Pray up your immune system!

1 Corinthians 14:44 - He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself...

When you speak in tongues, The Bible does not say that the speaker edifies his spirit. No, it says that the speaker "edifies himself". This means his entire self — spirit, soul and body. So he who speaks in tongues builds up his spirit, soul and body.

Does this include building up your immune system? Yes, it does!

Brain specialists at Oral Roberts University's hospital found out through research and testing that when a person prays in tongues, his brain releases two chemicals that are directed to his immune system, giving it a 35 to 40 per cent boost. Interestingly, these secretions are triggered by a part of our brain that has no other apparent activity and which is activated only when we pray in tongues.

Now, your immune system is your first line of defense against diseases.

During the SARS outbreak in Singapore in 2003, not everyone who had the disease died. Only those whose immune systems were weak succumbed to the disease and died. Therefore, many people resorted to vitamins and herbs to boost their immune systems.

A 74-year-old church member decided to build up his immune system against more heart problems. Two of his arteries were 70 per cent blocked and five smaller vessels were 80 per cent blocked. So during a church service, when I asked those who wanted to be healed of heart problems to stand up, he stood up, placed his hand over his heart and prayed in tongues.

He shared that at that moment, he believed that the Holy Spirit touched him and he became a different person. When he went for his medical check-up, his surgeon found that all the blockages in his blood vessels were gone! Even a scheduled heart-related operation was cancelled as there was no longer any necessity for it. Indeed, he was a different person. He literally had a change of heart, a new heart from God!

You may not have a heart condition, but you can still pray in tongues and pray up your immune system!

What makes you really happy?

Are you really happy? (If you had to think to answer that question, you probably aren’t.) So what’s the one thing that will make you really happy? Is it more money/ a new car/ a bigger house, healing of a relationship or may be the salvation of a family member?

My job used to be the one thing that gave me tremendous happiness. I loved being a writer. Writing was my passion (and still is) and because of that, I could stay back late in the office and even work on the weekend. Then around the end of 2008 recession hit our company real bad and people were being laid off by the dozen. I started to panic. That’s when I realised that my job had become my life and everything else (including God) had taken a backseat. God convicted me of this. It was almost like He was asking me, “Is your job more important than Me?” I didn’t want to admit at the time, but it was. I was truly sorry about it. God in His goodness preserved my job but from that time on I learned this: Nothing (not my job or anything else) should come before Jesus.

My point is that it’s normal for certain things to make us happy. But does our happiness depend on those things? If it does, then the moment we don’t get what we want, we will cease to be happy.

God wants us to root our happiness in Him.

In Psalm 16: 11, the psalmist says, “You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At your right hand are pleasures forever more.”

The key to experiencing joy is basking in the presence of our Father and allowing Him to lavish His love upon us! And that’s not all. At His right hand are pleasures (every good thing). He wants us to enjoy all of that too.

Jesus said, “I’ve loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love. If you keep my commands, you’ll remain intimately at home in my love. That’s what I’ve done – kept my Father’s commands and made myself at home in his love.” – John 15: 9 – 10 (MSG) “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.” – vs 11 (NKJV)

The Bible always talks about FULLNESS OF JOY. God’s intention is not that we have happiness with our family and friends but are miserable at work. God wants us to have joy in every area of our lives and that kind of joy is only found in Him.

Today if there’s anything in your life that you think gives you more happiness than God (read: anything that you would rather do than spend time in God’s presence), put it aside. Enjoy God’s presence and let Him fill you with His joy. Even as we do that God will add everything else unto us.

P.S. He blessed me with a great new job. I cannot but thank Him!

Watch out! The devil's watching you...

The last couple of months have been tremendous. God has been opening new opportunities for me to serve him... I went through an experience I thought would have crushed me but it just made me stronger and brought me closer to God... God has been ministering to me so beautifully through His Word. I was on a 'spiritual high'. And that's not all. My professional and personal life seemed to be soaring too.

Then suddenly, a couple of days ago, something happened... and before I knew it I was down in the dumps. I was actually asking, "Where are you, God?" (I know you're thinking 'how tragic!' and you're allowed to. It's not something I'm proud of anyway :p)

I desperately wanted to take my Bible and start confessing God's Word but instead of picking myself up and rising above the situation, I was lying on my bed and hoping God would miraculously make everything disappear. And you know what? He did... in His own way!

He spoke to me from the book of 2 Samuel that I had been reading the previous week. Here's what jumped out at me...

In the run up to David's love affair with Bathsheba,

• David was anointed king over Judah.
• He had danced before the ark of God with all his might, wearing just a linen ephod. And when his wife Michal despised him, he said, "I will celebrate before the LORD. I will become even more undignified than this."
• God had given him victory over all his enemies.
  
• God had used him to show kindness to Jonathan's son, Mephibosheth.
  

David was definitely on a 'spiritual high'.

Then suddenly in Chapter 11... in a flash... everything came crashing down. What in the world went down there? Well, to put it simply, the devil was after David. He didn't like the idea of David being sold out to God. So he decided to keep David busy with something else. What David didn't realise was that Satan was out to get him and so he gave in.

If you are soaring on wings like eagles, be sure the devil is out to get you. He doesn't care about Christians who live defeated anyway. He's after you. He prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

So be on high alert! Resist him, standing firm in the faith... And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast! (1 Peter 5: 9-10)

Experiencing Bethel: Right Here, Right Now!

Have you ever been at a church service where everyone else seemed lost in worship (some crying, some slain in the Spirit) and you just couldn't seem to feel the presence of God in any dramatic way? You closed your eyes. You concentrated. You went on your knees. You tried everything but nothing seemed to work.

Well, here are some things that I have learned from my personal experience about the presence of God. And since I'm no expert, I've used Jacob's experience in Genesis 28 to give you a better understanding of what I'm talking about.

1. I cannot control the way God chooses to reveal Himself to me.

Everyone likes to feel God's presence in a tangible way. There was this one time that I experienced some very tangible signs of the presence of God. I smelled the aroma of God - something sweeter than I've ever smelt before, I heard a choir of hundreds of thousands of angels and I saw a beautiful vision all during a single time of worship. It was an awesome experience but that doesn't mean that all those things are necessary to determine the presence of God.

It's not my fasting and prayer, how loudly I worship or how much a cry before God that will invoke His presence. God does not reveal Himself when and in ways we think are appropriate because His ways are much much higher than ours!

God appeared to Jacob in a dream when he was least expecting it. For Pete's sake, he was on the run!

