Always Thanking Him

The Cancer That Always Kills - #6014

2010-01-28T10:21:00.000Z

Are you ready to take what Jesus died to give you? If you are, tell Him right now. This may be the beginning of your own personal relationship with God that will last forever.
This is your day to cross over from life to death.
The Cancer That Always Kills - #6014

Take a leap of faith (1)

2010-01-28T09:37:00.000Z

If you attempt only things you know are possible with the resources you posses....you'll recieve the credit and God will have no part in it....Have you recieved a word that awaits your next step of faith? Proceed, no matter how incredible it seems. You'll experience the joy of seeing God perform a miracle and so will those around you.
http://www.ucb.co.uk/index.cfm?itemid=88

Early Light Devotional - In Touch Ministries - Dr. Charles Stanley 2010

2010-01-28T09:19:00.001Z

Early Light Devotional - In Touch Ministries - Dr. Charles Stanley 2010

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The Excitement of Exploring - #6013

2010-01-27T12:48:00.000Z

Could it be that God's leading you to a new season in your life, or maybe a new approach or a new challenge? Dont be afraid to go with your Father onto a road that you've nevr been before.
The Excitement of Exploring - #6013

Don't Leave Home Without This!

2010-01-27T12:33:00.001Z

Why do we need daily God-encounters? So we can worship Him, get to know Him more, recieve discernment in decision-making, replace our earthly perspective with His, be ready to show the Jesus-difference in our lives, and to tell others about Him.
How are we doing when it comes to connecting each day with the heart of God?
Don't Leave Home Without This!

Just do it!

2010-01-27T12:12:00.000Z

http://www.ucb.co.uk/index.cfm?itemid=88

Early Light Devotional - In Touch Ministries - Dr. Charles Stanley 2010

2010-01-27T09:08:00.001Z

Early Light Devotional - In Touch Ministries - Dr. Charles Stanley 2010

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Early Light Devotional - In Touch Ministries - Dr. Charles Stanley 2010

2010-01-23T08:57:00.001Z

Early Light Devotional - In Touch Ministries - Dr. Charles Stanley 2010

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Early Light Devotional - In Touch Ministries - Dr. Charles Stanley 2009

2009-12-15T09:27:00.001Z

Early Light Devotional - In Touch Ministries - Dr. Charles Stanley 2009

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THANK YOU LORD!

2009-07-10T14:25:00.002+01:00

"Aluta Continua".... gladly, thanks to the almighty Lord, i have all the arsenal i need to face whatever struggles life brings before me. As i am human, i do sometimes momentarily lose focus on God and wonder what lies ahead but thankfully to HIS word and HIS promises, i always quickly refocus on HIM and thus i fear not what lies ahead but totally rely on HIM, HIS love, HIS strength, HIS grace....the list is endless. Right now all i can say is THANK YOU LORD, THANK YOU LORD, THANK YOU LORD!

Our Spiritual Rain!

2009-06-09T18:55:00.001+01:00

Isaiah 55:10-12 10
"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; 11So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it. 12"For you will go out with joy And be led forth with peace; The mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you, And all the trees of the field will clap their hands. "

Just as a drought is no good for the land and its inhabitants so is the lack of or shortage of Gods Word no good for us and evrything we are associated with. having had the opportunity to experience first hand the effects of a severe drought, i recall how we yearned for a good rainy season and what it meant to everyone. This scripture draws my attention to the quick transformation of the landscape, bringing about an aura of serenity to many a heart. Fields are ploughed and seed planted but if the rainfall is not enough, all the initial hard work is to no avail as the crop withers away. People and livestock suffer from food and water shortages and if the countries economy is based on agriculture, we all know what that means. The lack of rain or shortage of it triggers an undesirable chain reaction and so does the lack of or shortage of God's Word in the life of a Christian. Brother and Sisters in Christ, let us not plough our Christian fields in vain. We do not have to rely on an unpredictable rainfall to harvest a good crop. We have GOD's Word which is readily available to us at all times and as scripture says, "....It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it...." God Bless you all.

FAITH - MY PERSONAL BATTLE!

2009-05-13T11:20:00.001+01:00

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Luke 17:5-6 "The apostles said to the Lord, 'Increase our faith!' The Lord replied. 'If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.'"

We as Christians all believe and trust in God but how much faith do we really have in Him when it matters most? For most of us, not much am afraid and that is evidenced by our attitudes when in crisis but is it quantity that matters or is it quality? We all know what the bible says about that. We all know what Jesus said to His disciples when they asked Him to increase thier faith - Luke 17:5-6
If a man/woman is able to push a wheelbarrow with a monkey in it across a gorge/ravine on a single cable to and fro in your presence, several times and very steadily without even swaying at all and then asks you to replace the monkey, would you agree? I most certainly doubt that any of us would. You've seen him do it so you definately believe he can do it but still you wouldn't. If you believe he can do it then you should trust him and if you trust him you should have faith in him to take you safely accross and back but still you don't get in. Why? Empty faith! So, how can we profess to have faith in God whom we have not seen. We believe in His existence but do we really have any faith in His abilities is a question we should all be asking ourselves, not how much faith do we have in Him as quantity is of no consequence (Luke 17;5-6)In my opinion, this sums up our relationship with God.
The Lord has given me a sense of purpose, taught me to appreciate life regardless of the situation but i still ask questions of my faith in Him.Do you as well? For the benefit of all, i have a terminal lung condition and am on supplementary oxygen 24/7 and i have come to believe it is time that takes us away from this earth, not an illness, accident, etc...those are only means by which our lives end and it is God that determines that time thus i truely believe that nothing shall befall me unless He wills it...but...do i always remember that when it really matters? No! So what does that say about my faith? Am i faithful enough to take of the oxygen and say Lord, am in your hands now ...and qoute a lot of applicable scriptures? I doubt! Since i DO believe nothing shall befall me unless HE wills it, why don't i act accordingly when it matters most? I guess if i really have the faith of a mustard seed.....i would! A lot of people tell me i have great faith but i sometimes question myself..do i really?
Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us seriouly re-evaluate our relationship with Christ so we may become ambassadors who practice what we preach and the only way we can do that is by being in total intimacy with Him, saturated by His word, fanatical. It is good that He accepts our imperfections but that should be no reason to twist His word to suit us and our situations as a friend and brother in Christ once stated in a face book post which takes me back to the oxygen.Men of God have in the past prayed for me and a couple have asked me to take of my oxygen and do what i had never done before. Now..i have always been against that. My question is..is it because of fear of what might happen or do i genuinely believe that i will know when the time comes for me to do so by way of God talking to me? Am i intimate enough with Him to be able to know that or am i just twisting things to hide my fear? Or is it just that i do not have any faith in Him though i profess to (note; any faith, not enough faith)...I honestly don't know but these are questions i constantly ask myself. Am i failing to reach out for my complete healing or is professing to waiting on God just a cover up for my failure to do so? Is there a right or wrong to the last statement?
Brothers and sisters in Christ, these are some of the things i am battling with as a child of God and some of the sentiments i've expressed are offcourse just my opinion thus i would be very greatful to hear your opinions, remember, as iron sharpens iron so do we sharpen each others minds.
GOD BLESS YOU ALL!

