Today - 30 November 2011

Today

Thank you Lord for using my imperfect life to tell other of a perfect God,

Thank you for holding us tightly folded in your hands,

Thank you for moments of joy and moments of sorrow,

Thank you for drying my tears when I am sad and when I am in awe of You,

Thank you for the people in my life both good and bad,

Thank you for the freedom I find in your son,

Thank you Lord for being my best friend…

Today Reminder - 30 November 2011

My prayer for you for today is that you will continue to rely on the grace of God as you follow Him and obey Him and that you will know you are declared right with God. In Jesus Name.

Acts 13

22 But God removed Saul and replaced him with David, a man about whom God said, 'I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do.'

38 "Brothers, listen! We are here to proclaim that through this man Jesus there is forgiveness for your sins.39 Everyone who believes in him is declared right with God—something the law of Moses could never do.

43 Many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, and the two men urged them to continue to rely on the grace of God.

A man after my own heart, he will do everything I want Him to do. This is probably one of the things that God said about David that remained in my head. Reading that in Acts and seeing how Paul and all the apostles continued to spread the word of God through dangerous and hard times. It gives you a little insight to how God wants us to be. You see David did not fear, he did not stand back and he certainly did not hide his faith.

Now firstly: For believing in Jesus and accepting Him as you saviour you are made right with God and then secondly, God wants you to become a man/woman after His heart by doing everything He wants you to do. Standing firm on your faith and allowing the Holy Spirit to guide you to do what God needs you to do. And thirdly, rely on God’s grace

Everything in our life has a purpose and that purpose in the end will glorify God. Set your eyes on Him and let us face this day with confidence. God is with us, who can be against us.

Cloudy skies over South Africa, cool and rainy days ahead!

Have a super day friend of Jesus

Cheers

Today Reminder - 29 November 2011

My prayer for you for today is that the Lord will break loose the chains of this world that bounds you and that you will feel His hand at work in your life.

Acts 12:6-8

The night before Peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep, fastened with two chains between two soldiers. Others stood guard at the prison gate. Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel struck him on the side to awaken him and said, "Quick! Get up!" And the chains fell off his wrists. Then the angel 

told him, "Get dressed and put on your sandals." And he did. "Now put on your coat and follow me," the angel ordered.

God is in control. Peter’s escape from prison is just one of those miracles that leave you without words. I said earlier that reading Acts has been a humbling experience, but this is just amazing again. One cannot help to think what happened in that prison sell when those soldiers woke up the next day. Soldiers are trained to be prepared for attacks at any time, but a mere fisherman escaped their custody while sleeping between them. In our life this is a career breaker. The way God freed Peter is just how God is. You see I am sure Peter did not expect a prison break, because he was not prepared. I guess that this happens in our lives almost daily. We pray but we do not expect. Jesus said that whatever we ask in His name, He will give us. It is what we ask and what our purpose is for what we ask. If God can break Peter out of prison He surely can break you out of your bonds. 

If you are bound by problems or sin or troubles that are keeping your heart closed to God, then it is time that you trust God. And for this I will say: “Quick! Get up! Get dressed and follow me.” God is going to free you from your chains and use you to testify and glorify Him. You will remain in my prayers and together with God we will overcome it all.

Another day created just for you.

Have an awesome day!

Cheers

Thought for today (Monday 28 November)

Thought I’ll share what the Holy Spirit placed on my heart this morning with you. So if you have a few moments read through my thoughts.

Acts 9

35 Then the whole population of Lydda and Sharon saw Aeneas walking around, and they turned to the Lord.

42 The news spread through the whole town, and many believed in the Lord.

Firstly reading Acts again has been a humbling experience. The way Peter and the apostles trust God and boldly spreading the word of God. This specific instance where Peter firstly heals Aeneas by simply saying:

4 Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you! Get up, and roll up your sleeping mat!" And he was healed instantly.

Then Peter was called to Joppa where Tabitha (Dorcas) was already dead.

40 But Peter asked them all to leave the room; then he knelt and prayed. Turning to the body he said, "Get up, Tabitha." And she opened her eyes! When she saw Peter, she sat up!

What really struck me was the result of each miracle. When Peter healed Aeneas the whole population of Lydia and Sharon turned to God and with the raising of Tabitha many in that town believed and turned to God.

So what I am trying to say to you is that with each moment you take time for other in your life you will change many. Take a moment and place God first and the results will be miraculous.

Hope you have an awesome day.

Today Reminder - 28 November 2011

My prayer for you for today is that you will remain strong through your trials on earth and that you will know there is a wonderful inheritance in eternal life. In Jesus Name.

1 Peter 1:4-7

Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.
 So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

Life is but a moment. When you are in an accident you are almost instantly reminded of how fragile life is. It is in these tests and trails that God will be glorified by our faith. I love how Peter reminds us that our inheritance is kept in heaven beyond the reach of change and decay. Each one of us is entitled to this inheritance, and above all we will share in it while living eternally with God. So I will quote Peter on this: “So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while.”

Let us stand strong today as we face whatever comes our way, and let us smile and trust God and know that through our trials we glorify Him.

More rain over Africa. So nice!

Have an awesome day, friend of Jesus.

