P 3514 Things we can do to grow our faith.

/ DVH


Proverbs 11:25 TPT: “Those who live to bless others will have blessings heaped upon them, and the one who pours out his life to pour out blessings will be saturated with favour.” AMP: “The generous man [is a source of blessing and] shall be prosperous and enriched, And he who waters will himself be watered [reaping the generosity he has sown].”

Good morning! Let’s get into today’s thought …Hubby and I have been, financially speaking, living by God’s grace and allowing that life of giving to develop our faith for many years. We have learnt that this verse in Proverbs 11, in any version, is an excellent guideline. Using our faith and finances for the Lord’s purposes has stretched our faith in all kinds of directions.

I am mentioning this today because living by faith seems to be a huge step, and while many Christians aim at going to heaven, not quite so many aim at using their faith, here and now! Our faith can be suitably stretched and instructed when it comes to finances. Everything we have been given is for sharing with others….

So here we go again, with the same thought in four different verses. Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38: “But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.” That verse is in the bible four times. Repetition means pay attention! I have said on a number of occasions that the most practical way to step up into living by faith is to give. Money helps us live, and giving by faith outside of our human limitations, as Jesus leads us, stretches our faith.

We’ve also met a number of quiet givers over the 20 or so years we’ve been travelling for Jesus and giving away bibles. They have taught us so much about giving! These brothers and sisters are rarely seen, they give in secret. Jesus loves that idea – it’s in Matthew 6:1-4. These undercover brothers and sisters support others and don’t care if they get recognition or not. They simply love to give and help, as they trust Jehovah Jireh to provide for them. The truth is hubby and I couldn’t possibly do what we do without givers … but this is not my reason for writing about this subject today. I am not looking for your money!

My point today is that giving … no matter how strapped for cash etc you are… is a fantastic learning curve when it comes to practising faith. Tithing is great …do it. The pastor needs to live somewhere, he kind of enjoys EATING … plus his family may need transportation. However, I’m talking about giving above the tithe, because it is a way to love others. Give sacrificially. It has helped our faith grow when we’ve given, even when we didn’t have any spare finances. Can I be honest? We’ve found that there never seems to be any spare money! When we give sacrificially our faith becomes costly, and giving provides a great opportunity to use it for other people’s good, and our faith to grow.

When I talk about this subject I have had all kinds of lovely people explain that they don’t live this way because they can’t give cheerfully. See 2 Corinthians 9:7. Boy what a cop out that is! My advice is that anyone can learn to whack a smile on their face, grit their teeth and give their money, time, and help to … the Lord Himself. ‘Whatsoever you do, do it as unto the Lord.‘ The people we help are not the end of the line, they are the means God uses to teach and train us. When we do things for them, we are doing it for Jesus.

Almighty God uses our finances to diagnose what is really important in our lives! Money, or even the lack of it, makes a terrible god. Our God is a generous God – we can’t out give Him. Father God fed ALL the Israelites supernaturally in the wilderness … not just some of them, or the ones that were more obedient. If we want to be like Him then we will also need to be a generous people, guided by the Holy Spirit, helping others.

Loads of lovely Christian people flunk this test. BTW, God tests us – it says so in James 1:2-4! He tests and disciplines us. Hebrews 12:5-6 and Proverbs 3:11-12. Yet another excruciatingly popular subject. Back to giving. Giving is like breathing air. It provides us with opportunities to grow our faith. If your faith is down in the dumps and you are longing for a breakthrough, start by blessing other people. When we do that we are acting like Jesus did in Mark 1:21-38. The Lord had little money, but this passage shows us what Jesus did with His time, over the course of just one day.

James 2:14-17 says this: “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”

Yeah, I know, bring that up! This is what James advises us to do to exercise our faith. Let’s not practice dead faith by doing nothing! James is giving us good advice. Faith needs to be exercised or it flattens out and stops moving. My last point today is this: “without faith it is impossible to please God,” see Hebrews 11:6. So cultivating faith is a great asset that will help us in other areas, including pleasing our Heavenly Father.

We exercise our faith when we believe that He is, and He is a rewarder of those who diligently … did ya get that? … diligently seek Him. It has to be worked at. Sharing our finances is one of the things you and I can do to grow our faith. Bye. 👋.

P 3513 Eternity minded.  

/ DVH

James 1:2-4: “Dear brothers, is your life full of difficulties and temptations? Then be happy, for when the way is rough, your patience has a chance to grow. So let it grow, and don’t try to squirm out of your problems. For when your patience is finally in full bloom, then you will be ready for anything, strong in character, full and complete.”

As you can see for yourself, God’s idea of Kingdom happiness does not look like this world’s idea of happiness. The whole idea of having the ability to be happy when life is full of difficulties and temptations, seems to be utterly ridiculous. But brother James has a different list of priorities than the ones we think we need to hold onto today! He’s following the way Jesus taught him. James’ mind, heart, emotions are all about what God wants, and he is seeking to grow the kind of graces we need everyday – eternal ones.

This is absolutely pure wisdom from above. Trying to maintain two points of view at the same time can unnecessarily complicate things. We can’t easily follow the Lord when one eye is obsessed with what’s going on and why, and the other is still trying to focus on Jesus. So we will need to learn to contend for our faith. Otherwise we’ll end up cross-eyed and bump into things and other people.

