Podcast 21 - God is interested in you

God is interested in you

'Hi Mum, can I talk with you about  ......'

'Yes, no problem'

'Okay, well ..................'

There is a problem - and its with me! When this child comes to talk with me, I am sitting at my desk working. They start to talk to me. I stop for a moment, look at them, acknowledge them, but then, I continue on working. My thought process is something like, I need to get this work done, I can listen to them at the same time. The child keeps talking, I am still listening (well, that's what I tell myself), but my focus on the work takes over. The child is still talking and I realise their voice is just like a string of words and I actually have no idea what they are talking about. Yes, there is a problem - and its with me.

I am so grateful that we have a Heavenly Father who can multi-task. He can listen to me, and you and many of the other 7 billion people on this earth at the same time. He doesn't get distracted by my problem when He is listening to yours. He is simply amazing. He knows each one of us, He really knows us, and He knows all about our problems before we tell Him.

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

He knows what we are about to say,

You are so intimately aware of me Lord, 

You read my heart like an open book and you know all the words I'm about to speak before I even start a sentence!

You know every step I will take before my journey even begins. Psalm 139:3-4 TPT

And He cares. He cares deeply for each one of us, thinking about us continually.

Every single moment you are thinking of me! How precious and wonderful to consider that you cherish me constantly in your every thought! Psalm 139:17 TPT

He doesn't get distracted like me because He can truly multitask - every single moment, thinking about all the people He has created. I can't even think about 4 children at once! 

But what I am understanding more and more, is that God isn't just thinking about us. No, He is doing on our behalf, creating opportunities for us to encounter more of His love for us. For example ...

Perhaps through an unplanned meeting with someone which leads to a conversation which then leads to heartfelt prayer and an action that results in the start of a relationship being restored. 

Perhaps through being obedient and doing something that you wouldn't normally do, only to find out that God had you there for a different purpose, to be a blessing in a way that you had not planned.

Perhaps through a prompting to pray in the Spirit, having no knowledge of what you are praying, to then seconds later avoiding having your car and children t-boned at the round-a-about.

Yes, God is thinking about us and doing things for us....

You've gone into my future to prepare the way,

and in kindness you follow behind me

to spare me from the harm of my past.

With your hand of love upon my life,

you impart a blessing to me.

Psalm 139:5 TPT

God has his hand of love upon us, you and me. He is interested in all we do and say. He isn't distracted for a moment by anything else that is going on in the world. 

And He wants us to have that same deep desire and love for Him, and then for others he has brought into our sphere of influence.

Our love for others is our grateful response to the love God first demonstrated to us. 1 John 4:19 TPT

However sometimes it is hard for us to believe there is a God in Heaven who is interested in us, as our unprocessed pain hinders us from fully receiving His love. Pain can prevent us from understanding that He is always thinking about us and doing things for us. 

So today, let's ask God to show us if we have any blockages to receiving His love due to unprocessed pain. Praying Psalm 139 verses 23 and 24 is great place to start.

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.

Podcast 20 - Building a deep and secure foundation

Building a deep and secure foundation

There is a song I remember from Sunday school, the wise man built his house upon the rock, click here if you don't know it. This song recounts what happens we choose to build on different foundations - the rock or the sand. It is based on this scripture,

 

What good does it do for you to say I am your Lord and Master if what I teach you is not put into practice? 

Let me describe the one who truly follows me and does what I say. He is like a man who chooses the right place to build a house and then lays a deep and secure foundation. When the storms and floods rages against that house, it continues to stand strong and unshaken through the tempest, for it has been wisely built on the right foundation.  

But the one who has heard my teaching and does not obey it is like a man who builds a house without laying any foundation whatsoever. When the storms and floods rage against that house, it will immediately collapse and become a total loss. Which of these two builders will you be? Luke 6:46-49 TPT

This is Jesus talking to his followers, challenging them to listen and obey, to really hear what He is saying and to put His teachings into practice. 

Why are you so polite with me, always saying, 'Yes, sir,' and 'That's right, sir,' but never doing a thing I tell you? Luke 6:46 The Message

When I hear this question I think about the times when I have not done things (thought, word or deed) Jesus' way. Those are the times when my flesh takes over - my pain, my selfish desires or my need for instant gratification. Some of them happened just last week!

But despite my mistakes, I know there is a God who forgives me, and has grace sufficient for me - and you. He really wants us to know this truth, that He is stable, a deep and secure foundation for us to build our lives on.

These words I speak to you are not mere additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundation words, words to build a life on.  Luke 6:47 The Message

We always have a choice. We can choose Jesus, or we can reject Him and look elsewhere. When we choose Jesus, and purposefully move forward in His ways, we can stand (maybe wobbling a bit), no matter what storms and floods come our way.

If you work the words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who dug deep and laid the foundation of this house on bedrock. When the river burst its banks and crashed against the house, nothing could shake it; it was built to last. Luke 6:48 The Message

Words cannot express how grateful I am that Jesus has been my foundation over the past 22 years. Many storms and floods have come and I have no doubt that the only reason I and my family are still standing, and now thriving, is because of Jesus. His love, His grace, His mercy, His patience and His wisdom in guiding us on how to build a foundation - His way. Not like the way of the foolish man....

But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don't work them into your life, you are like a dumb carpenter who built a house but skipped the foundation. When the swollen river came crashing in, it collapsed like a house of cards. It was a total loss. Luke 6:49 The Message

So that brings us back to this question from Jesus, 'Which of these two builders will you be?' 

