God's Word

God’s WORD will stand the test of time. Everything that lives eventually dies but the Word of God abides FOREVER. Time passes, memories fail, expectations waver, and even circumstances change but God remains true to His Promise. He is COMMITTED to accomplish all that He has purposed. For His Word is TRUE and PURE - tested and refined seven times over.

No promise of God has ever fallen to the ground. Everything He says will come to pass. Nothing and no one can annul the promise God makes to His children. God's Word will go forth and carry out everything He wants to achieve for it carries the weight of His PURPOSE. It will never return to Him void. Because God has both the POWER and the WILL to do EXACTLY what He says. 

You may forget. But God remembers. You may give up. But God NEVER. 

God is watching over His WORD to fulfill it. It cannot fail because GOD never fails. He will have the last WORD because He is the ETERNAL GOD.

10 Things Jesus never said about Healing

I've jotted them down for your convenience but I really encourage you to watch the video to get the full benefit of his teaching. He backs it up with scripture, illustrations, experience with a little humour thrown in. It runs for a little more than an hour but it will be well worth your time, I promise.

         10 Things Jesus NEVER said about Healing

1. I am sorry but it's not my Father's will to heal you.
2. I am sorry but my Father is building character in you so you have to remain a leper for a while longer.
3. My Father doesn't want to heal you until after you die.
4. I'd like to heal you but my Father is saying, "Not yet".
5. Looks like you don't have enough faith.
6. Your friends and family don't have enough faith.
7. My Father gave you this disease so I can look more glorious.
8. Remember that my kingdom is now but not yet, so not all of you will be healed today.
9. We have to figure out what the spiritual roots of this thing are or it's not going to work.
10. Unfortunately this sickness is a punishment for your sin and you have to reap what you've sown. 

Click here to go to Art's official website

Things you are NOT going to hear Dr Jesus say

I am afraid I have bad news for you. I’ll do my best but no promises. Sorry, appointments are full until after Christmas. There is nothing more I can do. You have to take this medicine for the rest of your life. There will be side effects. It’s terminal I am afraid. I'm sending you home. Best spend it with your family. Do you believe in prayer? Some say it helps. You have only yourself to blame. You should have got it tested earlier. We can’t do much at this stage. This is going to hurt... a lot. I am afraid they haven’t found a cure yet. Well, you just have to live with it. Do you  have insurance? Hmmm.. have you ever considered organ donation? 

What does the fox say? by Ylvis

Love this! Adding it to my silly song collection. Have a listen and it might just grow on you..

Looking for peace?

Read Philippians 4: 4 - 9
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, 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. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

Rejoice and again I say Rejoice!

What does this word ‘rejoice’ mean? It means to celebrate, give thanks, express joy, delight yourself, be glad etc. It’s easy to do this when there is occasion to celebrate, when we receive good news, when things go according to plan, when we are loved and appreciated by those we care about. Which, I’m sure you will agree, doesn’t happen often enough. But Paul is advocating joy as a choice. Not in things but in the LORD. Not sometimes but ALWAYS.

At first glance, it would appear that happiness and joy are one and the same. But there is a difference. Happiness depends on the people and circumstances of your life. It is external and almost always fleeting. But joy comes from within and is not dependent on external factors. Regardless of the situation you are in or the people around you, Paul tell us to rejoice! Unlike happiness, joy is a decision you make; not a fate you resign to.

If we allow circumstances and people to dictate our mood and frame of mind, we will be sorely disappointed because circumstances are unpredictable and people are unreliable. Throwing ourselves at the mercy of these variables will lead us on an emotional roller coaster ride. One day we are on top of the world and the next day we are down in the dumps. But joy is a personal choice.

Many people fail to recognize that the freedom we have to exercise choice is God-given. We are made in the image and likeness of God. Just like our Creator, we are given the ability to think, feel, reason and make choices. This sets us apart from any other living creatures on this planet. Decide that nothing is going to rob you of your joy.  Not people, not circumstances, not things. Not the past, the present or the future. If there is anything that is making you anxious or causing you to worry, bring it to the Lord. Pray. Direct your petitions to Him. But don't forget the thanksgiving part!