What James is saying is we cannot afford to focus our lives, our families, homes, energy, time and finances on anything else but our participation in God’s kingdom. We need to be singleminded. The Lord will take care of those things. James is teaching us how to live victoriously under horrible circumstances. As we obey Jesus’ instructions we will see, for ourselves, His power working in and through us, everywhere we go. Why? Because now we’ve learnt what faith in action looks like! Now we can identify the will of God in the middle of a storm. God’s kingdom is about how we live, not just ticking boxes.

Religion chokes spirituality – it instructs, orders, pats down, distracts and consumes us. Meanwhile, it’s good to remember that satan loves the word IF – he loves to drag in uncertainty. Father God has told us to do everything from faith and love, so we please Him when we make those two things our priority. He delivered us from the kind of slavery that ties us into knots by making the problem the priority, not love.

James is explaining that when our lives are in step with Jesus – and what He is doing – we will find our faith, our character, our inner man is enabled to stand up under trials or difficulties. Faith focusses on Him, not our circumstances. Jesus is in the eternal, He has an eternal POV. Now let’s take a quick look at Peter … Peter sank when his eyes went off Jesus, and onto his current circumstances. Big waves all around you can be a big distraction … ….huge!! But Peter’s adventure teaches us to keep our focus on the Lord.

Pray: “Help Lord, I’ve lost my focus, help me to get my eyes back on You.” When we stagger off and start looking at what is going wrong around us, that stuff will quickly fill our vision. We won’t be able to see anything else. Then our minds start searching about for solutions, because human beings don’t like feeling uncomfortable. Pray: “help!” That’s what Peter did. Actually that’s the perfectly abbreviated version!

It’s easy to lose sight of the Lord when the things around you get so huge it seems like you can’t see anything else. Change your prayer from “Why is this happening?” to “What are You doing here Lord, please help me to see it.” If the enemy can’t stop us from wanting to live our everyday lives for Jesus’ sake, then he will try to drown us with many problems and difficulties. Jesus has an eternal plan for those difficulties – He will use them to transform our lives. We need to be patient with ourselves, and faithfully turn back to our Source. Remember, we have His empowering life IN us.

We’ve chosen to build our house on the Rock. Remember, it’s harder and slower to build on rock, than it is on sand! But we have the Lord’s word that He will help us. Look at what He did with Peter. The Lord lifted him up when the man began to sink under the weight of his own fear. Then together they completed what Peter began on his own. Ask the Lord for His help.

James 1:5-8: “If you want to know what God wants you to do, ask Him, and He will gladly tell you, for He is always ready to give a bountiful supply of wisdom to all who ask Him;  He will not resent it. But when you ask Him, be sure that you really expect Him to tell you, for a doubtful mind will be as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind;  and every decision you then make will be uncertain, as you turn first this way and then that. If you don’t ask with faith, don’t expect the Lord to give you any solid answer.”

Don’t second guess yourself. What you begin in the Spirit must be completed in the Spirit. Repent if you need to, and return your focus to Him … His goodness, His love for you, His life in you, and what He willingly did and gave up for your sake. Otherwise we can become double-minded. Transformation is an eternal thing, so we need His help to get up and continue. We let go of the stuff we can see going on, and hold fast to Jesus’ faithfulness to get us through.

The saints of old knew about this concept. They used to sing: “Hold, to God’s unchanging hand. Build your hopes on things eternal … hold to God’s unchanging hand.” Nice place to say, bye for now. 👋.

P 3512 Someone else’s thoughts.

/ DVH

“Keep turning away from your sins and come back to  God, for heaven’s kingdom realm is now accessible.” Matthew 4:17 TPT. Some words in Scripture don’t merely give us information. They give us a new way of seeing reality.

One of those words is basileia – the Greek word usually translated “kingdom.” But basileia isn’t primarily about geography—a territory with borders, a palace, or a throne. When Jesus announced that the Kingdom of heaven had come near, He wasn’t simply telling people where they could go after they die. He was announcing something far more radical: The unseen realm of heaven is constantly breaking into the visible world of earth.

Jesus was introducing a fresh worldview—a way of understanding reality that says the physical world we see isn’t the whole story. There is another dimension of reality. And Jesus was showing us, in His main point in the heart of the Lord’s Prayer and most of the parables, how the two realities overlap.

A new way of seeing the world: Israel had been waiting for God’s Kingdom for centuries. The prophets envisioned a day when God would reign, justice would be established, evil would be defeated, and creation would be restored. Daniel saw a kingdom that would outlast every human empire: “His dominion is everlasting and will never pass away, and his kingdom will never be destroyed.” Daniel 7:14 TPT.

Then Jesus appeared and made an astonishing announcement at the launch of his ministry: “At last the fulfilment of the age has come! It is time for God’s kingdom to be experienced in its fullness! Turn your lives back to God and put your trust in the hope-filled gospel!” Mark 1:15 TPT. The Greek ēngiken means “has come near” or “has drawn close.” Something from God’s realm has moved toward ours. The Kingdom has come near, and King Jesus came to announce it! Jesus wasn’t merely teaching people about a future Kingdom, although it is eternal, He was revealing that God’s reign was already breaking into the present.

And suddenly, people could see it. The blind saw. The lame walked. The oppressed were set free. Sinners were forgiven. Outcasts were welcomed. The dead were raised. These weren’t isolated displays of supernatural power. They were signs of another reality invading this one. Jesus was showing people what happens when heaven’s rule touches earth.

