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Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Hungry Lion

It couldn't have been more appropriate. My verse of the day from Bible Gateway read: 1 Peter 5:8-9 - Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.

Isn't that an encouragement for Piranha season. Lol! If it isn't going to bite your tail in the water it will catch you on land..... :-) But it is a sobering thought. The devil is actively seeking out ways to destroy you. If it isn't trouble at home with the family, it might be at work with your colleagues or even your car might be the cause of all the mayhem.

The trick is to know who's behind it all.....yip you got it! One Lucifer is at it again. But oh the joy, we are told how to defeat him. Resist him, stand firm in your faith. James 4:7 gives us some added advice - So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. That is WILL as in the positive, he absolutely must...!

Whatever your attack today, know that God is on your side and he has given you the right sword and spear, all we have to do is to use them!

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Linked storms

As tropical storm Sandy has battered the east coast of America, we all hold our breath and hope that this time the people of the region had enough warning to escape to higher ground. Back home we have had a week of heavy rain fall, but luckily with some clear sky in between with hopefully enough time for the soil to dry out a bit.

We have had a lot of hail, more so than usual. Are these storms linked? Not directly as the part of a single storm system, but we are all on one planet and what affects one part of the planet one way, will affect another part in a different way, like flooding in one area and drought in another.

As the body of Christ we are also linked. When one part of the body is hurting, we all hurt. When one part is celebrating, we can all celebrate. We need to learn to lean on one another when times are tough. Sticking together is the only way we can get through the storms of life.

Monday, October 29, 2012

Matching figures

Accounting does have its boring side. Matching thousands of debits and credits can leave your cross eyed. Sometimes figures can be out by just a few or even just 1 cent. Unfortunately if you are out of balance, it will mean going back over your figures again until you have it right.

There simply are no short cuts, you must take it one set of numbers at a time. Why is it that we are so desperate to take the easy option out. I know it is human nature but short cuts simply don't teach us what we need to learn in life.

The children of Israel spent 40 years wondering round the desert when the journey could have taken only a few days. God chose to use this time in the wilderness to rid them of the memories of their oppression and teach them to have faith in Him. That is why when Joshua and his men entered the promised land they understood how to 'shout' their victory song.

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Fresh reward

This weekend I got to enjoy the first crops from my herb garden. What a delightful taste reward. The oregano adds such a delightful burst of flavour while the thyme and especially lemon thyme add an interesting tangy zest.

After the weeks I've spent tending to these plants it was a refreshing reward. I've been researching the health benefits to eating fresh herbs for a while so being able to eat my crop while knowing these facts made the salads I'd made all the more enjoyable.

Well scripture has many health benefits. A heart of faith able to tackle life's challenges. A scent of ambition to plot course to our vision. A flavour of love to season the meals of fellowship that life brings our way.

Have you had your fresh herbs today?

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Do the Cha-cha

A good friend posted on Facebook, "Taking a step back after a step forward is not a disaster, it's the cha-cha." Boy I know a few people who could learn from that. Especially the one's with a temper problem.

Life is going to throw us curve balls, we have to learn to deal with it. We cannot go through life chucking our toys every time we don't get our way and most of the time we are peaved about relatively small stuff!

Now Martha on the otherhand had a valid grype. Her brother Lazarus had died, and Jesus his friend, the famous healer had not come to heal him when there was still a chance of recovery.

What did Jesus do? He didn't stress about it. He showed his compassion and grief by the tears that He shed..... Then He went one better than healing and raised Lazarus from the dead!

When we stress about little things we show lack of faith in God. God can and will answer our prayers, but He does it His way!

Have faith in God!

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Noise

Noise, it bombards you from every side and all you want to do is shout....... QUIET! Jesus knew that feeling too. In Luke 5:16 we read, “And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.”

How I know I need to do that today. Just a moment, just a time to be alone with Jesus and to feel his presence. A moment to hear him say all will be well. There is something very special about that quiet place. Close your eyes and you can almost feel the sea breeze and hear the waves crashing, or, maybe a quiet pine forest.

