Goliath who?

I just love that Chiwawa in the Toyota advert. Next to his Boxer counter part he ain't big, he ain't strong and he ain't smart! He does however have attitude and courage.

Courage! That is what we all need when we are facing our Goliath. Goliaths come in all shapes and sizes. Marriage woes, financial crisis, health disasters, employment battles and many more.

We should take heart and remember the words of David as he faced Goliath, "You come to me with a sword, a spear and a shield, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel."

If David could defeat his Goliath with a few stones and a sling shot, how much more can we do with the power of the Holy Spirit on our side.

Will you be next?

Most of us will resist change when it comes, that is part of human nature. The fear of the unknown drives us to seek the comfort of familiar surroundings and we will even make friends with our own limitations in order to resist the change that is coming.

Why is that? Well the unknown presents many challenges and sometimes some wonderful surprises. We won't know either way until we step into that unknown. There may be failure along the way and that is usually what holds us back.

We do have to push through that fear though. Peter asked Jesus, “If that is you Lord, ask me to come.” Jesus replied and we know the rest, Peter walked on water just like Jesus did. It was only when Peter looked at the waves that he started sinking.

What challenge are you afraid to take on for fear of the unknown? Only two men on earth can claim to be water walkers because of their faith, are you willing to be the next? I know whatever it is, if you truly have faith and keep your eyes on Jesus, God will never let you sink.

New batch

This weekend I transplanted some of the flowers I'd been growing in the back yard to their permanent home in the flower bed. The momentary joy of seeing the flower bed refilled however left quickly as all the leafy plants in the back yard disappeared.

Sure a new batch of seeds was planted but somehow I felt loss. I suppose it is all about goal setting. Maybe I should have staggered the planting so that the harvesting would be more phased. Planning and goal setting go hand in hand. You can't have success if one of these key ingredients are missing.

Do you set spiritual goals for yourself? If not, then maybe now is a good time to start. In order to set goals in our spiritual lives we need to use the same principles of goal setting and planning. Growth in our spiritual garden won't happen if we don't carefully plan what path our spiritual journey will take.

As the year draws to a close, think about setting aside some time to not only plan for your career goals but also include your spiritual growth path in the plan as well.

Rescued

Shortly before I was about to get ready for church, Ginger caught a bird. Now normally I would lock them out and let them carry on, but I can't stand the way they torture their prey. Unlike wild cats who attack for the pure reason of killing and feeding, domestic cats enjoy playing with their prey.

I had a choice; ignore the torture outside and go to church, or, rescue the bird. I rescued the bird. Not sure what to do with it I walked around trying to find help, as I certainly would not have succeeded in rehabilitating the little thing in my home. Luckily I was referred to a lady that volunteers for an animal rehab centre and I took the birdie to her.

Mankind was being tortured too. Satan had taken control of the planet and was dominating our world. That is until Jesus stepped in and became the saviour we all needed. God too could not sit back any longer while we were being tortured and stepped in to rescue us.

Surf's up

Last night I watched a surfing documentary about two young boys being given the opportunity to travel the world and surf at some of the best surfing locations available. What an amazing way to witness the power of God in creation through harnessing the energy of the ocean for sport.

Mankind has found many ways to generate electricity through harnessing the power of nature. Solar energy creating solar power plants. Wind energy to create wind turbines. The motion of water to create hydro electric power.

The question we need to ask is are we as Christians using the power of the Holy Spirit to create a powerful life? Many people live day by day just to get by and never knowing that we have the Holy Spirit to give us the energy and strength we need to live daily.

Have you connected to your power source today?

What a loud complaint

Boy do I get meowed at loudly. Ever since moulting season started, Honey and Ginger have been getting daily brushing. Honey more so as he has thicker fur than Ginger. I now get a very loud complaint if kitty doesn't get his brushing when he wants it.

It all boils down to not receiving love and attention when and how he wants it. Don't we all react like that though. A spouse, friend, or family member doesn't meet our expectations and we feel let down and disappointed.

In our relationship with God it is no different. We expect God to jump to meet our every desire when and how we feel it necessary. God will always give us love and comfort when we need it, but we must not expect him to meet our every whim.

Part of growing in God is learning patience and what it means to wait for the things that we desire. When we have learnt patience and our desires are then met, the fulfilment is so much deeper. So if you are waiting on God, don't stop. He knows exactly when you need to have your blessings delivered.

How did that get there?

Have you ever had something pop up where you least expected to find it? I know I have. How it actually managed to find its way to that spot is a mystery. It never quite makes sense.

So imagine Jesus surprise when a short little man named Zacheus appears hanging out of a tree. What does Jesus do? He invites himself for dinner. Obviously this man had a hunger to get more out of life and Jesus knew how to give it to him.

When we hunger and thirst for God our hunger never goes misplaced and never goes unnoticed by a father longing to reach down and touch us. Are you willing to do something a little different to catch God's attention? God isn't ignoring you but when we reach out we'll be surprised at how Jesus comes home to meet with us.