Tag: God’s faithfulness

Look up and come up..

My friend Heather, sent our fellowship group these encouraging words and I wanted to share them with you today. I hope you are blessed x

Morning all, as I was awake in the night I believe the Lord said to me “LOOK UP” and then “COME UP”.

Where I thought? Psalm 121 says “ I look to the hills it’s where my help comes from. The Lord maker of heaven and earth”.


As I looked up I saw the eagles up there soaring way above the storm.


Isaiah 41 verse 30 says “those who Hope in the Lord will soar on eagles wings. They will run and not get weary, they will walk and not faint”. I encourage you to read all of Isaiah 40.


Did you know the eagle puts her chicks in a hole in the rocks and then she faces in and spreads her wings across the hole to cover them and stays there till the storm has passed.

Psalm 91 says “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, in the shadow of The Almighty will say He is my refuge, my God in whom I trust. Verse 4 says “He will cover us with His wings”. I encourage you to read the rest of psalm 91.

We have meditated on Psalm 46 recently which says “God is our refuge and strength an ever present help in time of need”.


These scriptures tell us that God is in charge. Let us look up, stay strong and know we are under His wings. God bless xx

God our refuge

The Lord drew me to Psalm 46 yesterday and so we read it aloud last night in our fellowship group over WhatsApp. We prayed through the words to declare and affirm our faith in God and call upon Him in our times of trouble because He truly is our ever present help. He does not abandon us at these times but is right there with us in the middle of times of pain, sorrow, suffering and grief.

I hope you also take comfort and strength from these words today:

God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah

There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.

The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted. The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah

Come, behold the works of the Lord, Who has made desolations in the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariot in the fire.

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

The Lord of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah
Psalm 46:1-11

Emmanuel, God with us. He is our ever present help. Call on Him today.

Blessings to you this day. 🙏

Counting our blessings

I woke up this morning with these words in my thoughts:

Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name!

Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:

Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things,

So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.


Psalm 103:1-5

The Lord was reminding me, before I start my day, that I am indeed blessed in Him and to remember all that He has done for me.

We have the unmerited favour and blessing of God because of Jesus.

God is faithful. He is a good, good God and Our Father in Heaven who cares for each one of us.

The Lord knows what today will bring for each one of us. I think this is necessary preparation for my day ahead and I hope it will help you too especially when many of us are going through very difficult times.

There is an old hymn that says:

“When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your blessings, see what God hath done;
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will be singing as the days go by.

When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold.
Count your many blessings, money cannot buy
Your reward in heaven, nor your Lord on high.

So amid the conflict, whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

Be blessed today in His mighty name. Amen 🙏

Asking…what do we need today

Perhaps it’s part of our nature but sometimes we don’t like asking others for things or asking other people for help. Even our close family or friends.

The same can be said of asking from God. But Jesus encourages us to ask our Heavenly Father for the things we need.

One of the reasons is that it keeps our eyes on God and places our trust and dependence in Him as our Father looking out for us. God reliance instead of self reliance.

God is ABBA our Father who loves us and cares for us and also Jehovah Jireh. God who provides.

Jesus says to us today: Ask and you will receive – Matthew 7:7

What do you need today? There will definitely be things. They could be material, emotional or spiritual.

Whatever it is be assured that the storehouses of heaven are not empty and God is well able to provide for us.

My friend Geoff reminded us in our prayer group of this verse in James which says:

“You have not because you ask not” James 4:2

But James also tells us in the next verse that we wont receive if we ask with the wrong motives.

God knows our hearts and what prompts us to ask for things – if our requests are selfishly motivated or we are asking for the wrong things then we will not receive them from God.

We are living in times when God wants to remind us and encourage us to ask Him and trust Him to provide for us.

COVID has shown all of us whether rich or poor how quickly our lives can be shaken and turned upside down. How the things we rely on everyday can quickly disappear. Even how quickly the shelves of the supermarkets can be emptied by panic buying.

This is the time to remind ourselves that we are not orphans. We have a Father in heaven.

Let us approach God with confidence because God is not unprepared. Jesus tells us that our Father in heaven already knows the things we need before we even ask him – Matthew 6:8

The first prayer which Jesus taught his followers to pray to the Father makes some specific requests of God:

To Feed us (provision) – Give us our daily bread;

To Forgive us (grace) – for the wrongs we do as we forgive others;

To Lead us (direction)- keep our steps from following after the wrong things;

To Deliver us from evil (protection) – from satan and his strategies against us. For he, the thief, comes just to rob, kill and destroy.

If we pray as Jesus showed us it covers all our basic needs of provision, forgiveness, direction and protection.

My friend, Heather, had a picture recently of heaven’s storehouses which were stocked full with all the things that Jesus died that we may have as our inheritance now to live life to the full in Him and do His works.

These are all the things that the enemy wants to make sure that we don’t have and enjoy. Satan wants to rob them from us. Satan will do what he can to stop us asking God for what we need and distort our understanding of God’s love and care for us. He will use distraction, discouragement, pride and unbelief in hindering and stopping us asking God for help.

