Podcast 17 - Sticky notes and the God of mercy & Grace

Sticky notes and the God of mercy & grace

So then, we must cling in faith to all we know to be true. For we have a magnificent King-Priest, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who rose into the heavenly realm for us, and now sympathises with us in our frailty. He understands humanity, for as a Man, our magnificent King-Priest was tempted in every way just as we are, and conquered sin. So now we come freely and boldly to where love is enthroned, to receive mercy's kiss and discover the grace we urgently need to strengthen us in our time of weakness. Hebrews 4:14-16 TPT

I have some sticky notes on the edge of my PC monitor and desk. On each sticky note there are names. Each name has a need. Some are clinging in faith to Jesus. He understands.

This morning another name was added, and a hearts cry went up to God, our Heavenly Father. He understands. 

God, we need you. These people, these things going on in their lives, they need your miracle working presence.

A song comes, Lord of All by Hillsong .... the chorus

Lord of all
All of creation
Sings Your praise
In Heaven and earth
Lord we stand
Hearts open wide
Be exalted
  

He is Lord of all. Psalm 100 reminds us of this truth.

Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands!

Serve the LORD with gladness;

Come before His presence with singing.

Know that the LORD, He is God;

It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;

We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

Psalm 100:1-3 NKJV

Come before His presence - what a powerful place to be - His presence - the place to be. The place where hearts are transformed. How do we get there? We start by being still.

Surrender your anxiety! Be silent and stop your striving and you will see that I am God. I am the God above all the nations, and I will be exalted throughout the whole earth.  Psalm 46:10 TPT

We acknowledge Who He is and what He does for us.

Here he stands!

The Commander!

The mighty Lord of Angel Armies is on our side!

The God of Jacob fights for us!

Psalm 46:11 TPT

The God of Jacob is fighting for every name on those sticky notes. He made each one. He is on their side.

We choose to trust, because if we don't, we get lost and we lose.

Trust in the Lord completely, and do not rely on  your own opinions. With all your heart rely on him to guide you, and he will lead you in every decision you make. Proverbs 3:5 TPT

We choose to give thanks, sometimes in faith.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

And into His courts with praise.

Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

For the LORD is good; 

His mercy is everlasting,

And His truth endures to all generations.

Psalm 100:4-5 NKJV

There may be tears during this process of surrender, as your heart connects with the heart of your Heavenly Father. But these tears are good because there is an exchange taking place. Our desire for control, our feelings of hopelessness are being exchanged for the truth that He is Lord of all, He is trustworthy and He is on our side.  We need that growing level of intimacy with our God.

Become intimate with him in whatever you do, and he will lead you wherever you go. Don't think for a moment that you know it all, for wisdom comes when you adore him with undivided devotion and avoid everything that's wrong. Then you will find the healing refreshment your body and spirit long for. Proverbs 3:6-8 TPT

And with that intimacy helping to build our confidence and trust in Who Jesus is, we can ...

therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16 NKJV

Let's do that today. Stop. Surrender. Exchange. Go Boldly and receive mercy and grace, in the name of Jesus.

Podcast 16 - Don't schedule out God's purposes

Don't schedule out God's purposes

In my early years of 'mummying' four children I tried to schedule things to make the weeks as easy as possible for myself. 

For example, with physical activity and sport, one strategy I employed was to encourage them all to do swimming, it was in one location, not weather dependent, cheapish, both boys and girls can participate in it, and of course, it is good for their fitness. And one of the biggest benefits for me, the mum was that it was easy to fit into our weekly schedule. 

But it soon became evident that not all four children had a passion for swimming. It turns out that they had their own ideas about what they wanted to do for physical exercise! Yes, it seems they have their own thoughts and desires. They are four individual humans, that are not always going to fit into the nice orderly picture I had in my mind.

God reminded me of their uniqueness this morning as I was praying for them. I paused and read back over the prayers I'd journalled for each child, where I had thanked God for what He is doing in their lives and asked Him to help them in specific areas. 

As I re-read the prayers I realised that they were very different for each child. Of course their differing ages had something to do with this, but it was more than that. It was as if God was showing me that they were unique because He created them that way. We read that truth in Psalm 139.

You formed my innermost being, shaping my delicate inside and my intricate outside, and wove them all together in my mother's womb. Psalm 139:13 TPT

God knows them inside and out.