The Law of Putting God First

2009-05-12T11:37:00.002+01:00

30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. - (Matthew 6:30-33)

Are You Putting God First?
Ask yourself the following questions. In answering them, you’ll be able to identify whether or not you are putting God first in these key areas of your life.
Your Time Do you spend time with God every day, and does that time take priority over everything and everyone else?
Your Pursuits
Do your personal pursuits line up with the plan of God for your life?
If you are pursuing areas God doesn’t want you involved in, then your time is a waste, and your efforts are futile.
Your Possessions
If God told you to give something away, would you do it, no matter how hard you worked for it?
If you realize God has blessed you with your possessions, then you won’t have a problem giving them away. Blessings shouldn’t become things that possess you.
Obedience
Are you a doer of the Word, and are you doing what God has told you to do?
Isaiah 1:19 tells us, "If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:"
Increase God’s Way
God’s laws of increase will not work for you if God is not the first One you seek after. If you’ve identified areas where God’s not been first in your life, today is the day to make the adjustment.
Seek God first in the area of your time, and you’ll find that He’ll help you manage your time well. Pursue those things that line up with God’s plan for your life, and your pursuits will be profitable. See God as your Provider, and He will bless you with the desires of your heart. Be willing and obedient to seek after God in every area of your life and you’ll eat the good of the land.
Put God first and increase God’s way!

FaithFamilyChurch

Life Research shows Believers more stress-free than Atheists

2009-05-08T13:08:00.001+01:00

Posted: Sunday, March 8, 2009, 15:56

"A new study in the Psychological Science journal has found that believers in God are less likely to feel stressed or anxious when asked to perform mental tasks, allowing them to perform the tasks better than non-believers.The study was carried out by scientists who measured the brain reaction of different people during a series of mental agility tests. The tests revealed that those who said they believed in God felt calmer when they made a mistake than non-believers.The results also showed that those who had a strong religion were less likely to realise they had made a mistake and so were less likely to correct mistakes.According to the researchers the best performers were those who said that God had given them “meaning”, rather than “fundamentalists”.During the research, which was carried out at the University of Toronto, volunteers were subjected to a number of mental tests, like having to write the word “red” in blue font and then being asked what colour the word is.The volunteers were also asked whether they believed God existed and whether they believed their religion was the most correct.During the tests, the volunteers had their brain activity monitored with electrodes which detect the amount of activity in the area of the brain that deals with stress and anxiety.The results showed that the more faith the volunteer professed, the less the activity in this part of the brain. It also showed that non-religious believers in God still performed better than atheists.According to The Telegraph, atheists have claimed that the tests only show that strong belief helps improve performance, not that God exists."

by Charles Boyd

Loved, but Lost!

2009-05-02T13:29:00.002+01:00

Probably the most cherished and comforting of all God’s characteristics is His love. However, the fact that He loves us does not determine our eternal destiny; we can still be separated from Him in our lost condition.
Because the Father cares so much for mankind, He made provision to rescue us from our doomed state of alienation from Him. This offer of salvation is extended to everyone, but in order to benefit, a person must accept it. By the death of Christ on our behalf, the Lord opened the door for us to be saved, but He does not push anyone through.
Imagine that you’ve fallen into a rushing river and are about to drown. I jump in to save you, but you refuse my help. Did my diving in save you? No, you did not accept my offer of rescue. In the same way, God made every provision for your salvation, but you must respond to His offer.
Just as a swimmer stretches out a hand to accept rescue, so each of us must reach out in faith, believing that Jesus died for us. Accepting His forgiveness for our sins is not just an intellectual belief. A drowning man will not be saved if he merely knows that a swimmer can save him. He has to put his life in the hands of the rescuer and depend totally on him.
Simply relying on God’s love to save you is not enough. Our heavenly Father desires that everyone be saved, but many will remain lost because they fail to accept His offer. The next move is yours. Choose to believe in Christ, and surrender your life to the One who is willing and able to save you
John 3:15-18
"15that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.
16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son"

Like a Car going through a Carwash

2009-05-02T13:15:00.003+01:00

lately ave been likening our lives to a car going through a car wash. You park your car, turn of the engine and let the car wash take over. It gets scrubbed here and there, powerful jets of steam, water..etc, if the car had any feelings, some of that would be pretty uncomfortable but the result is amazing and in awe of everybody that it makes some want to have their cars looking the same. Some would even ask where you have your car washed. When the car is in there, the carwash is in total control guiding the car through the different stages. Remember, thats not all, if you want a more satisfactory job, ie, hot wax, polish and the works, you will need to sacrifice a bit more cash but it will be worth it. Offcourse some carwashes are not as good as others so in some cases we do it by trial and error or it maybe by word of mouth or we see our neighbours car glistening all the time and we want to find out where he/she gets theirs washed. Further more, we can go for a more personal touch, a valet, who will get all those nooks and crannies, Give the inside a thorough go over and this we all know we have to sacrifice even more to get done but the result is worth it and to keep it that way we all know we have to make repeated visits. Offcourse we can take the easy way out and go it alone to make our car the envy of the neighbourhood but that depends on your character. Can we keep it up? Can you do as good a job as the valet?If we can go to all that trouble for our cars, whynot for ourselves? Let God take control of our lives, let Him guide us, scrub us, polish us, give us a hot wax, let He be our carwash, our valet and for us to stay spick and span, radiant,, glowing for all to see and wonder why we are always so, we have to be constantly in his sights, in His Word, focused on Him at all times and He will never let us downPsalm 51:7"Cleanse me with hyssop,and I will be clean;wash me, and I will bewhiter than snow""o Ask God our Father to reveal freshlyHimself, His ways, and His gloryo Ask God our Father to renew our lovefor Him, His ways, and His gloryo Ask God our Father to refresh our joyin Him, His ways, and His gloryo Ask God to speak to us through Hisword and by His Spirito Ask God our Father to help us grow inmeditating on His Word in our dailyliving".I have not thought of God as being in the cleaning business, but He is, and business is good because we need it desperately. As David so quickly ran to God after his transgression, his first request was to ask God to make him clean. David knew the necessity of being clean in order to be in God’s presence. After all, it was David’s sin that damaged the relationship. To David, his initial desire for restoration centered on God’s holiness.Jesus, help us to grow in this truth. May we do as David did! David knew he needed to be cleansed in order to be restored to God’s presence. He asked God to do this, because he knew any attempt on his own would not be sufficient. To be with God requires holiness, and not a holiness that we can produce ourselves. David knew this very well. Father, may we not fool ourselves into thinking we can have a relationship with You without holiness. You hate sin, and it can not be in Your presence. In Your grace, You have given us the righteousness of Jesus that we may stand before You. Help us as we pursue this holiness each day. Also look at how David characterized this cleanness: “Iwill be whiter than snow”. When you think about it, snow is really white…really, REALLY white. That is a very descriptive, qualitative term. He is not just saying, “Make me cleaner,” but God’s washing will make me completely clean. I can not achieve that on my own. To be that clean, I, like David, must rely on God’s grace. Father, Your Holiness is absolute. Thank you for seeing me with Jesus’ righteousness. May Your Spirit continue to lead me to deeper levels of holiness. Wash me, Father.