Having a heart of gratitude gives us heavenly perspective of things. Paul reminds us of this truth in 2 Cor. 4: 16-18 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Our afflictions are light and momentary in the light of Eternity! Who knew that counting your blessings can cure you of your shortsightedness and give you an eternal kingdom perspective? Far too many people focus on what is wrong with their lives and have an unending pity party of their own making. But God doesn't want us to carry our problems. He wants us to hand them over and leave it to Him. So pray and make your requests but always in the spirit of thankfulness for who He is and what He has already done.

Do you know what happens when we put our troubles in God’s hands? He puts His peace in our hearts.

God’s peace is not from this world. It is not temporal. No man can take this peace away from you because it is not from this world. The peace of God is like nothing you’ve ever known. It’s beyond our human comprehension. No one can explain how it works. When we surrender our anxieties and worries to God, His peace flows in and stands guard in our heart and mind.

God’s peace, unlike His love, is conditional. We can only receive His peace in exchange for our worries and cares. Have you ever heard of the Monkey Trap? The idea is to put a banana inside a jar big enough for the monkey’s fist. When the monkey sticks his hand inside to grab his “prize”, he finds he can’t get free. He is trapped. The reason being he doesn’t want to let go of the prize. Many of us fall into the Monkey Trap. We want to be free but we still want to hold on to the banana. We want peace but we don’t want to let go of our anxiety. We want God to be in control but we still want to tell Him what to do.

Life coaches tell us that we can achieve peace by doing less or more of something. Spend less time at work. Meditate more. Eat less meat. Take more walks. These are practical ways and many will attest to their effectiveness. But the peace that passes human understanding can only be found in Christ Jesus. Only JESUS can give us peace because He is the Prince of Peace. Jesus says,
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. John 16:33 These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

We can have peace in the face of adversity because Jesus has already overcome. The finished work on Calvary is what gives every Christian true peace of mind. Every principality and power has been defeated. Every sin cleansed. Every sickness healed. Worrying is an exercise in futility when Jesus has already conquered the world. So rejoice in the Lord for therein lies your strength.

Looking for peace? Start rejoicing!

Use me Lord

LORD this is my prayer. It has been the prayer of my life since I discovered how much you love me. Let it be my prayer till my dying breath. Nothing will please me more than knowing I have fulfilled all you would have me to do. What an honour, a privilege of serving the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

Use me by Aline Barros (Cover by Jotta A.)

Search me O Lord and know me
Break my heart
Change me according to Your Word
And fill me up with Your presence
Until I overflow

So, use me Lord
Use me
Like a lighthouse that shines in the night
A bridge over the waters
A shelter in the desert
The arrow that hits the target
I want to be used in a way that pleases you
Anytime, anywhere
Here is my life
So, use me, Lord

Search me, break me, change me, fill me, and use me.

Like a lighthouse that shines in the night
A bridge over the waters
A shelter in the desert
The arrow that hits the target
I want to be used in a way that pleases you
Anytime, anywhere
Here is my life
So, use me, Lord
Use me.

When God reveals Himself..

The story of creation in the Genesis account is an insightful and may I say a poetic one. In the beginning (or pre-creation) the world is an empty formless watery darkness. But something is about to change all that. We see the Spirit of God poised and ready for action. Suddenly, God speaks and His Word breaks the silence, triggering a supernatural chain reaction. God alone is the author of the drama that unfolds. 

God separates the light from the darkness.

When God reveals Himself, He brings illumination and darkness retreats.

God organizes the waters; lifts some into the atmosphere and leaves some below.

When God reveals Himself, He establishes His order and brings balance.

God gathers the remaining waters in one place and land appears.

When God reveals Himself, He exposes that which is hidden from sight.

God causes vegetation and trees to come forth.

When God reveals Himself, He activates life-giving energy.

God hangs the sun and moon in the skies to regulate days, months and seasons.

When God reveals Himself, He brings consistency and stability.

God creates all kinds of living creatures to inhabit the air, water and land.

When God reveals Himself, He brings diversity not monotony.