2. I can never associate God's presence with one specific emotion or place.

Experiencing God's presence doesn't mean I have to be weeping uncontrollably or be overjoyed. It also doesn't depend on whether I am in the confines of my bedroom, at a church worship service or on the street.

Jacob was escaping from his brother Esau after stealing his birthright. He was on his way to his mother's hometown when he stopped at a certain place - "no where in particular" - for the night. He was asleep with his head resting on an uncomfortable stone when he felt the presence of God!

3. I don't have to strive to feel God's presence.

When Jesus came to earth, He was Immanuel (God with us). God is with me right now as I write this post. I don't have to be reading my Bible, praying behind closed doors or listening to my favorite worship CD (although that would be great) to feel God's presence.

God's promise to Jacob was,"Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you."

God longs to be with His people. I believe that's what the ladder was all about. It was God coming to down to Jacob, not the other way around.

4. God's presence may be all around me and I may just not know it.

Sometimes I can get so engrossed in my daily activities during the week that by the weekend I can't wait to go to church on Sunday and just rest in God's presence. Granted, Sunday mornings are a great time to spend with God but that doesn't mean I can't do it during the week, even while I'm busy working. Just because I can't find too much alone time during the week doesn't mean God can't be part of my busy schedule.

Jacob wasn't seeking God when God showed up and that's why when he awoke, he said, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it." We tend to miss the presence of God when we are not expecting it.

5. God can reveal His presence to me in people I don't even like.

One of the most common ways in which God reveals Himself is through people. It's only when I start practising the presence of God daily that I will be able to notice this.

We may not like everyone in our own church, let alone everyone we ever meet. But we have to be willing to see God's presence even in people we don't like. After all, human beings are the primary carriers of the presence of God.

After God revealed Himself to Jacob at an ordinary place and an unexpected time, Jacob learned how to recognise God's presence even in the ordinary and unexpected. That's why when he meets Esau, he was able to see God's presence in his brother (his enemy for twenty years or so). He says to his brother, "For to see your face is like seeing the face of God, now that you have received me favorably."

Our Bethel can be anywhere, any time. Let's not limit God or try to fit our experiences with Him into a box because if we do, we just might miss Him!

The Law of the Oatmeal Brush

This is an extract from the book God Is Closer Than You Think by John Ortberg:

Sin always has the consequence of damaging our ability to perceive God in the present moment. Consider, for example, the Law of the Oatmeal Brush.

For some years I have been trying to make each day an adventure in practicing God's presence. I try to direct my thoughts toward Him first thing when I wake up in the morning. On one particular morning I was getting ready to leave for work. I'd had oatmeal for breakfast, and after I finished washing my dishes, the white scrub brush in our sink was covered with oatmeal.

My wife asked me, " Are you done with this brush? If you are, it's be helpful to just whack it on the sink, get the oatmeal stuff out."

I was feeling defensive. I had actually been kind of proud of myself for washing the dishes in the first place. I didn't want someone telling me to clean the oatmeal brush.

So what I said was, "No, I'm not done with it." The reality is that the dishes were done. What was I pretending I was going to do with it? Brush the oatmeal junk into my hair? It wasn't just a lie - it was an unbelievably stupid lie. Even I couldn't pretend to believe it for a second.

But as long as I tried to maintain it, a strange dynamic was at work in my spirit. I had to muster up enough anger and hurt and pride to justify my deceit. I had to cut myself off from humility and truth. I had to say the prayer, "Don't look at me, God."

And as soon as I confessed the ridiculous truth to my wife, I could quit hiding.

The Law of the Oatmeal Brush is that every choice to sin - no matter how small - diminishes my capacity to experience God. Now, every morning when I see the Oatmeal Brush, it has become a kind of icon for me. It reminds me of how quickly I can go into hiding.

My Heart's Song

Caught in the half-light, I'm caught alone
Waking up to the sunrise and the radio
Feels like I'm tied up, what's holding me?
Just praying today will be the day I go free

I want to live like there's no tomorrow
I want to dance like no one's around
I want to sing like nobody's listening
Before I lay my body down
I want to give like I have plenty
I want to love like I'm not afraid
I want to be the man I was meant to be
I want to be the way I was made

Made in Your likeness, made with Your hands
Made to discover who You are and who I am
All I've forgotten help me to find
All that You've promised let it be in my life

- Chris Tomlin

The next level of HOLINESS 'with God'!

For years while I was growing up, I had this image of God as strict, immovable and swift to punish me for my sins. Almost like He was waiting with a stick in His hand, expecting me to mess up any minute. I guess that came from the fact that I knew He was so exceedingly holy and that He said, "Be holy, because I am holy." (Leviticus 11:44) and I was all too aware of the fact that I could never match up to that holiness of God!

Then during my teens, God had a makeover (in my mind, that is :p). He became a God who was forgiving, compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, which I might add, is definitely true! But my juvenile mind inadvertently thought that this gave me the right to do as I please because Jesus' blood would wash me clean and restore me. What a sorry state to be in!

Yes, we can never match up to God's holiness but that doesn't mean we give up on "pursuing" it. It might seem like God gave us an impossible command - Be holy, because I am holy - but He doesn't expect us to do this on our own. It's His grace and strength that will enable us to live lives that are holy unto Him.

I believe that God is calling us to the next level of holiness 'with Him'. When we try and achieve this holiness on our own, our holiness is worth nothing. God wants us to rely on His Holy Spirit for this.

We'll never be perfect. Being holy is a ongoing process of chastening and pruning and is often not very pleasant. But remember, God chastens us for our profit, that we may be partakers in His holiness (Hebrews 12: 10).

So the next time, you find it difficult to give up something, or do something that God is asking you to, know that unless God disciplines us, we have no part in His holiness!

Are you a people pleaser?

I have to confess that for the longest time, I was a people pleaser. I've had times when I did things because I thought they were right in the sight of others. I've also been in situations where I have been so afraid to say 'no' to people even to the extent of overworking myself. It's only been a year or so now where I've been consciously working on doing things because I genuinely want to do them and not out of compulsion. That's why when I came across this article written by Joyce Meyer, it made me smile becaue I could identify with some of the things she talks about. So I thought I'd share it with you

Are You A PEOPLE PLEASER?
by Joyce Meyer

Whatever may be your task, work at it heartily (from the soul), as [something done] for the Lord and not for men, knowing [with all certainty] that it is from the Lord [and not from men] that you will receive the inheritance which is your [real] reward. [The One Whom] you are actually serving [is] the Lord Christ (the Messiah). - Colossians 3:23,24

One of the most freeing things that I have learned in my years of walking with the Lord is how to break free from being a people pleaser. Now, I am not talking about living a healthy, unselfish life where we make the needs of others a priority. I am talking about a pressure to perform—an unhealthy drive to be accepted and approved by others. It is a desire so strong that it influences and controls the majority of our decisions.There are some individuals who have spent a good part of their lives trying to please other people, and as a result, they are unhappy, bitter, resentful and depressed. How other people think and feel about them has become so important that it is like an addiction affecting every part of who they are. The real tragedy is they don’t know what is causing the problem.How can you and I know if we are a people pleaser? There are some key signs that we want to take a look at. If you and I are not supposed to live to please people, who are we supposed to live to please?

