Today Reminder - 30 March 2012 (Wisdom)

My prayer for you for today is that God will give you complete knowledge of His will and that He will give you spiritual wisdom and understanding, in Jesus name.

Colossians 1:9-10

So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of His will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.

Spiritual wisdom. I think this is something we all need, and at that I mean wisdom. I have seen so many people make terrible mistakes out of a lack of wisdom. Spiritual wisdom is not self-gained wisdom but wisdom that comes from God through the Holy Spirit. Imagine the clarity that we will have in life if we are full of spiritual wisdom. But Paul ads on the word “Understanding” and this is so important, because knowing only is not enough, we have to understand also. Having wisdom but not understanding it can be dangerous and could send us in the wrong direction.

Paul writes that having wisdom with understanding will allow you to live a life that will always bring honour to God and most of all please Him and in this you will produce every kind of fruit. This is just awesome, because it will let you grow in your knowledge of God so that you will learn to know Him better. This is one thing I believe the world really needs and that is to know God better. We are so easily distracted by worldly ideas and we never question it with wisdom from the Holy Spirit. It is sad to see how people can so easily be let astray by unacceptable worldly ideas. So it is even more so important that we pray for spiritual wisdom not only in our lives but to lead those that are lost back to the kingdom of God.

My dear friend, I pray that God will give you spiritual wisdom so that you will learn to know Him better and better so that together we will produce fruit that will glorify God up to eternity.

Have an awesome day, dear friend of Jesus.

Cheers

Today Reminder - 29 March 2012 (I can)

My prayer for you for today is that you will know there are no limitations in Jesus and that He will give you all the strength you need, in Jesus name.

Philippians 4:4-5 and 13

Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

I can do everything. My strength does not lie within my own body but my strength lies in Jesus and I will rejoice knowing that He provides me with enough to face each day and each situation. I will not be moved from my current course nor will I be distracted by the world for I am content with what the Lord has blessed me with and I am more than capable to face each day with all its glory and all its troubles. I will stand in the midst of stormy rain as it pours all over my life and I will rejoice, because my strength in in Jesus my anchor and my foundation. I will not look back and I will not be tricked by the enemy and all his accusations, but I will look ahead towards the coming light of Jesus, because I know He is coming soon.

I will seek the Lord in each moment and I will be grateful for each breath, I will share His glory and I will stand for what is right and oppose what is evil. I will love without boundaries and I will share without regret. I will walk and continue walking on my journey and I will spend more time with the Lord so that I will grow stronger in faith and committed to other. 

I will ask the Lord to help me love Him more and I will fear God with and intense respect and vast love. I will become less and less and He will become more and more as each day passes. I will not give up, because my Lord and God is with me each step of the way and I will rejoice all over again.

For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

Have a super duper victorious day dear friend of Jesus.

Cheers

Today Reminder - 28 March 2012 (Peace)

My prayer for you for today is that you will take all your worries to God and that God’s peace will fill your heart and mind, in Jesus name.

Philippians 4:6-7

Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Peace. I think it is almost human nature to worry and sometimes we are overwhelmed by our concerns and problems that it makes us gasp for air as the grip of our problems tightens around our neck. We become scared and we don’t think rationally and we do stupid things. In the midst of all that could go wrong you must seek God and seek His peace. I have said it before and I say it again – pray! Take your worries to God in prayer and thank Him for what He has already done and then by placing your trust in Him you will receive His peace and you will think clearly and I assure you, you will see the correct path, because the Holy Spirit will reveal it to you.

I love Paul’s words: “Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything” – I know that to worry about things only makes us older and unhappy, when instead God wants us to be happy and to be free from the worries of this world. It is so important that you pray, this will build your relationship with God and ultimately open your heart and mind so that you will hear His voice more clearly. 

So today, my dear friend, don’t worry about anything but instead pray about everything, tell God what you need and thank Him for what He has already done.

Have an awesome worry free day, you child of God!

Cheers

Today Reminder - 27 March 2012 (Prize)

My prayer for you for today is that you will stay steadfast on your course to achieve perfection in Jesus for which He first possessed you, in Jesus name.