http://www.faithlight.com/u/jinelab/

Early Light Devotional :: In Touch Ministries - In Touch Ministries - Dr. Charles Stanley 2009

2009-03-27T09:39:00.001Z

Early Light Devotional :: In Touch Ministries - In Touch Ministries - Dr. Charles Stanley 2009

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SHARING THE GOSPEL

2008-12-13T07:43:00.004Z

Gods Word has stood the test time, it is everlasting, was there in the beginning and will be there in the end and although i only know a milli fraction of it, sharing it brings tranquility to my life, makes me happy, joyful, i feel so rewarded in a way i find difficult to put in words. My partner has actually caught me with a smile on my face on several occasions and whenever she asked me why i was smiling all i would say is should'nt i be happy or i am too happy to contain it within. That unexplainable feeling is even more pronunced if what i share uplifts, encourages or just simply brightens up someones day.
Having said that, i must add that the climax is to hear someone has turned to the Lord because of what you have shared with them. I just trust and thank the Lord for His guidance.
I just got back intouch with an old friend who has just been through a rough patch and is still in the world. She told me how in the past twelve months she lost a close friend whom after not having seen for many,many years passed on before they could physically meet again after having made arrangements on the phone and also how she lost her dearest sister to a heart attack in october of this year.
Please let us include this dear sister and many in similar situations in our prayers so that she may turn to God in whom she will find peace, comfort, compassion, guidance, etc..
I have now learnt that there are lot of people out there carrying so many burdens and that if true christians open up there hearts about their own lives and the trials and tribulations they have been or are going through yet continue to be happy and who makes this possible it makes it very easy for them to open up as well thus paving the way to introduce the idea of turning to Jesus and its rewards in a more constructive way and all the while remembering that no matter how persuasive our message is, only the Holy Spirit can open the door to unbelieving hearts and minds.
Is this my calling? I wonder.

GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!

STAYING FOCUSED ON GOD

2008-12-12T08:10:00.004Z

The Bible shows us HOW to live. We read it, study it, believe it, confess it but tend to encounter problems when it comes to applying it in our daily lives.
We easily lose focus when faced with hardships and instead choose to focus more on ourselves and our problems rather than God who is the only way through and out of them. Sometimes it is involuntary as it is our nature as humans as was the case when Peter walked on water, but on some occasion we just simply lose faith in God even as we know that He will never forsake us. Its a wonder how this happens to us christians who believe the word of God yet you find non believers turning to God when going through tough times and this also happens to those that believe His word but continue to walk in the world.
I once fell into the latter category and fortunately God does not worry how we turn to Him. He welcomes us with open arms at all times. I must confess i do have temporary loss of focus on Him every now and then but quickly remind myself the reason why i am alive today. I must also quickly add that though i may lose focus, i do not lose faith but our mentalities and situations are not the same. Some people may easily lose faith as a result of loosing focus which is why it is very very important to maintain our focus at all times.

True faith does not deny that problems exist; true faith denies that problems have the final word. The Word of God has the final say in the matter. Focus on God’s integrity and His Word; He does not lie.
Circumstances, on one hand, are always subject to change; for example, the sun can shine, or it can rain. Truth, on the other hand, is not subject to change and God’s promises are TRUE. Let this Truth affect your circumstances, not the other way around. Circumstances are changeable, but God’s Word is truth and is unchangeable. Change your changeable circumstances by applying the unchangeable Word of God (Rom. 4:19-20).

GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!

TRUE HAPPINESS

2008-12-11T09:27:00.004Z

11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, 12 To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to You forever. Psalm 30; 11-12

Happiness, a state of well being and contentment. How many of us are truelly, genuinely happy? One of the most common mistakes mankind has made is mistaking financial stability for happiness. Wrong, in the world it is more appropriate to associate happiness with contentment in what one has rather than the ability to get what one wants and even then it takes a special kind of people to be content with what they have because you can only have that quality if you are a child of God who abides by His every will and purpose. Only He gives us true happiness even with the many trials and tribulations that we are faced with. He makes it easy for us to not only have a genuine smile on our faces but in our hearts as well in all seasons.

To all those brothers and sisters who are living a lie, it is time to face reallity by turning to the true source of happiness regardless of who you are, your back ground or what you've been through by accepting His son Jesus Christ our saviour.

Never you make the error of mistaking having a good time for happiness as i did for the most part of my worldly life because that is only temporary. When reality hits you, you find you are always alone even among other people which does not happen with true happiness from God, who is always with us every step of our lives. I believe i have found that because i never feel lonely even as i spend quite a considerable amount of time on my own, i am looking at life with more positivity and with no regrets at all but for not finding Jesus sooner and more importantly i know that God is always with me and i have an open line of communiction with Him that cannot be interrupted

......"Happiness is the realization of God in the heart. Happiness is the result of praise and thanksgiving, of faith, of acceptance; a quiet tranquil realization of the love of God".......
- White Eagle

GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!

WE CAN ALL MAKE A DIFFERENCE

2008-12-10T07:44:00.007Z

Many of us undermine the individual significance

we may have in a lot of issues that go on around

us and far afield alike and we tend to be comfortable

with that and never bother to lift a finger to support

any cause. Well, i happen to be one of those but may

not be for long.

I just want to thank the Lord for giving me a change of heart and making me see things differently through the first chapter of the book of Nehemiah, a man who on his own through the strength of God, made a difference to his fellow country men.

Fellow brothers and sisters non of us are insignificant before God so why should we be insignificant when it comes to making a difference in the world. Together we can make a difference, together we can change the world. We only have to follow Nehemiahs' example and God will always come through for us as He promised for He is a God that keeps His promises.

Beginning with praying for all brothers and sisters who are in the world to turn to Jesus, to Global warming, political and economical issues, terminal illnesses to the violence around the world, we and our views are significant and we can make a difference.