The Kingdom is a world view: This is why basileia is more than a theological word. It gives us a potent way to perceive our world. We tend to divide reality into two categories: What we can see—and what we can’t. The physical world feels real because we can touch it, measure it, photograph it, and analyse it. The spiritual world can seem distant, mysterious, abstract, or even absent. But Jesus presents a radically different picture. The invisible realm of God is not less real because we cannot see it. And the physical world isn’t disconnected from it. Heaven and earth intersect.

That’s the worldview Jesus introduces. The Kingdom is where God’s rule becomes present in the world we inhabit. Think of it as an intersection. Heaven isn’t merely somewhere far away. God’s Kingdom is the very source of our physical reality. And Jesus teaches us, through His miracles and through His parables how to look for it.

“Your Kingdom come:” This is why Jesus taught His followers to pray:“Manifest your kingdom realm, and cause your every purpose to be fulfilled on earth, just as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:10 TPT. Notice the direction of the prayer. We’re not simply praying, “Help us get to heaven.” We’re praying: “Let heaven come here.” Let what is true in God’s realm become true in our realm. Let God’s peace enter our anxiety, relationships, and communities. Let God’s healing enter our brokenness. Let God’s generosity break the grip of our fear. Let God’s truth penetrate our confusion. Let Your Kingdom come. This changes the way we walk through ordinary life. The Kingdom means that the kitchen, workplace, hospital room, campsite, classroom, church, and difficult conversation can all become places where heaven touches earth.

We have access to the Kingdom’s power: Here’s the astonishing part. Jesus doesn’t merely tell us that the Kingdom exists. He gives us access to it. He teaches us to pray for it. He invites us to seek it. He sends His followers to announce it. And He gives His followers authority to participate in its work. When Jesus sends out the disciples, He tells them:

“As you go, preach this message: ‘Heaven’s kingdom is accessible, close enough to touch.’ You must continually bring healing to lepers and to those who are sick, and make it your habit to break off the demonic presence from people, and raise the dead back to life.” Matthew 10:7–8 TPT. Notice the connection: Announce the Kingdom. Demonstrate the Kingdom. Words and works. Proclamation and participation. The disciples weren’t merely supposed to tell people that God reigns. They were supposed to show evidence of God’s reign. Power evangelism. And that invitation extends to us. We don’t create the Kingdom. We don’t manufacture God’s power. But we can recognize it, receive it, pray for it, and participate in it.

Learning to see what’s already happening: Perhaps one of the great challenges of Christian spirituality is learning to perceive the Kingdom. Jesus said:“The kingdom is not discovered in one place or another, for God’s kingdom realm is already expanding within some of you.” Luke 17:21 TPT. The Kingdom isn’t always spectacular. Sometimes it looks like forgiveness. Sometimes courage. Sometimes unexpected peace. The Kingdom is God’s reign becoming visible in human lives and in the physical world. Once you begin looking for it, you start seeing the world differently. The question changes from: “What is happening to me?” to: “What is God doing here?” That’s basileia.

The Kingdom changes everything:  Jesus didn’t come merely to give us better religious information. He came announcing that another King is already ruling. And if Jesus is King, then reality is bigger than what our eyes can see. The Kingdom means that your circumstances are not necessarily the final interpretation of your life. The physical world is real—but it isn’t all there is. There is a greater reality pressing into this one. Heaven is touching earth, all the time, right now and forever.

And Jesus invites us to live with our spiritual eyes open. So today: when you walk into an ordinary day, try this simple prayer: “Jesus, help me see Your Kingdom here and now.” Amen. Look around. Where is God bringing life? Where is love overcoming fear? Where is forgiveness breaking through resentment? Where is truth defeating deception? Where is generosity overcoming scarcity? Where is healing beginning? Where is the Spirit prompting you to act?

Then ask the second question: “How can I participate?” Because the Kingdom isn’t merely something we wait for. It is something Jesus has brought near to you. It is the reality we learn to perceive. It is the power we learn to receive. And it is the reign we are invited to embody. The King has come. Heaven has touched earth. And because of Jesus, you live at that intersection. And until earth looks like heaven, we have work to do.”

My guest author is David Housholder, Fulbright scholar, writer, broadcaster and senior pastor at Robinwood church, Southern California. As an aside the Passion paraphrase itself has caused some controversy and it is not a recognised translation. Personally I found this overview of the Kingdom of God helpful and insightful. However, it is certainly not every point of view available to us… and no substitute for legitimate recognised translations of the bible! Bye 👋.🙏.

P 3511 Some things are just plain dumb!

/ DVH

“It’s better to grab a stray dog by its ears than to meddle in a quarrel that’s none of your business. The one who is caught lying to his friend, who says, “I didn’t mean it, I was only joking,” can be compared to a madman randomly shooting off deadly weapons. It takes fuel to have a fire— a fire dies down when you run out of fuel. So quarrels disappear when the gossip ends. Add fuel to the fire and the blaze goes on. So add an argumentative man to the mix, and you’ll keep strife alive. Gossip is so delicious, and how we love to swallow it! For slander is easily absorbed into our innermost being. Smooth talk can hide a corrupt heart just like a pretty glaze covers a cheap clay pot.” Proverbs 26:17-23 TPT.

How hilarious is this translation? I know some people don’t always like the Passion Translation, but this morning it was good for a laugh. The idea of grabbing a dog by it’s ears as an illustration hit my funny bone. Then I tried looking it up in other versions and I found that most versions say the same thing! But the bible is not recommending that we grab any old strange dog by its ears … it’s a metaphor, I get it. The real point is – don’t stick your nose in someone else’s business, and don’t pass on what you’ve seen, or know or hear.