Philippians 3:12-14

I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

Prize. It is hard to be a Christian, at times it almost seems impossible to remain focused and calm amongst all the things that happens around us. I think for me it is my work that holds the most challenges on a day to day basis purely, because it is the one place I spend a large part of my day. I sometimes find myself complaining so easily about things I do not agree with and I forget that having a job is a gift from God. Paul writes that he has not yet achieved that perfection and that he presses on to achieve it. You know when compared to Paul I feel so small, and yet he says that he has not yet achieved that perfection. It is so easy to become negative here and think that it is impossible to reach and I guess the devil will obviously throw in his old curve ball and bring in your past and all the mistakes you have made to make you feel even more second-rate. Yes, this is just one of many low blows he will use to bring you down and discourage you. I love how Paul plainly puts it: “I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead”

It is the one thing we must focus on, and that is not what is already behind us, but what lies ahead. We cannot change the past, but we can surely change our future. So forget about your mistakes, your imperfections and your problems and focus once again on the glorious prize that God through Jesus Christ is calling us. We are not people of this world, but we are citizens of heaven and ambassadors to God passing through towards our destination in heaven with God almighty. What may seem impossible to you is possible to God, don’t lose faith and don’t lose your focus.

My dear friend, stand up once more with me as we press on to reach the end of the race and let’s take as many with us as we possibly can. You are a child of God and that makes you a formidable force filled with the unlimited power of the Holy Spirit. You are unstoppable and unbreakable, rise child of God and be who God made you to be – perfect in an imperfect body.

Have a glorious day dear friend of Jesus – you rock!

Cheers

Today Reminder - 26 March 2012 (Everything else)

My prayer for you for today is that you will realise the infinite value of knowing Jesus Christ, and that you will discard everything else to become one with Him, in Jesus name.

Philippians 3:8-9

Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with Him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God's way of making us right with himself depends on faith.

Everything else. In our daily lives we are constantly overwhelmed by books and ideas by people how to live a good life. There are writers with specific steps that you must follow on achieving greatness and then there are those considered great or successful that tells the story of their lives to teach you from their own experience how to achieve a similar greatness as they did or rather a similar success. I guess it is good to follow advice from people that went through a similar experience and learn from their mistakes, yet I always thought that making mistakes is part of learning and growing. It is in our own imperfections that we will long for a perfect example in Jesus Christ. I assume in Paul’s day there were many that saw themselves as the best in knowledge and obviously wanted their ways known to all. Paul says it so nicely: “everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” and more so he says that he discarded everything else so that he could gain Christ and become one with Him.

My dear friend, take a moment and quiet out the world and all its noise makers and seek Jesus so that you can strive to become one with Him. Above all power and above all success, fame and fortune is God. Do not seek what this world has to offer, but seek the gift of Jesus Christ with an unquenchable thirst  to know Him and become one with Him so that you can become righteous through your faith in Jesus Christ, because God's way of making us right with himself depends on faith.

Have an awesome day, as you become more and more like Jesus.

Cheers

Today Reminder - 23 March 2012 (Rejoice)

My prayer for you for today is that you will live a clean and innocent life so that you will be a light shining for God, in Jesus name.

Philippians 2:14-17

Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ's return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless. But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy.

Rejoice. Do you sometimes feel that the walls are crumbling around you and that your world is falling apart? Do feel that you are left alone in a dark world struggling for survival? Do you feel lost and hurt? When the going gets tough we are always first to complain and argue. I see it so clearly in my own life, the minute the walls crumble and the problems seems bigger than the solutions, I start to complain and argue so much easier. What is the result of this? You see we argue with the ones we love and in most cases we will hurt each other, we complain about our problems yet we pray that God must help us. If I ask you to do something for me and I still go and do it myself, what does that tell you about my trust in you and how will that make you feel? Why do we ask God for help but we keep on complaining and arguing? What does that tell you about our faith? Do see the pattern; do see the devils agenda in all of this? That is exactly what he wants us to do, he wants us to mistrust God and argue, because he is all for pain and suffering. He knows if we do not wait patiently for God to change our circumstances according to His will, we will try and fix it ourselves or seek help somewhere else, and in the end it is not for God that we give the glory but for the devil, because we took his advice. That is why Paul writes that we must stop complaining and arguing so that no one can criticize you, so that no one can say that you call yourself a Christian but you do not trust God. This sacrifice and commitment will ultimately bring us closer to God and allow us to shine in a dark and perverse world, as true children of God. 