God creates man to take dominion over the earth, to multiply and fill the earth.

When God reveals Himself, He replicates His power and His presence in man.

The Gift

This is Christmas: not the tinsel, not the giving and receiving, not even the carols, but the humble heart that receives anew the wondrous gift, the Christ. - Frank McKibben

Ironing My Goldfish

I love silly songs and this is one I grew up listening to. Listen and sing along! By the way, see if you can spot the fishy puns!

Ironing my goldfish - The Goodies
Lyrics: sung by Tim 

 

Oh oh oh, how I wish, I could buy myself a pet flat fish

But no one wants to sell their sole

A flounder or halibut would be very pally, but

You hardly ever see a skate, that hasn't been mashed on a plate

And so, I'm … ironing my goldfish, ironing my goldfish

A big steam iron on his face, I'll keep on trying 'til I get some plaice

Oh I'm ironing my goldfish, smoothing out his surplus fat

I know it's rather cruel but it's oh such fun

Ironing my goldfish flat, hey hey, ironing my goldfish flat

I tried to use a rolling pin, he only came out long and thin

Then I thought if he was squeezed beneath

A small elephant a day, he'd look like a manta ray

But I couldn't make my goldfish squash, 'til I put him in with the wash

And now, I'm … ironing my goldfish, ironing my goldfish

And now he's like a tobacco leaf, I wear him in my pocket like a handkerchief

Oh ironing my goldfish, I use him as a table mat

I know it's rather cruel but it's oh such fun

Ironing my goldfish flat, hey hey, ironing my goldfish flat

He's rather like a turbot with the shiny nose

Ironing my goldfish flat … and that's that!  [splat!]

He Came

It's December – it’s safe to say the countdown to Christmas has begun! For many, it means the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping, wrapping of presents, decorating the Christmas tree, planning parties and sending out invites. The list of things to do for Christmas is a long one! The jolliest season of the year doesn’t just magically happen by itself, does it now?

But lest we forget the real reason for the season, here is a gentle reminder of the ‘CHRIST’ whose birth we celebrate – whether or not you are a believer.

To me, it’s really about HIM and why HE CAME. To celebrate Christmas is to be filled with awe and gratitude for this JESUS who entered our small insignificant world with a message of FAITH, HOPE and LOVE for all mankind.

Let this simple message be your inspiration this Christmas!

And if you are not sure why ‘HE CAME’ then this is for you - http://www.ecclesia.org/truth/why_jesus.html. God bless you!

My Redeemer is Faithful and True

Remembered this song from yesteryears from a Christian singer called Bobby Michaels, who has since passed on. I used to play it often in my early walk with Jesus. I played it again today and discovered the words mean as much to me today as it did so many years ago. I especially love the part, 'and in every situation He has proved His love to me; when I lack the understanding He gives more grace to me.' 

Lord, thank you for your stubborn love over me. For not giving up on me. For proving your love over and over again in my life even when I least deserved it. For keeping your promise even when I failed in keeping mine. For being patient when I've thrown tantrums like a child. For loving me completely, unconditionally and perfectly.

My Redeemer is Faithful and True

As I look back on the road I've travelled, 

I see so many times He's carried me through; 

And if there's one thing that I've learned in my life, 

My Redeemer is faithful and true. My Redeemer is faithful and true. 

Chorus

My Redeemer is faithful and true. 

Everything He has said He will do, 

And every morning His mercies are new. 

My Redeemer is faithful and true. 

My heart rejoices when I read the promise 

'There is a place I am preparing for you.' 

I know someday I'll see my Lord face to face, 

'Cause my Redeemer is faithful and true. 

 My Redeemer is faithful and true. 

Bridge

And in every situation He has proved His love to me; 

When I lack the understanding, He gives more grace to me. 

Words and Lyrics by Stephen Curtis Chapman & James Isaac Elliot

A little love is all I ask..

Feeling the pain of loneliness tonight. Here's hoping Cliff Richard can help....

Faith that gets God's attention - Part 2

Continued from previous post..

Lesson #7  Faith is not shortsighted.

