Home before sunset

It may be a strange thing to hear for some folk but I really appreciate every day that I can get home after work before sunset. I know that in some parts of the Northern Hemisphere the sun can set as late as at 10 pm. In Johannesburg in winter the sun sets somewhere between 5 and 6 pm.

Any delays at the office or errands to run after work will result in arriving home after the sun has set. Somehow this always leaves me feeling a little robbed that I have had no day time to be at home with my cats.

A longing to be home is not unusual. The question I ask myself is what perception do we have of the house of God? David talked about “dwelling in the secret place of the most high.” Surely a place we dwell should be a place we can call home.

I know that I can be as guilty as any of feeling that getting to church at times is just too much effort, but I know that is not the attitude that God desires us to have of his place of worship. I suppose the 'note to self' is if going to church were more like going home, it wouldn't require so much effort.

Have your say

Tonight's special general meeting went off well. One of the items on the agenda required being put to a vote. Some valid concerns were raised and dealt with but at the end of the day it boiled down to two things: a) You have a right to make any request, b) People have a right to vote on the matter and thereby give their approval or refusal to the matter.

God's word gives us an amazing promise. Jesus said that if we ask for anything in his name we will receive it. Now I'm not jumping on the name it and claim it band wagon, but when we have real valid request, God's word says that he will do as we ask.

The one bonus we have...... the devil doesn't get to vote on the matter. We don't have to be worried about the devil putting a veto on our requests. Isn't God great!

Turn around strategy

The complex I live in was thrown into a crisis situation just over a year ago due the unfortunate forced closure of our former managing agent company by the Estate Agents Board. My decision to step up as chairperson of the complex could not have come at a more challenging time.

It was clear that a turn around strategy was needed and that it needed to be stuck to very rigidly in order to effect the necessary changes. It has been a hard challenge with much opposition but after a year of slogging we are finally seeing some fruits from our efforts.

Are you facing a challenge today that seems insurmountable from consequences of other peoples bad decisions? Take heart and know that in God we have all the stores of wisdom and strength we need in order to effect the necessary change. With God's help, you too can turn you nasty situation around.

After all does scripture not say and our hearts believe that, “I CAN do all things through Christ who strengthens me!”

How may I be of service

Today was characterized by one thing. Bad service. Thinking about it, there were a couple of issues that stood out.

1. People don't listen to what their clients need, thereby frustrating the client further. 2. People are afraid to go the extra mile, leaving the customer to have to do even more work to get the problem resolved. 3. People don't want to take responsibility to ensure that if they can't help someone, that they make sure that they put the person in touch with the correct person who can.

I know I can't instill my values in other people, but as Christians let us remember that Christ left us with a very important example. In all things we are to serve. As a leader Christ was willing to wash his disciples feet. So too in all sphere's of life, we must serve.

There is no greater gift that we can give to the people we encounter than to serve them.

Sophie and the chocolate cake

I can remember it as though it were yesterday. Mom, who is a real ace at baking, had baked one of her famous chocolate cakes and they were on the cooling rack. The next thing my sister and I knew we were being hauled into the kitchen with mom shouting, "who's been eating my chocolate cake?"

There before us lay the two cake halfs and sure enough there were chunks missing. My sister and I pleaded our innocence, but mom was having nothing of it. I can hardly blame her as I can only imagine the sight of two little girls standing side by side shaking their heads, all the while looking guilty as sin (after all, all kids have that naughty look).

Mom managed to rescue the cake with a little extra jam and yummy chocolate icing, but my sister and I knew, this wasn't going to be the end of it. A short while later another cake followed. This time we were banished from the kitchen. Lo and behold, but who was caught munching at the chocolate cake, but our cat Sophie. We were finally off the hook.

What a joy to know that when the devil hauls us before God, with sin dripping from our lips that we have a high priest who not only pleads our innocence but also pays the bail and sentence fine! Thank you Jesus for your sacrifice.

Disconnected battery

I had to leave the office today to go to my bank. While I was there, for some unknown reason my car alarm went off without me realising it. The security guards somehow managed to get my hood open and disconnected my battery.

When I returned and tried to start my car, it obviously would not start. The guard came to me and explained what happened. Once reconnected I was on my way.

Isn't that what happens to us some times? We get so busy with life that we don't notice that somehow we have become disconnected from God. We feel weak and powerless but can't figure out what happened.

So how do we reconnect to God? I've found the best ways for me are through scripture reading and worship. Worship brings the presence of God into our lives and scripture brings his guidance and wisdom to our thoughts.

If you've become disconnected to God, spend some time to reconnect with him today.