So rejoice, Paul says that he will rejoice even if he loses his life, pouring it out as a liquid offering to God and he makes a bold statement to say just like our faithful service is an offering to God. Therefore you must take a moment and ask God to give you the strength and wisdom to completely trust Him and allow His will to be done so that the end result will glorify Him and make us shine as we offer our faithful service to God, living according to His will and faithfully trusting Him completely.

Have a great day, rejoicing for the Lord as you face yet another day in this amazing world.

Cheers

Today Reminder - 22 March 2012 (Fear)

My prayer for you for today is that you will know to fear God and that you will be filled even more with the desire and power to do what pleases Him, in Jesus name.

Philippians 2:12-13

Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him.

Fear. It is one thing to fear what we know of and what we can see, but it is so important that you must know to fear God. We must remember that our lives will determine the final judgement that God will put on us. Therefore it is so important that you live a life obeying God and fearing Him, but not only for His judgement but for whom He is. Paul writes that God is working in you giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him. To me fear for God begins with knowing God and spending time in His Word to know more of Him and who He is.

The Psalmist wrote in Psalm 8:

When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers— the moon and the stars you set in place— what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? 

God is much bigger than it is possible for us to imagine, it is so important that you bring who God is in context with who you are and where you stand in relationship with Him. Don’t make the mistake to not know how great God is, great in love but most of all, great in magnitude. Make sure you right size Him and that your first priority will be to obey Him with deep devotion and fear.

My dear friend, God is beyond our mind set and far above our imagination. How fortunate are we that God loves us with an immense and intense love that we will never be able to fully understand.

Have and awesome day dear friend of Jesus.

Cheers

Today Reminder - 21 March 2012 (Humble)

My prayer for you for today is that you will be humble and that you will not only think of your own interests but also of those around you, in Jesus name.

Philippians 2 (3-4) (5-8) (9-11)

Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

Humble. It is so easy to be self-centred and to have a blind eye for the needs of those around us and even when we see the need we are sometimes selfish in helping or even understanding. I see it daily in my life how people can be hard and selfish in that matter towards people around them.  It is so easy to be caught up in our own lives and our own problems that it consumes our will to see the need of other. How do you invest in the kingdom of God? Where does the majority of you money goes? God wants us to be humble and not try and impress other, but to be ready to give and help where we can. Paul writes here that we must look at the example of Jesus and I love his way of putting it:

You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
Though he was God, He did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, He gave up His divine privileges; He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.
When He appeared in human form, He humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on a cross.

How many of us would give up everything for the need of others? Or how many of us will give up one luxury to be able to help other? A difficult question I guess, but an important one. Remember my dear friend; this world is only a temporary place. It is the life after this one that we must invest in.

Therefore, God elevated Him to the place of highest honor and gave Him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,  in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Let’s focus not only on our own selfish desires but also on the need of other, whether it is an ear to hear, a word of motivation, a smile, a hug, a coin, an apple or even a meal, whatever it is be humble and listen to the voice of God, because in the end every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is the Lord. No matter who or what you are.

Have an awesome, giving, sharing, loving and humbled day dear friend of Jesus.

Cheers

Today Reminder - 20 March 2012 (Storms)

My prayer for you for today is that you will remain standing on the Lord as the storms of life unfolds around you, in Jesus name.

Philippians 1:29-30

For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for Him. We are in this struggle together. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it.

Storms. We find ourselves in the midst of stormy weather as we journey through life. It is funny how these storms can just keep on hammering away at you, trying to destroy all your defences. It is sometimes like waves that just keep on coming and as the weather changes the waves either increase or decrease but they keep on coming. I love the way Paul puts it into words: “You have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for Him.” 