ARE YOU HONEST WITH OTHERS?
One of the greatest signs of being a people pleaser is not being completely truthful with others about who we are. We say we like things we really don’t like. We go places and say we are enjoying it, when in reality, it is the last place on earth we want to be. And we nod our heads in agreement to things we don’t feel right about in our hearts. Instead of telling people the truth about our desires, feelings and thoughts, we develop a pattern of telling others what we think they want to hear in order to remain accepted. There are also times when people are dishonest about their true thoughts and feelings because they are trying to keep the other person “fixed” or happy. Whatever the reason, untruthfulness in relationships only leads to some kind of heartache. Dave and I have four children and eight grandchildren, and in our family, we have an agreement to be open and honest with each other without getting angry. For instance, if my daughter Laura calls my daughter Sandra and asks, “Can you watch my kids tonight?” Sandra is free to be honest and say, “You know, Laura, I’ve had a really tiring day at home with the twins, and I’m just not up to watching them tonight.” Although Laura may be disappointed, she is not going to get upset with Sandra or act aggravated or cold toward her. Instead, she would probably respond, “That’s okay. I understand how you feel. With four kids, I have had my share of tiring days too.” By not acting in anger, Laura lifts the pressure off Sandra, and the relationship between them remains peaceful. Now, our family is not perfect, and we do have our trying moments. But for the most part we strive to follow what the Word says. Ephesians 4:15 says, God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love… (The Message). Verse 25 goes on to say we are to …put away all falsehood and “tell your neighbor the truth” because we belong to each other (NLT). And in Colossians 3:9, we are told, Do not lie to one another, for you have stripped off the old (unregenerate) self with its evil practices. I think it is pretty clear: God wants us to be truthful with each other at all times in a kind and considerate way.

DO YOU DO THINGS OUT OF DUTY OR DESIRE?
Another big indicator that we are people pleasers is that we do things out of a sense of duty instead of desire. In other words, we do something for someone because we feel obligated, or it is expected of us—we are afraid if we don’t do it, others will get mad at us or think badly of us. But doing things because we feel forced to do them or are fearful of being rejected is doing things for the wrong reason.Let me give you an example: During the holidays most of us spend time with our families. Years ago when our children were small, we had a tendency to run from house to house to house, trying to visit all of our family members on the same day. This was especially true on Christmas. To a great degree, we felt like it was a requirement we had to fulfill, and if we did not, somebody would get their feelings hurt. What happened as a result is that we really did not enjoy the holiday season.Thankfully, Dave and I have made some adjustments over the years and changed our expectations. Our children are all grown and have families of their own, and to try and get everybody together in one place on the same day is difficult. It does happen sometimes, but if someone has other plans or is unable to make it, that is okay. I know some people who agree to alternate their holiday visits between their families. One year they choose to spend Thanksgiving with the wife’s side of the family and Christmas with the husband’s side. The next year, they do just the opposite. Other people visit one side of the family on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, and then a week later spend New Year’s Day with the other side of the family. The point is, their visits are based out of desire instead of duty. Now, please understand that we do not have to want to do everything we need to do. There are some things that we are required to do, and if we don’t do them, problems develop. I may not want to or feel like cleaning my house, but if I never clean it, things will become disorganized, out of order, and very stressful. You and I may not want to do the laundry, but if we never do it, we will eventually run out of clothes to wear. So there is a balance in this area that God will help us find. We just need to remove the pressure and expectations from others so that they do not feel obligated to do something for us. In the same way, we need to get out from under the pressure and expectations of others to do something for them.

ARE YOU CONSTANTLY SACRIFICING YOUR OWN LEGITIMATE NEEDS?
The third major sign of being a people pleaser is always being quick to set aside our own genuine needs to meet the needs and wants of others. Each of us has legitimate needs to be loved, accepted and approved. We also have needs for things like attention, affection and rest. Constantly denying our genuine needs and doing things for everybody else will usually result in becoming bitter and resentful because we feel all used up.I know a wonderful woman who loves the Lord and will do things for everybody else except herself. She takes care of the needs of her husband, her children and her church family, but she will not take care of her own. She maintains the attitude, “No, I don’t need anything. I can do without.” But she ends up with a bad attitude. This is not healthy and is often the reason why many Christians experience burnout. Yes, the Bible does say we are to live a life of self-denial and even put the needs of others before our own. However, if we are always denying our own needs and always putting the needs of others before our own, we are out of balance. Being out of balance opens the door for the enemy to wreak havoc in our lives (see 1 Peter 5:8). Before I began a serious relationship with God, my attitude and way of thinking was, If I don’t take care of myself, nobody else will. Then when I became a committed Christian, my thinking changed to, I will sacrifice everything—including my own legitimate needs for rest, fun and friends—all for the sake of the call. But after I pushed myself beyond my personal limits and got physically sick on at least three occasions, I realized I could no longer neglect my legitimate needs. Since then, God has helped me find and maintain a balance between caring for the needs of others and not neglecting my own. And He will do the same for you.

HOW CAN YOU OVERCOME BEING A PEOPLE PLEASER?
There is only one remedy I know of to avoid being a people pleaser and that is learning to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in all we do. That is one of the most exciting things about being a Christian. As believers, the Holy Spirit lives inside us. He desires to lead us in everything we do, from how we handle our finances, to the type of job we have, to the house we live in, to what we do or don’t do for others. He does not want to just be involved with the spiritual side of our lives; He wants to be involved with the natural side of our lives too.I love what Romans 7:6 says: But now we are discharged from the Law and have terminated all intercourse with it, having died to what once restrained and held us captive. So now we serve not under [obedience to] the old code of written regulations, but [under obedience to the promptings] of the Spirit in newness [of life]. What Paul is saying is, when we follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit, we experience newness of life—peace, joy and contentment—that cannot be experienced when we live under the “shoulds,” the “oughts,” the obligations and the expectations of being a people pleaser. What is the leading of the Holy Spirit? For the most part, it is having an inner peace about doing something. Colossians 3:15 says, And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts [deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds…]. In other words, if we have peace in our spirits about doing something or not doing something, we can know the Lord is in the decision. If we do not have peace in our spirits about doing something or not doing something, then it is a good indicator that God is not leading that decision.

