Faith filled conversations

I was so blessed with Psalm 42
I was at a really low point, having a week that just seemed so hard and often when things get hard, the enemy likes to make you believe you’re alone in that hardship.
A verse from psalm 42 popped up as the verse of the day on my Bible app and from there I was so blessed and encouraged, I had to share

Psalm 42 reads :
A white-tailed deer drinks from the creek; I want to drink God, deep draughts of God. I’m thirsty for God-alive. I wonder, “Will I ever make it— arrive and drink in God’s presence?” I’m on a diet of tears— tears for breakfast, tears for supper. All day long people knock at my door, Pestering, “Where is this God of yours?” These are the things I go over and over, emptying out the pockets of my life. I was always at the head of the worshiping crowd, right out in front, Leading them all, eager to arrive and worship, Shouting praises, singing thanksgiving— celebrating, all of us, God’s feast! Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul? Why are you crying the blues? Fix my eyes on God— soon I’ll be praising again. He puts a smile on my face. He’s my God.
Psalm 42:1‭-‬5 MSG
https://bible.com/bible/97/psa.42.1-5.MSG

Ever experience a time of intense discouragement? It’s like one thing after another. You try to keep positive but then something else happens to knock the wind out your sails.
That’s how I felt
And this psalm jumped out at me
I found it so comforting because
a) It showed me that I’m not alone, throughout the Bible there have been those who also thought they had had enough, who experienced discouragement even depression to the point of giving up, so I immediately know I’m not being judged for feeling low, rather I’m being encouraged that hey, it’s ok. What you are feeling is part of being human. God gave us emotions so I don’t think he’s afraid or confused or shocked when we display them. Often many Christians advice is “snap out of it” perhaps not in so many words but we are told to “keep the faith” and to “stay positive” all which can sometimes be translated  as ” get over it”
This psalm tells me different. It tells me that even though the psalmist was always worshipping, praising and sometimes even leading worship, he now finds himself in this place of anguish. Bad things happen to good people . Don’t feel condemned by your circumstances. My pastor reminded me in conversation one day, we grow in the valley!
Crying day and night, feeling helpless and distraught. I don’t think we are ever exempt from the troubles of life, after all its how our faith is tried and purified. So today, if you going through a tough time, don’t second guess yourself or spend all your time trying to figure out why you. Know that in this life we will have struggles and that it’s OK to feel what you feeling. Just don’t wallow in those feelings to a point where they take over. God is not surprised or disappointed at your emotions. Work through them in prayer and with the Word.

b) people may not get where you’re at and that’s ok.
If it’s one thing that I’m not sure I’ll ever come to terms with its the fickleness of human beings. They cheer for you one day and reject you the next. What stood out for me was how the psalmist mentions being taunted by people who ask him where is his God. The moment you go through a difficult time, more often than not its a pruning. You will find you always lose some people. Those who were not really with you anyway. The ones who were waiting on the sidelines to see how long your success would last.
The psalmist first is further hurt or shamed by these taunts but eventually realizes that Jesus is the source of his joy
And if God be for you, who can be against you. I also learned early on from my Bishop that some people are in your life for a season. We don’t hold people hostages to share in our lives. God will align you with the right people at the right time you just need to depend on Him and not too much on people.

c) we are called to hope
While God understands our discouragement or our hard time, He is ever ready to deliver us out of the despair the devil would have us drown in.
It is up to YOU
Joy is a decision
Hope is always there. As believers we are filled with hope. It is never hopeless because Jesus Christ is our Hope. I love how the psalmist realizes that he has to “fix his eyes on  God” then God puts a smile on his face. How can you look at God and not be filled with hope?
He is our hope!
Once you are filled with hope, you realize that God is more than enough
Ephesians 1:18 says
I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.

Jesus is the light and it is only when He fills our hearts that we begin to understand The CONFIDENT hope he has given
So this is not a wavering, shaky maybe
It’s a certainty
A guarantee
That God will never leave us nor forsake us and that He is able to meet all our needs, to soothe our fears and to put a smile on our faces.
Be Confident in Jesus and see your circumstances shift !