Paul writes here stating that we are aware of his struggles in the past, but that he is still in the midst of it. I think this is the hardest part of living a life for Christ is the continuous waves of struggles that we have to face each day and how they just keep on coming.  The sad thing about this is that we so easily forget God in all of this and we try and fight it on our own. Each one of us are going through troubled times. That is why Paul says we are in this together, each one of us are in constant battle against our daily struggles.

My dear friend, don’t look at these mountains of waves and be discouraged. Look at them and smile, because Jesus is with you. He will never leave you nor will He ever forsake you. Let’s stand together and face the storms as they blow over us, because our feet are safe and secure on the foundation of Jesus. We will not fear nor will we give up, because we are saved and the enemy can do nothing about that but pour water on us. God will cover you with His towel of love and dry all the struggles as He keeps you safe.

Have an awesome stormy day dear friend of Jesus.

Cheers

Today Reminder - 19 March 2012 (Life)

My prayer for you for today is that your life will be a life for Christ and that you will continue to be bold for Him, in Jesus name.

Philippians 1:20-21

For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better.

Life. How short is life? For life is but a vapour, here today and gone tomorrow. The question is “What will happen when my life ends? Will my life bring honour to Christ?”

We have the opportunity once more today to live for Christ and to be bold for Him. Death has no power over us anymore as we live a life for Christ. Death was defeated by Jesus as He gave up His life for us. We can live free from the fear of death, because death is just the final step. Paul says “Living means living for Christ, and dying is even better.” 

Let us face this day and live a life that will bring honour to Jesus. In everything you do today or in everything that you are faced with, bring honour to Him. If you are working, work with a joyful heart, focussed and diligent as if you are working for God. Seek His presence in each moment and seek His guidance in each thought and in each word. Let God renew your strength and your faith as we embrace this day. Let’s take on our challenges fearlessly and forcefully for Him, so that His glory will shine every step of the way. I know you will bring honour to God with your life, as you live for Jesus. We live by faith and not by sight.

My dear friend, don’t give up and don’t let the enemy steal your joy for our joy comes from the Lord. 

Have an awesome day dear friend of Jesus as you live for Christ.

Cheers

Today Reminder - 16 March 2012 (Persevere)

My prayer for you for today is that nothing will hold you back to be bold for Jesus, in Jesus Name.

Ephesians 6:19-20

And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God's mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike. I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God's ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for Him, as I should.

Persevere.  “I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God's ambassador.” – I have this picture in my head of Paul in prison and in chains writing this letter of encouragement to the Ephesians. When we are going through difficult times or when we are not feeling very well, do we write messages of encouragement? Do we motivate the people around us when we are upset?

Our first reaction when things are not well is to be miserable and upset and we tend to be miserable and moody towards everyone around us. It is easy for us to glorify God in the good times but when the bad times arrive we forget and we search for explanations and reasons why this happened and we blame easily. We forget God. I don’t want to forget Him anymore, I want to sing His praises even when the devil has his chains around me. I want to bring glory to God in every moment of every challenge. This is where prayer is so important. Prayer is the key to the heart of God and it builds your relationship with God. With prayer we come to God in faith knowing that He will hear our prayers. Nothing is impossible for God and in Him we will find our way out. It is not only important that we pray but more so that we pray for each other. As we pray for strength also pray that God will strengthen your Christian brothers and sisters. This will make the continuous attacks of the enemy less effective, because we will stand together united in prayer and in God for His glory. 

My dear friend, persevere in your prayer time and also pray for other so that we will defeat the enemy long before he could cause any damage. Pray that we will be faithful to God in the good and the bad times and that we will keep encouraging even when we are in chains. Be bold for God as you should be.

Have an awesome encouraging day and a super weekend dear friend of Jesus.

Cheers

Today Reminder - 15 March 2012 (War)

My prayer for you for today is that you will be strong in the Lord and His mighty power, in Jesus Name.