IT ALL COMES DOWN TO ONE THING…
Motives… Why are we doing (or not doing) something? Are we being motivated by fear, personal gain or a sense of obligation? Are we being motivated by a desire to be in control, accepted or seen? These are all the wrong reasons for doing something. Our motive for doing anything should always be because God has prompted us and we want to please Him. Following the leading of the Holy Spirit means we are motivated by the fruit of the Holy Spirit, such as love, kindness and goodness. What the Spirit leads us to do or not do, He will give us a peace about. Remember, whatever you and I do, if we will do it as unto the Lord, our lives and the lives of others will be blessed. If you help a family member, do it as unto the Lord. If you visit with relatives, do it as unto the Lord. If you work in the nursery at church, do it as unto the Lord. If you are getting dressed, washing the dishes, driving to work, cutting the grass, or going to the grocery store, do it as unto the Lord. In other words, with everything you do, do it with the motive of pleasing God. The result will be a new measure of joy and enthusiasm in your life—even in the everyday, ordinary things. I encourage you to shake off the way people think or feel about you and just begin to do what you feel God wants you to do. If you need strength in this area, and I think we all do, pray and ask the Lord for His grace to follow after His voice instead of the pressures and demands of others. That you may walk (live and conduct yourselves) in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him and desiring to please Him in all things…(Colossians 1:10).

More Afflictions = More Growth!

Are you having a tough time at work, at home or may be even in your ministry? You are probably wondering why these troubles have hit you so bad. You are probably asking God a whole lot of questions right now or may be pleading with Him to rescue you. If that's your situation today, here's a word of encouragement.

Exodus 1: 12 says, But the more they (the Egyptians) afflicted them (the Israelites), the more they multiplied and grew.

Just remember the afflictions you are going through (especially if they are getting worse day by day) are a sign that you are soon going to enter your "promised land".

Look at these afflictions differently now and allow them to let you grow stronger, more mature and above all more dependent on God!

Be a miracle ingredient!

John 6 tells us that Jesus had gone to the mountainside, probably to get some quiet time with his disciples, when He saw a great multitude coming toward Him. Ideally, Jesus should have sent the crowd away but here He was, intending to feed five thousand hungry people.

Funnily enough, he asks Philip, "Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?" Philip must have surely thought his master was crazy because instead of answering Jesus' question, he replies with "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little." Philip was focusing on the impossibility of what Jesus was proposing to do.

Now Andrew, who was also present, knew what Philip said was true. Yet, he comes to Jesus and says, "There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish..." He knew how stupid it seemed to bring a little boy's lunch to feed five thousand people. That's probably why he added, "But what are they among so many?"

The amazing thing was that Jesus used the five loaves and two fish that Andrew brought to perform the miracle.

The Bible says in vs 6 (before Andrew could bring the little boy's lunch to Him) that Jesus already knew what He would do. Jesus knew He was going to perform a miracle to feed the multitude. He didn't need the little boy's lunch for that. Yet, He used it, making Andrew's faith a part of the miracle.

I believe even today Jesus will do the miracles He has intended to do. It's up to us whether we want to be a part of them or not. Are we holding on to the little we have because we think it is not enough for the "big miracle"? God wants us to step out in faith, present the little we have to Him and trust that He will multiply it?

There's another thing we could learn from Andrew and that is not to focus on the problem but rather on the problem solver, Jesus!

Glory in the Morning

By Warren Wiersbe

Exodus 16:7 - And in the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord.

Some days make you wonder if you should have stayed in bed. You cut yourself shaving, you spill coffee on your clothes, you have a computer crash at work, you receive overdue notices in the mail, and your son breaks his arm on the jungle gym at school. It's enough to make you want to crawl under the covers and hide.

The Israelites also were experiencing difficulties. They were hot, tired, hungry and upset. They even wondered if they should have stayed in Egypt. This trip was more difficult than they thought it was going to be.

In the midst of these trials, God did two things: He gave them manna for their physical bodies, but He also promised to reveal His glory to them "in the morning" for their spiritual well-being. God knew that the trials of the day needed a spiritual response as well as physical relief. And He chose to meet that spiritual need while the day was yet young.

When the day is hectic, the frustrations plentiful and the disappointments thick, it's time to turn to God. Yet how different the day might have gone had we turned to the Lord before we ever got started. Whether the events of the day change or not, when we have first spent time fellowshipping with God, we are better prepared to face them.

Perhaps you aren't a morning person; many people aren't. Yet getting up even 10 minutes earlier and spending those moments reading your Bible and praying will yield greater dividends than you might imagine. When you meet with God first in the morning, it's much easier to keep Him first all day.

How you begin your day will frequently determine how you end it.

Is it possible to change the heart of God?

This afternoon, I was reading 1 Samuel 1 which tells the story of a woman named Hannah who prays to the Lord for a son and the Lord hears her prayer and she gives birth to a boy named Samuel. It's a story that I am altogether too familiar with. My Sunday school teachers used it ever so often to show us how God answers prayer. Many preachers have preached sermons on it and yet today I learned something new from this passage.

For years, Hannah was barren and she desperately wanted a son. It didn't matter to Hannah that her husband loved her more than his other wife or that he gave her a double portion (vs 5), Hannah still wanted a son.

So she went before God and wept and prayed "much" (vs 10). And then, she made a vow to God to dedicate her child to Him for all the days of his life (vs 11). She knew how difficult keeping that promise would be but she didn't care because that's how much she wanted a son. And God had mercy on Hannah and answered her.

Sometimes, when we ask God for something and He doesn't do it soon enough, we assume it's not His will. In Hannah's case, God himself had closed her womb (vs 5 and 6). We don't know the reason God did that, but He did.

To me it seems that may be, Hannah's heart was so set on having a son that her son would have taken up all her attention and she wouldn't have time to seek God.

In Exodus 20:5 a, God says, "You shall not bow down to them (idols) or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God." God will not give you something that will take His place ie the first place in your heart. That's probably why God answered Hannah's prayer only after she vowed to give her son back to Him.

Hannah's prayer was sincere and God knew that she would keep the promise she made to Him. That's why God answered. That's why He changed His mind!

