Today Reminder (Confident) – 30 November 2017

A reminder for today

Though an army encamp against me, My heart will not fear; Though war arise against me,
Even in this I am confident. (Psalm 27:3)

I am sitting at work as we battle to finish the last of our release. I want to complain but I have no strength. We walked out of the office late last night and hopefully we can end it all today. We are tired and irritated and somehow it seems as if our company is not really bothered. So, I want to complain but I can’t. It is a beautiful day outside and we are blessed to have received rain over last few days. I am at a point where I have no idea what awaits us. We are heavily burdened with debt and we did not make our underpins so our bonuses are not going to be much this year. A sudden dip in income can have a significant impact on your life.

This morning I know the Lord sees my fears and burdens and He just blessed us with this awesome verse. When I read this, I have a picture in my head and I am going to try and show this picture to you in words.

I am standing in an open valley with dust all around me. In my hands are two swords and I am exhausted from the battle. As the dusts settles I can see an army approaching as the flags of their horse regiment slowly appears on the horizon. I wipe the sweat from my face and turn towards them. They are heavily armed as their armour glimmers in the mid-afternoon sun. I can feel the strength of the Lord flowing through me renewing my own strength and lifting me up. I rise confident and determined, because behind me lies the remainder of the previous army and I know if God could take me through that, He will deliver me through the next one.

I am confident that I will overcome the battles and challenges that awaits me in the last part of this year. I know the Lord will turn the bad around for His glory and we will see His blessings as we enter into this awesome time of the year.

To God be all the glory, because without Him I am nothing.

Lord, I thank you for all that you do for me and all the blessings we receive out of your hand. Please, be with us as we are facing new and difficult challenges. Come and rescue your people, Lord, and show us the way. Take away our fears and burdens and bless our finances. In Jesus name.  

Have an awesome day, dear friend of Jesus. 

Cheers

Today Reminder (Every Knee) – 29 November 2017

A reminder for today

For it is written [in Scripture], “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me,
And every tongue shall give praise to God.” (Romans 14:11)

How are you, my friend? We are battling to finish the last of our update as Friday is D-day. All seems fine, except for a last few things that needs to be fine-tuned so that we deliver a full and final package. This morning I am thinking about all those who are against us and against our religion. Those who denies God and those who does not believe He exists. All those who are questioning Jesus and His resurrection. I am a little saddened and at a loss, because my question to the Lord this morning was – How does He do it? How does He love despite the hate and anger and lies? How does He forgive even the terrible things we do? How does He do it?

It takes me 5 minutes into traffic and I am already annoyed by arrogance and self-love. We received our performance ratings yesterday and I am upset about it. How does God do it? How does He love us when we do not deserve His love? How does He forgive so easily and why did He gave His life for us? We destroyed His creation and then we blame Him for it? We are greedy and arrogant, and we blame God for our own mistakes? We expect Him to jump when we pray but we turn away from Him and sin at every chance we get. We want God to do want we way when He is the creator and it is all His. He can wipe the planet with a single word, yet He takes all the pain for us when He gave His life for our benefit.

Then I remembered Paul’s message to the church in Romans. In the end no matter who you are or what you believed, you will bow before God and you will give Him praise. You will be judged, and you will receive the punishment He said He will give to all who turned away from Him. In the end all will know that He is God and there is no other. In the end all this will end, and we will be with our Lord. It is days like this that I just get so tired of this world and the little gods that try to take the place of our Lord, because their greed for power and money has become their idols. 

 Today I just want to spend all day with my Lord, because He will never leave, and He loves me despite my imperfections. He never judges me for my wrongs and He will always see the best in me. He only wants to see me prosper and grow. He is all I need and all I desire. He is my God and my only God. This tiny world with its tiny people will not change that. My God is a great God and soon every shall bow down and every tongue shall give praise to God.

Lord, you are my refuge and my shelter and today I just want to be with you. Take away my fears and my pain and show me the path you need me to walk. In Jesus name. 

Have an awesome day, dear friend of Jesus. 

Cheers

Today Reminder (Tree) – 28 November 2017

A reminder for today

Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. (Matthew 1:23)

We took out the Christmas tree yesterday and placed all the decorations on it getting our home into the joyous and festive feeling that comes with Christmas. Putting up a tree is not something I used to do, I believe there is a little pagan idolatry in it. I also never said that santa brought the presents. I made it my goal to teach my children the truth from the start. So, my kids know that santa is not real and just a made-up fantasy to take away the real meaning of Christmas. What do you guys do? I suppose the western world will all have trees with presents under the tree as we celebrate Christmas with friends and family. 

Firstly, I love Christmas, because we can celebrate the birth of our saviour Jesus Christ. But I also have an issue with Christmas, because if we celebrate the birth of our Lord, then why is santa in the picture. Now many will try and talk old santa into the picture and give you many reasons why it is acceptable. But what does the Lord say about this? 

Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. (Jeremiah 10)

Now does that sound familiar. You see we took a pagan believe and connected it with our Bible and then we made it acceptable even though we know our God said that He is the only God and we cannot worship any other. Santa is satan’s way to lead us away from God. You see the world made santa a god. He has grey hair, sits on a throne and travels the heavens in an instant brining gifts to children. Jesus said that we must bring the children to Him, but now santa says we must bring the children to him. Santa only bring gifts to the children that was good, so we also create a fear in children for santa and not for God. You may think me wrong, but if you look at what Christmas has become, you will see that there is no Jesus in Christmas anymore. It is a money-making scheme driven by desire and lies. Why would you tell your children a lie about an old man that does not exist when you can teach them about a God that really exists. Our values have moved from God fearing to trying to exclude God. Take a moment and consider the consequences of making the wrong choice. I will continue to teach my kids the true meaning of Christmas and I will explain the real gift that the world received. I will make it clear that the gifts they receive are from God because He blessed us so that we are able to have something to remind us of His gift in Jesus Christ. 

Lord, change the hearts of our country so that we will celebrate Christmas for the real reason and give you all the glory. Let our people turn back to you and please hear our prayers and heal our land. In Jesus name.  

Have an awesome day, dear friend of Jesus. 

Cheers