Where are your roots?

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“But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,

whose confidence is in him.

He will be like a tree planted by the water

that sends out its roots by the stream.

It does not fear when heat comes;

its leaves are always green.

It has no worries in a year of drought

and never fails to bear fruit.” Jer 17:7-8

I find this scripture so amazing. As we trust in the Lord, our roots are always in Him and there will be no fear or worries when trials come and our lives will always be full of life and bearing fruits such as love, peace, joy, patience, kindness, self-control, gentleness, faithfulness and goodness. (Gal 5:22-23)

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matt 6:33

As we anchor our roots in God, seeking His kingdom, He will add to us all that we need and even if there is a drought (financial crisis) in the land, we will still prosper and even when trials come, we will still have the joy of the Lord as our strength. He will never leave us or forsake us. He has equipped us for every battle.

“And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Phil 4:19

I count it a privilege to be able to walk with God on this journey in life. I know that there is so much to learn and so little time, but He has it all planned and we can be assured that it is beautiful. We each walk our own journey, but our God is still the same. He is love and He has good things planned for His children. Let us walk with one another, encouraging each other to look to Jesus every day. Not to rules or culture, but to a person. Let us encourage each other not to seek the will of man or of church, but the will of God. It is only when we look at our world through His eyes that we can see the needs and the hearts of people and only then we can truly respond, in love, the way in which Jesus would respond. Let us not be put in bondage by our own ideas or the ideas of other people, but let us strive to hear His voice every day, above every other voice and to follow Him wherever He may lead us.

Let us be so close and so rooted in Him and His love that rivers of living water will always flow through us and then our leaves will always be green and we will always bear fruit.

Wrestling with God

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“And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob's hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.” Genesis 24:30

God loves and honours perseverance. Jacob refused to stop wrestling until God blessed him. God is so much stronger than Jacob and could overpower him in a second, but He allowed Jacob to wrestle with Him all night. He wanted to see how badly Jacob wanted the blessing and what persevering character He could find in Jacob. Jacob did not give up, he wrestled until the break of dawn and then God blessed him. God changed his name from Jacob to Israel and his sons and daughters became known as the Israelites, God’s people.

Sometimes God pushes us to see how far we are willing to go, not just to reveal to Him our true character and determination, but also to reveal to us what character He has placed inside of us. As we see the character which is inside of us, we are encouraged and gain confidence. A coach will not make an athlete run 10 kilometres, if he knows that he has the potential to run 20. He will push his trainee everyday so that the trainee can see what potential he has in himself. This will enable the trainee to go further than he ever thought he could.

God works in the same way. He knows what He has planned for you and what He needs to prepare you for and I can assure you, the greater the preparation or the trial, the greater the destiny. So do not get discouraged when God stretches you, He is preparing you for greater things. Sometimes we think that some people have it so easy and why are we having to struggle with something, but I can assure you, the greater the struggle, the bigger the blessing. Imagine Jacob gave up during the night, he would never have received the blessing or have had an entire nation named after him.

When we wrestle with God, we never leave the same way. Wrestling with God changes us. The name Jacob means “he takes by the heel” or “he cheats”. This was not an honourable name and Jacob deceived his brother twice, but after wrestling with God, God restored his honour and gave him a new name. Count it as an honour if God wrestles with you, He would not wrestle with you if He didn’t know that it will be worth it.

 “For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:10-13

Everyone who believes will not be put to shame. Do not be ashamed when you struggle or face a trial, you will not be disappointed. He will never put you through more than you can bear. Next time when we get to that point, ready to give up, remember Jacob and lift up your head and say “bring it on God, I will take the blessing!” and you will never be the same again.

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:2-4

Come to me - Bethel Music

Speak life



Photo credit: favim



“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11

When God speaks a word, it has to come to pass. It cannot return to Him empty. In Genesis 1 it says that God said “Let there be light” and there was light. He spoke light into being and many other things if you read further. When God speaks, He speaks life, His words bring life and when God has spoken something over your life, then you know that it will come to pass and bring life.

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” Matt 24:35

“God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfil? Behold, I received a command to bless: He has blessed, and I cannot revoke it.” Num 23:19-20

We should guard our hearts and not let doubt side-track us from what God has spoken. It will only rob us of our joy. Sometimes it is good to not tell everyone about the secrets which God has revealed to you. Some people might not respond in the way that you would want them to or discourage you by saying it is impossible or that you have surely heard wrongly. Rather share with people who you know are full of faith and willing to walk the journey with you.

“But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”” Matt 4:4

When God has made a promise to you, He will walk the journey with you. He has already gone before you and made the way. He is more committed to this thing then you could ever be and He has so much in store for us. And as God is in us, let us speak life over our lives, loved ones, our promises and our situations.

Patience is a virtue

Photo credit: Ramon Mariano

I remember years ago asking my mom what the word “virtue” means. She tried to explain, but as a child it was difficult for me to understand. Today I can safely say that I understand what “virtue” means and why people say that patience is a virtue. At many times in our lives we will find ourselves in situations where we will need to have patience and wait whether we want to or not.

The question is what do we do in the waiting period? Maybe you are waiting for a situation to change or for a promise that God has made in the Bible (direction, wisdom, finances, healing, restoration etc.) or maybe God has spoken to you about something more specific in your life, regardless of what it is, you are still waiting.