God really cares about the little things. During the first lock down in April I was helping as a volunteer to get shopping for vulnerable people. I was sent a shopping list for a lady with cancer and it was a long list. I was like Lord where am I going to get these items especially toilet paper as there was none at all in the shops. I had been out shopping and the shelves were mostly bare.

Well I went shopping and I was amazed because each shop I went in I managed to get something from her list. In one shop I remember there was one can of what this lady needed just sitting there on a shelf. Just waiting for me to pick it up.

The last thing on the list was the toilet paper and to be honest I was not feeling that hopeful but then I saw two ladies walking along the street with big bags of toilet paper. I’m not normally pushy but I really wanted to find this toilet paper. I called over and asked them where they had managed to find it. They showed me a shop that had just taken a new delivery and stocked the shelves. I can’t tell you how glad I was to be able to deliver all that ladies items to her and how pleased she was to receive them.

Be encouraged today to ask of God in faith and expect to receive. Join with others too and encourage them to ask. Asking with others is powerful.

Jesus said that when two of us agree about something and ask God then it will be done for us by our Father in heaven.

I join my prayer with yours today and say;

Our Father in heaven:

May your holy name be honored;

may your Kingdom come;

may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us today the food we need.

Forgive us the wrongs we have done, as we forgive the wrongs that others have done to us.

Do not bring us to hard testing, but keep us safe from the Evil One.’

Amen 🙏

Ready to receive

What’s in a name?

Psalm 8:1 “ O Lord our God, the majesty and glory of your name fills all the earth and overflows the heavens”

Names are extremely significant.    They are used to identify and describe people.    People sometimes pick names for their children based on characteristics they hope that child will develop.    Some people’s names really suit them and others not so much.   Names become popular and then are picked because they happen to be the latest fashion.

There is authority & power associated with names.    A law or order signed in the name of the ruler of a nation has a seal of authenticity and is to be obeyed.   It signifies the will of that person and those subject to their authority will obey.

Some people will still “name drop” to get favoured treatment or bend the rules by pretending to be associated with a famous name or person.

Others go even further and will steal other people’s names & identity to get what they want.   Identity theft is one of the major crimes throughout the world.   Good names can be stolen and ruined in an instant.

The bible teaches us a lot about the character of God from the names which God reveals about himself and uses.    Jesus also introduced a new name for God – “Abba” meaning Father.

Matthew 6: 9-13 “Our FATHER in heaven, Hallowed be Your NAME”

Hallowed means – to revere, sanctify, consecrate, set apart, worship, lift up, exalt HIS HOLY NAME

Names also have great significance in the Bible and in the spiritual realm.

The Hebrew word for name is “onoma” and was used to signify:

RANK OR AUTHORITY, CHARACTER AND REPUTATION

Every name of God in the Bible reveals a characteristic of God

 1. “ELOHIM” – GOD THE CREATOR – Genesis 1:1

GOD is revealed as the creator of heaven and earth who has all authority, power, greatness, dominion and glory in the whole of the universe.   This goes very much against current secular teachings.

Elohim is in the plural form because Jesus and the Holy Spirit were there at the beginning with God when the world was created.

It is humbling to think but actually I believe that man has never had an original thought or done anything new under the sun really.   We claim to create but I believe that God is the only true source of creative power.

We are taught in the bible that satan is also a created being & a counterfeiter.   He impersonates and steals identities.  He pretends to be what he is not.  We are warned to test things and not to just accept what we see on face value as there are false christs, false prophets, false teachers impersonating the truth.

2        “EL ELYON” – THE MOST HIGH GOD

Genesis 14:18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, 19 and he blessed Abram, saying,

“Blessed be Abram by God Most High,

Creator of heaven and earth.

And blessed be God Most High,

who delivered your enemies into your hand.”

There is no-one or thing above God.

GOD occupies the highest position and throne.

God has the last word.   He cannot be over ruled.   If God has declared or decreed it – then it is coming to pass and no-one or nothing can stop His will being accomplished.

God has sent forth His Word and it will be performed.

3.  “JEHOVAH JIREH” – GOD OF PROVISION

Genesis 22:8-14 –Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.”

God revealed himself to Abraham on Mount Moriah that he is the GOD of PROVISION.

God provided a ram for the sacrifice instead of Isaac. Abraham experienced the provision of God.

God later provided Jesus as the sacrifice for sin in our place so that we could be redeemed.

God shows his provision for His people all through the bible.  God can and does provide for our needs.    We still encounter His incredible provision for us.

The storehouses of heaven are not empty and God has all resources.  He can truly supply all our needs.

4.  ”EL – SHADDAI” – GOD ALMIGHTY -ALL POWERFUL

 Genesis 17:1 & Exodus 6:3

“I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty”

The literal translation “The God who is Enough”   “The All Powerful” “The one who is Self-Sufficient”

God is the source of all power.  Nothing or no-one is more powerful than God.

If He is for us then who can be against us.

5.  “JEHOVAH” – Exodus 3 v 13 “ I AM THE I AM.”

God reveals himself to Moses at the burning bush as the I AM.

