Spiritual Growth

My life: I knew that my thoughts and ideas were not always the best. I realised that the reality, the life I have created for myself was not the best there is. I wanted more out of life. I didn’t want to try so hard to be somebody. I wanted to know that I’m somebody over and above of what I’ve accomplished. Because if you take everything you’ve done and accomplishes away, what is left of you? I wanted to be so much more than what I’ve done and accomplished and I didn’t have an idea how to get there. Something had to change.

I remembered all the promises of the bible and wanted that. And I wanted the security of having somebody on my side who is more knowledgeable and stronger than me. Somebody I can rely on.

I made a choices. The same way you make a choice to stay faithful to your husband, to love and to honour him.

My relationship with God was a choice. It was a choice I made to trust God. To believe God and His word. It was the best choice I’ve ever made!

 

A house is as strong as it’s foundation. Part of our foundation is knowing who God is (Be Still.. 19/5/18, And Know… 25/5/18). Having a relationship with Him (Changes to be Made…8/6). Allow Him to get rid of all the weak spots in your life (Band Aid…. 20/6) so that you can have a strong foundation (Mirror…. 27/6/18).

Only when the foundation is done can you start to build the walls. But be careful not to build walls from past experience. The reason for walls is not to keep you safe from the outside, but to create a place where you can live out your purpose.  A place where you can invite people in and give them a safe place to be and grow.

What building blocks are you using for your walls? Church service? Bible study? Prayer groups? Outreaches? Make sure you choose wisely so that you don’t undo the work you’ve done with your foundation.

 

 

Do you think you get a true reflection of yourself in the mirror? I mean, the mirror doesn’t lie. It shows you exactly who or what you are.

There is a quote: “The eye is the mirror of the soul.” The same way that you can see a person’s soul or emotions in their eyes, the same way the soul affects the outlook of the eye on what he sees around him.  So if your soul is damaged, what you see in the mirror is  distorted by what is in your soul. Therefore what you see in the mirror, is not an accurate and true reflection of who you are.

I’ve once heard somebody say: “I wish you can see yourself through my eyes.”

We need to see ourselves through God’s eyes. When God look at us, He’s got a true and accurate image of us. Not distorted by our past or present.

When we understand God’s love for us and look through His loving eyes (the bible), we can see our self as He sees us.

John 1:12-13, Psalm 139:1-24, John 10:3-7, Zephaniah 3:17, Psalm 34:18.

Start looking in God’s mirror and make sure you get a true reflection of who you are.  Practice it daily, till you see the true you.

 

A band aid is wonderful to put over a wound. It helps keep the area protected and clean and can assist with quick healing. but it is only a temporary cover.

There was a time in my life when my relationship with God was like a band aid. I would use it to cover a wound. Some of the wounds in my life was so deep that the band aid only covered up the ugliness but didn’t really heal the wound. When you removed the band aid the wound was still there exposing the ugliness underneath.

And my question to God was, how can I change this temporary solution to something more permanent?

When we take communion, we digest it and it becomes part of us. Inside us. Your relationship with God needs to reach the deepest areas of your life and you need to open the wounds up to Him so that He can get inside the wound and heal it from the inside out. It won’t work if you try to heal from the outside. You need to allow Him to become a part of you. Open yourself to Him.

In Psalm 139:23 the writer ask God to look and see if there is any transgressions or sin he has to confess. Any changes that needs to be made in his life.

In 1 John 2:28 Paul warns us to make sure our life is in right standing with God when He comes.

If you should stand in front of God today, will you be happy to see Him? Will you be able to invite Him  for dinner and share your life with Him or will you feel uncomfortable. And if you need more time to prepare yourself – why? Will your reasons and excuses stand the test of time?

In James 4:17 it states that if we know the right thing to do and you do not do it, it is sin.

Don’t let the opportunity go by you to turn your life around. Ask the Holy Spirit, like the psalm writer did, what you need to change and how you can do it and He will show you the way.

John 3:16 happened so that you can have the opportunity to a new wonderful blessed life!

‘Be still and know I am God’ (Psalm 46:10)

When the clouds start to gather and the atmosphere and temperature starts to change, you know it is going to rain. When the dark skies shows an yellow and orange glow at dawn over the horizon, you know the sun is busy rising.

You cannot appreciate the rain unless you’ve felt and experience it. If this is your first time seeing rain you may be awestruck or you may be frightened of it. You have to experience it first hand. You cannot know the sun and appreciate a sunrise unless you have seen and felt the sun to be able to recognise it.

Before you can be still and know God, you need to know who God is. Write up a biography of God and see what you know of Him. For example: Name, Address, Life History, Goals and Plans. If there are blanks, take time to find out about God.

With knowledge of who God is; and who God is to you … it is possible to be still in Him.

“Be still and know I am God.” (Pslm 46:10)

What does it mean to ‘Be Still‘.

It is so much more that just standing still or to keep quiet. It is a state of being. To be still within one self.

In different  bible translations they refer to ‘stop your fighting’ (Holman Christian Standard bible); ‘stop your striving’ (NET bible); ‘return and know’ (Aramaic Bible in plain English).

In hewbrew ”be still’ is harpu- stop, keep quiet, to cause yourself to let go’ or ‘surrender’. (hebrew4christians)

Take this time to cease doing. That includes all your own plans and dreams (Jer 29:11). Stop fighting against the Word and let it transform you. (Rom 12:2) Stop ignoring the whispers of the Holy Spirit telling you to let go and trust in Him (Prov 3:5-6). Stop striving for your own goals and success (Pslm 37:4). Return to God and His word (Matt6:33). Let Him instruct you and teach you in the way you should go (Psalm 32:8).

Let yourself surrender to God and let Him become the centre of your life again. To trust Him to know what is best for you.

Be still ….

 

I read that most plants use the summer to do all their photosynthesis so that they have enough energy / life in them to survive the winter.

In some ways I feel like a plant. I’ve done enough living during the summer months to be able to idle during the winter months. When I take the time to put my hands around a hot cup of coffee or soup and allow the heat to penetrate and warm up my hands. When my mind goes on go-slow.

It is during these quiet times that I can hear the whisper of  God saying: “Be still and know I am God…” Pslm 46:10. When it seems that He’s taking time to restore my soul.

Enjoy your winter time with Him. Be blessed.

We had the privilege to enjoy mother’s day on Sunday.  And yes, there is no mention of mothers day in the bible. So is this day something we need to honour?

Not only does the bible talk about love your neighbour like yourself, but it calls on us to honour our mother (Eph6:2).

Mothers were important to Jesus. We see in John 19:26-27, Jesus took time to make sure that His mother will be fine after His crucifixion.

So even though there is no mention of a mothers day in the bible, we gladly take this opportunity to give thanks and honour to the mothers in our lives. That includes our spiritual mothers as well as all the mother figures that played a role in our upbringing.

Like a baby practising there first steps while holding on to there mother’s fingers, I’m taking my first steps into  blogging. I’m sure there will be a few hands I will hold onto, for support during these first steps. But I’m definitely looking forward to the journey. Come and join me on my quest to grow.