Each time something is repeated, it can get a few more descriptive things added on to it. Things like, how the listener feels about that information as they pass it on to someone else. Those charming extras can easily get thrown into the mix. On the other hand, gossip is one of those things that kind of scratches our perceived-need-to-know itch. Let’s be real – we all get those.

Gossip in Christian circles can often hide under the guise of this person has a need, we need to pray for them. Of course in order to pray we feel we must elaborate on what is actually going on … !! That’s one of those “pretty glazes that cover a cheap clay pot,” instances. Gossip by its nature loves to add in details.

Here are some other scriptures that are far less funny in their expressions. “For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder.” 2 Corinthians 12:20. The thing that stands out to me is that gossip etc., was a problem even back then – in AD55-57! Rough figures reveal to us that this amounts to 2000+ years of gossip, slander, and jealousy. It sure shows us that human beings ain’t good with other people’s info!!

And now here comes brother James, who definitely has a penchant for telling it like it is: “Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.” James 1:26. Those of us with any implied worthless religion should try to look v-e-r-y quiet … and busy! (Joking)

Moo-ving on … quickly… “A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.” Proverbs 11:13. It’s that whole “can you keep a secret?” deal. I can fall down that hole all the time. In the past I’ve noticed that it is hard to keep a secret – because when someone is in trouble I want everyone to pray for them.

So I’ve learnt to tell others who come to me with their needs: “No, I can’t be trusted to keep a secret, my enthusiasm for your problem gets in the way and I will blab. I will definitely have good intentions, but I will probably blab accidentally! Please don’t tell me … ” OR … I ask the person in difficulty if I can tell this or that person the bare bones of the issue, because I know that other person is someone of good character and can be trusted to pray and keep it to themselves.

Let’s move on over to solutions, which apparently everyone, including the Corinthian church, James’ church friends, plus David ... needed! “Set a guard over my mouth, LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips.” Psalm 141:3. Now there’s a good plan, let’s put the Holy Spirit in charge. Of course the next step is to listen to Him when He says: “Wrong way go back!” Learning to reverse out of saying something stupid and shutting up instead, is a tremendous skill. I need it!! Now, let’s go to James 3:8-14 KJV.

“But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceeds blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.”

The secret to getting rid of gossip is to deal with envy and strife in our own hearts. I’d like to throw in that we also need to deal with our own opinions because they won’t be welcome either! Gossip is bad fruit on any tree, but jealousy, envy and strife are it’s roots. We can gussy it up with PC sayings that excuse our behaviour, but at the same time we are tearing shreds off someone else. In other words, if I do something bad, I can’t help it – it’s my childhood, my marriage, my job … but if you do it – then you’re a bad person!

Some things may seem a little humorous, but others are seriously shooting us in the foot in our relationship with the Lord. We can think: ‘how stupid is it to grab any dog by its ears’ and then realise it is even dumber to participate in jealousy, gossip and strife! If an argument looks bad then, my advice is to call a policeman … or leave! Bye. 👋.

P 3510 Don’t just read the ‘happy verses.’

/ DVH

“Isn’t it obvious that all runners on the racetrack keep on running to win, but only one receives the victor’s prize? Yet each one of you must run the race to be victorious. A true athlete will be disciplined in every respect, practicing constant self-control in order to win a laurel wreath that quickly withers. But we run our race to win a victor’s crown that will last forever. For that reason, I don’t run just for exercise or box like one throwing aimless punches, but I train like a champion athlete. I subdue my body and get it under my control, so that after preaching the good news to others I myself won’t be disqualified.” 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 TPT.

Paul is talking about the fact that we are in a personal race against ourselves, and against the clock. We are running the race of our lives. Preaching the gospel is part of running this race, and we can’t afford to slack off now. His Truth is the thing that keeps us going. That means our will needs to be continually submitted to His Ways. Now what matters is the way we choose to run.

We will have to discipline ourselves to be fit enough to finish well, as we participate in a different kind of training. It means that we keep turning the other cheek even when we it seems like we have run out of cheeks! I discovered the thing that will help me, personally to win, is self-control. Quite honestly, sometimes I think I need to spend the rest of my life with my hand firmly clapped over my mouth!  I really can’t afford to be careless or thoughtless when I speak, instead I must learn to be ‘renewed in the spirit of my mind.’ And running well one day, and slacking off the next, will not help me to accomplish that aim.

When people read these verses in Corinthians, it is too easy to just see it as kind of specialised suggestions, that apply to really serious, deeply spiritual people, and dismiss what Paul is saying to you and I. But one day everything we’ve done or said, will go through the fire of His love. That point needs to be noted! Our love for others will face a reckoning. Everything we have worked on and for, will go through that fire. Paul says this 1 Corinthians 3:10-15.

“By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.”

I call those verses serious! Personally, I could easily be swamped by them, if it weren’t for the fact that I know that Jesus has promised to help us every step of the way. That’s why He sent back the Holy Spirit — to help us. The Holy Spirit knows the way through anything. Many Christians have given a great deal of time trying to get well enough to do whatever Jesus told us to do, and not enough time has been spent teaching and helping ourselves to simply do it anyway.

Let’s be real for a second, do we actually think that athletes want to train every single day?? Me neither. The Spirit of our living loving God is so kind. He points out the things we need to fix while we still have time to fix them. The fact that He points stuff out means He not only knows, He is more than willing to help us to achieve whatever it takes for us to be fit enough to keep on racing.