Gen 15: 6 God appears in a vision and tells Abram, 'I am your shield, your very great reward'. But all Abram can see is God has not given him an heir and that his servant is likely to inherit his wealth. So, God takes him outside and reiterates his promise. Abram believes and his faith makes him righteous before God. God reminds Abram that it was He who had orchestrated his move out from Ur. God also tells Abram that his descendants will suffer for 400 years in slavery but they will be saved at the right time. Abram will not witness their struggle as it will not happen in his lifetime. God seals His promise to Abram with a covenant.

God's faithfulness is forever. Abram was limiting God to the present. He forgot God had been working in his past and would continue to work in the future. 'For I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day'- 2 Tim 1:12.

Lesson #8  Faith waits patiently.

Gen 16:3 Ten years have passed since Abram moved to Canaan. There is no sign of the promised heir. Sarai is growing impatient. She blames God for her barrenness. Later she takes Abram to task when her maid looks down on her for not being able to give him an heir. Sarai mistreats her badly, causing her to run away.

We can choose how to respond when God delays His answer. Perseverance and patience produce character but self-pity produces bitterness and anger. 'The testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.' - James 1:3-4.

Lesson #9  Faith doesn't take matters into its own hands.

Gen 16: 1-6 Sarai reasons that since she is unable to conceive, God must not want her to bear Abram a son. So she decides to build her family through another woman. She proposes Hagar, her Egyptian maid. Abram agrees and Hagar soon conceives and bears him a son, Ishmael.

We can rationalize and justify our actions but God's ways are not our ways. 'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,' declares the Lord. 'As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts' - Isaiah 55:7-9.

Lesson #10  Faith is not presumptuous.

Gen 17 God appears to Abram after a long period of silence. Ishmael is now 13. Abram pleads with God to accept Ishmael and to perpetuate the promise through him. But God will not change His plan to accommodate Ishmael. Instead God changes Abram's name to Abraham and Sarai’s name to Sarah. He tells them Isaac, the true heir of promise, will be born the following year.

                          

Presumption is expecting God to bless our willful actions. The bible calls it sin. God will not conform to our will, rather we must conform to God's will. Don't try to change God but allow God to change you. 'Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; Let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, And I shall be innocent of great transgression' - Psalm 19:13; 'Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him' - I John5:14-15. 

   

Lesson #11  Faith knows God CANNOT fail.

Gen 20 Abraham repeats his mistake in Egypt this time with King Abimelech of Gerar. God warns the king in a dream and rescues Sarah. Abraham and Sarah slip up yet again even though though they are so close to seeing the fulfillment of God's promise. God is committed to keeping His word despite Abraham’s apparent weakness.

Man may fail but God never fails. What He starts, He finishes. It is God who pioneers, perfects and completes our faith in Him. 'The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever; Do not forsake the works of Your hands’ – Psalm 138:8; ‘Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ’ – Phil 1:6; 'Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith' - Heb 12:2.

Lesson #12  Faith proves itself in obedience.

Gen 22 In the final test, God asks Abraham to sacrifice his beloved son, Isaac. Abraham does not hesitate. He takes supplies, loads them on a donkey and together with his son and two servants sets out to the sacrificial site. When Isaac innocently asks, "We have the fire and the wood but where is the lamb for the sacrifice?", Abraham simply replies that God will provide. He builds an altar, lays the wood and after binding Isaac places him on the altar. 

Often it seems that God is a sadist, demanding everything of you until you are left with nothing. Abraham gave up his home and native land to go where God was leading him. He and Sarah made the journey alone, leaving behind family and friends; even his closest family member, Lot, bailed out halfway. He wandered the land as a nomad making his home in tents in an occupied country. Not only that, he waited 25 years for Isaac to be born. Abraham suffered the pain and humiliation of one who had nothing to show for all the years spent waiting for his destiny. And now that he had finally attained the promise, the God he's given up everything for is demanding he offer his son as a sacrifice? No one would have blamed Abraham if he had thrown in the towel and cried, "Enough is enough!"  But Abraham knows who God is.   