Ephesians 6 (10-12) (13-17) (18)

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

Warfare. When the enemy is defeated they have two options, they can surrender and submit to the victor or they can continue fighting until there is nothing left to fight with. Our fight is against the devil and his army, and he already lost the fight. When Jesus came to this earth and gave His life for us, he defeated the devil and destroyed him. He is a fallen enemy using everything he still has available to try and destroy as many life’s as possible. His tactics are shrewd and his lust for destruction seems limitless. He will use everything he can find against you to defeat your will and break your faith. He knows if he can just get one little thing that will trigger your downfall, you will be an easier target for greater destruction. He will use bad times and good times to his advantage therefore it is so important that we remain focussed on God and allow the Holy Spirit to help us in every moment of each day. You cannot stand alone, that is why Paul writes that you must be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. In Jesus we will become unstoppable and the devil knows this, so he will continue to try and break that relationship. It is time that we activate our force fields as we enter each new day into a new battle field against a relentless enemy. 

Therefore, put on every piece of God's armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God's righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

My dear friend it is so important that you will remain standing after each battle but most important is this: Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

Stand your ground and face each challenge with Jesus, because you are a mighty warrior with unlimited power.

Have a victorious day dear friend of Jesus.

Cheers

Today Reminder - 14 March 2012 (Thank you)

My prayer for you for today is that you will give thanks to God for everything and in everything, in Jesus name.

Ephesians 5:20

And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Thank you. The words “Thank you” seems so small in comparison to what God does on a daily basis. It is almost as if it should have had more weight to it, but it doesn’t. It feels so inadequate when you are overwhelmed with God’s love. How do I make my “thank you” a more “thank you”? 

When you are sad your words carry the emotions of your heart. They are combined with a deep sorrow that is carried out on words that can be read in your eyes and the pain is clearly visible in your face. When we are happy our words are happy, they are combined with laughs as you shine the feelings out from inside. I believe that thank you is not the word, but the feelings that is deep inside you carried by thousands of emotions travelling throughout the whole body and finally finding its way out by the words on your lips united with the truth in your eyes. Then “Thank you” is not just a word, but it is the result of true appreciation. 

My dear friend, take time today to really thank God for His love, grace and blessings in your life. God has given us so much in His son and regardless of who you are, He loves you unconditionally. Don’t let the opportunity pass you by, but invest your time in God and tell Him how important He is in your life. Don’t allow personal pride to take the place of your “Thank you” for God, but instead thank Him and glorify Him for everything you are and everything you can be. To God be all the glory!

Have an awesome day dear friend of Jesus.

Cheers

Today Reminder - 13 March 2012 (Forgive)

My prayer for you for today is that you will forgive just as God through Jesus has forgiven you, in Jesus name.

Ephesians 4:31-32

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

Forgive. Funny how the world has changed, everything is always in such a rush. There is never enough time. Days go by faster than we realize, it still feels like yesterday when we had Christmas and we are already well on our way to April. That’s four months into 2012 and only eight months till the next Christmas. It is as if we are born into a river and we are caught in the flow and we just can’t stop it, and everyone and everything that is not in our stream gets to see our bad side more often than needed. We get angry so much easier, and we allow anger to control us. Paul writes here in Ephesians 4 “And don't sin by letting anger control you. Don't let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil.” Anger is the starting point of rage, harsh words and slander and easily followed by hate. He says that this gives the devil a foothold in your life. 

Now think about this: If you know that you must compete in a major tournament in three months, but you are constantly injured and you can barely practise or prepare properly, will you be able to succeed. Will you be able to compete, and best yet, will you compete. Most people will probably give up, because that is how we are. We give up to easily and we allow circumstances to dictate our future. If you knew that you will be rewarded if you attended the tournament even if you were the worst athlete, would you still give up. Yet in life we do, when we know the reward that awaits us is far greater than anything we can ever imagine. This is what the devil wants, he wants you to give up and allow circumstances and anger to be your master, so that he can get a hold on you and pull you under with him. God is above circumstances, and He is above all the bad luck you can ever have. 

Ephesians 4:30 - And do not bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, He has identified you as His own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. Don’t let anger be the foothold the devil needs in your life, but defeat him with forgiveness. And if he dares to remind you of your past, just remind him of his future. 

Have an awesome day dear friend of Jesus.

Cheers

Today Reminder - 12 March 2012 (Sunrise)

My prayer for you for today is a prayer for renewal in your life, a new you with new thoughts and a new attitude with a new nature created to be like God, in Jesus name.

Ephesians 4:21-24

Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from Him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.

