First place

Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father keeps feeding them. Are you not worth much more than they? Matthew 6:26 AMP

This morning I have the blessing of sitting outside as the day dawns and watch the birds start talking and finding their breakfast. They just arrive and trust that what they need will be there. The Message Bible puts it this way...

Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds. Matthew 6:26 The Message

The passage goes on to say, 

But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and green and tomorrow is tossed into the furnace, will He not much more surely clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not worry and be anxious, saying, What are we going to have to eat? or, What are we going to drink? or, What are we going to have to wear?  Matthew 6:30-31 AMP

God has everything covered for us. He has thought about it all, every single thing that we would ever need, for each one of us. And whatsmore He has already made provision for us. Just as He has for the birds who fly around, swoop down and find exactly what they need. We just need to seek Him out first, not the things we need, that's all He asks of us.

But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides. Matthew 6:33 AMP

He asks that we put Him first in all we do. That we yearn for His presence. That we love Him above all else.

And He replied to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (intellect). This is the great (most important, principal) and first commandment. Matthew 22:37 AMP

Question for today, are you loving God with all your heart, all your mind and all your soul? Let's take some time today to ask God to show us what needs to change in our lives to enable us to love Him more.

Jesus said, "Love the Lord you God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence." This is the most important, the first on any list. Matthew 22:27 The Message

Come close to God

Come close to God and He will come close to you. 
James 4:8a AMP

What does it mean to come close to God?

The second part of this scripture gives us some keys ...
 

[Recognise that you are] sinners, get your soiled hands clean; [realize that you have been disloyal] wavering individuals with divided interests, and purify your hearts [of your spiritual adultery]. James 4:8b AMP

and some more in verse 9 ....

[As you draw near to God] be deeply penitent and grieve, even weep [over your disloyalty]. Let your laughter be turned to grief and your mirth to dejection and heartfelt shame [for your sins]. James 4:9 AMP

The scriptures are reminding us to come close to God with the reverence that He is worthy of. They are reminding us that while God has always been there for us, we have not always been loyal to Him. We have, either intentionally or unintentionally, replaced His role in our lives with other Gods (eg people or things).

The New Living Translation puts it this way ..

Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter and gloom instead of joy. James 4:8-9 NLT

In a world today where boundaries are blurred and seem to be getting less and less distinct, I believe it is important to take time to do what the scripture says and meditate on our relationship with God, thinking about Who He is, what we have done and what He has done for us. I don't mean that we should be feel condemnation about our sins, but rather have a healthy awareness that we are sinners, and it is only by God's grace that we are able to come close to Him today.

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. Romans 8:1-2 NLT

And in that process of humbling ourselves and coming close to Him, look at what He promises to do ...

Humble yourselves [feeling very insignificant] in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you [He will lift you up and make your lives significant]. James 4:10 AMP

Questions for today, What does coming to closer to God mean to you? What will you do today to humble yourself before the Lord? 

He leads the humble in what is right, and the humble He teaches His way. ..... The secret [of the sweet, satisfying companionship] of the Lord have they who fear (revere and worship) Him, and He will show them His covenant and reveal to them its [deep, inner] meaning. Psalm 25:9,14 AMP

 

Trust

When I get really afraid I come to you in trust.

Psalm 56:3 The Message

Over the past six days I have spent a lot of time with our daughter Victoria. Not doing hospital visits, but rather taking her to Sydney based sporting events that she was competing in, and then again to Sydney on a school excursion. 

Throughout these days I thought how different our lives are now. It wasn't that long ago when I would spend a huge amount of time with Victoria in hospital and at therapy appointments. While some of that still goes on, it is no where near the amount of time it used to be. What a journey it has been of learning how to trust God with her life. 

There have probably been a handful of times in the past six years when I have genuinely feared for her life. Times when the outlook hasn't been great and I have been really afraid. Times when I have desperately gone to God in trust. Fully believing that He loves Victoria more than we do and that He has a plan for her life. Fully believing that I, Wendy, could draw near to God and petition Him on behalf of our daughter.

Let us all come forward and draw near with true (honest and sincere) hearts in unqualified assurance and absolute conviction engendered by faith (by that leaning of the entire human personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness), having our hearts sprinkled and purified from a guilty (evil) conscience and our bodies cleansed with pure water.  Hebrews 10:22 AMP

The Message bible simply says,

So, friends, we can now - without any hesitation - walk right up to God, into "the Holy Place." Jesus has cleared the way by the blood of his sacrifice, acting as our priest before God. The "curtain" into God's presence is his body. So let's do it - full of belief, confident that we're presentable inside and out. Let's keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word. 

Hebrews 10:19-23 The Message

Questions for today, is there something you are feeling 'really afraid' about? Are you able today to say, "God, I trust You," and then rest, knowing He is trustworthy. If not, ask God to help you to come to that place where you can completely trust Him, and then be open to what He wants to teach you. It is a continual life course, each of us graduating with an increased level of trust after each lesson.  It is a course well worth sticking with, I can testify to that.

