It's personal

We understand faith up to a certain level, but last week God told me to have faith in my relationship with Him and it got me thinking. Ok, so not just faith in Him, but faith in our relationship, because it's personal. Think for a second what the difference is. When we meet God we start to build a relationship with Him, the same way that we would start any friendship.

At the beginning you are unsure of who this person really is, what he likes, how he reacts, how he loves, how he speaks etc. As the relationship develops you see His kindness, you experience His love and blessings and you learn about His character and personality. At some stage you reach a point where you can put faith in the relationship that has developed. You can rely on the relationship, because you know Him as a person. You know that the relationship can withstand ups, downs and misunderstandings and you come to know that He always has your back and loves you with an unconditional love.

It is during challenging or teaching times that we can put our faith in our relationship with Him. We can know that even though He seems silent, He will speak again. We know that even though we think we might have messed up, He will never turn His back on us. Even when the enemy or people around us try and convince us otherwise, we can know and stand sure that He will never leave us or forsake us and that He is a good God.

Just because the circumstances in our lives change, doesn't mean that God changes as well. He is always consistent and when times are tough, we need to exercise faith in our relationship with Him and hold on to what we know and not to what we feel.

Ensure today that you know God personally so that you can rely on your relationship with Him when times are challenging. He will never leave you or forsake you and He has a plan. Hold on tightly and find peace in the midst of the storm. He will quiet the wind and the waves and you will be able to see clearly what was going on all along.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you." Deuteronomy 31:6

Picture credit: Asksister

God said what?!

So one day you find yourself happily doing your thing and God speaks. You think: “did I just hear correctly? You want me to do what?! You are giving me what?! Did He just say that?! Uhm.. well.. I didn’t ask for this, but it’s quite exciting..”

Maybe you are in that situation where God has told you a secret about yourself or about your future. You were super excited to hear His voice and excited because of what He said. Then you start sharing it with people and they start looking at you funny and questioning whether God could really tell you such a thing. Suddenly doubt creeps in and you become discouraged. “Can this really be? Was this really God or was it my imagination?”

I have spoken to a few people lately who seem to be facing this issue. God is a speaking God and He loves telling us things about ourselves and the amazing plans which He has for us. But more often than not, He only gives you one piece of the entire puzzle and you wonder: “how on earth is this going to fit into my life or how will this work out?” Just because He spoke to you today, doesn’t mean that it’s going to happen tomorrow. I have heard things spoken to me by God 5 years ago which still has not happened, but I know it’s in my future and I don’t have to doubt them.

So how do you deal with this word that you received from God? Maybe you are not even sure if it was God? My best advice would be to not share it with many people. Mention it to your closest friends and guard it in your heart. If God spoke this word then He will make it come to pass and He will walk this journey with you and lead you all the way. Ask Him to give you scripture to accompany His word.

“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

God will always finish everything which He starts. You do not need to act on this word, unless He tells you to. Just relax and wait for His guidance. It might be months before He mentions anything again relating to the word. Put your focus on Jesus and follow Him. Don’t let the word distract you from what He has put in your hands at this moment. He will tell you the next step when the time is right.

“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.” 1 Corinthians 13:11-12

Now you see only a part of the journey, but in the future you will see it fully. The worst thing that we can do is try to make something happen in our own strength before the time is right. This will only discourage us and be a struggle. Breaking the door down or slamming against it with your fists will not make the journey easier, rather wait until God opens the door for you and tells you to walk through it.

The journey that we are on is such an incredibly exciting one and Jesus is taking us from glory to glory in Him. Be ready to learn everything which He wants to teach you in the meantime to prepare you for the calling that He has for you. Faith is the evidence of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Heb 11:1). He is putting you in this situation to teach you, therefore open your heart and trust Him completely. He is the author and perfecter of our faith (Heb 12:2) and I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. (Phil 1:6) No one can walk this road for you, it's between you and God. He is for us and not against us. He delights in us and His plans are marvellous!

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

Photo credit: Mandy Lynne

Letting go...