Sunrise. I love the way the African sun breaks through the darkness and brings light all over the land. As the warm sun rays touch the ground and embrace the plants, they start to lighten up and you can almost see how they rejoice in the sunlight warming them up, after a cool night. Even the animals come out of there shelter to bask in the morning sun warming up their bodies and almost being renewed for the new day ahead. 

When Jesus brings light into your life after you have given up your old ways, your mind and body goes through a transformation. The warmth of His love fills your spirit and you start to bloom and radiate with His light. As the plants open their flowers to be filled with this life giving light you too must open your heart and mind and allow the Holy Spirit to fill it with God’s glory. Let the Holy Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes so that you can be a new creation, created to be like God. 

My dear friend, don’t let this world pull you into the shade to keep you cold and stiff so that you cannot feel the warmth of God’s love. Instead ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom and strength, so that you will see through the traps the enemy has laid and that you will know how to avoid being caught in them. Let the warm light of Jesus radiate through you so that you can touch the lives of those you meet with Godly strength and Godly wisdom. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to show Jesus, even if it is only a smile, a hug, a little time, a little patience or a little understanding. When Jesus is in your heart, He should be in all of you.

Have an awesome day dear friend of Jesus, with your new nature, created to be like God – truly righteous and holy.

Cheers

Today Reminder - 09 March 2012 (You)

My prayer for you for today is that you will grow in your awareness of the importance of your role in the body of Christ and that you will slowly transform into the person God wants you to be, in Jesus Name.

Ephesians 4:16

He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.

You. Paul writes about the church compared to the body a few times and he makes it clear how the eyes need the ears and that each part cannot function on its own. This might be something that you know well and we have shared the importance of each part in previous messages, but what I want to remind you of today is the role that you play. How important you are in the whole process. 

When you build something out of wood, you design and plan each part beforehand. You then slowly cut out each section as per your plan and then follows the process of putting it all together. You slowly take each part and place it in its special place connecting the pieces together to form your design. It sometimes happens that not all the pieces fit together perfectly and that one piece needs a little more work. So you take it back to the table and you either cut away the excess or you sand away the rough edges and each time taking the piece back to the design and fitting it to see if it fits. This can take a while, because you don’t want to cut it smaller than the area it must fit in, so you keep on taking away as little as possible until it finally fits and your plan becomes a reality, a masterpiece made out of many small pieces. Carpentry can be so relaxing, building something out of nothing can be quite rewarding. 

This is what you must remember, you might fit in perfectly or you might still have a few rough edges that needs to be cleared or you are slowly being prepared for the place or role that you must fulfil. Whatever it is or wherever you find yourself, you are there for a reason. You are in God’s ultimate design and when the time comes you will see how you fitted perfectly in God’s plan. 

My dear friend, my prayers are with you so that you will have courage to face each new day and that you will remain focussed and not lose heart and that you will be filled with strength as your roots grow stronger safely grounded in God. 

Have an awesome day, dear friend of Jesus.

Cheers

Today Reminder - 08 March 2012 (Decisions)

My prayer for you for today is that in each moment you will strive to be more like Jesus and not influenced by people but by God, in Jesus Name.

Ephesians 4:14-15

Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won't be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.

Decisions. It is so interesting taking my son to the toy store, we go there to buy a specific toy he wants, but in the end we come out with something completely different.  Watching him being influenced by the amount of toys and seeing how this influences his decision can be quite a challenge, because it could easily lead to confusion and he then can’t decide which one he wants. These are the days our visit to the toy shop takes a little longer. It then takes careful advisement and strategic guidance to help him in his decision so that he chooses and, well, stay in budget range.

The world is one massive toy store, and our relationship with Jesus influences our thoughts and decisions. There are so many false teachings and so many ways the enemy will try and trick us in believing something different to God’s word. It is almost like walking through a toy store and not knowing what to choose, all of them look so nice and as you walk along you pick up one and hold it for a little while, then you put it back when you see the next nice one as you continue your journey. Not only will this confuse you completely but it will become a trap that you can’t get out of. That is why it is so important that you turn to the Father for guidance and listen to His voice. As we desire to be more like Jesus and commit our lives in serving God we will hear the truth much easier and speak the truth more confidently and we will not be influenced by the tricks of this world. We will grow in our faith and become more mature in our choices and decisions. Ask God to open your eyes so that you can see the truth and open you ears so you can hear the truth and be your guide so that you can walk in the truth.