'The Maker of Heaven and Earth is my God. My God keeps His promise. My God does not lie. My God judges rightly. My God protects me from harm and rescues me from danger. My God supplies all my needs. My God knows my weakness. My God understands my pain and all that I have suffered. My God is faithful even when I fail Him. Nothing is impossible with my God. If need be, my God is able to raise my son back to life after I have sacrificed him. I will not doubt. I will not fear. I will not question. I will simply trust and obey'

Just as he stretches out his hand to slay him with his knife, God calls Abraham, “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son. ” God is proud of Abraham's faith! And indeed not only does God give Isaac back to Abraham but He also seals the deal with a personal oath. 'I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me. - Genesis 22:16ff

The test of a man's faith is his obedience to God.

All this took place some 4,000 years before God sent His only Son, Jesus, to earth. At the appointed time, Jesus in obedience to His Father’s Will, willingly went to the cross. He paid the ultimate price for sin with His sinless blood which cleanses every sinner who comes to Him by faith. Faith not only reconciles us to God but makes it possible to know Him and experience His Presence in our lives in a real and tangible way.

Abraham’s story is an amazing story of how one man believed God and became a hero of faith, the founder of the Jewish nation, and most importantly a friend of God. Today you and I are bearers of Abraham’s promise; we receive it by faith just as Abraham inherited the promises of God by faith!

It is important to remember that faith is not a destination but it is a journey. Won't you put your hand in His and with all the trust and simplicity of a child begin your own journey with Him?

Faith that gets God's attention - Part 1

What is faith?

'Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see' - Heb 11:1

Why do we need faith?

'And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him' - Heb 11:6
'Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls' - I Peter 1: 8,9.

In the context of the verses above, faith is belief in the existence of God without actually seeing Him. Unless you have faith, you cannot please Him or expect to receive anything from Him. Faith connects you to God whom you cannot see. Even though he is invisible to you, yet you can have a real love for Him, experience unspeakable joy; these are tangible proofs of eternal salvation which is yours by faith.

In Hebrews 11, we read the account of a few ancients who impressed God with their life of faith and obedience to Him. You see, our works do not impress God the way faith does. The writer of Hebrews commends several individuals who impressed God with their life of faith and obedience (chapter 11) and it is them we turn to in order to understand the kind of faith that gets God's attention and earns His approval.

Abraham (formerly Abram) was one such person who heard the call of God at age 75. Genesis records his experiences in detail. His life turned out to be most eventful eventually leading to the birth of a nation from which Jesus the Messiah would come. We can learn many important lessons, particularly about faith, simply by tracing the different milestones of Abram's journey.

Who is Abram?

Read Genesis 11: 27 – 32; Joshua 24:2, Acts 7: 2

Abram's father, Tehrah, was an idol worshiper who lived in the Ur of the Chaldeans. He had 3 sons: Abram, Nahor and Haran. When his son Haran died, Tehrah took Abram, his daughter in law Sarai and his grandson Lot (Haran's son) and set out for Canaan. But when he came to Harran, he settled there where he remained until his death. 

The Call of Abram

God calls Abram and promises him an amazing destiny. Read Gen 12: 1-3. God's promise can be summarized in the following way.

1. LAND - Go to the land I will show you
2. DESCENDANTS - I will make you into a great nation
3. BE BLESSED - I will bless you, make your name great
4. BE A BLESSING - You will be a blessing, I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse, and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.

                               

Lesson #1  Faith takes God at His Word.

Gen 12: 4 -5 Abram believes God and uproots his family, livestock, servants and everything he owns and sets out to Canaan. In obedience to God, Abram leaves the comforts of his father's home, his country and everything familiar to him even though he isn't really sure where he is heading - 'By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going' Heb. 11:8.

Lesson #2  Faith cooperates with God.

Gen 12: 6 – 8 Abram arrives at Canaan. God appears to him and says, "To your offspring I will give this land". Abram reciprocates by building an altar to God. It is not clear why he did this. Perhaps it was an act of worship or surrender. Or to ask God for guidance. Whatever his motive, it appears Abram wanted to commemorate the moment with an altar. Again along the way, he builds another one between Bethel and Ai where he calls upon the name of the Lord.

