He's working in the background...Part 1

Hello All,

Its been awhile I know and being busy is no excuse for not posting.  As to why it took me so long to post this is beyond me but I'm back now and I have a testimony. (This may be a long one so brace yourselves) :)

I have been going through the most frustrating application process to a school for the past year or so. It hasn't been frustrating because of the school, but because I was leaning on my own understanding and what I could do. I wasn't leaning on God for anything. I submitted all my documents and hoped for the best.

I applied as a transfer student to Oral Roberts University in Tulsa Oklahoma. It was the logical thing to do. I already have an undergraduate degree and I was applying to do another one so it made sense right? It should be easy right?

At the time, the college I attained my undergrad degree from was in the process of securing National Accreditation. This is the highest form of accreditation one can receive. So, because at the time of my application my Alma Mater had not yet attained this, I was told that I would have to apply as a freshman. That was not a cool moment for me at all. I was not pleased. So there the fussing began.

This type of application, required a lot more. The cost of this process was also something to take into consideration. Added to that, I would be required to do the SAT exam. I had done the exam years ago and had no desire to do it again. NO DESIRE. I didn't like the process, or the exam and I didn't remember doing very well.

Anyway, I fussed about it but I knew I had to do it. So I contacted an SAT tutor and began making plans to do classes. All this time, still leaning on my understanding of the situation.

Classes were to be on Saturday mornings at 9am, which for me meant laving where I lived by at least 6:30am. For someone who works during the week and only has Saturday to sleep in, it was a struggle. I wasn't able to commit to those classes and just decided that since I did the exam before, I would just buy a book and study on my own. Excellent idea! It will just be like a refresher right? So I was on my way! I was determined to do this exam and pass with flying colours.

I'm gonna split this thing up :) stay tuned for part 2

Yet Will I...

Life is tough! Its rough! It throws challenges at us that causes pain, hurt, tears, fear and even death. For me, these times come when seasons are about to change for me. Change brings about an uncertainty that I am never prepared for. One thing I have learnt about myself is that I require a certain measure of security, which also brings a great measure of fear. 

I reflected on my life a bit yesterday and the reality of the next few months hit. I was slowly realizing that a slow death was coming to my dreams and plans. Things are not working out the way I though they would have at this time. Things that I expected to be in place aren't in place. This is such scary territory for me. The not knowing eats me up inside. 

The fact of the matter is in my humanness, I allow what I see to shake my faith. I allow what I see in the physical to lose faith in what God is doing in the spiritual. I allow feelings of loneliness, hurt, pain, fear and disappointment to shift my focus from the one who gave His everything for me so that I can live in freedom! 

This week I have decided to live in that freedom. I have decided that I want to be happy. I want God's joy. I am tired of the roller coaster Christianity that has me up on minute and close to depression the next. I am fed up of allowing my circumstances shake my faith! 

My encouragement to you is to believe that with God nothing is impossible. Believe that He is able! Believe that your latter will be greater that your past! Believe that He you will have Joy! 

 I may feel scared and uncertain of what is to come YET WILL I trust Him!

 I may feel like nothing is working out for me YET WILL I believe in the promises He has given me! 

 I may feel like giving up YET WILL I hold on!

I may not feel like it YET WILL I praise Him. 

YET WILL I love Him!

YET WILL I worship Him!

YET WILL I keep pressing! 

YET WILL I...

I believe God is going to do a mighty work on Saturday through the ministry of this young man. I believe that lives will be changed, persons healed and lives delivered. God is going to answer the prayers of His people! 

YET WILL I...

April 20th 2013

Arima Church of the Nazarene!

His Obvious Choice

So I am God's Obvious choice. What do I mean by that?

I was reflecting on 1 Samuel 16 today. This is the story of David being anointed as the next King of Israel. One thing stood out to me as I was reflecting. To God, David was the obvious choice. Jesse brought the sons he felt more suited for the role to Samuel. Samuel assumed that the obvious choice would be one who looked the part. But for God, the obvious choice wasn't the obvious choice. In the minds of his family, David was where he should be, tending the sheep.