I heard someone share that you don’t know God’s a comforter until your mourn, you don’t know He is a healer until you get sick, you don’t know He’s a provider until you’re in need. Don’t despise the trials, they’re there for a reason sometimes! Just know that in everything and all circumstances God is for you, He is with you and He has designed a way of escape for you.

Fear. False evidence appearing real. The assumption that things are about to go inexplicably wrong for you and the impact of that thought leaves a sick feeling in the pit of your stomach. Your mind races, you go over scenario after scenario, each one getting worse as you start to think from a place of fear. I think we all have experienced fear. We all have fears. The battle is in overcoming them.

The Bible uses the phrase fear not 365 times. To me this is a reminder to rid myself daily of the fears that try to come on me.
There are no fearless people. There are just people who learn how to overcome those fears because they learned that it isn’t real. The evidence is false. The devil is a liar. He uses fear to keep you from moving forward and entering into all that God has for you. It’s subtle too where your fears are rationalized to the point where they not only  understood but sometimes accepted.
Let’s talk about some of the ways fear holds us back. Personally, just doing this blog was terrifying. You have to put yourself out there where there is a risk people will hate it. I think most of our fears are rooted in two basic things, failure and rejection.
We are afraid to fail and we are afraid sometimes to put ourselves out there because then we are vulnerable and with vulnerability comes the risk of rejection
That’s why most people find it easier not to be themselves but they present a version they deem as more acceptable and therefore less likely to be rejected
It’s human nature I guess to protect yourself. But we have a responsibility to be real, to be honest and to be our authentic selves. God made you unique! He crafted your sense of humor, your wit, your charm all those parts of your personality that make you you! We honour him by living out loud. This is not screaming from the roof tops or seeking to be the centre of attention at all times but it’s simply being and loving who God made you to be.

The battle is in accepting yourself, shortcomings and all. None of us are perfect. Focus on your strengths and use them to reach others. I learned people always respond to sincerity and realness.
Whatever challenges you face, the strategy of the enemy is always the same….to fill you with fear so that you freeze. To stop you from moving forward. To halt you from making progress. To get you to give up.
God is the opposite! I like how the apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 7:5
When we arrived in Macedonia, there was no rest for us. We faced conflict from every direction, with battles on the outside and fear on the inside.
Conflict, trouble and hardship are all a part of life. I say this often now but they are not necessarily an indication that you are doing something wrong. It’s important to understand that as long as we are alive we will have different seasons in our lives, some good some not so good. It’s how we respond that matters. Your attitude is shaped not by your experiences but by your response to whatever you are experiencing. Sometimes with the trouble and hardships, it amplifies our fears. Fear of losing, whether it be friends, security, finances whatever no one likes to lose.
Don’t buy into the hype though. God’s plans toward us are good, to prosper us, to give us a hope and a future, when you take that in, you realize we cannot lose! Because in Christ we win! God’s plans for us far exceed any way may have for ourselves. Trust in His goodness. Wait on Him. Don’t be fearful, I learned from my pastor to speak faith to my fears. Give it a try
You control the trajectory of your life by how you deal with the hard things and how you handle the fear that is designed to freeze you up.
I have made a conscious decision for 2022 to remind myself that I honour God when I rise above the fears and the challenges by standing on His Word and believing in His promises rather than being intimidated by false evidence appearing real. The realest thing in my life is Jesus and guess what He overcame the world, He died for you and me, He is our ever present help in time of need and He is calling us out onto the waters by faith. Step out in faith and see the possibilities of promise.

You prepare a table for me in the presence of my enemies ~ Psalm 23:5

I love Psalm 23. It’s comforting and reassuring, reminding me God is with me no matter what.
I mostly focused though on the first few verses but recently verse 5 has been on my mind and in my heart.