God, the one and only - I'll wait as long as he says. Everything I hope for comes from him, so why not? He's solid rock under my feet, breathing room for my soul, An impregnable castle: I'm set for life. My help and glory are in God - granite-strength and safe-harbour-God - so trust him absolutely people; lay your lives on the line for him. God is a safe place to be. Psalm 62:5-8 The Message

A whole, healed, put-together life

But now that you've found you don't have to listen to sin tell you what to do, and have discovered the delight of listening to God telling you, what a surprise! A whole, healed, put-together life right now, with more and more of life on the way! Romans 6:22 The Message

Have you discovered the delight of listening to God telling you what to do? For me I have found this to be a long process of learning, a process that still continues today. But a process well worth sticking with. It is a process of taking each thought that comes into my mind, asking myself, is this a God thought, or is it a 'Wendy' thought?

We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5 The Message

When we do take every thought and consider how it aligns with God's Word and we find there is a misalignment (ie our thought is wrong) sometimes it is easy to lay down our thoughts, humble ourselves before God and accept His truth and His ways. I believe when we do this we are opening ourselves up to more of what God wants to do in us and through us.

Lord, You have heard the desire of the humble;

You will prepare their heart;

You will cause Your ear to hear, 

Psalm 10:17 NKJV

Sometimes though it is not so easy. It can take a lot of soul searching on our behalf to come to the place where we can let go of the thoughts and let Jesus be Lord of our thoughts. Thankfully God is willing to help us with that process. We just need to humble ourselves and ask Him for that help. He is so gentle with us, in revealing His truth and helping us get to the place where we are indeed delighted to listen to Him.

Yes, your sayings on life are what give me delight;

I listen to them as to good neighbors 

Psalms 119:24 The Message

Question for today, do you want to discover more of the delight of listening to God telling you what to do? I know I do, as I have learnt that His way of doing life is so much better than mine. And I am not ashamed to say that I want that whole, healed, put together life that is promised to us through Jesus. Do you want that too?

A thief is only there to steal and kill and destroy. I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of. John 10:10 The Message

The future starts now

What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have him, this Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we've been given a brand-new life and everything to live for, including a future in heaven - and the future starts now! God is keeping careful watch over us and the future. The Day is coming when you'll have it all - life healed and whole. 1 Peter 1:3-5 The Message

Our Heavenly Father, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, a Father full of love and mercy freely available to us. 

Thank you God for your love and mercy. Thank you that you continually watch over us now and in the future. Thank you for that the day when we will be with You - life healed and whole. Amen

Let's just go back to four words in that scripture - "The future starts now!"

What does that mean to you? 

To me, it means that we have access right now to Jesus. We have the authority, In Jesus Name, to the do same or even greater works that He did.

The person who trust me will not only do what I'm doing but even greater things, because I, on my way to the Father, am giving you the same work to do that I've been doing. You can count on it. From now on, whatever you request along the lines of who I am and what I am doing, I'll do it. That's how the Father will be seen for who he is in the Son. I mean it. Whatever you request in this way, I'll do. John 14:12-14 The Message

By God's grace we have this authority, to be a vessel to bring God's love and freedom into the lives of others. Earlier this week I had the privilege of being on the team at our church's healing service. We witnessed people come with their hearts open ready to receive from God. The Holy Spirit ministered hope, love and healing to many. As I reflect on it now, I do think, Wow, what a God we have, for each of those people that were open to Him, He met them right where they needed Him.  We have a God who cares about us an unique individuals, because He created us, and He wants to see us live our lives as He planned them.

"For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. Jeremiah 29:11-13 NLT

Question for today, what does, 'the future starts now' mean to you? If you are not sure, why not take some time now to ask God and be expectant that He will tell you, because He is for you.

What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Romans 8:31 NLT

His deep love

This morning I was talking to God, praying for others who have a great need of His touch today, listening to some beautiful worship music... No longer slaves (Bethel), Good Good Father (Chris Tomlin), It is well (Bethel) and Wonderful Name (Christy Nockels). I was asking God what do you want me to share about today and I felt Him say, 'Tell them about my love.'

Where do you start? Other than, I am broken and without His love I am nothing. In His love is everything we need - forgiveness, mercy, grace, joy, strength, provision, and of course eternity with Him. Absolutely everything. 

Psalm 107 gives us a picture of it all - our needs, answered every time with His love. As you read this psalm I pray that the Holy Spirit will minister to you and remind you of God's deep love for you.

Oh, thank God—he's so good!

His love never runs out.

All of you set free by God, tell the world!

Tell how he freed you from oppression,

Then rounded you up from all over the place,

from the four winds, from the seven seas.