Some of us are living in the expectations of others instead of in the anointing placed on our lives. God may have anointed you to preach the word but because you don't look like a preacher or sound like one you forget about it. You may be anointed to write and star in the next big Broadway musical but because you listen to the voice of people who constantly tell you that you're not good enough, you allow your dreams and vision to die.

God chose David to lead His people. Even though he wasn't presented to be anointed, God made sure He was where he needed to be. Some of  us are being over looked over and over again for opportunities we believe we should have. I take comfort in the fact that David was being over looked and God's plans for him prevailed. God will open the doors that He wants opened for you. He will ensure that those opportunities meant for you will come to you.

I urge you not to allow the noise of this world block out the voice of the one that is most important. You ARE good enough. You ARE strong enough! You ARE talented enough! It doesn't matter what people think. What matters is what God has anointed you for.

YOU ARE GOD'S OBVIOUS CHOICE.

Living in His Presence

Exodus 3 gives the account of Moses and the burning bush. In verse 13, Moses ask " Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shell say unto them, The God of your fathers have sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is His name? what shall I say unto them" 

God answers in verse 14 stating "...I AM THAT I AM...I AM hath sent me unto you" 

Living in the Spirit Study Bible notes "I AM THAT I AM is a He brew phrase that indicates action.  "God was in effect saying to Moses, I wish to be known as the God who is present and active" (pg 98) 

Wow. God revealed Himself as THE God who is present and active in our lives. Which means that He is always with us. Which means that as His children, as His descendants and as heirs to His throne His presence is always with us. It means He is always working, always guiding, always leading. God promises in scripture after scripture that He will never leave us or forsake us. So what does all this mean?

It means we need not be in church to worship God. He is always with us. 

It means He is forever our protection, provider, friend, strength, compass and so much more. 

It means that when I feel lost and all alone, He is right there with me. 

It means that God's active power and His comforting presence is forever with us.

So friends I encourage you to live in His presence. Fear not and hold on to all the promises He has made to you in His word. Live in Victory. Live in Peace. Live in Faith. Live in Love. Live in Christ. Hope in our God never disappoints. 

I am grateful to serve a God who has my back, who promises to always be by my side.

 

Something out of Nothing

I am a Christian. An unashamed believer of Jesus Christ. To some it means that I am a hypocrite. To others it means that my life is now being dictated by a church. To others it means that I am 'Holier than thou'.   To some it means that I'm limited to church work. To some it means that my gifts and talents will be wasted because no one will see them. To some its just a phase.

But let me tell you who I am. I am a young woman who believes in Jesus Christ, that He died so that I can have eternal life and so that I can  have His Joy, Peace and Freedom. (John 3:16) I am His child. I belong to Him. He supplies all my needs (Phil. 4:19) and my wants. (Ps 23:1).

Jesus is the driver of my ship, meaning my relationship with Him dictates the decisions I make and how I live my life. (Prov. 3:5-6) I cannot become righteous aside from God (Is. 64:6). This simply means that I cannot live the life of a Christian without Jesus. It is Jesus who knows what the right thing to do is always and I must follow His leading. Sometimes I may choose to do my own thing and in the end I must deal with the consequences. But it is in times and moments like these that Jesus reveals Himself to us. That He is patient, kind, offers us grace and mercy and that He is love. (2 Chor. 12: 7-9) Yes, Jesus is LOVE! (1 Chor. 13).

Jesus knows exactly what His purpose for my life is. (Jer. 29:11) It is His plans for me and not anyone else's
plan for my life that will prevail.

Friends I tell you the truth, I have seen the difference that Jesus can make. I have seen the change He can bring to lives. I have experienced first hand His lovingkindness, His favour, His love and I know that where I am now is where He would have me to be.

The road is not easy, because the enemy will find ways to undermined your relationship with God. The devil uses the subtleties of this earth to draw us away from Jesus.