He’s our Coach. Runners who don’t listen to their coach don’t do very well. They are expending valuable energy fighting against the very Person Who has sent to help them achieve their aim. Let’s yield to Jesus’ wisdom and do things His way. That means we need to be well acquainted with His way in the first place. I’ve learnt that His way and my way rarely look the same!

It’s great to be positive and optimistic, and rejoice that God loved us all so much that Jesus voluntarily came and died for us. That attitude is the kind of ‘juice’ this race runs on. BUT!! We cannot afford to be blasé about the way we run, or even the reason we are in this race. We aren’t in this race just to get to heaven one day — we are in this race to learn discipline, self-control, and purposeful running. Every runner in a race has a single purpose – they wanna win. You and I  are running toward Kingdom transformation. That means, any other thing that gets in the way of us running toward that prize, has to go.

We must throw it off because it is a weight that will slow us down. Human beings have a limited time span … an expiry date. Nobody wants to think about the expiry date, because most of us have found ways to enjoy this life. But the truth is, we don’t belong to ourselves anymore, we are His – we are now on His timetable not ours. We were bought for a purpose … to glorify God. Anything else is simply succumbing to this world’s advertising and we will be drawn into a side eddy and just go round and round and round – achieving nothing, going nowhere. That is not our God-defined destiny.

So, I urge you — don’t just read the happy, gimme verses, read the ones you wish weren’t there, and ask Him for His help to obey those too. You are all in my prayers – please pray for me! Bye 👋.

P3509 Faith won’t fall on us, we must step into it.

/ DVH

“Your lives are like salt among the people. But if you, like salt, become bland, how can your ‘saltiness’ be restored? Flavourless salt is good for nothing and will be thrown out and trampled on by others. “Your lives light up the world. For how can you hide a city that stands on a hilltop? And who would light a lamp and then hide it in an obscure place? Instead, it’s placed where everyone in the house can benefit from its light.” Matthew 5:13-15 TPT.

Many of the Lord’s people spend their lives waiting for an  answer to prayer or some sort of a sign before they choose to dive into the river of life. Perhaps they are scared that their feet will be swept from under them? Let’s just clear that up shall we? They will be. I guarantee it! So many times what God asked of me, seemed to be so much more than I thought I had inside me. That’s because it takes faith to obey. It can take a lot of effort to press through the hurdy-gurdy of this life, to get to the stage where we are  willing to take a risk and believe that what Jesus said …He meant!

Learning to be salty is character building. But as I obeyed, I found out that I was so much bigger inside than I thought I was! It is a bit like having a huge house, with many, many rooms, many bathrooms, cooking areas – and it is all yours – you own it. But you, and your ten family members, have chosen to squish yourselves into one kitchen, a bathroom and a bedroom. That limitation is coming from the way you are thinking.

What actually exists, EXISTS. What Jesus said is true is true, whether we choose to believe it or not. The Lord loves to draw people to Himself, His passion is to save them. We simply obey His instructions. Why are we limiting ourselves, when we know that our lives can be so much bigger? Let’s look at 2 Corinthians 10:12.

“Not that we [have the audacity to] venture to class or [even to] compare ourselves with some who exalt and furnish testimonials for themselves! However, when they measure themselves with themselves and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding and behave unwisely.”  … It seems Christians are behaving like the Israelites did:: ” … they returned and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.” … So today I want to ask – why are we limiting God to what we think we can do? As we look steadfastly at Jesus we will see this life more clearly.

If we inwardly close the door to new possibilities, we won’t know what we are missing. We will probably only see the hurdles and the pitfalls – faith-filled results are only seeable to those who use their faith. That’s what faith is, it is how it gets its substance. What we believe and act on, gives substance to what God has already decreed. Which is why we start with the Lord, first. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1. It becomes “seeable” as we act on it. It provides “evidence” of our hope in Christ. That means when we choose to obey, we will do our faith a favour!

It is not good to compare yourself with others. Instead, let’s fight for our own portion of faith, and look firmly at Jesus so we can see our way ahead. There is nothing wrong with praying, do it! But let’s pray with Him, listening to Him, not AT Him. Pray with action in mind! Faith without relevant actions is a bit like wish-thinking. We need to make a decision to activate our faith and give it substance. Perhaps this world has been allowed to become so decadent, because we have forgotten how to be salt! Let’s act in faith on what He tells us to do or say, and refuse to take our eyes off Him!

In the above scripture in Matthew 5 the Lord tells us our lives are to reflect His light. When things grab you like a vice and you feel lower than a worm — start telling the darkness that is oppressing you that it has to leave because you are here to reflect Jesus, Who lit up this world. And the darkness can’t put HIM out! As we learn to defeat sin in our own lives, and forgive it in the lives of others — darkness hasn’t got a hope! Light can fade, but darkness disappears the second we turn on the light.

Let your light/LIFE shine. That doesn’t mean stand on a table or chair, or even a street corner and start preaching … It means the love Jesus gave YOU is given to you so you can share with the people-who-don’t-deserve-it. Meanwhile, we will probably have to repent for deciding who those people are. It’s called judgment. I find it is easier to just go ahead and talk to the people He tells me to speak to. And if someone rubs me the wrong way, then I need to remind myself that He died for them too.

Here’s the great part. Your enemies can actually become your new friends and family. However, we need to give Him time to change other people’s opinions – His timing is always perfect. Sometimes, I need reminding that the particular stew I am cheerfully sitting in, needs to have some salt in it! Salt shouldn’t take over, instead it brings out the flavour of everything around it. That’s our job, to help others shine. It takes faith to let the light that is in us – out. Especially when no-one else perceives they are sitting in darkness. Faith won’t fall on us, we need to step into it, and cultivate it through use. Bye. 👋.