We would have no pound without a penny and nither would we have any concrete without a grain of sand but how often do most of us leave pennies lying around without a care in the world or treat sand without regard to the important part it plays in our building industry and more.

Max Lucado said, "You change your life by changing your heart" so to all mankind i say let us change our hearts and turn to God through whom we can make the world a better place for everyone.

Each of us can make a difference so from today onwards i will endeavour to make a difference in the world in whichever way God wills me as it His will that prevails regardless of the many desires of our heart.

GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!

FRIENDSHIP

2008-12-09T07:22:00.006Z

I have been compelled to post something about friendship because of the number of old friends that i have gotten intouch with in the last couple of weeks after a very long time.

There’s a miracle of friendship that dwells within the heart

And you don’t know how it happens or where it gets its start.

But the happiness it brings you always gives a special lift

And you realize that friendship

Is God’s most perfect gift. Anon.

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Eccl 4:9-12 New International Version

Question: "What is true friendship according to the Bible?"

Answer: The Lord Jesus Christ gave us the definition of a true friend: "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you" (John 15:13-15). Jesus is the pure example of a true friend for He laid down His life for His "friends." What is more, anyone may become His friend by trusting in Him as their personal savior, being born again and receiving new life in Him.

Friends are an important piece in our lives. But friendship, as wonderful as it can be, isn't always easy. It takes time, effort, and the courage to take a risk and develop friendships. As you apply God's wisdom to your life, your friendships will begin to show the healthy, two-way commitment that marks balances relationships.

What men have called friendship is only a social arrangement, a mutual adjustment of interests, an interchange of services given and received; it is, in sum, simply a business from which those involved propose to derive a steady profit for their own self-love.
- Francois de La Rochefoucauld

GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!

Living in Darkness

2008-12-08T07:28:00.003Z

This photo was taken by my cousin from his bedroom window at around 2pm in
Tromsø, a city north of the arctic circle in Norway. One friend described it as being "Eerily Beautiful", and i totally agree.
Not only is it dark at 2pm, the fact that the moon is out suggests its night time, it also drew my attention to the fact that people in other parts of the world live in darkness, 24 hours a day without even the benefits of artificial lighting. Would these people move to a more normal enviroment by our standards? A place with plenty of daylight so to speak or would they opt to carry on living a life in total darkness? It is there home afterall.
Like it or not most of us live our lives in total darkness even with an option given to us on a silver plate, an option we do not have to work for but just to accept and enjoy, an option that comes packed full of perks but we still choose to live our lives in darkness.
Fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, we chose to live in the light by accepting Jesus so let us endevour to stay in the light by fully embracing Gods will and purpose for us in His son. We se our way much , much clearer and even if we stumble and fall, it is easier for us to get up, easily identify where to dust ourselves and then carry on walking, something that is not easy to do in the dark.
More importantly, this will also make us glow making our brothers and sisters living in darkness wonder how we manage to walk through life and its many trials and tribulations with our chins up and a smile on our faces thus making it easy for us to explain to them, why it is so!

GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!

Body vs Soul

2008-12-07T11:55:00.004Z

"The believer’s self-life is composed of the habits, attitudes, and relationships he or she is unwilling to surrender. Keeping those things from the Lord gives people a sense of independence, which is highly prized in our current culture. However, by following “self,” we interfere with God’s purpose. He wants every aspect of our life submitted to His will". (daily devotional-Abandoning the Self Life, Intouch.org)
I read this devotional a couple of times yesterday (06/12/08) and although i understood the importance of submitting every aspect of our lives to Gods' will, it was only when i read it again this morning that the passaged i quoted reaffirmed something that i always thought about myself.
Whenever i get emotionally upset, my health tends to take a downward turn (C.O.P.D. sufferer) and i have always said to my self that the Lord wants me to lose that attitude and that by not losing it i am my own worst enemy because i am slowing down my own healing process, in other words interfering with His purpose, and that the less emotional episodes i go through the healthier i feel. I know some sceptics may not share my line of thinking but i'd ask them why it does not happen when i go through an emotional episode as a result of being saddened as there is a difference between sadness and being upset.
I must confess that at times i have read the Bible simply because i should as a christian and my mind would always easily stray. This devotional has shed a new light for me on fullfiling Gods purpose with our hearts and not our bodies. Its common sense that if we do not concentrate on something with our hearts the results are mostly if not always unsatisfactory so how can we expect God to give a thumbs up if we carry out His purpose with our bodies and not our hearts.
I just continue to thank God for verything that He opens my eyes and my heart to, every path that He clears for me, everything that he teaches me and basically everything that makes able me able to do. I know i am not yet the finished article but will one day be as long as i abide by His will and purpose for me.
Dear brothers and sisters, let us read and listen to God's word with our complete hearts and abide by it.
GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!

The devotional was based on the 4th chapter of the Book of Jonah.

BABY in a TREE

2008-12-06T09:25:00.006Z

This is so cool! It is called, rather named "Baby in a Tree" ... Do you see it? If you can't see the baby in the picture, don't give up. It's really cool when it actually appears.

You have to have an open mind. Don't look for a Baby, and you will see the Baby! Once you see it you won't see anything else!!! Can you see it???

There are a lot of people who have turned to Christ when they were not even looking for Him but once they did, they dedicated their lives to Him and Him alone yet there are a lot of us who go looking for Him yet we want to serve two masters once we have found Him.

In this picture, one cannot see both a baby and a tree, its either one or the other.

At a Stand Still

2008-12-06T07:33:00.002Z

"When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us".-Helen Keller
How many times do our lives remain at a stand still? Crying over spilt milk even when there is still plenty leftover to go around? Most of us will agree that this happens a lot.
God is always closing doors in our lives and openning new ones but how do we expect ourselves to move on if we continue hanging on to the closed door, even if we notice the new one? Isn't that doubting what God has put in front of us, not trusting Him to come through for us, or is it simply being unsure and frightened of what lies ahead of us?
Our past is of no consequense to God who is our creator so who are we to worry about it to the extent we are blind to what He puts in front of us?
I personally do tend to dwell on past mistakes and thus end up with so many ifs and buts instead of concentrating on the future. Mistakes do lead to doors closing certain chapters in our lives, good or bad, happy ones or sad ones but as God closes one He opens another so lets grab hold of the ones He opens with both hands, totally turning our backs on the ones He closes.
Brothers and sisters, the only positive thing about mistakes is we learn from them, there after let us not dwell on them as all they do is pull us down and prevent us from noticing what the Lord puts in front of us or the doors that He opens for us.

GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!

