the Light

Once more Jesus addressed the crowd. He said, I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not be walking in the dark, but will have the Light which is Life. John 8:12 AMP

Today, as I opened my curtains to the early morning darkness, I caught a glimpse of the dimly light road winding up the hill. Maybe a fifth of the width of the road was visible, with the remainder in complete darkness. The more I looked at the road, I felt Jesus say to me, 'Stay on the path that is lit. Even though you can't see what is around the bend, I can. I am with you. I am the Light.'

In Him was Life, and the Life was the Light of me. And the Light shines on in the darkness, for the darkness has never overpowered it [put it out or absorbed it or appropriated it, and is unreceptive to it]. John 1:4-5 AMP

How reassuring to know that the Light shines on, despite the darkness. What hope that truth brings. 

I tried to take a photo of the dimly lit road, but unfortunately my camera doesn't have that capability. My camera isn't able to bring the light that the situation needs. Neither can I alone bring light into the situation. It is only through Jesus, the Light, that illumination comes.

For God Who said, Let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts so as [to beam forth] the Light for the illumination of the knowledge of the majesty and glory of God [as it is manifest in the Person and is revealed] in the face of Jesus Christ (the Messiah). However, we possess this precious treasure [the divine Light of the Gospel] in [frail, human] vessels of earth, that the grandeur and exceeding greatness of the power may be shown to be from God and not from ourselves. 2 Corinthians 4:6-7 AMP

Question for today, do you feel like you are walking alone in the darkness? Look for the Light. Jesus is there walking with you, sometimes we just don't recognise Him.  He is there. He has always been there. He will always be there with  you. He is our Light. Jesus has overpowered the darkness. Let's remind ourselves who Jesus is ...

[But] in the last of these days He has spoken to us in [the person of a] Son, Whom he appointed Heir and lawful Owner of all things, also by and through Whom He created the worlds and the reaches of space and the ages of time [He made, produced, built, operated and arranged them in order]. He is the sole expression of the glory of God [ the Light-being, the out-raying or radiance of the divine], and He is the perfect imprint and very image of [God's] nature, upholding and maintaining and guiding and propelling the universe by His mighty word of power. When He had by offering Himself accomplished our cleansing of sins and riddance of guilt, He sat down at the right hand of the divine Majesty on high, Hebrews 1:2-3 AMP

Who will help you

But his bow remained strong and steady and rested in the Strength that does not fail him, for the arms of his hands were made strong and active by the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob, by the name of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel, By the God of your father, Who will help you, and by the Almighty, Who will bless you with blessings of the heavens above, blessings lying in the deep beneath, blessings of the breasts and of the womb.  Genesis 49:24-25 AMP

Just before he died, Jacob told his sons 'what shall befall' them in the last days. The above scriptures are some of what Jacob spoke about Joseph's future. What positive and life-giving words Jacob spoke to Joseph, his son.

And when Jesus was baptized, He went up at once out of the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he [John] saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on Him. And behold, a voice from heaven said, This is My Son, My Beloved, in Whom I delight! Matthew 3:16,17 AMP

In this scripture we have God the Father, speaking about His Son, Jesus.  A declaration of who Jesus belongs too and how much He is loved.

And Peter answered them, Repent (change your views and purpose to accept the will of God in your inner selves instead of rejecting it) and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of and release from your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise [of the Holy Spirit] is to and for you and your children, and to and for all that are far away, [even] to and for as many as the Lord our God invites and bids to come to Himself. Acts 2:38-39 AMP 

And here is what God, our Heavenly Father, says to us through the disciple Peter. He tells us to Repent and be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ, and we shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. What a gift to have! What a future we have, knowing we don't have to face things alone because we have the Comforter, and He remains with us forever.