Retreat to places of quiet are necessary for all of us so we must find a way to make a special space in our homes that are just for that, quiet meditation. As you do, your soul is refreshed and heart set at ease and you are ready to face the world again.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Piranha season

I call this time of year Piranha season. It feels as if everywhere you turn, there is stress and tension and everybody wants a piece of you. Things go wrong just for the fun of it and before you know it, you're beat, tired, exhausted and all of the above.

So how do we get through this treacherous time of year and still come out smelling like roses on the other end? Well first things first, take a deep breath. Then scripture gives us a clue:

Galatians 6:2 “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Which law of Christ? To love your neighbour as yourself. Now is the time to be a friend and lean on a friend. In case you feel there's no one you can turn to remember the old hymn..... what a friend we have in Jesus!

Monday, October 22, 2012

Tough choices

There come times in life when we have to make and face difficult choices. The result of those choices will result in other people having to take a hard, long look at their situation and reconsider their position.

The fact is that most people will give into their first base emotion, anger. Instead of looking for the truth and submitting their emotions to the change required, they will rebel. That is just human nature. Sitting on the other side means that their anger will be diverted back at you.

How do we handle these tough choices? The only way is with courage. Some people may choose the right path, that is to humble themselves and learn from the lesson or trial. Others sadly, will allow their anger to take hold and you will have to face that anger and if you are right, stand firm until they learn through the pain they will inflict on themselves.

I wish I could make it easier. The only thing I know for sure from having had to face my own painful truths, is that eventually, success will come.

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Flying low

They say when swallows fly low it is going to rain. I found another reason they would do so, flying ants. The opportunity to feast on a hoard of flying ants as they leave their breading nets presents a wonderful feeding opportunity.

Do similar feasting opportunities arise for us in the spirit world? They most certainly do. Christian conferences and opportunities to hear international guest speakers can boost our word exposure. Attending bible study courses and fellowship groups should do the same.

To everything there is a season including a time to feast and a time to abstain from feasting. This principle applies to how much and how often we take part in reading God's word. When last did you have a word feast?

Thursday, October 18, 2012

FICA

I spent the day in FICA training. You know, that annoying little task we all had to perform by going into banks and other financial institutions with our ID and proof of residence. Well it appears there is far more to the process than meets the eye.

I had questioned why us as head office staff needed to complete the course but I suppose it is because we have access to all sorts of information. With the right information we could be instrumental in stopping the global scourge of money laundering.

As Christians there is another scourge we can be instrumental in stopping. The spread of hopelessness and despair that the devil likes to dish out at every opportunity. In our global Christian domestic product, how much are we loosing by allowing our fellow man to remain in this sorry state? Far more than money. Think of the amazing lives we've lost to alcohol and drug addiction alone.

Are you spiritually FICA compliant?

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Thanks for the help

These last two days have been unusually busy with changes in my routine that I hadn't anticipated. As a result last night I did not get time to water my plants and it did irk somewhat. It wasn't long into the evening, when I heard some thunder. God heard me and sent rain.

Now I know it is summer and rain is to be expected, but we have had times when despite our earth crying out for rain, it just hasn't come, so I was especially grateful for the assistance. Tonight was much the same except that I did spot the clouds. It was only a short downpour but definitely enough to make a difference.

Gratitude is a powerful force and Jesus knew this. When only one leper returned to give thanks, after ten had been healed, even Jesus remarked, “but where are the other nine?” Gratitude releases faith and that is why scripture teaches us to pray with thanksgiving. What small thing can you give God thanks for today?

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

A simple two letter word

I always thought I had a pretty good sense of my personal boundaries, but I was faced with the truth today, that this was not true. I've allowed people to overstep my boundaries because I simply did not feel good enough to insist upon being treated with respect. It is precisely because of this that I have had to endure far more stress than I needed too.

Surprisingly I've learned that my biggest downfall has been in the area of not being willing to say a very simple two letter word – No! Why is it that we allow people to push us in a direction we don't want to go?