In these difficult and often unsocial times we find ourselves in I’m kind of excited at the prospect of being invited to dinner!
When I read this line, I can’t help but get excited. It’s so full of promise I don’t know how I missed it. I guess it is a word for such a time as this
You see, God is preparing a table for us, yep, you’re invited too, in the presence of our enemies. Just let that soak in.
Firstly, hooray we made the guest list.
God has not left us out. Don’t count yourself out. I know it has seemed like nothings happening but that’s because God has been so busy preparing this bountiful, exquisite table for us
And guess what? He’s doing it right in the presence of our enemies!!! But why? Why in their presence? I’m sure you’d eat better if they weren’t there….right?
But you see God is showing us off, yep its a power move. He’s doing it right in the presence of our enemies and no our enemies don’t go by names like Joan and Jack, our enemies are named lack, poverty, unemployment, unbelief, doubt and fear.
God is showing us that He is able to meet all our needs according to His riches and glory in Christ Jesus. So right when it looks like things are not working out, when things seem not to be moving when lack knocks at the door, God is saying I invite you to sit down and feast with me. Despite whatever challenges we face, God has a table prepared for His children. His supply goes beyond whatever natural limitations we see. He is our host and as such, He is our provider and our protector. As long as we are seated with Christ He has us covered. Be seated with Him today. Rest in Him, enjoy His presence and allow Him to be your host as you partake in the goodness of God.

Someone asked me a question quite early on in my faith walk that I’m pretty sure was designed to trip me up.
They asked is God good because he gives good things or is He just good.
Naturally, I responded He is just good, more because it seemed like the right answer and not really because I knew that I knew He was good. I didn’t understand a lot at that time and I struggled with some of the things I had experienced so I didn’t feel qualified to answer when I still had a resounding ” why God” in my mind when it came to my own situation growing up and my own personal struggles.
If we’re really honest though, perhaps this is a question we all need to ponder as Christians because face it the way we see God is important. Do you see Him as a loving heavenly father or a strict militant like father chastising and punishing? Do you see Him as a part of your daily life or as someone far up in the sky, unreachable and unapproachable? The way you see God matters because it affects how you relate to Him.
Of course that question was asked of me almost 20yrs ago and I Thank God that He has worked out in me many of those “Why Lord’s”

So I can confidently answer today that
God is good because even when things don’t look good we know that His Word promises that ALL things work together for our good, even the so called “bad things” yes He takes what the enemy meant for evil and he turns it for good
However i have to say I think it’s important for us to differentiate between material things and spiritual gifts. We live in a world where we ” blessed” when we get a new car or a bigger home or you are able to enjoy a beautiful vacation and while none of these things are wrong, they are more a sign or an indication of financial success than spirituality. Don’t believe me? Check how many of the richest people actually believe in God…Financial success is something we all aspire too purely because money is the currency by which this world operates I get it believe me but it doesn’t necessarily mean the absence of these things means you are not experiencing God’s goodness. And while it is normal to aspire to that success, money should not be our only motivator.

I love this scripture in Psalm 16:7-8
In the message translation.  David writes
“Day and night I’ll stick with God. I’ve got a good thing going and I’m not letting go”

Wow…I love that. The reason God is good is because He loves us so much that he designed this amazing plan with us in mind. His plan of salvation, a plan that breaks every curse the enemy tried to hold against us! He is good because love was the motivating force behind his plan. None of us were worthy, yet His mercy saved us from sin and death. And it doesn’t just end there  ….He gave us His Word and He gave us His spirit Amen

How do we let go of such a good thing?!
God thought of everything to keep us from the clutches death, to help us overcome the enemy
How do we not worship a God who loves us this much?
The best part is He loved you first!
His love is unconditional
You don’t have to do anything to earn it
There is nothing you can do to change it
It is unconditional!
Because many of us love with conditions it’s sometimes hard to accept God’s love when you can’t understand that type of love
Don’t try to understand it, just accept it!
Knowing you are loved is what changes us
When you accept the love of God and you begin to bask in the enormity of it, you cannot help but change! His love changes
There was a song I loved growing up, it was called love changes everything
God’s love changed everything Amen!
We are forever changed by His love
It’s overwhelming
It’s indescribable
It surpasses human understanding
But it’s real
It doesn’t change
Today, remind yourself of God’s love
Psalm 42 says when my soul is down in the dumps I rehearse everything I know of you. See we have to constantly remind ourselves of God’s goodness because us humans have the natural tendency to move on to our next need  and our next and our next. But when we purpose to remember how God never let’s us down how He is faithful it builds our faith Amen
We got a good thing going with God Amen
Hold on to Him.
He delights in your prosperity, He perfects everything that concerns you
He takes your sins and casts them into the sea of forgetfulness where he remembers them no more. He leads us in paths of righteousness, He gives us rest, peace and He is able to meet all of our needs according to His riches and glory in Christ Jesus.
He loves you this morning and is waiting to pour out His goodness, his favour and His blessing because He is good!