Are you wondering if God can do that in your situation? Yes, He can and He will. After all, the Bible does say, The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much (James 5:16). But God also looks at your heart. Is your heart set on that thing so much so that it will turn you away from Him?

When you are in the valley...

Have you ever gone through times when nothing seemed to be going your way? I've actually heard someone in a situation like that once tell me, "I feel like the entire universe is conspiring against me!"

If you are going through something like this, remember, 'valley experiences' can do one of two things; they can draw us closer to God or they can make us angry with Him.

None of us really like to admit that we've ever been angry with God. You may have never screamed out loud, "God, how could you let this happen?!" but when things have gone all wrong, you may have said things like "Life's just like that!" That statement isn't directed to God but it shows that you don't believe that God is in control of your life.

Then there are times when we set our hopes on God and our desires are not fulfilled. So we refuse to hope again. Sound familiar? Well, that's another way of showing indirect anger toward God. It's like saying, "God you didn't perform last time so why should I hope again?"

Getting angry with God doesn't accomplish much. We know all too well what happened to Cain when his anger was aroused against God (Genesis 4). He knew he couldn't do anything to God, so he went out and killed his brother. We also know that from then on, Cain was under a curse!

The interesting thing, however, is that even after Cain was angry with God, God came after him. God said to him, "Why are you angry? And why do you look sad and depressed and dejected? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin crouches at your door; its desire is for you, but you must master it." (Genesis 4: 6-7)

It's almost like God came after Cain to cheer him up. Not just that, He even cared enough to warn him of sin. It's not Cain's anger but what he did with it that caused him to come under the curse!

There may be times when you don't understand why God doesn't stop horrible things from happening to us. Job didn't understand either. He questioned God. He said things like Why did I not die at birth? Why did I not perish when I came from the womb? Why did the knees receive me? Or why the breasts, that I should nurse? Obviously, he wasn't asking his friends these things. They wouldn't have had the answer anyway. These questions were directed to God.

Job asked God plenty of questions but not once were those questions accusatory. He did not charge God with wrong. He cried out to God, he pleaded his case before God, but he never blamed God.

Finally, God did answer Job out of a whirlwind. But when God spoke he didn't answer all of Job's questions or give him a long-drawn-out explanation for his horrible afflictions. Instead, God assured Job of His power and might. Above all, He comforted Job!

In our darkest, lowest moments, we may not have a bunch of friends around us to cheer us up. Worse still, we may have friends like Job who believe that we have called these unfortunate things upon ourselves by our unrighteous actions.

At those moments, we need to run to our Father. Tell Him how we feel and not hide anything from Him because He knows us inside out and He loves us more than anyone ever could.

In Psalm 23: 4 (AMP) David says, "Yes, though I walk through the [deep, sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I will fear or dread no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort me."

That's exactly what we need to do in the valley -- allow our loving heavenly Father to comfort us.

There have been times in my life when I've been down in the valley and I've run to God and though the situation didn't change immediately, His comfort was more than enough for me. Lean on Him when you pass through the valley, and watch Him lift you to the mountaintops!

What are you magnifying?

I received this from a friend in my inbox this morning and it really blessed me. I hope you are encouraged too!

What are you magnifying?
By Victoria Osteen

If you think about a magnifying glass, its purpose is to make objects or text on a page appear larger than they are in reality. When you magnify something, you don't actually change the size of the object, you change your perspective of it.

Our minds can work like a magnifying glass. The more you think about something, the larger you perceive it to be. That's why we have to keep things in the right perspective. If we focus on our problems, they can seem so large that we can be consumed by them! But when you focus on God and magnify Him in your life, all the things of this world just seem so small and insignificant in comparison.

Think about it this way: if you were to hold up a quarter with your arm outstretched in front of you and one eye closed, the quarter seems small compared to everything else around you. But when you pull the quarter in closer to your eye, it appears much larger. In fact, if you hold it close enough, you aren't able to see anything else! So often in life, our difficulties and challenges seem so much larger than they actually are simply because we are holding them closer to us than necessary. We are dwelling on them more than we need to. But when we have the right perspective, those same difficulties become much more manageable.

To keep the right perspective, magnify the right things in your life. When I come up against challenges, I remind myself of all the great things God has done for me. I begin to thank Him for allowing me to know Him; I thank Him for my family, my children, and my husband. I recall how God brought me through past trials and difficult times. I am always amazed at how my perspective changes when I have a grateful heart and choose to count my blessings!

Today, I encourage you to take inventory of your thoughts. Maybe even make a list of all things that are magnified in your life right now. Hold that list out in front of you and think about how big your God is! Ask Him to reveal Himself to you in greater ways. Sing a simple song of praise to Him as you release that list of cares into His loving arms. Remember, His yoke is easy and His burden is light. Just watch the weight of the world disappear as you magnify Him in every area of your life.

O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together - Psalm 34:3, AMP.

Cool Christian Cartoons

Don't be a salesman. Be a witness.

You know how sometimes when we witness to our friends, colleagues or even family, they seem really 'closed to the Gospel'. It's like they just can't seem to understand what we are talking about or something. In such situations what do we do?

At times I've found myself trying to convince people that Jesus is the only way. I also know of people who, in their zeal to evangelise, bombard people with the Gospel so much so that heated debates and nasty arguments ensue. Well, that's just not how it's supposed to be.

We don't have to try to sell Jesus to our friends, shove him down our colleagues' throats or argue the cause with anyone.

In John 1:43-45, Jesus found Philip and said, "Follow me." Then Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote — Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." But Nathanael wasn't one to believe too soon. He said, "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?"

Doesn't Nathanael's cynicism remind you of some of the people you've witnessed to? They just won't believe immediately.

Well, interestingly enough, Philip didn't try and sell Jesus to Nathanael. He simply said, "Come and see."

May be we can take a cue from Philip. The next time we evangelise, we should remember to steer clear from heated debates and arguments and remember that our job is to tell people the truth and invite them to experience it. After all, it's the Holy Spirit who has to do the work of changing their hearts.

The Bible also says, that God chose us, we did not choose Him. John 15:16a - "You did not choose me, but I chose you."

Look at vs 47 to 50. Jesus already knew who Nathanael was. He had seen him under the fig tree even before Philip called him. Nathanael was already chosen by Jesus.

Similarly, God's eye is already on our friends, colleagues or whoever else we are witnessing to. So we are not working on our own to bring people into the kingdom. God is working with us!

Colours of the cross

Okay. So this isn't exactly a blog post per se but it's an interesting way to introduce Jesus to a friend or bring Him up in your conversations.