The Bible & The Sewing Machine

2008-12-05T13:02:00.007Z

Thirty one years ago, while living in Livingstone, Zambia, our family property was burnt. I just remembered that incident and recalled something very, very important. If you had seen the house afterward you would not have believed that everyone got out alive partcularly one aunt of mine whom my dad got out through the window considering her size and age. In the sitting room where the fire was mostly concentrated was my mum's sewing machine on top of which was her Bible.... the fire went on around the room and these two things came out unscathed....need i say more.

At the time, i was living with a sister/cousin of mine in the capital Lusaka who for some reason decided to make up a story for my teacher to give me my end of term school report a couple of days early (three before schools closed for the holidays), that was on a wednesday.

I travelled that evening arriving the following morning only to be met by an unexpected relative who broke the news of the incident which apparently had occured while i was on the train travelling home.

Something made my cousin decide i go home a few days early? Devine intervention perhaps? There was no obvious or apparent reason. I leave that to your own discretion.

Only two people would have been left alive at the time if it was not for our Lord God almighty. Thats myself and my late brother (first born) who was studying in the then GDR (German Democratic Republic, East Germany) at the time. We would have lost my mum, dad, two sisters, one elder and the other younger and a younger brother as well as two aunts that were staying at our home at the time. Unfortunately my two aunts have since passed on but the rest of the family that were present during the fire are still alive.

Dear God, i thankyou in your sons mighty name. Amen!!!

Misplaced Hearts

2008-12-05T10:18:00.001Z

Yesterday i learnt how little, so little we humans need for our hearts to be swayed over important issues in life. Issues such as the basic needs of humanity. The question i ask myself and the rest of humanity is, should our hearts be misplaced in the first place? Read my comment on the article about the "BLIND BOY".

GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!

Quiet Time

2008-12-05T07:32:00.005Z

Without realising it, since i started this blog i have some form of quiet time every morning just going over the events of the previous day. It could last anything up to an hour or more and its doing me a world of good because it somehow gears me up for the day ahead, my own form of meditation if you like because i sometimes end up just totally drifting away becoming totally oblivious to whats going on around me and my surroundings. My mind will just be floating , from issue to issue, nothing to nothing having a totally calming effect on me. I think i should try meditating proper although i must confess i have difficulty emptying my mind.

Enough about me and my wondering mind.

GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!

BLIND BOY BEGGING (article recieved from a sister in Christ)

2008-12-04T18:14:00.006Z

A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which said: 'I am blind, please help. ' There were only a few coins in the hat
A man was walking by. He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words. He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by would see the new words. Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy. That afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see how things were. The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, ' Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write?The man said, ' I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but in a different way. ' What he had written was: 'Today is a beautiful day and I cannot see it. ' Do you think the first sign and the second sign were saying the same thing? Of course both signs told people the boy was blind. But the first sign simply said the boy was blind. The second sign told people they were so lucky that they were not blind. Should we be surprised that the second sign was more effective?

Moral of the Story: Be thankful for what you have. Think differently and positively. Live life with no excuse and love with no regrets. When life gives you a 100 reasons to cry, show life that you have 1000 reasons to smile. Face your past without regret. Handle your present with confidence. Prepare for the future without fear. Keep the faith and drop the fear. The most beautiful thing is to see a person smiling...And even more beautiful is, knowing that you are the reason behind it!!!

THE FOLDED NAPKIN (article recieved from a sister in Christ)

2008-12-04T18:07:00.004Z

WHY DID JESUS FOLD THE NAPKIN?

Why did Jesus fold the linen burial cloth after His resurrection? I never noticed this....The Gospel of John (20:7) tells us that the napkin, which was placed over the face of Jesus, was not just thrown aside like the graveclothes.The Bible takes an entire verse to tell us that the napkin was neatly folded, and was placed at the head of that stony coffin.Early Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from theentrance.She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, 'They have taken the Lord's body out of thetomb, and I don't know where they have put him!'Peter and the other disciple ran to the tomb to see. The other disciple outran Peter and got there first. He stooped and looked inand saw the linen cloth lying there, but he didn't go in.Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, while the cloth that had covered Jesus' headwas folded up and lying to the side.Was that important? Absolutely!Is it really significant? Yes!In order to understand the significance of the folded napkin, you have to understand a little bit about Hebrew tradition of that day. The folded napkin hadto do with the Master and Servant, and every Jewish boy knew this tradition.When the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made sure that it was exactly the way the master wanted it.The table was furnished perfectly, and then the servant would wait, just out of sight, until the master had finished eating, and theservant would not dare touch that table, until the master was finished.Now if the master were done eating, he would rise from the table, wipe his fingers, his mouth, and clean his beard, and would wad up thatnapkin and toss it onto the table.The servant would then know to clear the table. For in those days, the wadded napkin meant, 'I'm done'.But if the master got up from the table, and folded his napkin, and laid it beside his plate, the servant would not dare touch the table,because..........The folded napkin meant that I'm not done yet, 'I'm coming back!'

He is Coming Back!!

Day 13 (30 Day Faith Experiment)

2008-12-04T07:10:00.005Z

God has given me the ability to learn things very easily which i feel i have not used to my full advantage, always been one to not go through with things that i set out to do but this time i trust God that this is going to be different. Why has it always been so? I ask myself, could it be that it i have been wasting my God given talent or that He has not yet revealed His purpose for me? Or has He?
On november 20, 2008, i came across http://www.suprisemegod.com/, i felt the Lord led me to it. Why on that particular day did i think of typing "suprise me" in the google search field and clicking "i'm feeling lucky", which led me directly to the website. Since then i have done what i have always wanted to do, some writing and not just any writing. Sharing my day to day experiences as a Christian, situations that i am confronted with and what God may be trying to teach me and what i learn through them or basically anything that i may feel is worth sharing with fellow Christians and non believers as well and more importantly to reach out to the latter group in the simplest way possible so they may understand the value and the benefits of being a child of God.
I started a blogg that very day and since then i have been writing every morning and i trust and thank God to help me keep going on and that although there is only one person following my blogg at this moment i pray, trust and thank God that more will do so and correct me were my perception or interpretation of my experiences are wrong which unfortunately does happen especially to those of us who are still young in Christ.
One day, i pray, trust and thank God that i will be able to write a booklet/book showing how simple a christians life is and it is simple because we have devine help every step of the way available to us 24/7. Often times i feel that we complicate it too much thus turning away people that want to find out more about this wonderful life and who makes it possible. I recall a few times asking people who had a problem believing in what the Bible teaches us if they agreed that it promotes love, peace, joy, happines, forgiveness, etc and they would say yes and if thats so wouldn't they rather opt for that kind of life than what is going on in the world around us, we all know the answer to that dont we although it will ocasionally be followed by a few buts, but the point is you easily give a non believer the right option to go for because like it or not some people find it hard to believe that Jesus ever existed and that He gave up His life for us so that our sins may be forgiven, be born again and become new creations.
GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!