Smells like fish, tastes like chicken

Today's lunch of rice with chicken cooked in tomatoes with baby marrows, somehow just smelled like fish. I'm not really sure how that happened, but somehow the combination managed to fool my nose.

In life we need to make sure we don't allow the devil to fool us. The bible says that Satan masquerades as an "Angel of light." This means that certain things may on the surface appear to be good, but when doing a little digging we discover they are not.

This is what happens with many 'sects' that are formed. The sect may call themselves a church and appear to be preaching from the bible when in fact they twist scripture to make it fit their own ideology.

We need to learn to guard our heart and make sure that we judge preaching with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We can do this by comparing what we hear preached against other scripture. God will always confirm his word. So remember to always stay on your toes and judge scripture with wisdom.

String and feathers

When my cats were kittens they loved playing with various toys. Over the years though they lost interest in most toys, but still enjoyed playing with string. Lately though the string had lost its luster as well.

A while ago I found a feather and wondered how they would respond to having it on the string. The reaction was immediate. The movement of the feather created an eye catching play thing, not to mention that the feather represents their favourite prey.

Has reading the bible lost its luster to you? How do we spice up our bible reading? Having different bible versions is one way we can do that. Different versions brings out different view points or meanings in scripture. We must remember that the bible was not written in English so we sometimes need a little help getting a fuller picture.

Time to go spice it up!

Did it again

Oh sigh! It happened again. For some odd reason I fell into a deep, deep sleep this morning and did not hear my alarm clock at all. I woke up at 8:30 with a fright and phoned my boss in a flurry. The funniest part for me is that there are always two questions that pop up first thing when I wake up in an overslept state and those are, “Where am I..... and what day is it?”

Lol! The 'what day is it' I can understand as the only sleep in mornings allowed are Saturday and Sunday. 'Where am I' on the other hand always has me bemused. Why on earth would I think I'm anywhere else other than at home snug in my bed? :-)

The one good thing I can say about an oversleep day is that by the time I do get to work, I'm ready and fired up to go. As sleep is to the soul, so a good dose of Holy Spirit power is to the Spirit man. We need to ensure that as much as we take care of the body, we should also take care of our Spirit so that we will be ready and fired up to serve God with passion!

Kings and trees

18 July 1918 will forever be immortalized for one fact. This is the birth date of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. Today as the world celebrates the 94^th birthday of this elderly statesman, it is only fitting to pay him tribute for the great sacrifice he made as he fought for the human rights of the African people living in South Africa.

Mandela was named Nelson by his school teacher, but his birth name ‘Rolihlahla’ means “pulling the branch of a tree.” He is a minor royal as he is the great-grandson of King Ngybengcuka of the Tembu people.

Did our King Jesus not hang on a cross, made from a tree? It seems both these great leaders knew something we often forget. It is only in great sacrifice that great leadership is born. Happy Birthday Madiba!

Knock knock

Arriving home to find the cobwebs gone was a big relief. It felt so good I felt like throwing a party and inviting everyone to see my neat and clean patio. The shame of the cobwebs was gone and I felt free to let people come into my space.

We try to do that with Jesus too though. We say Lord, “wait until I have my house in order.” Then we can fellowship together without having to feel guilt. Jesus doesn't require this of us though. All he says is, “I stand at the door and knock.” If we are willing to open the door of our heart, he is willing to come inside and fellowship with us.

Zacheus learned this when he was perched up in the tree waiting for Jesus to pass by. Jesus told him that he was going to his house and that was that. It was once Zacheus had fellowshiped with Jesus, that his heart was softened and he was able to see what he needed to do to get right with God.

Jesus is standing at the door of your heart today. Have you opened the door to let him in?

Help with my cobwebs

I have a confession to make. Being unable to reach the roof of my patio, even on a ladder has left me with a teeeny tiny problem. A few spiders have made themselves at home and I have a bunch of cobwebs to clear. Not having the right tools myself means I'm going to need a little help getting the job done.

The human brain is a fascinating organ. It has the ability to weave a complex web around any memories of events of that have caused us pain. Like my cobwebs, these memories can become difficult to reach and we may need the help of a Pastor, friend or councellor to give us the tools to successfully clear our memory cobwebs.

For some of us, opening up to someone, even a friend can be very difficult. The good news is that the Holy Spirit is our divine councellor and will always come along side us to comfort us and help us as we go through this process. If you are struggling with an issue right now, ask the Holy Spirit make his manifest presence known to you so that you can get the comfort and help that you need.