Our church's vision is to reach out to the people of our city through effective evangelism and it's been amazing how God has been showing people new ways of witnessing - door to door evangelism, concerts, house groups, hospital visits etc. So I was looking for a way to pass the vision on to my Sunday School kids and I found this on the Internet.

It's a little craft that can help children talk to their friends about Jesus. You know how kids just love little trinkets and key chains. Through this craft they can not only make these trinkets but also use them to tell others about their faith. Here's how it goes...

What you will need

* 6 Beads (Black, red, white, blue, green, gold or yellow)
* Thin cord or rawhide lace that will fit through your beads
* Clear glue

Directions

Step 1: Cut your cord. If you're making a necklace, start with three feet of cord. For a bookmark, bracelet, or key chain use one foot of cord. Place the gold bead onto one end of the cord and place in the center. See illustration.

Step 2: Put the cord ends together and pull them through the green bead. See illustration.

Step 3: Put the red bead onto one side of the cord, and the blue bead onto the other side. Pull them tight.

Step 4: Put the cord ends together again and pull them through the black bead. See illustration.

Step 5: Place a very small dot of clear drying glue onto the red and blue bead, at the center of the cross where they touch. Wedge your white bead between the red and blue bead so that the white bead's holes touch the sides of the red and blue bead where the glue was placed. Pull the string tightly and tie a knot against the top of the black bead.

Step 6: Tie the ends of the cord. Wrap the cord ends around your finger, and loop it through the hole, pull tight.

Now how to you use your trinket to talk about Jesus?

Each of the bead colours are intended to remind us of Biblical truths!

Black = Sin

The black bead reminds us of our sin which separates us from God and dooms us to eternal darkness.
Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

Red = Christ’s blood

The red bead symbolizes Christ’s’ blood shed for you and me.
Romans 5:8-9 "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us...we have been justified by his blood..."

White = Prayer of Repentance For Cleansing

The white bead represents the cleansing that occurs when a sinner repents and turns to God.
Psalm 51:1-2 "Have mercy on me, Oh God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin."

Blue = Water/Spirit Baptism

The blue bead represents baptism.
Ephesians 4:5 "...one Lord, one faith, one baptism." We are baptized with water to identify ourselves with Jesus.
The Holy Spirit baptizes those who trust in Jesus and takes up residence in the believers heart.
"If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ." Romans 8:9

Green = Christian Growth

The green bead represents growth in our faith.
Colossians 1:10 "And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God..."

Gold = Eternal life

The gold bead represents eternal life with Jesus in Heaven.
John 3:16 "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."

So what are you waiting for? Share your Colours of Christ's Cross with a friend!

7 reasons to get yourself a prayer partner

I have lots of great Christian friends who pray for me, encourage me and that's wonderful. But around the first week of February this year, I found my first prayer partner (or rather she found me).

Now four months down the line, I have truly seen the fruit of our prayers and God's abundant blessings in my life. So I thought I'd share with you some of the reasons you should get a prayer partner (that is if you don't already have one).

1. For starters, Jesus said that if "two" of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven (Matthew 18: 19). My prayer partner and I have agreed in prayer on several occasions and seen God work, whether it was for our job situations, healing or even provision for a member of our housegroup.

2. A while ago I went through a dry spell in my prayer life and it wasn't my mother, my friends or even my pastor who helped me out of it. It was my prayer partner!

Ecclesiastes 4: 9-10 is so true. It says, 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!

3. Everyone of us face trials and sometimes we fall into temptation. No doubt, we can confess our sins to God but it is also important for us to come clean before someone mature in the Lord that we can trust. In James 5:16 it says, Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."

4. Having a prayer partner has also helped me open up to correction. We are both part of the serving team in our church. There was this time I was slacking and it was my prayer partner who corrected me for not being on time on Sunday mornings. It was a blessing to have someone look out for me -- somewhat like what the Bible talks about in Colossians 3:16 - Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

5. The Bible tells us to encourage each other and build each other up (1 Thessalonians 5:11). I remember this one time we met at a park to pray. I had had a really rough day and was feeling so down that I just couldn't pray by myself. That's when she prayed with me and at the end of the half hour we spent together, my spirit was so lifted up. I was laughing and joking like nothing bad had happened.

Another time, she was going through a trial in her life and God gave me a word for her that helped her not to give up in that situation.

6. In Romans 1: 12, Paul writes to the Roman church that he longs to see them so that "you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith". A couple of weeks ago I was telling my prayer partner that I really wanted something to happen for me but I didn't have the faith to believe for it. Impossible as the situation seemed, her faith encouraged me to believe and not doubt. Today, that thing still hasn't happened, but I know that I know that God is going to do it!

7. And the last one. This one isn't exactly a reason to have a prayer partner but rather a word of advice :p - Never give into gossip. Proverbs 20:19 says, A gossip tells secrets, so don't hang around with someone who talks too much.

It's easy, when you are sharing with each other things that happened in church, at your workplace etc, to start gossiping - may be even unknowingly. But now that you are aware of this, you can stop your conversations from becoming gossip sessions.

Hope does not disappoint!

One of my favourite scriptures from the time I was a child was Jeremiah 29:11 which says, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Surprisingly enough, I never realised what this verse actually meant.

It's amazing how God doesn't just have wonderful things planned for our futures but He also gives us the hope to believe for those wonderful things!

Have you ever had times in your life when you felt like you didn't want to hope for something to happen because if it didn't happen, your hopes would be shattered?

I'm reminded of a situation I was in about two years ago where I was afraid to hope because I didn't want to be disappointed.

I wanted to go on a holiday and had applied for my US visa. Before my interview, I kept hearing negative things from people like "they don't generally give visas to unmarried girls because you might go there, get a job and never come back!" or "you have to have a bank balance of ...". Funny as it may seem, as I kept listening to these things, I didn't want to set my heart on getting that visa. But the day before my interview, I spoke to my pastor's wife and she said she would believe with me not just for my visa to be granted but for a 10-year multiple-entry visa. Suddenly, I was filled with hope to believe for that. And right enough, God worked it out for me.

As Christians, we must hope. We don't have to be skeptical like everyone else. You know why? Because we hope in Jesus. And the best part is -- those who hope in Him will not be disappointed (Isaiah 49:23). Hope does not disappoint us (Romans 5:5).

God wants us to hope, not in our own abilities, wealth or the influence of others (1 Timothy 6:17), but in HIM. He wants us to hope continually like David in Psalm 71:14 - But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more.