There are a couple of responses to this question, firstly for those who don't yet know Jesus as their Lord and Saviour, today will you choose to say, "Jesus I want to do life your way, forgive me for building my own unsustainable foundation. Help me to follow your ways."

Secondly for those who are already following Jesus and want to build a stronger foundation in Him, will we choose to say, "Jesus, help us to build a deeper foundation in You. Show us what needs to change in our lives, and help us to make those changes. Help us to be the wise man who digs deep and builds securely on the Rock so that we will not be moved when the storms and floods come."

Thank you Jesus for your mercy and compassion and unfailing love for us. Thank you that you are ready and waiting to be our deep and secure foundation. In your mighty name we pray, Amen.

Podcast 19 - Fragility, faith and choosing to trust

Fragility, faith and choosing to trust

A little story. Yesterday I sat next to the MRI machine as Victoria had her 25th brain scan. The pattern of the beeps of the machine become strangely familiar after a few years, so yesterday when there was a pause in the process and then the machine did something recognisably different I felt my body tense. What's going on? Why is it different today? On the outside I sat calmly, but on the inside fear was trying to take hold.

Some self-talk, "No. All is good. You've got this God."

Breathing. Keep breathing.

I've had this experience before, about 7 years ago when it was me in the CT machine. They stopped the scan to review the images with a doctor before continuing to take another set of images. There was a concern. But praise God as they continued down the path with surgery, the concern dissipated.

Breathing. Keep breathing.

And then there was Victoria's initial scan 7.5 years ago, when I was oblivious to these nuances but I knew something wasn't right.

Some more self-talk, "It's gonna be okay. My God's got this."

The nurse enters the room. She explains that the doctor had ordered a different scan today.

My mind starts racing, why? He didn't say anything about that six months ago.

Breathing. Keep breathing.

The nurse continues explaining that now they are doing a different type of scan for children. She is looking intently into my eyes to re-assure me. Victoria is oblivious, watching the movie via the mirrors.

Okay, I choose to trust the nurse's words. I choose to trust that my God has got this. It's gonna be okay.

Some more new things happen during the scan, and then it is finished. We leave. We'll return on Thursday to get the results.

This is a little story of fragility, faith and the choice to trust. Fragility from the pain of past experiences. Faith to believe that there is a God in heaven who is bigger than our circumstances. And making the choice to trust Him in the waiting.

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

Today, if there is something in your life that is playing on your fragility, then lets remember who we are - children of God, with full access to the throne room of God ....

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 4:16 TPT

Let's go freely and boldly to Jesus today.

 

 

 

  

Pain

Pain. What do we do with it? We can let it fester and the result is not pretty. We do and say things that we regret, resulting in the need to say sorry and be forgiven. That was me last week!

Pain. We can let it isolate us. It's too hard to connect because it takes emotional energy, and all our energy is being consumed by our pain. So we don't bother trying. That was me six years ago!

Pain. We can acknowledge it. Be real and say yes I am in pain. I am not okay. I need help. God help me. That was me on Monday!

 

Pain. We can release it - the right way - to Jesus. For me, times of worship are always a beautiful time of releasing pain, whether at church, at my desk, in my kitchen or in my car. Find me at the feet of Jesus, by Christy Nockels, always takes me to that place of surrender and release. That was me this morning!

Pain. It can be used for good, Romans 8:28 tells us,

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to whose who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28 NKJV

In the dark times I found it very hard to believe this truth and often wrestled with it. However eventually, in faith it brought hope to my soul, along with Ephesians 3:20-21

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

Pain. Something God uses (but doesn't give) to draw people to Himself, both directly and indirectly through the testimony of others. If we process our pain well with Jesus, and other support, we will, because of a growing understanding of God's grace and mercy, draw closer to Him, and become those 'others' who testify to Romans 8:28.

Pain. Helps us to know that we know, that we know, God is for us. 

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31 NKJV

Another one of my favourite songs is You are for me, written by Kari Jobe. Again it helps take me to that place of knowing that I am loved and there is a God in heaven looking after me. Here are some of the lyrics

So faithful, so constant, so loving and so true
So powerful in all you do
You fill me, you see me
You know my every move
You love for me to sing to you

I know that you are for me, I know that you are for me
I know that you will never forsake me in my weakness
And I know that you have come now even if to write upon my heart
To remind me who you are

When we know that God is for us, we can continue on with hope while we are experiencing pain. We know in faith that we will see victory in Jesus Name.

Yet even in the midst of all these things, we triumph over them all, for God has made us to be more than conquerors, and his demonstrated love is our glorious victory over everything! 

So now I live with the confidence that there is nothing in the universe with the power to separate us from God's love. I'm convinced that this love will triumph over death, life's troubles, fallen angels, or dark rulers in the heavens. There is nothing in our present or future circumstances that can weaken his love. There is no power above us or beneath us - no power that could ever be found in the universe that can distance us from God's passionate love, which is lavished upon us through our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One! 

Romans 8:37-39 The Passion Translation

Let's pray, 

Jesus, help me today to acknowledge my pain. Please forgive me for the hurt I have caused through my pain. Help me to sit with you and process my pain well. Please bring people to walk with me and guide me in this process. Thank you that you are for me and nothing can separate me from your love. Thank you that I am more than a conqueror because of you. Please help me to get to the place when I can testify to your goodness, grace and mercy. In your Name I pray, Amen.