I like being in control. I’m a natural leader and I like managing situations. As a manger I manage people, clients and difficult situations every day and I often have to take control of situations to manage difficult problems. So managing and controlling became natural to me and I’m sure this spills over into my personal life. I always have to be aware of this and I can often put pressure on myself to manage all areas of my life perfectly.

God gives us tasks or puts us in situations beyond our control, because He knows that with Him we can do far more than on our own. God puts us in these situations because He knows that it is not humanly possible to cope on our own and that we have to hold on to Him. He does this so that at the end of the task or journey, when we obtain the victory, we can say “All the glory to God! There is no way that I could have done this on my own.” We say this not with false humility, but because we know how many times God had to carry us through. He is interested in His glory and making His name famous. He is God, is He not? And we have the privilege to be used in the process.

The problem comes in when He gives us a difficult situation or a large task and we start off trusting Him and it’s all going well and then one day we get busy, tired or stressed. We realise that we have lost some focus and even though the situation was perfectly fine in God’s hands, we start thinking that we have to DO something. Instead of receiving grace and leaving the task with God, we feel the need to jump in, manage and control, but it’s a lost case, because we can never cope with it all on our own. The task or situation wasn’t given to us to cope with on our own in the first place. It is a “you and God” team effort with God doing the directing and you following the lead. As soon as we take control we become overwhelmed and fear, doubt and anxiety takes over our lives. We start to feel inadequate, because the task is overwhelming and the lies start to tell us that we are unworthy, useless and failures.

Let’s look at the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. If you read the story you will realise that Jesus knew that Lazarus was ill and He chose to wait for Him to die, instead of going immediately to heal Him. After hearing of his death, Jesus returns to the tomb where Lazarus has been buried for 4 days and “Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that You always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that You sent me.” When He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”” John 11:40-44

Jesus waited for Lazarus to die and made the situation humanly impossible to save. It was hopeless as Lazarus has been dead for 4 days. He knew that God wanted to reveal His glory and He thus raised Lazarus from the dead revealing God's glory.

God is the only one who can raise impossible situations or tasks from the dead. He is the one that saves. “But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in (your) weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

God is committed to His plan, He will never ask us to do it alone and He always finishes that which He started. Let’s hand over our tasks, situations, fears and doubts to God today. He can do the impossible and give us the strength and courage to walk and finish the journey.

Song: Jesus Culture with Martin Smith - Show Me Your Glory / Majesty   (I love the words “Majesty, Your grace has found me just as I am, empty handed, but alive in your hands.”)

Photo credit: favim

Wrestling with God

Picture credit: flickr

“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

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

In need of hope?



Photo credit: flickr.eweliyi



We will all sooner or later face difficult situations or even seasons in our lives. The time frame of these might vary radically from 1 day to many years. It is important that we, in these times, remain focussed on what God has said and not on how we feel. Emotions will fluctuate daily, but the word of God does not change and never lies. It is important therefore that we put our hope in God and in His word.

“To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Colossians 1:27

Christ in you is a mystery, it is an endless supply of miracles, wonders and strength beyond our wildest imagination. We do not have to go far to find hope, we already have Hope and He lives in us. This hope is there in every trial and tribulation to bring us to a place of glory and victory. We actually are already victorious, before the end of our difficult situation even arrives, because of the Hope that is in us. Wow, I wish we can grasp this fully! God is so good!

He has put in us everything that we need today and will need in the future. God sees us today as past, present and future, He is not restricted by our rules of time and therefore He has already equipped us for every trial. It is here where faith comes into play as “Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.” Hebrews 11:1

By faith we then activate what God has already put in us, claiming the glorious victory which we already have in Christ.

“Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:12-18

The veil is removed and the presence of God is in us, the Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in us and therefore “in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” Rom 8:37 Next time when you face a difficult situation, know that you are equipped and more than capable to endure with patience and to finish victoriously.

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” Romans 8:18

“For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” Romans 8:24-25

Refer back to the post Access with confidence for a more detailed explanation relating to the veil being removed.