Sometimes it's difficult for us to hope for something good, especially when our situation tells us otherwise. In 2 Kings 4: 8-36, the Shunammite woman seemed to have that problem.

She had shown great hospitality to Elisha and Elisha wanted to bless her. So he asked Gehazi what can be done for her. Gehazi then told Elisha that the woman's husband was old and she didn't have a son. So Elisha told the woman, "About this time next year, you will hold a son in your arms." But the Shunammite woman had already given up hope. So she said, "No, my lord. Don't mislead your servant, O man of God!"

She did not want Elisha to raise her hopes for fear that they might crash. That's why, when her son died she told Elisha, "Did I ask you for a son, my lord? Didn't I tell you, 'Don't raise my hopes'?"

Lucky for Elisha, He had given her a word from God. Therefore, he knew that God would keep His word. And right enough, God raised the boy back to life.

Just like Elisha, when we hope in the Lord, we will never be put to shame (Psalm 25:3).

Don't give up; don't believe the lies of the devil. He wants to rob you of your hope. He wants you to be pessimistic. In fact, he wants you to live in dread, fearing the worst. Don't give into the devil's plan. Keep hoping in Jesus, wait patiently (Romans 8:25) and be joyful (Romans 12:12) because our God never lets us down.

Face the truth!

I was really blessed by this article I read by Joyce Meyer. It's on a subject very close to my heart and in fact, is the theme of my first blog post - Offload the garbage!

Hope you are blessed reading this:

Face the Truth!
by Joyce Meyer

Today, people everywhere are struggling through life with damaged emotions. They’ve endured a lot of negative things, causing untold damage that needs to be dealt with. But all too often, these hurts are simply swept under the rug in an attempt to make them go away.

Through my own life experiences and from many years of helping others through this process, I’ve discovered that although God wants to help those who really want emotional healing, there are some very important steps these individuals must take for themselves. If you want to receive emotional healing, one of the first steps you must take is to face the truth. You can’t be set free while living in denial. You can’t pretend that certain negative things didn’t happen to you.

I’ve come to realize that we’re experts at building walls and stuffing things into dark corners, pretending they never happened.

I spent the first eighteen years of my life in an abusive environment, but as soon as I got away from that situation, I acted as though nothing was wrong. I never told anyone what had gone on in my private life.

Why don’t we want to bring things like that into the open? We’re afraid of what people will think. We’re afraid of being rejected, misunderstood, or unloved by those we care about or that they might have a different opinion of us if they really knew all about us.

The next step toward emotional healing is confessing your faults. I think there’s a place for eventually sharing with someone else the things that have occurred in our lives. There’s something about verbalizing it to another person that does wonders for us—but use wisdom. Choose someone you know you can trust. Be sure that by sharing your story with someone else, you don’t simply put your burden on that individual’s shoulders. Also, don’t go on a digging expedition, trying to dig up old hurts and offenses that have been buried and forgotten.

When I finally worked up the courage to share with someone what had happened early in my life, I actually began shaking violently in fear. It was an emotional reaction to the things I’d kept buried within me for so long. Now when I talk about my past, it’s as though I’m talking about somebody else’s problems. Because I’ve been healed and restored, my past doesn’t bother me anymore.

Finally, you must assume some personal responsibility. Some people are trapped in denial, afraid of what might happen if others find out the truth. But as long as they deny the past, they’re never going to be free from it.

Nobody can be set free from a problem until they’re willing to admit they have one. An alcoholic, drug addict or anyone who’s lost control of their life is doomed to suffer until they’re able to say, “I’ve got a problem, and I need help with it.”

Even though our problems may have been brought upon us because of something done against our will, we have no excuse for allowing the problem to persist, grow and even take control over our entire life. Our past experiences may have made us the way we are, but we don’t have to stay that way. We can take the initiative by taking positive steps to change things—and we can ask for God’s help. Whatever your problem may be, face it, consider confessing it to a trusted friend, and then admit it to yourself.

Face the truth—it can be the beginning of a happier life!

For this purpose...

There was passion in my heart,
And music in my soul,
But the void still cried out,
'Only You can make me whole!'

'Father, there’s a pain,
An emptiness I feel,
The loss and the hurt
That only You can heal.'

I did not know my purpose,
I thought there’s no way out.
Then You came and rescued me,
Now that’s what my life’s about.

My Jesus you saved me
From the clutches of hell.
I cannot just sit quiet,
I have to go and tell.

Tell them of Your wonders,
Your goodness in my life.
Without Your hand upon me
I just could not survive.

I wondered what You saw in me
When You chose to set me free.
Now I know, it’s not what You saw
But what You placed in me.

You called me for that purpose,
You gave the task to me.
I’m gonna do it all for You
'Coz You gave Yourself for me.

I know now that I’m here
And it’s surely not in vain.
Simply to spread your glory,
Not for my own gain.

Often I've thought
That there's not much I can do
But nothing’s too little
When it’s done unto you.

I thank You O God
For Your beautiful plan
And I want to be a part of it
In every way I can!

Are you ready to be a fool?

No, it's not a trick question. It's the question God wants to ask each of us today. Are we ready to let our guards down and be fools for Him? Are we ready to do things that are totally radical, that seem foolish to others if God asks us to?

The Bible says, God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong (1 Corinthians 1:27). The moment we are wise in our own understanding, we cannot submit to the will of God and we cannot be used by Him.

All that we plan with our own wisdom will surely fail.

Your wisdom and knowledge mislead you when you say to yourself, 'I am, and there is none besides me' (Isaiah 47:10b).

Now here's the thing. When we agree to submit to God's wisdom, we are actually agreeing to obey His every command and if you've been reading your Bible, you'd know that God's commands aren't always the 'proper' thing to do. In fact, sometimes they seem downright foolish!

God asked some people to do some pretty absurd things.

Take for example Noah. How did this old man (the Bible tells us that he was 500+ years) dare to build such a massive ark? Just FYI, the ark was taller than a 3-story building and had a deck area the size of 36 lawn tennis courts. Plus, in those days, the earth was watered by dew and the people hadn't ever experienced rain. So how in the world was he expecting it to rain? Noah was definitely a mad man!

What about Hosea? God told him to take a prostitute as a wife. No matter how in tune he was with God, a prophet marrying a prostitute is just outrageous! But Hosea never once questioned God.

The Bible says, When the LORD began to speak through Hosea, the LORD said to him, "Go, take to yourself an adulterous wife and children of unfaithfulness, because the land is guilty of the vilest adultery in departing from the LORD." So he married Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son (Hosea 1:2-3). What amazing obedience!