Day 12 (30 Day Faith Experiment)

2008-12-03T09:18:00.003Z

As i was reading todays devotional titled"When God is Silent", i recalled what i was sharing yesterdaywith a sister in Christ about how God responds to our calls for healing or anything that we ask of Him with emphasis on my situation which i have not mentioned yet. I feel that once we are healed spiritually, we are healed physically...., sometimes God responds instantly and sometimes He does not. This He does to grab our attention and test our faith in Him, to trust in Him to do as He promises, so that we learn to wait on Him patiently without yeilding.
I suffer from Chronic Pulmonary Obstructive Disease (C.O.P.D.) and have been on supplemantary oxygen since christmas 2005 when i was admitted to hospital with a severe chest infection that left me failing to the breath but thanks to the Lord i am here today to tell the tale. I was actually diagnosed 4yrs earlier a time at which i had turn to God and He did wonders for me but i fell of the wagon, resumed smokoing and drinking and my health gradually deteriorated culminating in the chest infection that put me on oxygen. I had stopped smoking nearly a couple of years before then and drinking a feww months before the attack which is when i rededicated my life to the Lord until now and the Lord has continued to work wonders for me.
He has given me a reason to live for, a more positive outlook on life, the ability to cope with my situation and make the most of it to the extent i have no regrets at all but not having turned to Him much, much sooner than i did. I dont go out much at all as i easily get breathless even as i am on oxygen 24/7 but do not miss out on whats happening out there at all because the Lord is with me where i am.
I always tell my fellow christians to thank the Lord as He has already healed me whenever they include me in their prayers and not to continue praying for healling because He heard their initial prayers for healing and besides as my father and creator He knew i'd need healing at a certain stage in my life. I know He has a very good reason and purpose for His approach to my illness and i regard my healing as an ongoing process thus i wait on Him patiently while my faith in Him gets stronger and stronger and i trust in Him more and more.
All considered, i feel that this is nothing compared to what many millions of people are going through all around the world that the only decent thing to do is to thank the Good Lord that i am alive.
Fellow christians, let us learn to wait on God with all the patience, faith and trust we can master for we all know that He never forsakes His own.
GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!

Day 11 (30 Day Faith Experiment)

2008-12-02T10:06:00.002Z

As a person that spends a lot of time at home, my acute attention to detail sometimes gets me into trouble with my partner because i tend to notice a lot that is going on around the house so i thank the Lord for the websites supriseme god.com and facebook.com which have now taken most of my attention. When i wake up in the morning, after praying offcourse, i first read the daily devotional on intouchministries.org then i go through what i experinced the previuos day and what i learnt from it then i do the best i can to log everything in a nut shell on my blog, this blog.
Thanks to the Lord, these websites are doing me a world of good. I am now recording things of note and what i learn from them on a daily basis because of suprisemegod.com (if you read my very first post you will find out how i discovered this website, very ironic i'd say). Facebook has offcourse gotten me back intouch with a lot of old mates but more importantly as stated in an earlier post, is that most of them if not nearly all the ones i've been intouch with so far are now born again christians, now isn't that wonderful? I have this great feeling that as time goes on we will be openning up a lot more to one another and sharing our experiences and by this we encourage and uplift one another as we all go through ups and downs in our daily lives. I feel it is also our duty to share our experinces as true tetimony of Gods great works with non believers trusting in Him that they will be touched and fully understand who Christ is, why He died for us, what it means to have Him in our lives, the benefits of having Him in our lives etc...
To all those who read this please always include me and my friends in your prayers.
GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!

Day 10 (30 Day Faith Experiment)

2008-12-01T08:18:00.003Z

Correct me if i am wrong, as christians, spreading and sharing the Lords Word is one of our most important duties and it is a sin not to if we have the opportunity to do so. It is with great pleasure to know that the emails i always recieve and subsequently forward do actually touch some hearts as they do mine especially when you are not sure what response you are going to get, or if you are offending someone even if they are your friend.
What are a few compliants about emails that promote Love, Peace, send a message of Hope, give a positive outlook on life, encourage and uplift others compared to what Jesus Desciples went through, or the persecution peole in other parts of the world are currently facing for worshiping the Lord? What about what Jesus Himself went through?
Its an overwhelming feeling to know that a lot of my old friends have since turned to the Lord and like me, it happened because of some unpleasant episode in their lives. My wish and message to those who have not yet accepted Christ is not to wait till you are going through bad times or illnes etc but because of who Christ is. He is our saviour, He gave up His life for us, paid for all our sins so we may become new creations with the utmost prize being guaranteed a place in Heaven as long as we live by God's will and purpose.We will also be better prepared to face all the day to day hardships that we come accross once we are born again.
My fellow christians, lets spread the Word of God like a wild fire that consumes all in its wake without much abandon!!
GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!

Day 9 (30 Day Faith Experiment)

2008-11-30T08:38:00.002Z

God is really , really great. I am getting back intouch with more and more old friends and all thanks to the Lord. This time i am telling my friends my association with Christ and what He has done for me without hesitation and with a lot of pride because i love my Lord as He is awsome. Not only have i recieved a positive response from 99.99% of them, they are also walking in Christ (longer than i've been) and one is now a preist.
We must always keep an open mind and never jump to conclusions. If i changed and accepted Christ as my personal saviour, why would't they i ask myself. I ask myself because my initial doubt to tell them am born again in another sense boils down to the fact that somewhere at the back of my mind i thought they were not born agian but God had a big suprise for me and i feel that suprise is going to get even bigger as time goes on. Thank you Lord God Almighty.
God Bless you all!!!

Day 8 (30 Day Faith Experiment)

2008-11-29T07:23:00.005Z

What do you know, the Friends that i openned up to yesterday have both been walking with Christ for nearly 8yrs now and i got some very encouraging and uplifting words when i told them i am born again. One of them has gone on to become a priest.
" I am happy for you to have managed to find him, actually I respect you for being out right and acknowledging you are saved. I have met many people who wish to practice in the closet or who claim we like preaching, but knowing God is a step that no ordinary person can understand. How you feel and appreciate every minute he has given you - I am quite sure he knows all about that". These words touched me because in an earlier post i mentioned feeling guilty of being ashamed of God if i did not tell my old mates that i am born again, mates whom i was in the world with and had not been intouch for a very, very long time.
All in all i would have sinned against God and on a lessr note would not have gained the respect of the mates and niether would i have recieved all those touching, uplifting and encouraging words had i not openned up to them.
What i have learnt from this that i was judgemental and we know it is wrong to judge others. If i was not judgemental, some may feel, then why was i having doubts about telling them i am born again?
God Bless you All!!

