Tag Archive - faith

Your Story

June 30, 2014 in Personal Life with 0 Comments

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12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him, 13even though I used to blaspheme the name of Christ. In my insolence, I persecuted his people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief. 14Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus.
15This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. 16But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. 17All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen. 1 Timothy 1:12-17 NLT

Paul has a moment here where he tells exactly what He sees God having done for him. He explains it in a way that establishes a foundational faith principle.

It would be tempting to think, oh well if I had a conversion to Christ like his I would be able to make such a statement.

However the principle here, is not to be like Paul so I am more effective for Christ BUT to be like me so my story is effective for Christ.

The question then is what is YOUR story?  What 1 or 2 things can you identify have changed in your life that establishes an aspect of who God is?

I have had to battle and overcome certain fears, the fight to not see life as average and walk through some major life crisis’.

So my story might read : By faith give life a go, there are places mapped out for you in God which are bigger than you imagined, faith and persistent pursuit in Christ will lead you over obstacles and into your God shaped future. You are more significant than you think you are. Faith in Christ transforms perception.

The only story others will receive is the story they can read.  There is no point in me trying to live another story but rather celebrate what God has done in and through me.

We all have a story, what is the message in yours?

A Flippin’ Good Life!

August 23, 2013 in Family Life, Financial Life, Health Life, Personal Life, Work Life with 0 Comments

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Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. 3 John 1:2

It is God’s desire that you prosper, in every area of your everyday life. In your marriage, with your children, in your work and finances, in your health and soul, in your friendships.  John in his older years sees with perspective about what is important in life – not the achievement of goals, ambitions or the accumulation of wealth only. But a holistic life that is on an upward journey.

A healthy and prospering life will always end up being fruitful, productive, and achieving of ambitions.  But put the focus the other way around and life becomes self-consuming.

There are 3 things that stand in the way of us seeing our lives prosperous or desiring this for others:

1. Doubts : if a doubt-filled emotion constantly rises when you dwell on or pray for an area of life to prosper then that is a mindset that can be pulled down.  Poverty thinking will put up a wall of doubt when thinking of prospering.  A rejected thinking will put a wall of doubt when thinking about God’s blessing on you or even God liking you.

2. Motivations : a motivation can be good or bad, present or absent.  If a motivation is absent when thinking about looking after your health, your soul, your family, this can be shifted – step back see whats important and you can put motivation into these areas.  If a wrong motivation exists then it can be switched for a right one.

3.  Attitudes: When thinking about a particular person does a negative attitude rise when you think of their well-being?  You can switch that attitude for a good one today, and let the desire for blessing them push through the negativity.

All the above can become strong holds that can stop us living in the very life God intended for us – a blessed life, prospering in all things, being in health and your soul doing very well.

Believing with you today to have faith, great motivation and a positive attitude.  I pray that you would prosper in all things and be in health as your soul does very well.

JESUS THE HEALER

June 11, 2013 in Personal Life with 0 Comments

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When it comes to understanding the topic of healing, it is best to keep it simple.  Faith is not complicated!  If we understand Jesus is the healer, then there are only 2 important concepts to understand about Him when it comes to healing:

1. Jesus is willing – He wants to heal
2. Jesus is able – He can heal

JESUS IS WILLING

A man with leprosy came and knelt in front of Jesus, begging to be healed. “If you are willing (humility), you can heal me and make me clean,” he said.  Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!”  Instantly the leprosy disappeared, and the man was healed. Mark 1:40-42

 Jesus is willing because He has compassion. He feels what you are going through  - He is moved by what He sees.

I get moved for people unable to have children, because Lizby and I have been through our own struggle on this front and seen God come through.  Therefore, we have seen people healed of this condition.

Our own pain often enables us to move with compassion for others.

Jesus is willing because He loves:  “God so loved – that He gave His Son”. (Jn3:16).  He gave up His life for us.

Jesus is willing because He is indignant to obstacles to the Kingdom
John 10:10 tells us that Jesus came to give us life, whereas the devil has come to steal, kill and destroy

Jesus gets in a fighting mood when he sees the devil messing up lives.  The devil will whisper to you – you can’t get healed, Jesus won’t do it for you … BUT Jesus IS moved by your situation and He is wants to act for you, how ever complicated your situation, or how long you have been sick for.

JESUS IS ABLE

One of the men lying there had been sick for 38 years.  When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?” “I can’t, sir,” the sick man said, “for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me.” Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!”  Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking! John 5:5-9

You may have been told the doctors cannot do anything more – God is able
You may have been ill for a long time – God is able.
This man thought there was no way he could get healed.  But Jesus showed him that He was FULLY ABLE.

Jesus is able because He is God and not superstition, like the stirring of waters

Jesus is able because He has proven He is able

He was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins, He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.  Isaiah 53:5

He was beaten:  you may feel beaten in an area of your life.  Beaten by pornography, beaten in your marriage, beaten in a habit that controls you … HE CAN MAKE YOU WHOLE

He was whipped – that’s a punishment.  Some people feel like their sickness has become a punishment to them.  JESUS CAN HEAL YOU – its not a punishment!

He conquered the most powerful force of all – death – proving He is able to do all things.

Jesus is able because He possesses the power to heal:  And the power of the Lord was present to heal them.  Luke 5:17

Take a step toward Him today – He is willing and able, His power is real.  Start the journey to believe for your healing.

Your reputation depends on it

November 2, 2012 in Personal Life with 0 Comments

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Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation.  Hebrews 11:2

Faith. Reputation!

Faith sometimes gets a bad rap.  Some see it as the wild and irresponsible.  And some people do do some strange things which they say is ‘faith’, but is really an untested wild idea, a lazy reliance on other people’s hard work and generosity, or a cover-up for not having any idea what they are doing!

However, never throw out the substance because of an over-enthusiastic few.

Hebrews 11:2 tells us that your reputation is connected to your faith, not your ability to be conservative, always sensible, always calculated, always reasonable or controlled.  Faith is bold, faith is confidence, faith dares, faith believes for what’s missing and steps out anyway.

Go to your God-confidence today.  Go to a place of faith. Believe God more than your own ability.  Believe the Bible more than your own judgement.  Believe what God says about you more than what others may say about you.  Step outside of yourself and into the ‘faith-you’.  Your reputation depends on it!

See you in Church.

Confidence

January 17, 2011 in Personal Life with 0 Comments

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What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. Hebrews 11:1 NLT

Faith is confidence.

When faith takes a hold of you you can’t help but feel like all things are possible.  Our hopes are realised when we are utterly convinced it will come to pass.  This confidence will cause faith to take a grip in your spirit.

Confidence is a natural partner of a faith-life.

Dealing with the things that steal our confidence will prevent our walk of faith being jeopardised.

1. The nag of a guilty conscience because we haven’t sought forgiveness for things we’ve done wrong steals confidence.

2. Failure to forgive ourselves for things we’ve done will steal our confidence.

3. If we haven’t forgiven others for wrongs done to us our confidence is weakened.

4. Broken relationships can effect our confidence. If we are aware that someone holds a grudge against us, we should try and repair the relationship. If we’re unsuccessful, we should put it out of our minds.

Be confident – let faith determine your steps today!

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