And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby), that He may remain with you forever - The Spirit of Truth, Whom the world cannot receive (welcome, take to its heart), because it does not see him or know and recognize Him. But you know and recognise Him, for He lives with you [constantly] and will be in you. John 14:16-17 AMP

Let's listen to the words of our Heavenly Father. Words of truth, love and hope. He has equipped us, just as He equipped Joseph, with all we need to fulfil His purpose on this earth. God loves us and delights in us, as He does in His Own Son, Jesus.  God hasn't abandoned us, he has given us the Holy Spirit as our comforter. Let's live out of His love.

Question for today, are you feeling overwhelmed or abandoned by someone, or even by God? Why not take time today to sit and listen to God, listen to what He has to say to you, about your life today and what He has planned for your life in the future.

May grace and spiritual peace be yours

May grace (God's unmerited favour) and spiritual peace [which means peace with God and harmony, unity and undisturbedness] be your's from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 1:2 AMP

The last few days have been challenging. Frustration and a sense of hopelessness has robbed me of my peace. I am not sure what the trigger for these emotions has been. It could  be any (or all) of the following; the number of tragedies the world has experienced over the past couple of months, the OT appointment for our daughter earlier this week and the discussions about her potential future challenges; sheer tiredness and lack of personal space from having our four beautiful children at home during Christmas holidays; the impending anniversary of four years since Victoria was diagnosed with a brain tumour and the impact that has had on our lives, etc etc.

I knew yesterday morning I needed to take some action against these thoughts. So straight to the Word I went, looking for scriptures about God's peace that is available to me. God showed me the scripture above. I wrote it on a piece of pink A4 paper, replacing 'yours' with 'Wendy's' and read it continually throughout the day.  Meditating on it throughout the day, certainly helped me to start again living out of God's spiritual peace.

This morning I woke feeling anxious again. Not so much with the feeling of frustration, but rather the sense of hopelessness. Again God was gracious as I opened His Word searching for encouragement. This is the scripture He showed me today.

May the God of your hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through the experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound and be overflowing (bubbling over) with hope. Romans 15:13 AMP

Again, I got out the pink paper and wrote the scripture, personalising it with my name.

May the God of Wendy's hope so fill Wendy with all joy and peace in believing [through the experience of Wendy's faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit Wendy may abound and be overflowing (bubbling over) with hope. Romans 15:13

From these simple actions of confessing my emotions and seeking God's truth, and personalising His truth for me, I can feel my emotions being 'pulled back into line'. Wow, what a reminder to keep my focus on Jesus.

As you have therefore received Christ [even] Jesus the Lord, [so] walk (regulate your lives and conduct yourselves) in union with and conformity to Him. Have the roots [of your being] firmly and deeply planted [in Him, fixed and founded in Him], bring continually built up in Him, becoming increasingly more confirmed and established in the faith, just as you were taught, and abounding and overflowing in it with thanksgiving. Colossians 2:6-7 AMP

Question for today, are you struggling with some unhelpful emotions? Why not confess these to God and ask Him to show you His truth, and meditate on His truth until you feel a change in your thinking and experience His peace? He is our peace and hope.

May grace (God's favour) and peace (which is perfect well-being, all necessary good, all spiritual prosperity, and freedom from fears and agitating passions and moral conflicts) be multiplied to you in [the full, personal, precise and correct] knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 2 Peter 1:2 AMP

Examine and test and evaluate

Examine and test and evaluate your own selves to see whether you are holding to your faith and showing the proper fruits of it. Test and prove yourselves [not Christ]. Do you not yourselves realise and know [thoroughly by an ever-increasing experience] that Jesus Christ is in you - unless you are [counterfeits] disapproved on trial and rejected? 2 Corinthians 13:5 AMP

Examine, test and evaluate, these are not quick activities to be undertaken in five minutes. Particularly when it comes to examining our faith and our fruitfulness. For me, currently, when I think about my personal faith, I am pondering the question more and more, how much of my 'western, white, middle-class culture' have I over-layed on Jesus and His truths? As I learn more about Christians in other cultures.I wonder just how much my culture has influenced my view of Jesus? And how does that influence impact on my fruitfulness?