P 3508 Someone did it for you.

/ DVH

“And it’s true: “Everyone who calls on the Lord’s name will experience new life.” But how can people call on Him for help if they’ve not yet believed? And how can they believe in One they’ve not yet heard of? And how can they hear the message of life if there is no one there to proclaim it? And how can the message be proclaimed if messengers have yet to be sent? That’s why the Scriptures say: How welcome is the arrival of those proclaiming the joyful news of peace and of good things to come!” Romans 10:13-15 TPT. I know I say these things a lot, but obedience is essential to a life of faith!

The verse above talks about our new normal life. We need to include the Lord Jesus in our conversations. The reality is, we won’t find out if we are truly welcome in some places – until we speak! If you are afraid – and who isn’t? – then go to your pastor, or elder, ask him to pray for you that the Holy Spirit will help you to be a witness for Jesus. This shows you have an intention to be obedient – it makes you accountable.

From my perspective, this isn’t a big deal moment, so if you are expecting a voice from heaven etc., that won’t happen. I experience these moments as a quiet nudge. The secret to obeying those nudges is to pray “Help,” and then jump on in. Don’t put on your big hobnailed boots – Jesus is gentle with people. When we read the gospels, we can see that He was only firm with people who thought they knew!

As we begin to love and treasure everyone around us, they will experience it – but if we treat them as a project then they will know that too. There is no other option. We must begin to speak. Otherwise all the people-who-don’t-know-Him-yet will hear is bad news about Christians who have gone the wrong way! Our faith is an unknown quantity to the people in this world. They have no idea why we live the way that we do – we look like a big club, and sadly, we know the ‘in’ words and they don’t. If we don’t tell them what we know about the Lord, plus what we have personally experienced etc. who will?

I met Jesus because a dear little Anglican lady came to my door every week for a year, and handed me her church’s pew leaflet. One day, in a different conversation, someone else told me that Jesus Christ was a good man, but He was a dead man. I knew it was wrong, but I didn’t have any further knowledge to discount what that other person had said. I was shattered by it. So I called the lady with the pew leaflets. She came immediately, and I heard the gospel for the first time in my life. I gave Jesus my life on the spot!

The truth is people don’t know about Him. He is a concept to them, not SomeOne Who is very much alive! If we don’t tell them what we know, then they will remain ignorant. The Lord is trusting US to do it! How will others know the Name of Jesus is powerful if we don’t tell them? How will WE  know the Name of Jesus is powerful – if we don’t use it?  Ya might want to pause and think a lot about that one! Until the nice lady from the Anglican church came to my door, I had never ever even met a Christian before.

Hubby once led a salesperson to the Lord, and she had been very rude to him! Her shop was full and everyone was CoVid grumpy. She was alone behind the counter, harassed, trying to cope, plus serve customers. She was busy! He came back out to our car quite disappointed with his interaction with her. Now get this … the Lord said to me as I was waiting and praying for him … “When he comes back, tell him to give her a bookmark.” It was hilarious. I told hubby what Jesus said, and he was a bit cross! He didn’t want to go back and give her anything, she’d been so rude to him.

What a hoot! I am safe in the car, while he’s facing the lion’s den! However hubby has always taken to heart that scripture In Matthew 10:4 that says: “Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward.” So he went back inside the shop again, simply because of the word God gave me. BTW, this is what trust looks like.

He waited his turn to come to the counter, and told her he wanted to bless her with a bookmark. She burst into tears. Really long story shorter, hubby asked her if she wanted to ask Jesus into her life, and she said ‘yes.’ The entire crowded shop was listening in. Then the next lady who was about to step up to the counter after my husband, announced she was a bible-believing local Christian, and she said she would follow the now happy, smiling lady up! God’s timing is magnificent!

How will they hear if we do not speak? Pray about it, then take the next step, make yourself available and take a risk. Someone did it for you. Bye 👋.

P3507 Surprise!! It’s Jesus in YOU!

/ DVH

“There is a divine mystery—a secret surprise that has been concealed from the world for generations, but now it’s being revealed, unfolded and manifested for every holy believer to experience. Living within you is the Christ Who floods you with the expectation of glory! This mystery of Christ, embedded within us, becomes a heavenly treasure chest of hope filled with the riches of glory for His people, and God wants everyone to know it!” Colossians 1:26-27 TPT. Just stop for a moment and think about it.

The way to be closer to Jesus, know more about Him, is to participate in His Ways. Read the book, and do what you already know, using your faith.. Life presents us all with so many opportunities to utilise our faith. Ordinary everyday things happen, you are running late, and you need a carpark – hands up those who ask the Lord to help them park? ✋ I’m disabled, I always need one!

We pray before we go to the shops. We ask Him to help us only buy the things He wants us to have. Many times we buy nothing but we still have fun! Perhaps some driver does something stupid on the road in front of you, do you ask the Lord for help? I am learning to bless that person with better driving skills and an encounter with Jesus, and I thank God that we were all kept safe… including the other driver.

That’s the secret BTW, remember to thank Him. Don’t just treat the Lord like the drive-through at MacDonalds … acknowledge whatever He does. Ask Him for eyes to see Him at work in your life. “In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:6. The more we acknowledge Him the more He becomes part of our lives — and that’s how we end up with more of Jesus in our lives. We simply refuse to leave Him out!  We are living-for-Jesus spiritual beings. We live this life with heaven on our minds. All of us can have as much of Jesus as we want – just don’t leave Him out! Live a life of love, daily. (1 Corinthians 13, clearly tells us what that looks like!)