Some of you wandered for years in the desert,

looking but not finding a good place to live,

Half-starved and parched with thirst,

staggering and stumbling, on the brink of exhaustion.

Then, in your desperate condition, you called out to God.

He got you out in the nick of time;

He put your feet on a wonderful road

that took you straight to a good place to live.

So thank God for his marvelous love,

for his miracle mercy to the children he loves.

He poured great draughts of water down parched throats;

the starved and hungry got plenty to eat.

Some of you were locked in a dark cell,

cruelly confined behind bars,

Punished for defying God's Word,

for turning your back on the High God's counsel—

A hard sentence, and your hearts so heavy,

and not a soul in sight to help.

Then you called out to God in your desperate condition;

he got you out in the nick of time.

He led you out of your dark, dark cell,

broke open the jail and led you out.

So thank God for his marvelous love,

for his miracle mercy to the children he loves;

He shattered the heavy jailhouse doors,

he snapped the prison bars like matchsticks!

Some of you were sick because you'd lived a bad life,

your bodies feeling the effects of your sin;

You couldn't stand the sight of food,

so miserable you thought you'd be better off dead.

Then you called out to God in your desperate condition;

he got you out in the nick of time.

He spoke the word that healed you,

that pulled you back from the brink of death.

So thank God for his marvelous love,

for his miracle mercy to the children he loves;

Offer thanksgiving sacrifices,

tell the world what he's done—sing it out!

Some of you set sail in big ships;

you put to sea to do business in faraway ports.

Out at sea you saw God in action,

saw his breathtaking ways with the ocean:

With a word he called up the wind—

an ocean storm, towering waves!

You shot high in the sky, then the bottom dropped out;

your hearts were stuck in your throats.

You were spun like a top, you reeled like a drunk,

you didn't know which end was up.

Then you called out to God in your desperate condition;

he got you out in the nick of time.

He quieted the wind down to a whisper,

put a muzzle on all the big waves.

And you were so glad when the storm died down,

and he led you safely back to harbor.

So thank God for his marvelous love,

for his miracle mercy to the children he loves.

Lift high your praises when the people assemble,

shout Hallelujah when the elders meet!

God turned rivers into wasteland,

springs of water into sunbaked mud;

Luscious orchards became alkali flats

because of the evil of the people who lived there.

Then he changed wasteland into fresh pools of water,

arid earth into springs of water,

Brought in the hungry and settled them there;

they moved in—what a great place to live!

They sowed the fields, they planted vineyards,

they reaped a bountiful harvest.

He blessed them and they prospered greatly;

their herds of cattle never decreased.

But abuse and evil and trouble declined

as he heaped scorn on princes and sent them away.

He gave the poor a safe place to live,

treated their clans like well-cared-for sheep.

Good people see this and are glad;

bad people are speechless, stopped in their tracks.

If you are really wise, you'll think this over—

it's time you appreciated God's deep love.

Psalm 107 The Message

He is calling you

And Jesus stopped and said, Call him. And they called the blind man, telling him, Take courage! Get up! He is calling you. And throwing off his outer garment, he leaped up and came to Jesus. Mark 10:49-50 AMP

He is calling you. 

This is true for me and you too. Jesus is calling us, every day. Calling us to draw closer to Him. In the words of the song, Softly and Tenderly 

Softly and tenderly

Jesus is calling

Calling for you and for me

See all the portholes

He's waiting and watching

Watching for you and for me

He is calling us closer to Him so that, in His strength and grace we can be and do all that He has wants us to. We can trust Him.

Faithful is He Who is calling you [to Himself] and utterly trustworthy, and He will also do it [fulfill His call by hallowing and keeping you.] 1 Thessalonians 5:24 AMP

The Message Bible simply puts it this way....

The One who called you is completely  dependable. If he said it, he'll do it. 1 Thessalonians 5:24 The Message

But what about our response to His call? Is it like the blind man's response when Jesus called him ....

Throwing off his coat, he was on his feet at once and came to Jesus. Mark 10:50 The Message

The blind man's response poses a couple of questions for us ...

When Jesus calls us, are we willing to throw off our coats? That is, are we willing to let go of the things are familiar and make us feel comfortable?

When Jesus calls us, are we willing follow at once? That is, are we trusting that He is completely dependable, so we obey and go in His timing, not our?

It is easy to say yes to these questions now, in a hypothetical sense, but what about when Jesus does call you. 

Next time Jesus calls us to do something, let's remember the blind man and his response, and have courage to do as he did - throw off our coats, get on our feet at once and go. And remember, at that moment, God's grace is sufficient for each of us.

Because we know that this extraordinary day is just head, we pray for you all the time - pray that our God will make you fit for what he's called you to be, pray that he'll fill your good ideas and acts of faith with his own energy so that it all amounts to something. If your life honors the name of Jesus, he will honor you. Grace is behind and through all of this, our God giving himself freely, the Master, Jesus Christ, giving himself freely. 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 The Message