The Apostle Paul warns us in Romans,

Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. Romans 12:2 The Message

That well-formed maturity is what I hunger for, to know that I am continually growing in my faith and showing the proper fruits of it. Daily bringing of my heart and mind before God, waiting to hear the still small voice, gives me the opportunity to examine my faith. Daily engaging in life within family, friends, and just people in general, and our business, provides plenty of ways for testing my faith. Daily reading of God's word and reflecting on my handling of various circumstances, based on His truth and wisdom, allows me to evaluate my faith. 

However, it is only God's mercy that enables to me learn from where I have gone astray, and His grace that gives me the strength to continue on.  It is the heart knowledge that Jesus is in me and working through me that provides a hope for the future.

The saying is sure and true and worthy of full and universal acceptance, that Christ Jesus (the Messiah) came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am foremost. But I obtained mercy for the reason that in me, as the the foremost [of sinners], Jesus Christ might show forth and display all His perfect long-suffering and patience for an example to [encourage] those who would thereafter believe on Him for [the gaining of] eternal life. Now to the King of eternity, incorruptible and immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory forever and ever (to the ages of ages). Amen (so be it). 1 Timothy 1:15-17 AMP

Jesus came into the world to save sinners, me, you, everyone, no matter what we have done. He is the hope of the world. 

Question for today, when did you last take time to examine and test and evaluate your faith? And look at the fruit you are showing? If it has been a while, maybe today is a good day to start that process. Start by putting aside some time today to sit and listen to the still small voice. Really listen to what God has to say. Ask God to show you the passages in The Bible that He wants you to read. Read them with the expectation of getting revelation about your personal faith and what might need to change. Ask Jesus to help you make the changes, He is merciful and His grace is sufficient. He came into this world for you.

Him Who infuses inner strength

Not that I am implying that I was in any personal want, for I have learned how to be content (satisfied to the point where I am not disturbed or disquieted) in whatever state I am. I know how to be abased and live humbly in straitened circumstances, and I know also how to enjoy plenty and live in abundance. I have learned in any and all circumstances the secret of facing every situation, whether well-fed or going hungry, having a sufficiency and enough to spare or going without and bring in want. I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency].  Philippians 4:10-13 AMP

For the past seven years I feel as though I have been attending the 'school of learning to be content'.  I must say, I was not always a willing student! When the financial challenges first started in 2008 with the onset of the Global Financial Crisis, I had difficulty believing that our circumstances could change so quickly, and so negatively. Especially when I felt we had made wise decisions with our finances, saving, keeping debt to a minimum where possible, tithing and giving.

Throughout these seven years we have had to sell assets, downsize our business, drastically reduce our personal expenditure (which now I can see was excessive in some areas), and in the most difficult times humbly ask for help from extended family. 

Throughout these seven years, never we were without food (even if it was cereal for dinner!), clothes and our home. God was extremely gracious to us.

Now as our financial situation has started to improve, I can look back and see what God has taught me during these years. God has taken me on a journey where I have had to make a choice to learn how to be content in whatever state I am. Whilst it has been difficult and very humbling, it has been a journey that has drawn me so much closer to God, just like the parallel journey with our daughter's fight against cancer. I have had to acknowledge in my heart that God is my source, not my husband, not our business. My trust in God has had to move to a whole new level. As I read this scripture,

I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency]. Philippians 4:13 AMP

My heart is screaming, "Yes, Yes, Yes and Amen". This 'school of learning to be content', regardless of finances or health has been tough, so very tough. But today, I can see how I have changed as a result of these circumstances. My challenge now is not to forget what God has taught me over these seven years, so that I will always,

'be content (satisfied to the point where I am not disturbed or disquieted) in whatever state I am.' Philippians 4:11b

Question for today, are you attending the 'school of learning to be content'? If yes, can I encourage you that God is the best teacher you will ever have. He knew you before you were born, and knows exactly what you need now. Jesus is infusing you with the inner strength you need. The Holy Spirit is here to help us too.