Is there something you have been meaning to do that you just don’t seem to get around to? Or when you do, you always feel nows not the time. Are you putting off a calling because you don’t feel ready or able? Do you have a vision for your life?
Learn from Nehemiah that all we really need for God to use us, is a willing heart.

Nehemiah was not a prophet nor a priest He held a job as cup-bearer to the king of Persia (a very prestigious position)
What I like about Nehemiah is that he is relatable because  his calling was very well, non eventful. Ordinary if you will. See many of us love the drama of a grand gesture, a lightening bolt, you know the burning bush, the dream, some sort of a sign to prove we are called. But here’s the thing, sometimes the blessing is in simply serving God and being obedient in whatever little thing we are doing however insignificant it may seem. Paul says in Romans take your everyday ordinary life and present it as a living sacrifice, your getting up, your work, everything. Nehemiah was a layman, holding down a job but he was moved by a need that he saw, see there’s always some way we can serve. Are you paying attention to the needs around you or are you too preoccupied with your own challenges and your own life to make a difference in the life of someone else? Nehemiah was deeply concerned and moved by the state Jerusalem was in, he prayed and sought God’s forgiveness, mercy and direction on behalf of the jews and for the city of Jerusalem. We need to show concern for our families, friends, communities and cities. It’s not just about us. We are called to be the light. Make yourself available to be part of a solution instead of complaining about the problem. Nehemiah held a prestigious position in the Persian government as cup bearer to the King, im pretty sure that afforded him a  comfortable life, he could have very well ignored the plight of Jerusalem  but Nehemiahs heart was for His God and for his people and so he acted! Wheres your heart at? Jesus said where a mans heart is, his treasure is. Set your heart on the right things. As Christians our hearts should be on God and His purpose for our lives. We should love the things He loves and hate the thing’s He hates. Nehemiah was moved to act and as he did so, he received the favor of God with the King who supported his calling and over the work of his hands.

At first people thought it could not be done but as he started to make progress, the critics showed up! Don’t be surprised when you quietly going about your God given purpose, obedient to what you believe God has laid on your heart to do and your peace gets attacked, your motives and even the work itself gets questioned. Keep doing it anyway! Nehemiah was focused, determined and he was committed to God.
However some of the laborers and workers started to feel the pressure from the critics and they started singing this song
“So much rubble for us to haul! Worn out and weary, will we ever finish this wall?”
Nehemiah 4:10 CEV

But Nehemiah encouraged them by reminding them of God’s power
See the enemy can only criticize, he cannot create he can only try destroy what God is trying to build through you. Nehemiah was vigilant he organized a security detail and he kept working to complete the work he knew he was ordained to do. Oh there’s power and satisfaction in accomplishing the goal set before you! But it’s not going to be easy, it won’t be smooth, you have to push through, you have to keep praying, you have to keep believing but you gotta finish!
The jews who worked with Nehemiah were all armed with weapons while they worked. They were under threat but they didn’t stop the work. Talk about working under pressure!! You got to protect the vision God gave you! Fight to stay in your purpose. That’s where your blessing is, that’s where your joy is. What’s more powerful than a Christian operating in obedience and purpose?

Our enemies were trying to frighten us and to keep us from our work. But I asked God to give me strength.
Nehemiah 6:9

All the enemy has is fear. Trust God like Nehemiah. He knew that he knew that he knew that what he was doing was from God and because he stayed in prayer he was alert and wise to every device the enemy tried to  use to distract him or make him give up. Pray, stay focused like Nehemiah.

