God's Mercies Are New Everyday

Lamentations 3:22 - 24 (ESV)
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; (23) they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (24)  “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”

We all have bad days, let's be honest with each other.  The reasons for having a bad day are innumerable, from having a taxi pull out in front of you in traffic on your way to work, to the passing away of a friend.  No matter the extreme, both can cause negative emotions leaving us feeling sad and down, sometimes even depressed.  Most of us would have experienced a spiral of emotions where one bad incident can spiral into a mini depression lasting even into the next day and sometimes even week.

But the writer of this verse identified 2 things that could counteract such a spiral of negative emotions.  1)  A new dawn means a fresh start.
2)  Appreciating God's mercy.
When you combine the 2 together, you have the perfect recipe for snapping out of an emotional breakdown of any kind.

Firstly, the simple act of sleeping and waking up a few hours later is like a filter for the brain.  All the bad stuff that was said and done the day before is often filtered out of our consciousness and we wake up with a clear mind.  Add to this the fact that a rising sun inspires most people to face a new day with passion, and already you have a great opportunity to forget the past.

Secondly, we need to realise that each new day provides a new opportunity for God to show His Mercy, Faithfulness, Love and Goodness.  Considering these aspects inspires the writer to worship (look at verse 24).  When we appreciate the small things each and every day, it will inspire worship within our hearts.  Worship helps us to be mindful of God, and being mindful of God gives one Supernatural Joy and Peace.  It is a perfect cycle.

So my friend, the next time you have a bad day, don't let your anger or emotion affect those around you (Eph. 4:26), but then get to bed and allow God's natural design of sleep clear your mind.  Wake up to the fresh smelling brew of a cup of tea or coffee, thankful that you have such a sensitive smell; look at the sun breaking through the clouds as it rises for another day, thankful that you can see it's beauty and feel it's warmth; and face the day knowing that God is good, and He has good things in store for you today.  Because He has, you just need to find them and take them.

The Lord truly is our portion, and our hope is in Him, because He is Good!

The Law has been Summed Up

Galatians 5:14
The entire Law is summed up in a single command:  "Love your neighbor as yourself."

People who come into a supernatural revelation of the Grace of God often do so when they realise that they are no longer "under the Law", that the Law no longer applies to them, and they most certainly don't need to obey it perfectly in order to please God.  These are all powerful truths.  The only challenge is that often the very purpose the Law was given is disregarded.

People show throw the baby out with the bathwater, if you like.  Now, don't get me wrong, I am not advocating we start relooking at the Law and see what may be helpful for us to live good Christian lives, no, that is not what I am saying.  (Because if we did, we would become obsessed with keeping it, like the Israelites did).  What I am saying is that there is a purpose behind God giving the Law, and we should consider that purpose.  The purpose was that the Israelites would live in peace.

"World Peace".  This is one of the most common answers to the question "what is the one thing you would ask for if you could have anything in the world?"  It is engrained into our DNA that we were meant to live in peace and harmony with one another.  Why?  God designed us that way.

The point of the Law was Love.  Jesus came to show us that.  The Israelites priests of the day were keeping the Law outwardly and looked down upon anyone who didn't match up.  They were revered and respected almost as demi-gods, and had a strong hand of control of the people.  Jesus came and showed up what was in their hearts.  It wasn't Love.  They had become so obsessed with keeping the Law outwardly that they had no regard for the person behind the lawbreaker.

Kingdom justice is not about punishment, it is about restoration.  One only has to look at John 8 and the woman caught in adultery to see that.  Jesus came to show us that at the heart of God was not some megalomaniac dictator who wanted robotic lawkeepers, no, there was a heart of a Father who longed for nothing more than to see His children live in peace with each other.

Friends, today, remember, this is the heart of our faith.  Unconditional Love.  Let's remember this imperative Truth in our quest to see God's Kingdom come here on Earth.  The greatest manifestation of Heaven on Earth is peace between mankind.  Friends, it has been made possible through the Cross!

We know that we can never Love unconditionally unless we get a glimpse of God's unconditional Love for us.  (1 John 4:19)    Friends, have a look at the Great Love the Father has for you, and allow His Love to penetration every part of your heart and let it so overwhelm you that it oozes out of you to everyone you know, and everywhere you go.

There is NOTHING Like the Manifest Presence of God!

Exodus 33:14 - 16
The LORD replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."
Then Moses said to Him, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.  How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us?  What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the Earth?"

As you may know, the context of this conversation between God and Moses is that God said to Moses that He will send them an Angel to lead them into the Promised Land from that point on, and no longer would He Himself go with them.

This is an interesting point to take note of.  While theoretically, we know that God is everywhere.  But He is not Manifest everywhere.  Much like water vapour is everywhere, it's strength and power is felt in stronger measures:  Water vapour, condensed water droplets, rain, a river, an ocean, the depths of an ocean.  You get the idea?  In the same way, the Presence of God is everywhere (like water vapour) but is felt in deeper measures where He chooses to Manifest Himself.