Day 7 (30 Day Faith Experiment)

2008-11-28T07:32:00.003Z

Two days ago i had an online purchase cancelled for reasons which could not be provided but the card i was using had funds in it. As a christian, everything happens for a reason but i must confess that in this case i am not sure what that reason is but i have two possibilities. Maybe it was the wrong decision to replace the perfectly working item at the time or that one was not meant for me (please refere to "Day 5...").
Either way, the lesson i have learn't from this is that i must be very attentive to the Lord and not just rush to justify a decison based solely on a chain of events to fullfil my desires and that goes for each and everyone of us.
In addition to these events, i broused the net and found what i want even cheaper but i have to be sure that this is not the devil putting temptation before me.
I just want to thank the Lord for giving me an open mind and willingness to accept my mistakes and learn to do things the right way and make the right decisions. I am not saying it is easy but it is a step in the right direction.
God Bless you all.

Day 6 (30 Day Faith Experiment)

2008-11-27T07:13:00.003Z

"Luke 9:26 26 For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels"
I got back in touch with a number of old friends, 10 -20yrs+ i haven't been in touch with some of them and a lot has changed in each of our lives which is expected. In my case, being born again. Sometimes we shy away from telling old friends that we have become christians, sometimes we just do not tell them for one reason or the other, either way i feel that it is simply being ashamed of who we are and more importantly our creator.
I have spoken to one and really opened up but sent a personal message to the rest via Facebook, through which i got back in touch with them. having done this, i still had this guilt in me for dilly dallying with the idea of telling them and we all know what that means so may the Lord forgive me for being ashamed of Him because simply put, that is what it boils down to.
As christians we know every occurance, situation, etc.. that God allows us to go through, He does for a very, very good reason and in this case getting back intouch with all these old mates in such a short space of time happened for a very good reason and that is do i have the courage to honour my
God and tell them how much He has done for me, how much he can do for them, how much i love Him, that we are lost without Him..etc, or would i be ashamed to do so?
I am mighty glad that i have crossed that bridge and started the ball rolling and that i know God has forgiven me for initially being ashamed of Him!!!
God Bless you all!

Day 5 (30 Day Faith Experiment)

2008-11-26T06:12:00.003Z

Often of times we we fail to see things that are right in front of our noses, the same happens when God is trying to tell us something one way or another but we fail to hear Him or understand Him and yet what He is trying to say is in plain sight. The latter is the reason why we must all know God so intimately that we know when ever He is talking to us or trying to tell us something, and ultimately understanding what He is trying to tell us effortlessly. Its now 07:38am, i have been sitting in front of my computer for the past 45 minutes and maybe more just wondering about yesterday, my fifth day, until i said under my breath, oh thankyou God, thankyou Jesus and you will soon know why.
Quite a bit has happened in the last few days but there are two things that are at the forefront of my mind right now. The friends from the past that i have resumed contact with and the decision to replace a gadget that i have had for a couple of years now. Great you would say on the face of it all but alas... you maybe wrong.
I have not seen nor communicated with these people in the last 10-25years and all in a short space of time it happens, why? Earlier , while i was pondering over my 5th day of the faith experiment, it came to me and not of my own initiative, no way jose, but of my God given initiative. God is asking a question of me here. A lot has happened and changed in my life during that time and the one of utmost importance being i am now a born again christian who loves and respects and fears my God without a shadow of a doubt but am i strong enough to share that with all these old pals who i used to be in the world with? Am i strong enough to tell them i am no longer the same person they new all those years ago who revered partying, was known to be one of the heaviest drinkers and smokers of pot in his time? That all that has now taken its toll on my health, in my mind yes but will i do it?...yet to find out.
Once again thanyou Lord, Thankyou Jesus.
About that gadget, which i wont care to mention. I spent a considerable amount of time comparing prices an specs yesterday and once i had made up my mind i decided to check my emails. I was drawn to a folder other than the inbox folder, i do not remember why but i opened an email titled "A must read- Warren Buffet", and two of his life principles struck because i want to replace a gadget which i bought second hand just over a couple of years ago but is still doing the job its meant to do pretty well i must say. Back to Warren Buffet, one of the happiest and richest men in the world going by contents of the email, a rare combination i must say.
The first principle that struck me is, SPEND ON THOSE WHO ARE REALLY IN NEED RATHER THAN BUY UNNECESSARY THINGS and the second is DONT BUY MORE THAN WHAT YOU REALLY NEED. Am sure you can all understand where all this is going and to be totally honest, i actually have two of the said gadgets and the other is working as well but this was handed down to me but it is working and it does not matter whether i bought it brand new, used, handed down etc... it works.
These are strong principles but how many of us could say with all honesty that they are part and parcel of our daily lives? Very few i think. I went on a guilt trip cracking my head trying to convince myself that its ok, its not such a bad thing to want something and go out and get it as long as you are not hurting anyone in the process but is it morally right, is it right before God and as though that was not enough, a call came in later on with a request for money for a worthy cause,recall Warren Buffets principles.
For those of you who thought being drawn to that folder and that email in particular was a mere coincidence, think again because I greatly doudt that. The chain of events to me is definately Gods Hand at work. I must confess that during this time i do not recall asking God to intervene and guide me in deciding whether to buy or not to buy although He was always there at the back of my mind and as a christian who is really doing his best to live according to the will of the Lord Almighty, i was slowly and surely leaning towards doing whats right bofore God but having said that it will suprise you to know that at the end of it all, i decided to go ahead and buy that new gadget which i consider a blessing and i know you will be wondering why after all i have been saying and this is why.This morning just after i decided to pass on buying, my partner told me the money requested, which if she had her facts correct, was the equivalent of the value of the gadget but for a £1.00 difference(another coincidenc?), could be paid on the coming friday and i immidiately felt all that sense of guilt lift off my shoulders and because of that i could go ahead and buy the gadget. In a nut shell, i felt because i had genuinely decided to put the purchase on hold and deal with the worthy cause first, God made it possible and ok for me to go ahead and buy what i wanted. Please take note that i put the word "genuinely" in bold type, thats becuase as christians, we all know that there is no way we can fool God, he knows how i felt, the guilt i felt and the decision i had finally come to. I felt He was rewarding me for finally, after a bit of a rollercoaster, making the right decision.
I may have come to the wrong conclusion about the whole scenario so i am open to other Christians perspectives so please feel free to leave a comment or correct me were i may be wrong.
GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!