When we call upon God, we are saying we can't make it on our own. We realize our limitations and surrender to the One who is greater than us to lead us, guide us and keep us on the right path. ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths'  - Prov 3:5-6 NKJV

Lesson #3  Faith is NOT fearful.

Gen 12: 10 – 20. Abram flees to Egypt to escape famine. But he fears the Egyptians will kill him to have Sarai because she is very beautiful.  So he pretends that Sarai is his sister and urges her to do the same. His fears come true. Pharaoh is smitten and takes Sarai into his palace with the view to make her his wife. He rewards Abram with many gifts. But God plagues the royal family with serious diseases. Pharaoh discovers Abram's deceit and ejects him from Egypt in disgrace. Abram retraces his steps and finds the 1st altar he had built and once more calls on the name of the Lord.

When our decisions and actions are motivated by fear, they only lead us away from God's purpose. Just like Abram, we need to yield ourselves to Him again. 'Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe' - Prov 29:25 NIV; 'For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind' - 2 Tim 1:7 NKJV

                                               

Lesson #4  Faith doesn’t trust what it sees.

Gen 13: 8 – 17 As long as Abram and Lot stay together, there isn't enough space to contain their possessions and livestock for they are great. There are constant clashes and misunderstandings between their servants, so Abram and Lot agree to part ways. Abram allows Lot to choose his dwelling. Lot surveys the land and settles for the well watered plains of Jordan. Unknown to Lot, he has chosen a path that will eventually lead him to Sodom and Gomorrah, two accursed cities ripe for God's judgement. Lot leaves but God comes to Abram and tells him to take in the length and breadth of the vast land, for God was giving it to him and his descendants. Abram pitches his tent in Hebron and marks the moment with another altar.

Two men looked at the land before them, but only one saw with eyes of faith. It's tempting to trust our own judgement at times but keep in mind that as believers, 'We walk by faith, not by sight' - 2 Cor. 5:7 NKJV

                               

Lesson #5 Faith looks to God for provision. 

Gen 14 Lot is caught in the middle of  a revolt. Five kings including the King of Sodom refuse to pay tribute to Kedorlaomer king of Elam, so he assembles his allies and attacks the rebel kings, seizing their goods and food. Lot is taken captive along with the other men and women.  When Abram hears the news, he gathers a small army of trained men and sets out on a rescue operation. The mission is a success and he recovers the stolen goods as well as the captives. The King of Sodom is grateful and allows Abram to keep the goods. But Abram declines the king’s reward, refusing to accept even a shoelace lest the king takes credit for blessing Abram and making him rich.

Abram resolved within himself that he would not rely on man to provide for his needs. 'I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread' Psalm 37: 25

Lesson #6  Faith grows with first hand revelation.

Gen 14: 22 – 24 Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of God most High, brings bread and wine, and blesses Abram in the name of God, Maker of Heaven and Earth. Abram pays him a tribute - a tenth of all his possessions. The writer of Hebrews says, Melchizedek's name means king of righteousness and peace; that he has no genealogy, resembles the Son of God and remains a priest eternally - Heb 7:1-3. Abram pays allegiance to the heavenly king and rejects the favours of the earthly kings. Abram's declaration comes with the revelation of Melchizedek who is a type of the Holy Spirit.

It is easy to trust someone once you get to know them. In the same way, faith increases when we know who God is. But the best kind of knowledge doesn't come from textbooks or pulpits but by  first hand revelation by the Holy Spirit! Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.- Matt 16: 16-17; 'All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He (Holy Spirit) will take of Mine and declare it to you' - John 16: 15 ; 'For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ' - Galatians 1:12.


To be continued..

Lord! I Believe; Help My Unbelief

I believe in the sun even if it isn't shining. 

I believe in love even when I am alone. 

I believe in God even when He is silent.

- found scrawled on a cellar wall where Jews had hidden in World War II in Cologne, Germany

A letter

- taken from Spiritually Single (Unequally Yoked) Facebook page

I'm Still Looking Up...