He promised to be with us always — always means always! Duh! As we live this new life Jesus bought and paid for, we seek the things of His kingdom first. Acknowledge your King in everything you do. Don’t walk away from your new life In Christ by acting like everyone else around you, but we gave up those options. Now we ask the Lord to come with us, and He will go anywhere — He went to HELL, so nothing surprises Him! If you do go to play in the devil’s backyard, and you know exactly what I mean … then the Lord’s voice inside will warn you, but then He will quietly fade away. It is as if He says: “Have at it!” Repent!

We have all been given faith — the book says so. (Romans 12:3) However, I rarely feel like I have faith … I have to use my faith to find it; but that verse from Colossians above is not just a happy thought! You have Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God inside you! Let Him out!! Faith cannot develop in a vacuum, so we must actively participate in the Lord’s work – whether we feel like we can, or not. Just take one step, then take another … and pretty soon it will become a lifestyle, not a place you visit when the ceiling falls in.

Here’s some more good news about having Jesus IN us! “But you are God’s chosen treasure —priests who are kings, a spiritual “nation” set apart as God’s devoted ones. He called you out of darkness to experience His marvellous light, and now He claims you as His very own. He did this so that you would broadcast His glorious wonders throughout the world.” 1 Peter 2:9 TPT.

So if people ask the Lord: ‘who is that old lady?’ The Lord smiles and says: “She’s with Me.” What an honour, to live a life in service to the King! He picked us. Did you realise that we can ruin HIS reputation by the way we act when we think no-one is looking? Meanwhile someone is always looking, it’s inevitable in this world’s obsessive atmosphere. But as we fall in love with Jesus, the Jesus portrayed in the bible, we begin to see that correction, and discipline, are not bad things – they are His love in action in our lives.

Christ lives in us and our job is to let Him out by acting like He would. My advice is to get to know your bible, read it, then do it. All the time. The Lord quotes the bible to me often! Half the time I don’t even remember where the verses are, I have to go away and look them up. That’s all good! Having our noses inside what Jesus says and does, has to be good for us! Surprise! It’s Jesus! And He wants to walk with YOU. “Christ IN us, the hope of glory!” (Colossians 1:27). Bye. 🥳.

👋 C.C.

P3506 Which do we want to be?

/ DVH

Do you like Christmas trees, or fruit trees … or maybe you like both? Let’s not ever become so enamoured by God-given gifts that we omit to continually yield to Him so He can develop each one of us into a fruit-bearing tree. I think this could be why many men and women of God have fallen away from the faith, people see the gift not the person. We need to learn to care for those God-blessed men and women, who have miraculous gifts from Him. If we are not prayerful, they can become spiritual superstars. However, these gifts are God-given in the first place to be used for His purposes and glory. They are not necessarily a sign of complete maturity, with a force-field protecting the receiver from temptation.

At the same time, elevating one ministry over another puts instant pressure on the person who is ministering, no matter what other supporting gifts may surround them. Someone may have many gifts, but because of what they have been given, they are often used as a resource – instead of the Body of Christ developing and finding the gifts they have also been given. We’re to be an army first and foremost, not just a hospital.

I have said this before, but I want to repeat myself, a small congregation is no reflection on the minister. Sometimes Jesus gives His choicest sheep and lambs into special care, where they go from being one of many, to being intimately known and cared for. ““The one who faithfully manages the little he has been given will be promoted and trusted with greater responsibilities. But those who cheat with the little they have been given will not be considered trustworthy to receive more.” Luke 16:10 TPT. Jesus Himself had twelve men around Him whom He trusted with His life. But one of them was not worthy of that trust.

Sometimes big congregation numbers, can consist of people who hide within the larger structure. They are never really being challenged to grow themselves, and they continue to remain spiritually immature. People come for the miracles and/or brilliant preaching, not for transformation in their own lives. They are what I call musical-chair Christians. They can be devoted to a doctrine that they agree with, plus a ministry that benefits them, but they will move on the minute the music starts up again elsewhere. Their aim is to gain, not contribute.

Personally I think none of us should leave any church without making sure we love the people in the church we want to leave, wholeheartedly. Then if we must leave, we will leave love, not pain, behind us. Our churches can be a bit like ships. Some of us return to the shore and watch others move on into their destinies knowing that we will not be a part of what they are doing, but blessing them in their travels. Romans 13:8 says:“Owe nothing to anyone except to love and seek the best for one another; for he who [unselfishly] loves his neighbour has fulfilled the [essence of the] law [relating to one’s fellowman].”

Likewise we cannot learn to love others who are different to us, or difficult, or even those who don’t agree with what we think — if we don’t prayerfully and carefully, wait on the Lord, and discuss any proposed departure with our pastor. The Lord is never in a hurry to uproot people, unless they are physically moving house. If we take a good strong tree and plant it in the garden, but then uproot it regularly for one reason or another, we will eventually kill the tree. Let’s learn to bloom where we are planted. This life is not about our needs being met, children need that. Adults learn to care for others – for no reward at all, just to give glory to Him.

Likewise, I don’t believe we are to be like margarine, spread all over the place, going off to this church for this, and that church for that, doing whatever suits us! I have heard others say: “This church doesn’t meet my needs, so I’m going to move on.” The point is we don’t just go to church to get our needs met, rather we go to meet with Him, plus Jesus told us not to forsake meeting together! Perhaps we’ve been planted there to be a blessing to someone else!