Moses didn't want the comfort of knowing God is everywhere all the time (omnipresent).  Nor was he even satisfied with the physical presence of Angel leading him!  (Most of us would have settled for that!)  Moses had already experienced something greater...  the Manifest Presence of God.  And He could no longer live without it.  If God's Manifest Presence was not going to go with the Israelites into the Promised Land, Moses would rather have the Israelites stay in the desert where His Manifest Presence was.

Friends, as children of God we have the privilege of knowing the direct connection to God Himself.  And when we tap into that, even our physical appearance will change!  (See 2 Corinthians 3:13 and 18!)  There is nothing like the experience of being touched by the Manifest Presence of God.  To be in a place where His Presence is there in Glory.  It is life-changing.

His Presence distinguishes us from other people.  His Presence makes us radiate.  His Presence brings joy.  His Presence brings peace.  People can see someone radiating the Presence of God, even unbelievers.

Friends, God wants us to be refreshed in His Presence.  God wants to Manifest Himself among us!  In our meetings, in our times of worship and prayer, in our homes, etc.  It is not a list of to-dos that He is after in order to come.  He is not waiting for us to clean ourselves up.  He is just looking for hunger.  Do you long for the Presence of God?

I don't know about you, I am not satisfied with a few songs and a well-worded prayer.  I want Him!  I want His Presence.  I long for a touch of the Manifest Presence of God!  I find if I haven't experienced His Presence for a period of time (sometimes this is a few days, sometimes a few weeks!), my heart starts to long for Him.  Like a thirst that comes out of nowhere, I start craving Him.  Often, that craving becomes so strong all it takes is one favourite song in the car and His Presence manifests.  That's the power of hunger.

If you don't have such a hunger, don't be condemned!  Next week we'll cover this in further detail.

Until then, may you experience the Presence of God in greater measures!  Especially this Sunday at the church gathering!

How To Change Your Heart

Proverbs 21:1
The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord;
He directs it like a watercourse wherever He pleases.

This is an interesting verse.  I am not a hyper-sovereignty preacher, and I don't want to get into a "sovereignty of God" debate with any one as that is not what this article is all about.  What I would like to draw your attention to is the first line...  "the king's heart is in the hand of the Lord".

If you ask me, that is some serious encouragement.  Why?  Well, God's desire is that all men act in Love toward one another to create a "near perfect" environment.  The issue, as we know, is that many people's hearts are in the wrong place.  They are motivated by fear, anger, hurt, disappointed instead of Love.

This verse encourages me because it says that God can work with hearts.  We know that the Gospel is a radical heart change.  But I believe even Christians can get a hard heart toward others, unfortunately.  As I am sure you have experienced!  So what is the key?

The key is the word "King".  Could it be that when a man or a woman recognise their value as a child of God, they automatically open a door for God to work on their hearts?  This means even Christians can have hearts closed off from God.  They believe and receive Jesus has atoned for their sins, but they haven't realised their value as Royalty, and so have parts of their heart that they haven't opened up to allow God to work on.

What am I saying?  All I am saying is that when we realise the value of who we are as children of God, it becomes a whole lot easier to allow God in and do some change on our hearts.

Friends, I have seen it.  Just this week I apprehended some boys who we caught stealing a cell phone.  I spoke with them and told them their value as children of God.  I saw their eyes change.  I saw them feel sorry for what they had done.  I didn't want a verbal apology, I wanted them to know in their hearts what they had done was wrong.  And I was blown away at how emphasising their value as Royal children of God opened up their hearts.

Friends, this is what we after!  True and deep heart change!  Not outward, external actions that may be empty, but change from the inside.  We can have that so easily the more we realise that we are Kings and Queens in the Royal Priesthood of God!  (Revelation 19:16 - we are the kings Jesus is King over! And 1 Peter 2:9)

I pray that Holy Spirit would reveal this Glorious Truth to you (and your friends and family), and that as He does so, your heart would open up to the King of kings to be worked on and be motivated by His unconditional Love.

Joshua 1:5
No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
(6) “Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them.

What a promise from God!  Wow.  Think about that for a second...  "No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life."  No one.  Those are big words.  Nothing can come up against you!  It doesn't matter what you face, when you are walking in the purposes of God for your life, nothing can stand in your way.

Now, I know that the above phrase can cast a bit of doubt in people's hearts, and cause them to ask "how do I know I am walking in the purposes of God?"  Well, my answer to that is simple...  Jesus said to us in Matthew 6 that if we "seek first His Kingdom and His Righteousness all these things will be added unto us."  I have a very basic rule of thumb in life, I ensure God is first in my life.  His Kingdom always comes first.  And I follow my heart after that.  He's in me, and I trust the decisions I make to be His when He is first!