I Won't Give Up - Jason Mraz

Hmmmm ... Hmmmm ... Hmmmm ... Hmmm ...

When I look into your eyes
It's like watching the night sky
Or a beautiful sunrise
There's so much they hold
And just like them old stars
I see that you've come so far
To be right where you are
How old is your soul?

I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
I'm still looking up

And when you're needing your space
To do some navigating
I'll be here patiently waiting
To see what you find

'Cause even the stars they burn
Some even fall to the earth
We've got a lot to learn
God knows we're worth it
No, I won't give up

I don't wanna be someone who walks away so easily
I'm here to stay and make the difference that I can make
Our differences they do a lot to teach us how to use
The tools and gifts we got yeah, we got a lot at stake
And in the end, you're still my friend at least we did intend
For us to work we didn't break, we didn't burn
We had to learn how to bend without the world caving in
I had to learn what I've got, and what I'm not
And who I am

I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
I'm still looking up
Still looking up.

I won't give up on us (no I'm not giving up)
God knows I'm tough enough (I am tough, I am loved)
We've got a lot to learn (we're alive, we are loved)
God knows we're worth it (and we're worth it)

I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
I'm still looking up

The Ugly Duckling

In a recent process of moving house, I found some interesting odds and ends. A small key strangely labelled ‘A’. A piece of brown plastic moulding with a magnetic strip. A tiny metal spring. A single ear stud.  None of which looked familiar to me.

My first instinct is to try and figure out where these came from. I think of all the possible likely places and start from there. But nothing works. I ask around but except for the strangely labelled key, the items are unclaimed. Having done what I can, I decide to throw them away - it is no real loss. But I hesitate and hold on to a couple of them...just in case.

And then suddenly, when you’re immersed in something totally unrelated, the very piece you thought had no value is the very piece you are in need of. Like in this case. I am rearranging my books when I discover the wooden door on my bookcase will not close properly because it is missing... a piece of plastic moulding with a magnetic strip!! I quickly retrieve it and what do you know! It fits snugly and perfectly! It’s the piece that keeps the door clicked firmly in place. How happy I am that I have solved the puzzle of the piece that didn’t fit anywhere! And how thankful I am that I didn’t throw it away!  I had held on to it because I believed that someday I would discover its purpose.  And now a seemingly useless object had become a useful one.But until that fateful moment, it lay in my hands; helpless and homeless.

At times I feel like this. I feel awkward and out of place. I try but I don’t seem to fit in. I move with the crowd but no one seems to understand me. They tolerate me for a while but move on when they realize we have nothing in common. My questions and concerns rub off on people the wrong way. Sometimes I am labelled ‘difficult ‘or ‘divisive’. Other times I am written off because I have ‘issues’. Well meaning people try to analyze me so that they can ‘fix’ my problem. But it appears I am not easy to ‘fix’. I defy all text book logic. Sooner or later, I fall into the category of the unnamed and unclaimed. But a couple of friends refuse to give up. They don’t try to fix me. They listen without judging. They don’t claim to know what my ‘problem’ is. They don’t try to stick me in a pigeon hole. They don’t attempt to modify my speech or behaviour. They are simply there – affirming me silently, faithfully. They know my true intrinsic worth will emerge once I discover my purpose. Until then they are content to let me be, and let God have His way.   

For it is the One who created me who knows the secret of my true identity. Where I come from and where I am meant to be. And He’s not telling just yet. Can I be content to know that it will happen at the appointed time and not a moment sooner? Can I be patiently trust in God’s wisdom and timing? As God puts my life in order, I can trust that the seemingly useless, crippling life experiences I have had to endure will start to make sense. Being the very training I need to be useful and effective for the destiny He has prepared for me. What makes me incongruous, irrelevant now is the very thing that makes me perfect for the task. When it comes – everything will fall in place, without human manipulation and effort. Like the fabled Ugly Duckling who became a Swan it will finally make sense – the confusion, the rejection, the alienation and betrayal. But all that will fade in the light of His revelation.

And in that moment - You will see....
- that I am not a freak of nature. I am the work of His Hands.