I believe it has much to do with the value we place on ourselves. Do you feel other peoples rights are more important than your own? If God could say No to his beloved Israel and then surely we can insist on our rights being respected.

Monday, October 15, 2012

Bigger but not smarter

Unfortunately we find in life that some bullies never grow up, they just change addresses. Be they male or female, they think they are either bigger than you, stronger than you or tougher than you and they think that whatever they want to do too you, they can get away with.

The one thing I've learned about bullies is that they aren't very smart. They are so quick to shoot from the hip that they never stop to check which direction the gun is pointed. So how do we deal with bullies? Silent meditation.

More often than not, people who come gunning for you, have not taken the time to stop and think about their actions and the consequences of those actions. When we stop and listen to the Holy Spirit he will open your eyes to their mistakes. Then with wisdom you can navigate safely through the crack in the wall, they thought wasn't even visible.

So take heart! Whether your bully is 5,10 or 50, don't fear! Draw near to God and he will be your shield of strength.

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Trust

Its amazing how quickly a relationship of trust can be broken. My car has now passed its 5 year warranty period, so I was free to select any dealer for a service. I had arranged with a service center I know well to have it serviced there.

When I booked the appointment last week I was given an expected price but didn't request a written quote (stupid, I know). The amount was what I felt comfortable paying, so I took it in on Friday.

To my shock and horror when I phoned a few hours later to confirm completion, the total I was given was double what I had anticipated and it hit me hard. Needless to say, I won't be going back there again.

We need to remember in all relationships that trust must be earned. Did God not pay the ultimate price for us to have a relationship with us.

God gave us his Word first, now it is time for us to give Him ours.

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Peanut gallery

We all know them, the ones who always have an opinion, criticize everything and generally have nothing good or positive to say. Well, they annoy me. I hate being around fault finders, negative people and people who just always see the glass as half full.

We should take our direction from scripture. Philippians 4:8 reads,”Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things.”

We need to guard against negativity. It can destroy hope and enthusiasm in a second. We know that God works all things for our good, even the bad things in life can be learnt from so we have nothing to fear and every reason to believe that God is going to do great things in us, through us and for us.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Ooooe eh eh!

Our South African advertisements are really very good. The most popular adverts being those that tickle our collective funny bone. The most recent ad to catch on being the Omo liquid detergent, with the punch line being, “Oooe eh eh! Just one small cap is enough.”

Oooe eh eh has now become the collective phrase for all things that are just not right. Truth is our world is in trouble and there are just too many things to even know where to being with the Oooe eh eh!

Strike season, global warming, European debt crisis, corruption, fraud, crime, the endless Jewish / Palestinian war..... where do you go to hide away from all these things clearly driven by the enemy behind it all – Satan!

Psalm 91:1 reads, “He that dwells in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” What is that secret place? Worship! When we worship God, he tucks us under his wing and protects us from the world around us.

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Counting the turns

Sshhoooee! It's done. Vet day done and dusted for another year. It didn't go without incident though. Honey must have cottoned on to mom's intentions and he was hiding away when I got home. After much hunting, he eventually revealed himself.

I thought offering them some catnip would ease the stress and make them more accepting of the trip, but that didn't help one bit. The howling started the moment the cages came out and didn't stop until we got home.

The only way mom gets through the trip it to count the turns the car will have to take to get there and the turns to get back. We all need coping skills. Struggling to get through the last two hours of work? Try drawing a pie and marking off every 15 minutes. You'll actually be surprised how often you miss a 15 mark and then have to cross out two.

Jesus was no different. He had to endure painful torture, humiliation and an agonizing death. How did he get through it? The word says that “for the joy set before him, Christ endured the cross.” What joy? Our salvation.

Monday, October 8, 2012

Vet day

Vet day has to be one of the most stressfull days in my calendar. My otherwise brave little kitty cats turn in howling drama queens from the moment we leave. They howl all the way to the vet and all the way home. But arrive home and they come running into the house to claim their full tin of tuna (unlike other days, when we have to share with mommy).