I thank you, God, for making me so mysteriously complex! Everything you do is marvelously breathtaking. It simply amazes me to think about it! How thoroughly you know me Lord! Psalm 139:14 TPT
 

Mysteriously complex. Children sometimes certainly are that to us, the parents. However our children are thoroughly known by the Lord. He has their number of days planned.

You saw who you created me to be before I became me! Before I'd ever seen the light of day, the number of days you planned for me were already recorded in your book. Psalm 139:16 TPT 

God has a unique plan for each of them. 

For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome. Jeremiah 29:11 AMP

The final outcome, always drawing us to Himself, that is where our Heavenly Father's focus is. He is interested in the heart. 

Beloved, we are God's children right now; however it is not yet apparent what we will become. But we do know that when it is finally made visible, we will be just like him, for we will see him as he truly is. And all who focus their hope on him will always be purifying themselves, just as Jesus is pure. 1 John 3:2-3 TPT

Not like me in those early parenting years, where my focus was more on trying to make my workload as easy as possible - arranging for them to all do the same things because it suited my schedule! Thankfully God's grace is sufficient for my selfishness.

God doesn't want our children's unique gifts and talents squashed because it doesn't fit with our thoughts, plans and schedules. No, He wants them understand their uniqueness, and to embrace and love it, because He has created them that way for His purposes. We as parents have the privilege of helping our children on this journey of discovery. 

Of course all that I've written here this morning about  uniqueness and purpose, applies not only to our children, but also to us. We are created by God, valued by Him and loved by Him. We are set apart, with a heavenly calling.

And so, dear brothers and sisters, you are now made holy, and each of you is invited to the feast of your heavenly calling. So fasten your thoughts fully unto Jesus, whom we embrace as our Apostle and King-priest. Hebrews 3:1 TPT

So today, let's not let our schedules get in the way of what God wants to do in and through us and those we love. Let's pray that God will help us today to fasten our thoughts fully unto Jesus, and giving ourselves and others space and permission to be all that God has called us to be.

Podcast 15 - New day dawning

New Day Dawning

Here's a little story about the changing of seasons, I pray it is encouraging to all who are currently in a challenging season.

For at least 18 months, possibly longer, I have had this password on my computer, 'new day dawning.' (Now I'm going to have to change it!). Given that I frequently use my computer throughout the day, I was often typing these words and saying them quietly under my breath, 'It's a new day dawning.' I probably declared them at least 30 times a day over our family. 

It was a prophetic statement that God was bringing our family into a new season. It started as a faith declaration as our actual circumstances were not reflecting that in anyway. But there was a sense in my heart that we were on the cusp of something new.

 

A few weeks ago it was my birthday and I was having some time for myself and was hungry to hear from God. At 47 years old, after some very difficult years, I wondered what was He going to say to me? I was reading Luke 5:37-39 from The Passion Translation. Jesus is talking to his disciples.

And who pours new wine into an old wineskin? If someone did, the old wineskin would burst and the new wine would be lost. New wine must always be poured into new wineskins. Yet you say, 'The old ways are better,' and you refuse to even taste the new that I bring'. Luke 5:37-39 TPT

I felt God challenge me with these words, 'Are you open, really open to taste the new things that I am going to bring into your life?'

As God was asking me these questions I was reminded of the new song from Hillsong, New Wine. So I sat in bed listening to that song over and over again,

Make me a vessel

Make me an offering

Make me whatever you want me to be

I came here with nothing

but all you have given me

Jesus bring new wine out of me

The more I listened, the more those words became the cry of my heart, totally surrendering my life and my plans. There was a growing desire to do all that God wanted me to do.

It was as though God was asking me, Are you ready to take all those years of crying out to Me, pressing in, hanging on and trusting that I would bring you through, and lay them down and let me do something new?

A big question. Am I? Can I? Will I? Yes. Yes. And yes.

So why am I sharing this God encounter with you? Simply to encourage those who are still in a night season, possibly feeling like David was in Psalm 13.

How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever?

How long will You hide Your face from me?

How long shall I take counsel in my soul?

Having sorrow in my heart daily?

How long will my enemy be exalted over me?

Consider and hear me, O LORD my God;

Enlighten my eyes, 

Lest I sleep the sleep of death;

Lest my enemy say,

I have prevailed against him";

Lest those who trouble me rejoice when I am moved.

But I have trusted in Your mercy;

My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.

I will sing to the LORD,

Because He has dealt bountifully with me.