Have an awesome day dear friend of Jesus

Cheers

Today Reminder - 07 March 2012 (Unity)

My prayer for you for today is that your day will be a day filled with love and patience and that you will be humble and gentle in each encounter you have today, in Jesus Name.

Ephesians 4:1-6

Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all.

Unity. I love the quote “United we stand, divided we fall”. When I first read that Paul sees himself as a prisoner for serving the Lord, I thought it to be a little strange. How can you be a prisoner for serving Jesus when He is all about freedom, but the Holy Spirit placed an image in my head of a man bound by chains, and on these chains are engraved the words commitment. I see Paul as man bound by his commitment to serve God almost like a prisoner that will only see one world different to what we see on the outside, Paul is captured in God’s view of this world and imprisoned in his own unbreakable commitment to serve God in achieving that view. Paul is driven by his calling to bring the good news of Jesus Christ to the gentiles. What an awesome way of life. How committed are you? Are you a prisoner to the ways and thoughts of God or are you a prisoner to the ways of the world? Paul wrote: “I beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.”

It is not mere coincidence that we are sharing this message this morning. It has a purpose and that purpose is to call you up to a life of serving God. So that in this life you will be humble and gentle and patient with other because of you love. This will united us all in the Spirit and bind us together so that we will stand and not fall. There is only one God, I am repeating this, there is only one God who is over all, in all and living through all. He is in you and in me and in everyone you meet, sometimes we must just allow Him to cut away the rough edges so that we can see the diamond in that person. Be humble today as you are patient and loving to other, for you are called by God to live a life worthy of you calling, a live of serving Him committed like Paul. There are no shortcuts on this journey, only time, patience and commitment. Commit today…

Have a great day friend of Jesus.

Cheers

Today Reminder - 06 March 2012 (Boundaries)

Ephesians 3:14-21

When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources He will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. 

Boundaries. When I read this is Ephesians I knew I just had to share it with you today. How awesome is our God, how great is His love for each one of us and how amazing is His patience with us. God is a boundary breaker, He will slowly break all the boundaries that we created in our lives so that we can come full circle in Him. How funny are our limitations that we place on God and how funny are our limited faith. God is all about unbelievable, unlimited, unimaginable, unstoppable, unknown, unbreakable, unfathomable and indescribable. I love how Paul says that from His glorious, unlimited resources He will empower you and as your roots are growing into God’s love you will be stronger. 

As we grow close to God and He grants us the power to comprehend a tiny bit of His remarkable love we will experience life differently. I believe that this is what God dreams of for each one of us. He wants us to grow in our faith, come closer to Him and experience His love. God wants us to live life, love life and to be life. He is not a genie in a lamb, He is an all-powerful living God and He wants to spend eternity with you. Don’t put limitations on God, He will leave you speechless at the infinity of His love and power so that you will accomplish more than you can ever imagine. 

You are an amazing creation and I pray this morning that God will come into your life and into your heart and break all that is keeping you from Him and keeping you from experiencing His great love, in Jesus Name.

Have an amazing day and live each moment dear friend of Jesus.  

Cheers

Today Reminder - 05 March 2012 (Walkie-Talkie)

My prayer for you for today is that you will take your troubles to God and not to the world, in Jesus Name.

Ephesians 3:12

Because of Christ and our faith in Him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God's presence.

Walkie-Talkie. Before the world domination of the cell phone there was two way radios, we called these hand held devices “Walkie-Talkie’s”. This was the first wireless communication instrument and quite large to carry around, almost like the first cell phones.  The amazing thing about this was the result, you could talk to someone over a distance and continued in your conversation even though you could not see them. It is not the device that made me think this morning, but the name “Walkie-Talkie”, meaning walking and talking. I believe that our relationship with God should be one of walking and talking. Jesus came and He broke the walls and laws that kept us from God’s presence and gave us direct access to Him. You can enter God’s presence at any given time and you can share you happiness or your sadness with Him.