When our enemies in the surrounding nations learned that the work was finished, they felt helpless, because they knew that our God had helped us rebuild the wall.
Nehemiah 6:16 CEV

Wow! Just like Nehemiah may you accomplish every goal the Lord has set before you. May you be moved to act in obedience to your calling. May God give you the wisdom and the skills necessary to complete your goals. Your critics will be silenced. Fight for your purpose! Be blessed as you serve God by fulfilling the purpose He put in you. Build! Build something that will leave an imprint in the hearts of others and be a beacon of hope to every believer coming up after you.
We can do it, despite distraction, threat, opposition. When God’s in it we cannot lose.

This Christmas has been a hard one for me
Aside from financial strain, the looming fourth wave of covid, being responsible for taking care of a sick parent, the usual festivities and excitement were unsurprisingly just not there
I tried to remind myself of the real reason for the season and to be super grateful but something was just seriously lacking this year and no matter how I tried I just felt something was missing
If that’s you, I hope this helps
Last night I came across the familiar passage in Luke 10 that tells the story of Mary and Martha
The Lord and his disciples were traveling along and came to a village. When they got there, a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat down in front of the Lord and was listening to what he said. Martha was worried about all that had to be done. Finally, she went to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it bother you that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her to come and help me!” The Lord answered, “Martha, Martha! You are worried and upset about so many things, but only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen what is best, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Luke 10:38‭-‬42 CEV
https://bible.com/bible/392/luk.10.38-42.CEV

When I read this I realized, In order for us to experience the full joy and peace of God in our lives, we need to be Mary
The thing is that life mostly demands for us to be Martha and the challenge comes in us as women constantly fighting for that balance
I felt stressed at the prospect of Christmas lunch, the menu, the presentation, the standard then there’s the house…..
I didn’t feel well and I all but made myself miserable trying to figure out how I was going to pull it off cos see it had to “look” like every other Christmas. Problem is I forgot something really important. Christmas is more a feeling than a look. In fact, life is about feelings not aesthetics
All that glitters is not gold. We need to Be careful that our experiences are real, we don’t just want to look the part we want to live the part. We want people to be touched and blessed by our lives, not just to admire our pictures and experiences.
So when I read the story in Luke 10, my initial reaction was to sympathize with Martha. I get Martha, I identify with her, I may even be Martha! But here’s the thing, although none of the things Martha was doing were wrong, she missed an opportunity to be at the feet of Jesus and listen, learn, worship, be blessed
Am I saying she should have not done any of those things……no
I am saying that this story showed me that sometimes we put the pressure on ourselves, we make choices that rob us of our joy and most importantly of our opportunities to meet with Jesus
How do we serve with love if Christ has not filled our hearts?
How do we be the light if we burnt out?
It should always be God first, filling us up so that we can pour that same love, peace, grace, joy out on others
But when we get it twisted, like Martha….then what do we have to accompany a scrumptious meal in a beautiful setting? If you’ve put everything you had into a look or a presentation of something to the point where you are worn out,  then don’t be surprised if what you pour out on the ones you love is frustration, bitterness, self pity, anger. All because we got the order wrong
Out of our love for Christ, flows everything else.
I have to purpose to continually allow God to fill me up, to impart His grace, love and wisdom and then I use THAT to bless others
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, not on my own
I love how Jesus told Martha,
Martha, Martha you are worried about many things but only one thing is necessary
Wow
Jesus is that one thing friends!
He also went on to say Mary chose what’s best. This really resonated with me
I have a choice
Sometimes amidst the chaos of festivities and expected commitments that usually come with tradition, one can forget that there is always a choice
From today, I am so going to choose better
I choose to be filled with God’s spirit so that I can serve the way He would want me to.
I encourage you to do the same
Take every opportunity to sit at the feet of Jesus
He is after open hearts ready to receive Him
Busyness, closes you off. It says not now I need to finish this and then…..
The thing with opportunity is they say you not guaranteed of another. So while you have the opportunity, seek God above anything else
Isaiah 55:6 says seek the Lord while He may be found.
Things pass away, seasons change, the world turns but the one thing we can always count on is God’s presence in our lives. That’s what gives us strength. That’s what helps us. So choose better and see your life become better as your focus is Jesus above anything else.

What better time than the festive season, to start writing and talking about Jesus and how each of us can learn and grow together as we discuss our daily challenges and triumphs.