Understand that my relationship with Jesus is just that my relationship. Your relationship with Him will be different. Friends I urge you today, if you do not know Him, talk to Him right now. He is ever present and He will hear you. All He asks is that you confess your sins and believe in Him and He will do the rest.

For those of you who feel like you are a failures. Like Jesus has given up on you. I remind you that His grace is sufficient. We are nothing without Jesus. We cannot make ourselves righteous. We cannot make ourselves pure. We must have faith in the Most High God and watch Him do it. He's done it before and He will do it again.

Jessica Reedy sings

You've changed my whole life,
You've made my wrongs right
And for the rest of my life,
I'll never know why,
You made something out of nothing. 

I thank God that out of my nothing, He created something.

God Bless You!

Happy New Year

I was never one for New Years Resolutions. They were always promises I made to myself that I never kept up with. They sounded good to do at the time but when the year got into full swing I forgot all about those resolutions. So this year I make no resolutions.

Instead I decide to choose. I choose to:

Love more, Judge less
Smile more, Frown less
Listen more, Talk less
Put my faith in God and not in men
Stop trying to please everyone
Be who God has called me to be
Be a better friend, sister, daughter and leader

The list could go on and on.

But most importantly to be added to this list is that I choose to LIVE. It sounds so strange. The question rolling around in your head is probably 'Aren't you living now?'

My response would be yes and no. When we allow religion to dictate the way we live our lives as opposed to our relationship with God we aren't living. When the rules, regulations and traditions of an organisation dictate how we live that's not living. We live in the freedom of our relationship with Jesus. When He dictates how we live then we are living.

I encourage you today friends to allow Jesus to dictate your life. Follow is leading. At the end of it all it is He that holds your world in His hands. It is God who sees your future. Follow Him with you everything.

I pray that this year we keep focused. That we allow God to be the driver of our vehicle. That we follow His direction and leading. That we avail ourselves to be led by His Spirit and His Spirit only.

Man will fail us but God will never fail.

God has great things in store of us. Lets prepare ourselves to receive them.

God Bless you all. See you soon!

Taki <3 nbsp="nbsp" p="p">

Again, Again and Again

Again I call you and again you answerAgain I need you and again you're thereAgain I reach out and again you hold meYou console me once more, and again
DONNIE MCCLURKIN - AGAIN LYRICS

Again and Again I fail God. 
Again and Again I disobey His Word.
Again and Again what I desire holds more weight than what He says.
Again and Again sin leaves a bitter after taste that I do not like yet
Again and Again I end  up in this position. 

Feeling lost, alone, so unworthy. 
I feel like soon, if it hasn't happened already,
That my 70 x 7 will soon run out. 
I feel like there is so much I can do. 
I see the warning signs. 
The enemy has no creativity when coming to me. 
Yet I allow him to win these small battles. 
I allow what I want and feel to get in the way of God and I

The thing is though that I focus so much on fixing me all on my own,
That I never go to Jesus. 
The more my shortcomings show is the more I'm reminded of two things. 

1. There is no way I can do it on my own. God knew that we couldn't fix ourselves. So he sent Jesus. Whose blood has the power to save  us from ourselves. Jesus is our VICTORY. He has already won the war. 

2. His grace is sufficient. Paul spoke about never boasting in himself but boasting in his short comings. He wanted us to understand that the he was nothing compared to Jesus. That His strength came as a result of the power of Jesus in his life. He could do nothing. 

Likewise, Jesus can help us say no to flesh, because from what I've learnt, flesh will always be there. We will always have the need to satisfy our needs, whether they are what God wants for us or not. 

Saying no to our flesh and choosing to be living sacrifices is something we need to do daily. Its a continuous process until that day when the Lover of our Souls comes to take us home. 

So my friends, do not  believe the lies the enemy tells you. God loves you. He wants nothing but the best for you. 

Every time I turn around, the most amazing thing I've foundYou're there to pick me up each time when I fall downYou never seem to mind and you're always treating me so kindTime after every time, you've proven once again
DONNIE MCCLURKIN - AGAIN LYRICS

God Bless you all. :D