Our relationship with God is to me like a journey, a long distance that we will travel. Our lives are not perfect, but each day we travel with God brings us so much closer to God’s picture of us. This journey that we are on is our life and each new day brings forth a new area and new hurdle that we must overcome. Some of these obstacles on our journey are not easily crossed but take’s time to get over. The important thing is: Are you just walking, or are you walking and talking? Take time in your day and talk to God, share you experiences and difficulties, but also share you victories and successes. God is our Father and He shares in all our experiences, not only the bad ones but also the good ones. As you face each obstacle God is teaching you and empowering you to face the next, moulding you into a formidable force that will not be shaken as you stand with Him.

I am seeing two sets of footprints on what seems to be your life, there are never only one set, but always two. When you walk and talk to God, your mountains will be become footpaths and your life will be a breeze of hope. 

Have a great day dear friend of Jesus.

Cheers

Today Reminder - 02 March 2012 (For Sale)

My prayer for you for today is that you will be renewed in Jesus knowing that you are God’s masterpiece, in Jesus name.

Ephesians 2:8-10

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

For sale. I love sales people, they will give you all the best reasons why you need to buy this specific thing and they will make it sound so impressive that you can’t believe how you ever survived in today’s world without it. I used to work in sales and I must admit I loved it. Selling to fulfil a need is an awesome reward. To bring freedom to your client who has always been struggling with second rated products is just amazing. I loved the thrill of closing the deal and the rush of last minute calls to make target. When you sell truth and integrity you will always be successful, but there are those that will promise anything just to get the deal and then after you bought the promise you realise the actual product is not as good as what they made it sound and you are initially filled with anger and then comes regret and sometimes you are stuck with what you bought. This can be an on-going struggle as you keep trying to make something work that just can’t. It is so frustrating. How do you know it is a lie? I guess you can’t, because you can’t see what you don’t know, but God does. He knows everything, so trust Him in your decisions, always. 

I believe that satan is a great sales person, he must be. Would you jump into a pool of fire and allow yourself to be slow cooked for the rest of your life? No, you wouldn’t but still you carry on doing the wrong things and allowing old satan to mislead you. This is what makes salvation such an awesome thing, it is freely given by God. There is no sales gimmick, nor are there huge empty promises that a sales guru makes to get you to take it. You can’t earn it and you can’t buy it, you can only receive it. So you can’t buy your ticket to heaven, God already gave it to you. 

My dear friend, you are God’s masterpiece. You are special and you are so needed in His great plan. Give your life to Jesus and accept Him as your saviour and submit to a life lived for Him. You are way too special to be lost. I pray that your heart will belong to God and that your life will reflect His glory.

Have an awesome day dear friend of Jesus.

Cheers

Today Reminder - 01 March 2012 (The Cross)

My prayer for you for today is that you will know that your freedom is already bought with the blood of Jesus and that He destroyed the hold sin has on us, in Jesus Name.

Ephesians 1:6-8

So we praise God for the glorious grace He has poured out on us who belong to His dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of His Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.

The Cross. He took your sin upon that cross, innocent, beaten, mocked and finally killed to bring freedom to you out of love and out of grace. Your sins are forgiven, stop letting the devil make you believe otherwise. The grip sin had on you is gone so you can live free from it, you don’t have to fall back into your old ways. No you are lifted up out of that darkness and temptation to a new place, a new life in Jesus. God paid an expensive price for you, don’t you forget that. In Jesus you now have a new identity and new way of thinking. You are an ambassador, a bringer of hope, a child of God.

My dear friend, may you walk different, feel different, see different and talk different knowing that God loves you so much. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding. With this new life, you will have a new understanding and new wisdom other than what this world has to offer, an understanding and wisdom beyond this world.

All I want for you for today is that you will open your heart again and open your mind so that you can feel and hear the Holy Spirit and that you will finally be released from pain, heartache and whatever burden’s that is keeping you from God. This world and the enemy in it has no more grip on you, you are free.

Live each moment to its fullest potential. Have an awesome day dear friend of Jesus.

Cheers.