Then there's King Jehoshaphat who went to war with an army led by the temple choir, David who faced a fully armed giant with only a sling and pebbles and Joshua who marched around the city of Jericho to bring its walls down! They didn't know the beautiful outcome from the beginning. All they had was the assurance in their God, Yahweh.

Today we have that assurance too. But are we willing to put our reputations on the line and defy all logic just do the will of God? I believe that our love for Jesus, and our faith in His ability to do more than we can ever imagine will drive us to do the mighty exploits He has called us to do.

Jesus, my LOVE doctor

Recently a pastor asked a group of us this question - 'If someone gave you Rs 1 crore, what would be your first thought?'
'What does he want?' came the quick response from someone in the back. *LOL*

Later as I thought of that response, I realised something. We are all so conditioned to think that there's no such thing as a 'free lunch' that when something free does come our way, we can't simply accept it without judging the person's motives or feeling obliged to do something to earn it.

It's because of this mentality that for many years I couldn't seem to receive God's unconditional love. I couldn't understand how God could love me or bless me for absolutely no reason.

For years I prayed and read the Bible and felt that the good things I enjoyed were because I was a good Christian. I've even said things like 'My day went off well because I started it off with prayer' or 'I don't know if that could happen to me because I'm not as holy as so-and-so.'

How could I possibly think that my holiness merited God's favour? What deception!

Turns out there's nothing we can do to earn God's love and goodness. Even if we prayed all day long or devoted our entire lives to the ministry, it has nothing to do with God's love for us. In the same way, if we didn't pray or read our Bibles for months together, God would never stop loving us.

The Bible says, For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38).

Clearly, there's nothing that could ever separate you and me from God's love. If it were based on our behaviour, then God wouldn't have demonstrated His love towards us in that "while we were yet sinners" Christ dies for us (Romans 5:8).

Yes, God wants us to spend time with Him, praying and reading His word but that's only because He longs for a relationship with us. It is not the prerequisite for receiving His love. He cares about a love-relationship with us more than our tithes, our ministry or anything else we may 'do' for Him.

Someone once told me that there's a reason God created us as "human beings", not "human doings". All God wants is for us to remain (be) in His love and out of the abundance of that love, we will want to serve Him. If we serve Him out of duty, it's only dead works and filthy rags. God wants us to repent of dead works and just learn to soak up His love and enjoy His presence.

Let the time you spend with Him not be an obligation but a joy. Grow more 'in love' with Him every single day!

Offload the garbage!

Have you ever confessed your sins to God but felt like the guilt still remained? Or have you experienced rejection in your past (may be in your childhood), forgiven the person/s who hurt you but still felt the pain whenever you saw them? I know I have. In spite of repenting for my sins and knowing God has forgiven me, I was still carrying some sort of baggage.

The Bible says, As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us (Psalm 103:12). So why then are we walking around with guilt, shame and wounds that haven't healed?

Well, it's somewhat like this. When you write down in a notebook with a pencil and later erase certain things you wrote, the marks created by the pencil still remain. That's what happens in our lives with our pasts. We confess and repent and our past gets erased but there are always traces of it - in our reactions, generalisations and even beliefs. But our heavenly Father doesn't just want to erase our past. He wants to give us a brand new notebook to start afresh!

Just a few days ago, this became a reality for me. I attended a healing workshop conducted by Ellel Ministries, which involved Christian counselling and prayer ministry; and boy, was it an eye opener.

If you are thinking that inner healing is for the "messed up" and "rejected outcasts" of the church, you're mistaken. Don't dismiss this as something you don't need because you are strong in the Lord, in the Christian faith or even in ministry!

Life has its way of dealing with all of us; none of us are exceptions. Every one of your thoughts and actions are a result of this. So also, every one of your "ungodly" thoughts and actions are also a result of life's experiences. Ellel helped me deal with those deep-rooted behaviours that I developed over the last 23 years of my life. I saw for the first time the "garbage" beneath the rosy surface.

The amazing thing was that during the three days of ministry the Holy Spirit reminded me of things that I happened to me more than fifteen years ago, that I had buried thinking they didn't affect me. I confessed every dark, dirty secret of my past, cut those generational curses/ soul ties that bound me and forgave those who hurt me and I experienced God's amazing love and forgiveness like never before. And you know what it felt like? A total garbage offload!

God did a supernatural work in me that I cannot even explain. Firstly, He helped me break free from fears of people and of trying new things. He has put love in my heart for people who have hurt me. I actually want those people to be blessed. He has taken away certain sinful inclinations that I struggled with for years .... and the list goes on!!!!

Your mess (and I don't mean on the outside) could be a result of your past, generational curses, personal sin, soul ties and other wiles of the enemy that you have opened yourself up to, may be even unknowingly. You may ask 'how can this affect me now that I am a new creation in Christ?' (2 Corinthians 5:17). To that I would just say, accepting Jesus as Lord and Saviour doesn't change us overnight. It's a process. Confessing your sins and opening up to "someone other than God" exposes the dark areas of our lives to the light and when the light comes, darkness has to flee!

So am I saying repenting, receiving Jesus into your heart, and starting a new life in Him is not enough? Yes, it isn't enough. It's enough to be saved but if you really want to be the person God intended you to be, there are a lot of areas in your life He wants to touch and change if only you'll let Him.

Did you know that the sins your forefathers committed ten generations ago could be affecting your life today? Take a look at the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1). Judah begot Perez by Tamar. Tamar was Judah's daughter-in-law. Judah committed sexual sin. Ten generations later David committed the same sin. He committed adultery with Bathsheba. See the connection? The sexual sin of David's ancestor Judah showed up so many generations down the line. But the wonderful thing about God is that He longs to restore His people. In fact, when David truly repented (note: he didn't blame Judah), God didn't just restore him. He chose to send the Messiah through David's line.

I'm so grateful that I serve a God of second chances, a God of restoration and a God who hates sin but loves the sinner.

I can't explain everything about what I learned or what happened to me in those three days of ministry, but I've just listed a couple of steps that are vital for moving into freedom in Jesus Christ.

1. Confess your sin.
2. Take the blame for it.
3. Ask for forgiveness.
4. Tell someone mature about it (and don't hide the details).
5. Pray and ask God to heal and restore every part of you.
6. Continue in the healing by daily denying yourself and taking up the cross.
7. Be conscious that the Devil is out to get you. But remember, he has power but no authority. You have both, power and authority in Christ Jesus.

I hope you are blessed and I pray with all my heart that you make it to an Ellel workshop soon. You can find more details here.