We never know how long the waiting period might be, unless He tells you of course, but often we need to just walk in faith and wait and this can often be difficult. Especially when hours become days, days become weeks and weeks become months or years. Doubt can set in and we can become dismayed or even angry.

It is important in these times that we do not lose focus, that we keep our face fixed on God and what He has already said, whether in the Bible or whether to you directly. God never panics and He is not still trying to figure out the solution to your situation. He knows what He is doing and His timing is perfect, He has planned it long ago. He has heard your request and your “answer” (so to speak) is on its way.

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matt 6:33

So while we wait we undertake to not sulk, complain or get angry, but to serve God diligently, knowing that what we have asked for is on its way. Rather than looking at what we not yet have, we focus on what we do have and that is everything we need in Jesus. Instead of seeing ourselves as people sitting in a desert, we stand as expectant people walking into the promised land.

Faith is knowing that we have what we have asked for, before we even receive it. So today, thank God in advance for what you are soon going to receive.

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” Matt 7:7

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Phil 4:6

“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” Jer 33:3

“You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” Jer 29:13

 Awesome song!!

While I’m waiting – Fireproof Movie

But the greatest of these is love



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“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

            Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

            Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”1 Corinthians 13

There is nothing stronger than love. That’s why God describes Himself as love in 1 John 4:9. He could have called Himself “power”, “success”, “freedom”, “truth” etc, but He chose to be called “God is love.” God is all the things mentioned above and more, but He chose to be love. This is so powerful! To think that love is not just an emotion or an act, it is an actual person and when you meet Him, His loves changes you. It’s like a powerful drug and you keep wanting more and more.

The closer you walk to His love, the less power everything else in your life has over you. Addictions have to leave, unforgiveness becomes forgiveness, anger becomes kindness and the list goes on. And the beauty of it all is that we do not have to do a single thing to earn it. We just come, we just come to Him with a willing heart and His love just changes us.

He finds us in our need and in our brokenness, in our sadness, hurt and honesty, He comes with gentleness and He freely gives. His love heals, it restores and it multiplies. 1 John 4:19 says: “We love, because He first loved us.” We have no idea what love is before we experience His love and only then we can go and share what He pours into us with others. We are filled with His love everyday so that what we have can overflow into the lives of others.

Love is not just a candlelight dinner and a bunch of roses, it “bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” and it never ends, never tires and never runs out. Sometimes love does not look like the “fluffy love” we imagine. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 and this is what love looks like. It is to lay your life down for a friend. Even if you were the only person on earth, God still would have put Jesus on the cross, because God is love.

“And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgement, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us.” 1 John 4:14-19          

And there was grace...

Sometimes it can feel as if life is hanging by a thread, a nervous moment of tension, so many things have been said and done and decisions have been made. Sometimes we just reach a point, a point of “What now God”? “Where to now?” A point where you have put it all in His hands and your stomach makes a nervous turn. That is where we meet faith, at the end of the line where nothing else can save you, when options are scarce and opinions plentiful. That is where we can say, not my will God, but your will God.

It does not matter how you got to this place or how many bad decisions you have made, God will meet you there. His love is big enough and His grace is abounding. There might still be natural consequences for your actions in this world, but God in His mercy and grace will pull you through it all. Nothing you have done can scare Him away, He is always ready, waiting for each son and daughter to return to Him so that He can restore to them all that this world has stolen.

Pour your heart out to Him, be honest, even blunt, He can handle it, trust me He has heard worse. He knows your most inner thoughts and hurts and He knows where you are coming from and how to deal with you. In Him you find all answers and all comfort, in Him there is no condemnation, but love and freedom.

At the end it’s you and Him and there is no stronger team. Wait on Him, trust in faith, listen to His voice and know that He will catch you, lift you up and restore you. You are not alone.

“Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.” John 8:2-11

The most powerful thing to me about this scripture is that Jesus invited those without sin to cast the first stone and yet Jesus himself, who is completely without sin, did not cast a stone, but released the woman to be free. How good is God?!

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you.” 1 Peter 5:6

“God's law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God's wonderful grace became more abundant.” Romans 5:20

Picture credit: Luis Montemayor

In the wind and the waves



Photo credit:  tumblr

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.” James  1:2-6

This is a harsh message, but there is no space for doubting in the kingdom. This doesn’t mean that we will never doubt and if we doubt, God is still faithful to us, but faith is the power of the kingdom and it is impossible to please God without faith. We cannot have one foot in the faith bucket and one foot in the doubt bucket, there is nothing harder than sitting on the fence.

As James mentions above, we do not want to be waves driven and tossed by the sea and that is what we look like when we doubt in who God is. When trials arrive it can feel as if a carpet has been pulled from underneath us and we panic, our emotions climb on a rollercoaster and they go up and down and all around. We don’t think straight, we grab onto every possible solution and we try and take control and in the process we get more desperate and more disappointed.

“We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” 2 Cor 10:5

Instead we should strive to remain calm, to try and immediately restrain our fears and anxieties by taking every thought captive and submitting it to the word and will of God. In this way we can choose not to climb on the rollercoaster and to rather rest in the peace of God, to rest in His word and the promises that He has spoken over us. God has not given us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, love and self-control.

May we pause every time a wave comes and without fear face the trial head on, knowing that He who is standing behind us is greater than anything that this world can throw at us.

“Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” 1 John 4:4

“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. “ Heb 11:6