peace and hope Each and every day
The FMF word prompt today is prayer. Something I always need work on. So much to say but only five minutes. (Just over sorry) https://fiveminutefriday.com
I treat you like an earthy friend Dipping in and out when I can Yet you are a Holy God You deserve my very all
You come down to where I am No expectations of me You sit and listen While I reel off every feeling
I pray Rush off into my day When you deserve my time Worship and adoration
My prayers not always frequent Often very selfish I need to learn this art Of conversation with my Lord
I need to dwell in your presence So I never want to leave Forgetting the world around Just talking to my God
Help me to be more like Joshua With you face to face Breathing in your presence Never wanting to leave
Help me to sit still At the foot of your throne Looking at the King As an expectant child Listening to the story With excitement in my eyes
No distractions of thoughts No requests waiting to splurt out Just sitting in awe Quietly with brothers and sisters As a family of Christ Looking into the eyes of a King
Never let me forget How holy you are To be honoured and respected Even though you come as a friend You are a 3 in one divinity And deserve my all
The earth quakes The stone rolled away Guards on the floor He is not here says the voice Just go and see Grave clothes folded Joy in their hearts
Oh what a day The ultimate u-turn Grieving to jubilation For Jesus is alive He said he is going ahead to Galilee You will see him there How fast did your disciples run to get to you there
Prophesies fulfilled Evil did not win the day For death had to happen To set us free For we were dead to sin But Jesus cancelled our every debt So we can live with him
What a glorious day The ultimate price paid for us Because he loves us so No more tears No more death We live alive & free In Jesus victory
Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.” While they were going, behold, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place. And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a sufficient sum of money to the soldiers and said, “Tell people, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story has been spread among the Jews to this day. Matthew 28:1-15 ESV
Less Nuts More Fruit 