Now, that's another topic altogether, but let me also just say, when you have a revelation that you are deeply Loved by the Creator of the Universe and are His Beloved Child, it is easy to make Him first.  And when He is first, you will walk in His purposes easier than you think!  And when walking in His purposes, nothing can stand up against you.

You may have pressures and difficulties, like Paul and Silas did in prison, you may face retrenchment or sickness, whatever the trial may be.  But God's Word is clear, it will not stand up against you.  It may intimidate, it may get in your way, but it cannot stand against you.  Eventually, it must and will be removed!

Your God will never leave you nor forsake you, He is with you always.  No matter what it is that you are facing right now, or have to face in the future, know that it cannot be victorious, and won't be victorious.  You may find yourself swimming out in the open seas after a shipwreck or stuck in jail like Paul was, or in a Lion's Den like Daniel, or being pursued by an enemy (Saul) like David...  But if you find the courage from this Message that your God will never leave you nor forsake you, and that it won't end this way, and you don't give up...  like them, you too will see victory!


Thought for the weekend:  Too many battles have been abandoned because the child of God didn't realise that the victory would be theirs if they didn't give up.

How To Please God - Part 2

Colossians 1:9 - 12

(PART 1 - Last week) ...we continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, (PART 2 - This week) being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the Kingdom of light.

So we continue with this 2 part encouragement from this passage..  If you missed last week, visit the previous blog post.  Last week we looked at the fact that we need supernatural wisdom to know God's will for sure.  We also discussed how to live a life that pleases God (it is easier than we think!).  This week, we wrap it up with the final two points coming from this passage in Colossians 1...

3.  Strengthened
Most of us need strengthening.  Especially physically and emotionally.  When we are performing in the purposes Daddy has created us for, something is ignited in our bodies.  We feel refreshed.  We receive life.  This is what happens when we are stepping out in God's will!  It strengthens our very beings!

And if we are doing these things outside of normal working hours, or even in the midst of a tough season in life, they will help give us the patience to endure those tough times.  Whether it be until we get a new job, move into our "calling" full-time, or make it into a comfortable season.

4.  We HAVE been qualified!
Notice how Paul makes this statement in the past tense!  As children of God we have already been qualified through what Jesus did on our behalf.

That means that we have an inheritance.  In order to qualify to become the King of England, there needs to be a son in line.  We have become (even by blood!) children of the Great King and we are thus qualified to take our position in the Royal Kingdom!

And this inheritance is the Earth.  (Rom. 4:13).  The children of God were born to exude the Goodness and Character of God through everyday life in every area of society.  It is our inheritance.

You have already been qualified to enter into that inheritance.  So step into it!  The more Children of God that do, the more we will see transformation in this world.

How To Please God - Part 1

Colossians 1:9 - 12
(PART 1 - This week) ...we continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding,  so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way:  bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, (PART 2 - Next week)  being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the Kingdom of light.

Over the next week, I'd like to use this stunning passage in Colossians to encourage you as you enter God's purposes more and more.  Using the above passage, I am going to highlight 4 points coming out of this passage that will help you.  We'll cover the first 2 today, and the second 2 next week.

1.  The Knowledge of God's will
Paul prays for us to be filled with the knowledge of God's will.  Interestingly, he goes on to say how that knowledge comes about...  through spiritual wisdom.  So the will of God is not an open book, unfortunately.  Due to the fall, we live in a world that has become corrupt and filled with challenges.  Due to the nature of this world, we need supernatural revelation to understand what God's will is.  In general, and for our lives.  To understand that it is always God's will to heal, that God does love you unconditionally despited what you've done etc. requires a supernatural revelation.  If you haven't had such a revelation as yet, I pray you would receive it soon!

2.  Living a life that pleases God
This is an interesting one and will get people caught up if they don't understand the Covenants clearly.  God is pleased with us already!  Notice that at the end of this verse Paul tells us that we are already qualified by Him!

So what is Paul talking about here, then?  It brings joy to Daddy's heart when we understand His will and His heart for mankind!

This is when we understand God's will in general.  But it also brings joy to Daddy's heart when we understand what His will is for our own lives.  When we begin to realise what He created us for.  When we begin to find our purpose in life.

Why does that please Him?  Because we will bear good fruit!  When you are performing tasks according to your divine purpose and destiny, you are the most effective you could ever be as a representative of Heaven!  Representing Heaven doesn't mean trying to preach at every moment you spend with a perceived "unbeliever".  Representing Heaven means people seeing Joy, Peace, Love and Righteousness emitting from your life!  That is a living testimony!  A living epistle.

God wants you to naturally bear fruit.  And when you are doing the things He has created you to do, it will be as natural as breathing.  Whether it is teaching others how to Scuba Dive, coaching your son's Soccer Team, leading a Cell Group, going on a Mission Trip, cooking a meal, mothering a child, presenting a Business Deal, just about anything could be labeled as God's purpose.  The key is finding what it is He has created you to do!

To be continued next week with Part 2...