So the mear thought that tomorrow will be vet day, already has me hyperventilating. Ok, so maybe they got the drama queen thing from me. But honestly, I don't know what hurts more? A short injection or the dent to my wallet? Lol!

The benefits though truly are lasting. Knowing my kitties will stay disease free for another year is a really big blessing.

Life is like that. Sometimes we have to endure momentary pain in order to receive a life time of benefit. If you are facing a situation that that will bring momentary pain, ask God to be your pillar of strength, I know he will certainly be mine.

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Always the bad guy

It's somewhat amusing, but mostly sad that some actors are always cast as the bad guy in every TV or movie role they are cast in.  What is it about them that makes us always pin such a negative connection to them.  It can be a look, facial features, body type and many other possibilities.  Truth is, there is just something about their countenance that causes us to pin such negative tags on them. 

What countenance do you reflect?  Do you have a light in your eyes, or are they always dark?  Does your smile go up or down?  Do you always wear a frown?  There was an old chorus that used to go, "I see Jesus in your eyes and makes me love him, I feel Jesus in your touch and I know he cares, I hear Jesus in your voice and it makes me listen....."

Can people see Christ through your countenance?  I know we all have bad days and feel grumpy occasionally, but occasionally people should be able to smile when you walk pas them, because your face is wearing one too. 

Thursday, October 4, 2012

You never really know

I've been fascinated by the history of printing. Johannes Gutenberg's invention of the printing press started the printing revolution and was regarded as the most important event of the modern period. It became a catalyst in the development of the Renaissance, Reformation, the Age of Enlightenment and the Scientific Revolution.

I'm sure Gutenberg must have had some vision of what impact his invention could have, but I bet that even in his own time, it must have exceeded his wildest dreams. Every major era since then has grown on the back bone of this one time, and one invention.

This should give us faith and courage for the future. We should never underestimate the power of God's ingenuity in our lives as we never really know when we are going to create something that can direct the course of history.

If God has given you a mission, have faith and never give up.

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Birth of renaissance

The turn of the 1st century A.D., brought forth the first known moveable type developed in China, followed closely by Korea. Throughout Europe in the 400 years after that, many new type settings and materials were tested, culminating in 1455 when Johannes Gutenburg printed the Gutenburg Bible.

The Renaissance movement was born on the back of this amazing technological breakthrough. The invention of the printing press revolutionized communication and book production leading to the spread of knowledge.

Through knowledge we can gain understanding, but it is only by revelation that great wisdom is born. We need to learn to ask the Holy Spirit to unlock the keys of scripture to us so that we may gain from the bountiful wisdom stored in the word of God.


Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Spread the word

It is interesting to note that in China, India and Europe the development of printing techniques was driven by the desire to spread religious instruction or art. The desire for the knowledge of our deity and in our case, God, has driven mankind to enhance our ability to communicate to larger audiences and spread religious teachings through print copy.

Jesus told the disciples to go into all the world and spread the gospel and he gave us the means to do it. Had Paul not been locked in jail, the bulk of the New Testament may not have been recorded as it is today. His words were then repeated in copy after copy.

God has used every technological evolution to communicate his love for mankind. The question is then, what are we doing to help? Are we allowing God to use us to spread his word to the people around us. Technology is great, but nothing can beat the touch of flesh.

Monday, October 1, 2012

Opal

Octobers birthstone, the Opal, treats the eye to an array of different colours like a summer rainbow. The Opal derives its name from the Latin word "opalus," meaning precious jewel. Prized for its unique ability to refract and reflect specific wavelengths of light, the Opal was called "Cupid Paederos" by the Romans, meaning a child beautiful as love.

This gemstone actually contains up to 30% water, so it must be protected from heat or harsh chemicals, both of which will cause drying and may lead to cracking and loss of iridescence. A gift of Opal is symbolic of faithfulness and confidence.

Rainbows too refract light creating their beautiful display of colour and did God not convey to mankind that we are indeed his 'precious jewels' when he made the promise to Noah that he would never again destroy mankind. God displayed his faithfulness to us by not only making this a promise of whymsy but by sealing this promise as an everlasting covenant.