I Am the New Year

May 2013 be a year of breakthroughs and one where you're taken to newer heights in your relationship with the Lord. God bless.

Received this in my email today so thought I'd share it.

 I Am the New Year

I am the new year. I am an unspoiled page in your book of time.

I am your next chance at the art of living.

I am your opportunity to practice what you have learned about life during the last twelve months.

All that you sought and didn't find is hidden in me, waiting for you to search it out with more determination.

All the good that you tried for and didn't achieve is mine to grant when you have fewer conflicting desires.

All that you dreamed but didn't dare to do, all that you hoped but did not will, all the faith that you

claimed but did not have--these slumber lightly, waiting to be awakened by the touch of a strong purpose.

I am your opportunity to renew your allegiance to Him who said, "Behold, I make all things new."

  -- Author Unknown

Merry Christmas

Photo credit: Google images

Wishing all my blogger friends a very Merry Christmas and a BLESSED 2013.

Being Dependent

This morning I am reminded of the many great lessons that Jesus’ life has taught us and one in particular that captured my attention was His dependency on His Father.  He dependent so much on His Father! I thought about the different situations Jesus encountered where He could have just easily solved things on His own but NO! This is what He said:

John 8:28-So Jesus told them, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I AM, and that I do nothing on my own authority. Instead, I speak only what the Father has taught me.

John 5:19-Jesus gave them this answer: "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.

John 12:49-50 -For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it. I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.

Such a great lesson! It made me think of my own life and the journey I am taking. Am I really depending on HIM or am I too independent in my ways and in my thinking? For me to be dependent, I know I need to be aware of my need for the Lord.

Dear Lord,

May the reality of Your Presence make me very aware of my need to be dependent upon You in all things. I know that all You really want from me is everything!

Psalms 24

 The earth is the Lord’s, and EVERYTHING in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters. Psalms 24: 1-2

EVERYTHING

 EVERYTHING

 EVERYTHING

 EVERYTHING

He'll hold you

I love the lyrics of this song. No matter what you are going through, He'll hold you in the midst of your storm.

Inner strength

Gloria is a mother of four young boys, the eldest is 19 years old and the youngest is about 8. Her two middle sons have special needs and both are in wheelchairs. Both boys often require round the clock attention and assistance. When I visited Gloria, I also learnt that her husband had left the family a few months back.

I know that her situation is not easy. She has sleepless nights and she is often drained physically and emotionally at the end of the day.  I believe she must shed silent tears when it all becomes too overwhelming!

As we sat chatting over coffee, listening to her experiences, my admiration for this woman grew. I admired her inner strength and her ability to laugh at life despite the challenges she was and is going through. She spoke of the joy and the laughter that they share at home. I quote in her words ‘……there’s so much laughter in the house….it sounds like we live in a house full of peacocks’

Her life has touched mine in so many ways. Sometimes we need to take the focus off ourselves and to see the need of those who are silently struggling. And before we go judging someone, we need to read their story to understand the journey they have taken or are taking! 

How she does it, I do not know! One thing I know is that the God she continually acknowledges is still in control. He IS her source of strength and inner peace.

To Gloria and other mums who are faced with similar situation our prayers are with you.

‘Anyone can give up, it's the easiest thing in the world to do.
But to hold it together when everyone else would understand if you fell apart, that's true strength. –unknown’

Streams of living water will flow from within him

I was blessed with this devotional this morning.

"He that believeth on Me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water" (KJV).

'We as children of God are to bring forth life and fruit that was birthed and begun in God. In the above Scripture, we see a key that is so important. The passage begins with, "He that believeth..." The word believe is in no way a shallow belief, but one of complete trust and total reliance on. Jesus is not only the One we trust in, but He must become our trust. And out of this place of trust we will find the abundance of God flowing through us in every area of our lives.
The word states in Daniel 11:32, "The people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits" (NKJV). And another Scripture that resonates is Isaiah 26:3, "You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind...is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You" (AMP). Strength and peace are fruit that are produced as we abide in the river of God.
As we are born again, we are blessed with His extravagant love and the privilege of knowing Him and being filled with Him, His love, His riches, His promises, His healing, His restoration and becoming one with all He is and possesses.

This place is a continuous flow from Him to us, through us to others – ah, what bliss. Again, this is a river that never runs dry, and as we learn to bask in this river we will never run dry.'

by  Kim Hadaway, XP Ministries

Send us to the world

Father, may the passion of Your heart be the passion of our hearts.

He is Risen!

 

He's risen from the dead. 

He is risen.

He is high and lifted up.

Heaven and earth adore.

Matthew 28:6 He is not here; He is risen just as He said.

Object of your FAITH

What is the object of your faith?

What is the source of your faith?

Where do you get your faith from?

Is it coming from the people around you or the situation you are in?

How big is your faith?

As I was listening to the sermon, these questions really captured my attention. When I place my faith in the people around me or the situation I am in, I am bound to be disappointed. 

I have to know more about God. The more I know about God, the bigger my faith in Him becomes –the bigger my faith grows.

When my relationships or my situations fail me, my faith will not change because the object of my faith is way above it all.

What is your faith in ?

My faith is in God alone!

The object of your faith determines the quantity (size) of your faith!

The source of your faith determines the quality of your faith!

Spring is here

      These are beautiful flowers outside my apartment. It reminded me Ecclesiastes 3:11- He has made everything beautiful in its time.

                                           

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 The Creator has timed everything. He is a faithful God.

Looking Back, Looking Forward

I received this in an email and thought it was beautifully written. This is a quote from Rita Zahara.

"Letting go of your past is not to forget, or block memories, or stop to think about, or pretend the feelings are not there. It’s about the ability to think about your past with no feelings of anger, jealousy, hurt or regret.

Letting go is not about wishing things could have been different and dwelling in the past. It isn’t about thinking sad memories that leave you empty and hurt. It isn’t about loss or defeat.

To let go is to cherish the good memories, learning and growing. It’s about being thankful for the experiences that once made you laugh, made you cry, made you who you are today. It’s about having the courage to accept that people change and things change. It’s about having the strength to overcome the pain and move on. It’s about all that you had, all that you have and all that you will gain if you were to let go. Letting go is to release your past and grow and live for your present and your future."

Go light your world

You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket; it is set on a lampstand, where it gives light to all in the house. Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.
(Mt. 5: 14 - 16)

Safety of the Castle

I had such a wonderful and refreshing time this weekend at a Women’s retreat in Shanghai. It was so great to get together with other sisters in Christ to praise and worship and to feed on the Word of God. Our speakers were Ellie Lofaro and Kathy Troccoli (singer). 

One of the many things that I came away with was ‘Do I understand the safety of the castle?’

Romans 8:14-17 “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ……….”

What is an heir?
• a person who is entitled by law or by the terms of a will to inherit the estate of another.
• a successor: a person who inherits some title or office.

We are heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.I need to remember that!

By  feeding on the Word and believing what the Word says, I will grow in the understanding that I am an heir. Nothing less!  As I become familiar with who I am in Christ, I begin to take on the authority that has been granted to me.

Thank you Jesus!