Day 4 (30 Day Faith Experiment)

2008-11-25T06:12:00.002Z

Yesterday was just a carry on from the previous day. Am begining to feel a greater sense of relief due to the fact that am becoming more honest with myself by taking off my chest more than i normally would and actually logging it. No thanks to me, all thanks to the Almighty. I have always entertained the idea of recording my experiences ever since i was born agan but never got down to doing it but the Lord gave me the initiative to type two words last thursday moring and those two words were "suprise me". As i stated in an earlier post, i typed those words in the google search field and clicked "i am feeling lucky" which lead me directly to web site called www.suprisemegod.com now thats no coincindence at all, i strongly believe the Lord wanted me to see that web site and now look what its doing for me already. Thank you Lord God Almighty. There is a cartoon with a caption that goes something like.... (i wont quote because am not not sure i have it right word for word but you will get message and offcourse the humourous side of it)...Try heaven, if you dont like it hell will always take you back...!! Need i say more? Everything that happens in our lives happens for a reason and it is important for us to know why some of things happen otherwise we will never learn anything from them and the only true way to do that is through the Almighty God. Through those two words "suprise me", God has given me a new sense of purpose so deciding to type those two, in my opinion, happened for a very good rason. Amen and God Bless you all.

Day 3 (30 Day Faith Experiment)

2008-11-24T06:42:00.006Z

"It is easier said than done".

"We learn more about ourselves in bad times than we do in good times"

Funny how easy it is to complain about others concerning any issues and yet

when we are caught up in a similar situation we do exactly the same. Before

i go any further, the issue here has nothing to do with being right or wrong,

its how we react to any given situation that we should concern ourselves

with most. Anyway back to the real deal....My partner is down with a terrible flu

and without going into much detail, i got a bit upset and lost it and raised my voice trying to emphasize something....now, that reaction alone is wrong even if i may have been justified yet there i was reacting in that manner, a manner in which i dont like when am on the recieving end and thats not all, am always vowing not to do that to her when she is not well but i did it. Yes, a lot of us may find it easy to say its common sense and i agree but remember the first saying in this post, "it is easier.....". As for saying no.2, i really feel i learn't something really important about myself yesterday and in general off course is to never be too sure about certain things in life regarding myself/yourself and even if i am/your are too sure of yourself, its best to leave it unsaid and i say so becuase i feel really bad when am caught in something and react wrongly or discover i was in the wrong.

I believe we will always be faced with trials and tribultions but the most important thing is how we react in those situation regardless of who's right or wrong and i will always keep praying to become a better person in that area and all other areas of weakness.

God puts us in some of these situations so we can learn from them and i have learnt something about myself from this episode. Please pray for me, God Bless you all.

Day 2 (30 Day Faith Experiment)

2008-11-23T07:09:00.002Z

One of my favourite pastors is Pastor Charles Stanely. Every once in a while i listen to or watch him on his ministries website and i also signed up to recieve newsletters by email. The email i recieved yesterday was entitled, suprisre, suprise, Giving Thanks in Everything which reiterates what i stated in my very first post on 20/11/08. As a believer, this is not a mere coincidence, its as though the almighty is reassuring me that "son, you're on the right track". I must confess though that i am still far from being the person God wants me to be but i am surely not the person i used to be, having said that i am confident that as long as i maintain my focus on God, i wil get there. I do have a lot of ups and downs like every christian but the most important thing is not to totally lose focus on our creator ( remember Peter walking on water, he began to sink the moment he took his focus of Jesus but immidiately stopped sinking when he returned his focus on Him) and to continue thanking for everything that he does for us not matter how little or simple it may seem or be as well as in good times and bad times. There are so many people out there who suffer way beyond what a lot of us can imagine and all they do is thank the Lord to be alive, thank the Lord for seeing another day and yet you find a lot of us whining over material things......that is something we ought to think about. For me, thats another reason why i am for the 30 Day Faith Experiment.

GOD BLESS YOU ALL.

AMEN!!!

Extracted from intouchministries.org

".....The believer’s part is to trust God will bring good from trials and to discover His plan, which gives further reason for thanking Him. Understanding His intentions renews our strength for facing difficult trials. Expressing gratefulness changes our attitude about God, ourselves, and our situations. Most people allow hurt and stress to form a pessimistic mindset, which negatively impacts every facet of their life. But believers have God’s Spirit working within to provide courage and a flow of thanksgiving.
When we demonstrate thankfulness in harsh circumstances, other people pay attention. Our coworkers, family, and friends will want for themselves the peace and energy we derive from a grateful relationship with the Lord.So whatever you experience today, go ahead and defy logic—praise God....."

Day 1 (30 Day Faith Experiment)

2008-11-23T07:04:00.004Z

On Friday the 21/11/08 my first suprise came in the form of correspondence with very positive news that i had been waiting for for nearly a year now and i greatly thank the almighty for that. This was my first day of the 30 day faith experiment. God Bless You All in Jesus mighty Name.

Amen!!!

Always Thanking Him

2008-11-20T12:36:00.002Z

The 30-Day Faith Experiment was a suprise for me in that i typed "suprise me" in the google search field and clicked "I'm feeling lucky" and walah, there infront of me was the website "suprisemegod.com".... for a believer that means a lot to me. When praying, i mostly thank God for everything He does for me, is doing for me and will do for me which is a long, long list. I pray that way mainly because, this is my opinion, as God is our creator, He knows practically everything there is to know about us from the number of hairs we have on our heads to our very innermost thoughts before we even think them, infact he knows practically eveything and this every believer knows/should know and due to that He knows all our needs, desires, problems, illnesses ....you name it, so when we continuosly pray with an agenda, its as though we are twisting His arm and not allowing Him to do what He does best (taking care of all our needs, ALL, protecting us, guiding us, forgiving us, Loving us....etc). We, as believers all know that God answers our prayers in His own time frame and not always the we may expect but in what He deems is the best for us as He knows us better than we know ourselves and therefore knows whats best for us. We must learn to be patient and wait on Him always.
My favourite scripture sums up, in my opinion, what the fundumental basis of our relationship with God, amongst other things, should be. 1 Thessolonian Ch5 V16-19. "Rejoice alwys, pray without ceasing and in everything give thanks, for this is God's will for us in Jesus' Christ". Amen to that.
I am really eager to do the 30-day Faith Experiment because i know what my God is capable of and besides dont we all like suprises especially when we definately know that they come from a source who loves us dearly and is ever so trust worthy. God Bless you all.

The following has been extracted from suprisemegod.com/chapter.asp

".....So I got this idea, not for a TV show but an experiment. A faith experiment. Thirty Days-A three-word prayer-A trail of surprisesWhat if:Every day, for thirty days, I pray and ask God to surprise me? “Surprise Me, God.” Nothing more, nothing less. Three words. Not asking for something in particular. Not giving him my list. Not presenting my agenda. Just inviting him to barge into my life in any old way he pleases-to crash into the busyness of my schedule and mess with it.Then, what if:Every day I record my thoughts and activities? All the twists and turns that give shape to the month. I'll look for when, where, and how God steps into my world in a practical, everyman sort of way...."