After Solstice

I don't know if it is just my imagination, but it seems to me as if the harshest weather, be it hot or cold, always occurs after the summer or winter solstice. That always seems strange to me as my logic tells me that the weather should peak around the same time solstice does.

Spiritually speaking though we will observe the same phenomenon. It is usually when we are on our way out of difficulty back on the way to breakthrough that the toughest times lay ahead. We are often tempted into lowering our guard against the evil one due to this misconception.

A spiritual breakthrough will always proceed a physical one and it is then that we loose focus. A word of prophecy or important scripture is there to help give us the strength to endure the difficult time ahead and not to tell us to relax and take it easy.

If you are going through a hard time now, don't loose heart. God has gone before you. He has already turned your situation around and he will give you the strength to endure the tough times ahead.

Note: I feel this message is very important to someone right now. If it is for you, please email me and let me know so that I can stand in prayer with you. GWG.Ronwyn@gmail.com

Turning tide

We all know that the reason the tide changes is due to the gravitational pull of the moon on the earth. The wonderful thing about tides is that the come in and out constantly. They are never stationary but constantly in a state of flux.

Life in general and our walk with God are equally buoyant, so the one thing we need to learn to do is to make the most of each tide. Low and high tide each have their own unique advantages and using each well, will help you as your progress in your walk with God.

You may have been feeling frustrated by the constant changes but embracing each change will give you an edge in life. If you've been feeling overwhelmed by a huge high tide or lost with no water to ride in a low tide, ask God to show you how to make the most of all each tide and I know the Holy Spirit will give you the guidance you need.

Watering can

While shopping for pots recently when the roses arrived, I couldn't resist buying a watering can.  It definitely brought back fond childhood memories of holidays with my grandmother in Margate and running round watering her plants and chattering about fairies.

It's amazing to me how easily and powerfully positive memories can override any bad ones, thus very easily facilitating an emotional healing process. Once again it is an example of a symbol that we can identify with in order to effect forgiveness and healing.

Maybe that is why Christ had to hang on a cross and not killed in some other way.  The cross being a powerful symbol of our reconciliation with God by bridging the gap between God and mankind.  The cross also being raised off the ground, lifting our eyes from earth towards heaven.

Maybe that's what Paul meant when he said, "Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith." Where are your eyes focused today? 

Meal plan

Being single has its challenges, but it also has its perks. With no hubby or kids to worry about I really can just whip something out of the cupboard, with no need to worry about gourmet taste. So when planning a meal for a friend or entertaining come up, I often find myself thinking about the meal plan hours, sometimes days before.

I wonder what thoughts Jesus must have had as he planned the last supper with his disciples? He knew the plan and he knew that this would be the last moments of joy he would share with his now beloved friends before he would turn not only his, but their worlds upside down.

I know Jesus would have thought of every detail the same way we would and I'm sure that his heart burned as the moment drew near for the supper to begin. Jesus knew he would die, but he also knew he would rise again and that he would be reunited with his disciples.

For most of us, we will not know the day or the hour that God has chosen for our departure. Every meal shared with family or friends is special. Enjoy those moments of closeness and learn to communicate your love for your guests at every opportunity.

User Guide

Over the 3 years I've been at the bank, I've taken a lot of effort to document processes and try to record knowledge gained. Some recent changes in our middle management structure necessitated that I take some effort to now put them all together in one place, which I have started to do today.

Having a user guide can greatly facilitate training new staff or even assist a new manager as they step into another leaders role. Retaining knowledge and wisdom is the key to building a strong organisation.

The Bible is our ultimate user guide. We have the benefit of thousands of years of wisdom stored up for us to tap into. The biggest advantage we have is that not only do we have this written user guide but we have a living Sage in the Holy Spirit, teaching us how to apply this wisdom.

Do you have a touch decision to make? Maybe it's time to consult “The Ancient of Days.”

Potting soil

When a neighbour kindly offered me some rose plants, I wasn't about to say no. It took me a few days to get organised with some pots, but I finally got sorted on Friday evening. Eager to get them home I prepared the pots with the potting soil and went round to collect them.

Once home, I proceeded to put them in one by one. The kitties love it when I'm doing gardening and darted round chasing each other. Curiosity got the better of Ginger and he bounced into one of the pots and scratched around. The best part was watching him scooping up paw fulls of the potting soil and look at it in dismay as he's never felt such “soft soil” on his paws before.

I can only imagine the delight on Father God's face when we “discover new truths” in God's Word, as the revelation power of the Holy Spirit opens our eyes to the Bible's secrets. God's desire is for us to grow in our understanding of scripture continuously. When last did you make a new discovery about scripture? Maybe it's time for a little scripture adventure.