Cheers

Today Reminder - 25 November 2011

My prayer for you for today is one of encouragement. God is using you wherever you are and whoever you are, believe it. May the Lord give you strength and wisdom so that you will be able to withstand all the difficulties that lie ahead. In Jesus name,

Acts 9:15-16

But the Lord said, "Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name's sake."

I am an instrument of God. The story of Paul is amazing, but stories like that happens all around us every day. God uses the most unlikely to do the most amazing. No matter who you are, what you did or where you are, God can use you and He will use you. Just look at me, I was surely on the wrong way heading to disaster and here I am filled with the Holy Spirit writing to you to encourage you.  You are much more than you think, and where you are you have been strategically placed for God’s purpose. I just love this in Philippians 2:13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him.

God will show you what to do and He will tell you what to say. My dear friend, God is and will use you and you are where you are for His purpose.

Rain plus cooler days, South Africa is such a beautiful country.

Have an awesome day friend of Jesus.

Cheers

Today Reminder - 24 November 2011

My prayer for you for today is one of forgiveness. I pray that you will be forgiven and that you will forgive any wrong that was done to you so that you will be free to enjoy God’s love. In Jesus name.

Acts 7:59-60

As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." He fell to his knees, shouting, "Lord, don't charge them with this sin!" And with that, he died.

Forgiveness frees a captive mind. Wow, Stephen, wow again. When Jesus was crucified He also asked God to forgive those that did it because they did not know what they were doing. Forgiveness not only frees the debt but also the forgiver. It is so easy to remember the wrongs that people did to us and so hard to remember the good they did. For God to forgive us we must forgive. Our challenge today is to not only forgive but to forget. Remember the good and erase the bad. Satan loves it when we keep a grudge, because that gives him a hold in our lives. Let us show the heart of Jesus as He gave His life and forgave His persecutors.  Forgive and forget and be free…

More rain, wow! I just love it.

Have an awesome day friend of Jesus.

Cheers

Today Reminder - 23 November 2011

My prayer for you for today is that you will not be overwhelmed and depressed in difficult times but that you will rise and trust God. In Jesus name.

Acts 5:40-42

The others accepted his advice. They called in the apostles and had them flogged. Then they ordered them never again to speak in the name of Jesus, and they let them go.
The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus. And every day, in the Temple and from house to house, they continued to teach and preach this message: "Jesus is the Messiah."

God does not make mistakes. I can’t remember that being punished as a child that it was nice. In fact it wasn’t a pleasant experience. And it is one thing being punished for doing something wrong, and another thing for being punished for trying to do the right thing. It is so easy for us to be angry when we are mistreated, bullied, blamed, laughed at, joked about, ignored, ill, etc. Yet when I read this part in Acts and I read they were flogged and then I got to the part where they rejoiced about it, I stopped and I had to read it again. Jesus said that we will suffer, because He suffered. Yet they rejoiced about it. That brought me to this: “God does not make mistakes!” He will use whatever you face to His glory and for His purpose. You must not give up. Remain faithful and trust Him. You must never be ashamed of following Jesus, you must be proud of it. You are part of the kingdom of God. You are part of His ultimate plan. So let us REJOICE!

Listening to the thunder and the rain made me remember that there are greater things at work around us.

Have a great day, friend of Jesus.

Cheers

Today Reminder - 22 November 2011

My prayer for you for today is one of healing. May the Lord heal the areas of your life where it is needed today, whether it is sickness or personal or relationships, I pray that you will find healing in these places. In Jesus name.

Acts 5:15

As a result of the apostles' work, sick people were brought out into the streets on beds and mats so that Peter's shadow might fall across some of them as he went by.

You can move mountains. Jesus said in His teachings that we will do greater things than He did, the problem is we don’t believe that. We are to consumed by our own troubles that we forget God is the one that can change all that. Are you going through troubled times, or are you in a place where your faith is tested? Sometimes we need to go through tough places so that we can be brought closer to God. In difficult times we are drawn closer to God. The important thing is that we must learn from this. We must try and stay in that relationship with God. When you read through Acts and you see the amazing things Peter and the apostles did, their faith and their boldness. When they were threatened they did not stop, no the prayed for more courage. Take you troubles to God and turn to Him. Ask Him for courage and trust Him. He will answer.

Rain over South Africa, I just love the smell.

Have an awesome day.

Cheers

Today Reminder - 21 November 2011

My prayer for you today is that the Lord will guide you through whatever you face and that you will walk again in renewed faith.

Acts 3:15-16

You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. And we are witnesses of this fact!
"Through faith in the name of Jesus, this man was healed—and you know how crippled he was before. Faith in Jesus' name has healed him before your very eyes.

Jesus changes people. I just love this miracle of Peter as he and John went to the temple. What is so awesome about it is the way he did it. He said to the man, “We don’t have any money, but I will give you what I have. In the name of Jesus of Nazareth, get up and walk!” And he helped him up and the man was healed. It is not the physical or material things that we give that changes lives, but it is Jesus in us that we share with the world that will change people. Let us be bold today and let other see Jesus through our lives.

Rain! How awesome. It cleans and brings life. Rain on those around you.

Have a super duper day!

Cheers