The difference between a Christmas tree and a fruit tree is obvious, one is productive the other is not. Our own Christmas tree is soon to make an appearance again this year. Hubby will drag it out and carefully decorate it for the umpteenth time! Then after Christmas it will be packed away into its boxes until we need it again. But our mango tree is a huge blessing, it produces fruit from within it. A fruit tree will nourish your body, soul and spirit, a Christmas tree will nourish your soul and emotions, briefly. Fruit is far more important than decorations in the long run.

Let’s choose to go to church, because otherwise we will remain hidden and stagnant, and stay immature in our faith. Being in a fellowship means we will bump into and annoy each other, and that point reminds us of our shared humanity and our personal need for transformation. If we choose to follow someone else because of their gifts then we can easily become disillusioned and disappointed, and fail to develop our own. So let’s prayerfully ask the Lord where He wants us to be, and make a quality decision to learn to love others – warts and all!

A body cannot fully function when it has been dis-membered or dis-located. Your home church needs you, and you need it.  Be a fruit tree. Bye. 👋. Read … Psalm 1.

👋 c.c.

P3505 A good, good Father.

/ DVH

“The mature children of God are those who are moved by the impulses of the Holy Spirit. And you did not receive the “spirit of religious duty,” leading you back into the fear of never being good enough. But you have received the “Spirit of full acceptance,” enfolding you into the family of God.” …. As you can see, maturity means we will understand our position before the Lord. So we volunteer to flow with the Holy Spirit seamlessly. The Holy Spirit will make our Heavenly Father real to us. Then whatever He wants is such a joy we can’t wait to comply with His wishes and ideas!

“… And you will never feel orphaned, for as He rises up within us, our spirits join Him in saying the words of tender affection, “Beloved Father!” For the Holy Spirit makes God’s Fatherhood real to us as He whispers into our innermost being, “You are God’s beloved child!”” Romans 8:14-16 TPT. Amen!

In these tragic days, many people have no concept of what having a father looks like. So many fathers are absent. Not all have moved away, but sadly, some male role-models are working hard to provide food and shelter for their families and they are using up their time, to provide. Plus the first thing to break under the stressors and temptations of marriage today is the bond between husband and wife. This can mean many children lose their father figure. (About 1 in 6.).

In our current society the pressure to be good parents is huge. Everything parents do, or say, is judged and can be found wanting. At the same time, it seems like a child’s needs have become the centre of everything. Children don’t just have a place in society, they have become more important than everyone else! It seems we are making up for the neglect of the past with overindulgence. Now let’s look at that thought another way.

The primary need every child has, is to have both parents! Whether they are good or bad, kids need role models. Without that, they are reduced to patterning themselves, or they can end up admiring people, through rose-coloured glasses, who are not worthy of their attention. Many other parents just ‘don’t have enough quality time’ to parent — and so they abrogate their responsibilities to other people – including the media – a vehicle that exists to make money – not look after kids! The danger is obvious. Unless I actually know you in real life, I can’t possibly know if you are someone who preys upon innocent kids to steal their innocence away.

Likewise if we don’t know our earthly fathers, then we can be disappointed and disillusioned by that consequence – because fathers provide children with security, significance, and stability. We need our Heavenly Father’s input to help us understand these things, as it seems that our ideas about what male love looks like – has been reduced to judgment. So if someone proves to be human and weak, then they are pronounced faulty. Good time to remember all of us are broken!

Father God understands mankind’s plight so well, He chose to became one of us. I am not commenting on surrogacy, but this morning as I typed this blog, I suddenly realised Father God understands surrogacy. He put His seed inside a young woman and watched His Son grow from a distance. He also understands having to give up His right to parent His only Son, to someone else. He gave Joseph the privilege of raising Jesus. Plus He understands being an adoptive parent because He has chosen to adopt us! Sadly He also understands the loss of a Child. He is a true Father, with a true Father’s heart, and His wisdom and loving kindness has voluntarily shared man’s predicaments, despite our penchant for sin.

When we are meditating on the goodness of our Heavenly Father we cannot afford to compare Him with, or expect Him to have, the flaws of a human parent. That’s a mistake many people make. They transpose their idea of an ideal father onto SomeOne we cannot possibly even begin to describe. And when that juxtaposition does not work, they choose to regard Almighty God as faulty because He doesn’t meet their logic.

God is not answerable to our logic! To understand Him, even a little, we must use the tools He has provided for us – the Holy Spirit’s help, the bible, the gifts He has given to the church. And we need to start by “ …believing that HE IS, and that He is a rewarder of those who genuinely seek Him.” Applying our own rules borne from fatherless situations, is bound to lead to failure, because then we are putting ourselves by means of our own judgment – into His role. Almighty God is above our understanding, That’s why Jesus came here in the first place, because man’s idea of Who Father God is, is too limited and cannot provide us with a complete picture of His Ways. We need faith not logic.

“Woe to him who strives with his Maker!—a worthless piece of broken pottery among other pieces equally worthless [and yet presuming to strive with his Maker]! Shall the clay say to him who fashions it, What do you think you are making? or, Your work has no handles?” Isaiah 45:9. “But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the One who formed it, ‘Why did You make me like this?’” Romans 9:20.

We need to understand that HE IS Who He says He is: “A Father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families, He leads out the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.” Psalm 68:5-6. He is a good good Father, and He always has a good purpose, even if we cannot see it, YET. Bye 👋.