So too the [Holy] Spirit comes to our aid and bears us up in our weakness; for we do not know what prayer to offer nor how to offer it worthily as we ought, but the Holy Spirit Himself goes to meet our supplication and pleads in our behalf with unspeakable yearnings and groanings too deep for utterance. Romans 8:26 AMP

Let's hold on to these truths as we learn to be content in whatever state we are in.

Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors and gain a surpassing victory through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded beyond doubt (am sure) that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things impending and threatening nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:37-39 AMP

Every day

Every day [with its new reasons] will I bless You [affectionately and gratefully praise You]; yes, I will praise Your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord and highly to be praised; and His greatness is [so vast and deep as to be] unsearchable. Psalm 145:2-3 AMP

Every day. What are your 'every day' habits? David tells us in this Psalm, that one of his 'every day' habits is to affectionately and gratefully praise God. 

This can be a difficult habit to keep, particularly when there are things in your life that you don't appear to be 'praiseworthy'.  I believe our ability to praise God in all circumstances comes back to what we believe about God. 

The Bible tells us that

We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labour] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose. Romans 8:28 AMP

The Bible also tells us that God says,

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. Then you will call upon me, and you will come and pray to Me, and I will hear and heed you. Then you will seek Me, inquire for, and require Me [as a vital necessity] and find Me when you search Me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:11-13 AMP

For me, having the truth of those scriptures written on my heart, enables me to keep praising God despite my circumstances. I have come to a place that I know, that I know, that I know, God is in control. He does have a plan, and He will work everything out for good. I just need to stick with Him and keep praising Him, every day. 

Question for today, are you able to praise God every day regardless of what is happening in your life? If not, ask God to give you some scriptures to help get His truth written on your heart. Meditate on those scriptures throughout the day, and watch your ability to praise Him grow.

With my whole heart I have sought You, inquiring for and of You and yearing for You; Oh, let me not wander or step aside [either in ignorance or willfully] from Your commandments. Your word have I laid up in my heart, that I might not sin against You. Blessed are You, O Lord; teach me Your statutes. Psalm 119:10-12 AMP

He gave the authority

2015 has begun. What lies ahead for you this year? Maybe you already have an idea of what challenges are coming your way. And maybe you don't. 

Whatever we will face, let's use this time now, to remind ourselves of who our Jesus is and what He can do, by looking at Matthew chapter 8, and all that Jesus did in one (or possibly two) days. 

And He reached out His hand and touched him, saying, I am willing; be cleansed by being cured. And instantly his leprosy was cured and cleansed. (Verse 3)

Then to the centurion Jesus said, Go; it shall be done for you as your have believed. And the servant boy was restored to health at that very moment. (Verse 13)

And when Jesus went into Peter's house, He saw his mother-in-law lying ill with a fever. He touched her hand and the fever left her; and she got up and began waiting on Him. (Verses 14 and 15)

When the evening came, they brought Him many who were under the power of demons, and He drove out the spirits with a word and restored to health all who were sick. (Verse 16)

And He said to them, Why are you timid and afraid, O you of little faith? Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great and wonderful calm (a perfect peaceableness). (Verse 26)

And the demons begged Him, If You drive us out, send us into the drove of hogs. And He said to them, Begone! So they came out and went into the hogs, and behold, the whole drove rushed down the steep bank into the sea and died in the water. (Verses 31 and 32)

In this short period of time, Jesus restored the health of many people. He drove out demons. Jesus rebuked the winds and the sea. Jesus has the authority of His Father. Jesus gives that authority to us.

But to as many did receive and welcome Him, He gave the authority (power, privilege, right) to become the children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name John 1:12 AMP 

So in 2015, let's remain alert, and face our challenges with the authority that Jesus has given us.  And throughout those challenges, let us not forget the grace, blessing, favour and gifts we have received from Him.

For out of His fullness (abundance) we have all received [all had a share and we were all supplied with] on grace after another and spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing and even favour upon favour and gift [heaped] upon gift. John 1:16 AMP