Lost in the numbers

One of the difficulties with working with numbers day in and day out is that sometimes they loose their meaning. What I mean is not that they are less valuable, it can just become hard to recognise a number you've been looking for.

When reading scripture, we can often face the same problem. A story has become so familiar that we loose the fact that the bible is written about real people with real lives and that their life had meaning. The experiences they went through were real and we are simply allowed a window seat as we fly past these scenes in the aeroplane of history.

So next time you are tempted to glance past the story of Noah and laugh at all the animals, or shake your head at Jonah for being so silly and disobedient, stop yourself and ask the question, “How would I really have reacted to this situation?” and “What can I learn from the successes or failures of our biblical hero's? Once you do, you may find that your real response may have actually been very similar and it's then that we have our Ah ha moment and smile.

One foot forward

My mom had the privilege of climbing Mt Kilimanjaro several years back. The one fact that stuck in my mind from her amazing adventure was how tough things were on that final ascent.

The air so thin and temperatures so cold that making any steps forward at all were a victory on its own. The last few hundred meters taking comparatively speaking longer than the entire journey before.

I don't know about you but that certainly rang true to me. I know before me lies a great victory but the road to that moment seems so cold, wet and hard with little air to breath.

The Sherpa came to my mom's aid, willing her on every step, just saying one more step. The Holy Spirit is our great Sherpa, nudging us to just keep going one more step. If you are struggling with difficult circumstances, ask the Holy Spirit to come along side you and help you keep going.

Who can?

So who can count the rays of the Sun or the Sands on the shore?

Who can count the galaxies or Stars that mighty roar?

Who can count the planets that hang in orbit and never fall?

Who can see a radio wave before our ears hear sound?

Who can count the rings of bark on every tree and more?

Who can count the mustard seeds so tiny on the ground?

Who can count the hairs on our head or even a tiny pore?

Who can count the speckles in my eyes or the lashes on my lids?

Who can make each finger print a unique and awesome code?

If ever there was doubt before, the silence must abound,

For only God can do all this and many many more.

When our hearts grow weak and flesh does fade, how do we come around?

Remind yourself that in Christ we have eternal hope and power.

King of Gems

July's birthstone, the Ruby, is like a perfect red rose. The Ruby's rich colour speaks of love and passion. Called the "Rajnapura" or King of Gems by ancient Hindus, it is among the most highly prized of gems throughout history. The Ruby was most worn by royalty was believed to grow darker when peril was imminent, and to return to its original colour once danger was past. 
 

Doesn't the bible tell us that the Holy Spirit will show us things to come? Surely he is our great Ruby, able to keep our hearts sensitive to God and enable us to hear when we are in danger and when action is required. 

 

The word Ruby comes from the Latin "ruber," meaning red. It is a variety of the mineral Corundum, and is found as crystals within metamorphic rock. Corundum is the second hardest mineral, after Diamond. It comes in a variety of colours, and is considered a Sapphire in any colour except red, which is designated as a Ruby. Large sized Rubies are very rare and valuable.

Are we not prized to God among the nations? Has God not said of us, “for you are a royal priesthood, a holy nation?” Are we not set apart from all others and prized as unique? Surely we are!

It has been said that the Ruby's red glow comes from an internal flame that cannot be extinguished, making a gift of this stone symbolic of everlasting love. Did Christ not display his everlasting love for us by sacrificing himself for us? 
 
Let Ruby's passion inspire us to live our love for God and recognize not only His, but our own Great worth!

Some kind of "Enza"

I suspected nothing wrong on Wednesday night, but on Thursday morning woke up in pain everywhere. Head, back, neck, stomach and legs, every part of my body aching.

By Friday morning not much progress was made, other than not being in quite so much pain. A visit to the doctor was complicated by the fact that there were no clear symptoms pointing in one direction. The doc put it down to some or other influenza and we treated the symptoms.

Well it's Sunday now and I'm still feeling a little worse for ware but getting better slowly. Not being able to peg the symptoms directly has proved to be quite frustrating. I wonder if that sometimes happens in our spiritual lives too?

So much goes wrong that we end up not being able to diagnose our spiritual ailments. I guess in reality dealing with spiritual ailments is no different to dealing with our physical ones. We have to start with the most obvious syptoms first.

I'd say a great place to start when dealing with either body, mind or soul is getting lots of sleep. Our body cannot heal if it does not get rest but our spiritual judgements will also be clowded if we are fatigued.

With a good dose of sleep we are usually able to think a little clearer and find the guidance we are looking for to heal our situation.