Psalm 13 NKJV

Over the years people have said to me, 'This won't last forever' and at times I struggled to believe that. As when you are in the night season it is so difficult to see beyond it. In that season Ephesians 3:20-21 was one of the scriptures I spent time daily meditating on ...

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21 NKJV

Amen. So be it - in your life and in mine. 

Hebrews 11:1 was on the back of our toilet door, a reminder to just believe ...

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1 NKJV

Even as I am writing this post today, sharing the hope that a new season will arrive in your life and mine, making the declaration that a new day is dawning, there is a niggly voice trying to get into my head, saying, 'What about that upcoming scan for Victoria? You know this could all be a lie, perhaps you haven't heard this from God. What a fool you are making of yourself.'

But to that voice I choose to say, 'No, you are a liar,' and declare Ephesians 3:20-21

Never doubt God's mighty power to work in you and accomplish all this. He will achieve infinitely more than your greatest request, your most unbelievable dream, and exceed your wildest imagination! He will outdo them all, for his miraculous power constantly energises you. Now we offer up to God all the glorious praise that rises from every church in every generation through Jesus Christ - and all that will yet be manifest through time and eternity. Amen.

Ephesians 3:20-21 The Passion Translation

I pray that you will be able to recognise the enemy's voice when he comes to kill, steal and destroy your dreams and your declarations of faith to move into a new season. So that you can declare God's goodness and faithfulness over your life, and trust that a new season is on the way.

Podcast 14 - What's in your heart AND do you know you are loved?

What's in your heart AND do you know you are loved?

On ANZAC day this year we had afternoon tea with Ken's parents at a local park. Something very special happened that afternoon. As we were chatting with Ken's dad, John, he started talking about a hymn he had written. I asked him if he would sing it for us. He generously let me video him and gave his permission for me to put the video on my blog.

As John sang his lovingly created song, tears came as I felt God reminding me that He always looks at the heart. 

But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7 NKJV

John's life has not been easy, and he is currently not in the best of health, yet his heart is so tender towards Jesus. Even now as I listen to him sing this song, there are tears. He knows that he is loved by God. 

So a couple of questions for us to consider, firstly what does God see when he looks into our heart? 

If we are honest, this is a very sobering question - no one has a pure heart. We all have some motives in our heart that don't align with God's heart for us. 

For me, over the past month I feel that once again God has been challenging me about what is in my heart - that strong desire I have to get all the tasks done, to have all the boxes ticked and everything neatly ordered! 

He has been gently asking me these questions, will you put people first Wendy? Will you lay down your agenda for the day and take time to connect with those I want you to connect with? Do you trust that I, your Heavenly Father, will make a way for everything I want done to get done?

Yes, very good questions for me! Reading 2 Peter 1:5-8 earlier this week was another way God reminded me of His priorities.

So devote yourselves to lavishly supplementing your faith with goodness, and to goodness add understanding, and to understanding add the strength of self-control, and to self-control add patient endurance, and to patient endurance add godliness, and to godliness add mercy toward your brothers and sisters, and to mercy toward others add unending love. Since these virtues are already planted deep within, and you possess them in abundant supply, they will keep you from being inactive or fruitless in your pursuit of knowing Jesus Christ more intimately. 2 Peter 1:5-8 The Passion Translation

The spiritual state of heart is central to getting us to the place where God can do what He wants to do in us and through us. There is a great need for us to be continually praying Psalm 139:23-24. Here it is from The Passion Translation.

God, I invite your searching gaze into my heart. Examine me through and through; find out everything that may be hidden within me. Put me to the test and sift through all my anxious cares. See if there is any path of pain I'm walking on, and lead me back to your glorious, everlasting ways - the path that brings me back to you.


The second question to consider is, do we really know that we are loved by God? Despite the pain and disappointment that we have experienced in our lives, do we know that there is a God in Heaven who loves us and has carried us through those times? A God who has a plan for you and me and desires to spend eternity with us in Heaven? 

Jesus said, 

"For this is how much God loved the world - he gave his one and only, unique Son as a gift. So now everyone who believes in him will never perish but experience everlasting life. God did not send his Son into the world to judge and condemn the world, but to be its Saviour and to rescue it." John 3:16-17 The Passion Translation

A final question, if you wrote a song about God, what would you write? What love and truth from your heart would be revealed? Why not have a go? You may just find that your song touches other people's hearts, drawing people closer to God, just like John's song did for me.