God is saying in this statement that He is everything and also in everything.  He reveals himself as a HOLY GOD and tells Moses to take off his shoes because he is standing on holy ground.

God is going to demonstrate to the Israelites that He alone is everything to them:

Redeemer, Protector, Healer, Source of all Provision in the wilderness, Defeater of their enemies.

6.  “JEHOVAH RAPHA”– HEALER

Exodus 15:26 – God reveals himself as the GOD WHO HEALS.

He said, “If you listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you.”

GOD reveals that it is in nature to heal and to sustain in health.   Jesus went about doing good and healing people.  He sent his disciples out with the power to heal and he uses His people today to bring healing in His name.   God is still in the business of healing people.

7.  “JEHOVAH NISSI” – PROTECTOR

Exodus 17:15 – God is revealed as “The LORD is my BANNER”.

God revealed his protection of Israel by defeating their enemies the Amalekites.

Exodus 17:15 Moses built an altar and called it The LORD is my Banner.

In the same theme there is also a similar name of God

EL GIBBOR –Mighty God (Champion/hero) – Isaiah 9: 6,7

Super heroes are very much the culture of today.   The film franchises of super heroes are popular for a reason.   Everyone wants a hero –  A champion to look up to.

God is the ultimate hero of His people.

8. “JEHOVAH SHALOM” – the Lord is PEACE

Judges 6:24 So Gideon built an altar to the LORD there and called it The LORD is Peace.

Shalom Peace means rest, harmony, wholeness, completeness, health, welfare, safety, soundness, tranquillity, and prosperity i.e. total wellbeing.

Jesus is described as the Prince of Peace.

Perfect Peace is found in God.

9.  “JEHOVAH TSIDKENU” – RIGHTEOUSNESS

Jeremiah 23:6 – the LORD our RIGHTEOUSNESS

“In his days Judah will be saved  and Israel will live in safety.

This is the name by which He will be called:

The LORD Our Righteousness.”

Jesus is righteous.   He was the only true righteous son because he is God.   God himself who is Righteous became our Righteousness through Jesus.

10. “JEHOVAH SHAMMAH” – the LORD is THERE/PRESENT

 Ezekiel 48:35 God reveals himself as wanting to be present with us – that is His plan.  He is in our past, present and future. He is omnipresent and eternal in nature.

God is the Alpha (beginning) and the Omega (end).  He is there when we get up and when we go to bed.  He is not surprised by anything!! Even when we are.

He makes the way ahead for us to walk in.

11. “JEHOVAH SABAOTH” – “The LORD of HOSTS”.

1 Samuel 17:45  “Then said David to the Philistine,  You come to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts”

God is the captain of all the hosts (angelic) of Heaven.

The angels are at God’s command.   We read in the bible how they are used as God’s messengers and to carry out God’s orders.   I often pray and ask God to send his angels to help me and to protect my family.

12.  “JEHOVAH – ROI (Ra-ah)”– SHEPHERD

 Psalm 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

God is the good shepherd who looks after us.  We are the sheep of His pasture.

A good shepherd tends & watches over the flock,  protects them, feeds them & leads them in and out to good pastures.   He binds up their wounds & heals them.

13.  ABBA  – God as FATHER

Matthew 6 9-13 – Jesus teaches us to pray to  “Our FATHER in heaven, Hallowed be Your NAME”

Jesus reveals God as our Father for the first time in scripture. It reveals a new more intimate level of relationship.

The identity of God as a Father to us is so important and learning to relate to God as a Father can be difficult if we have not experienced what true fatherhood is.  I pray for a revelation of God as a father to those who have not experienced or understood this before.

14.  GOD IS LOVE

The Bible reveals that God is LOVE (AGAPE)– His Character is LOVE

 1 John 4:8 “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.”

AGAPE means “undefeatable benevolence and unconquerable good will that always seeks the highest good of the other person.

It describes the unconditional love which God has for the world.

Discovering God loves us and the extent of that love for us – that love that knows no bounds – it’s height, depth & breadth – what an incredible thing to be loved so much.

When we are loved like that and by such an awesome God then you realise how valuable you are to God.

We really are the apple of His eye.

PRAYER;

“ Lord, your word says that you are my shepherd. I choose to believe your word and declare in faith that you are my shepherd . Thank you God that you are Jehovah Roi – My Shepherd. I declare that I belong to you and you alone and you are Lord of my life. Thank you God that you are the one true shepherd who tends, cares and provides for me.   Thank you that you make me lie down in green pastures where I can rest and be refreshed in you.   Thank you Lord that you lead me every day. Help me to follow in your footsteps and to be obedient to your voice.

Thank you God that you are JEHOVAH JIREH – the God who provides for me and that I shall not want. Lord, your word declares that you will provide all my needs according to your riches in glory. Help me to see Lord that these are not my wants but my needs.

Thank you Lord that you are JEHOVAH TSIDKENU the God of righteousness who leads me in paths of righteousness.   Lord keep me from temptation and sin and keep my feet on the rights paths of your presence. Thank you God for Jesus who your word declares is the good shepherd who by his death on the cross has opened up the way for me to come before your throne. I thank you for the blood of Christ that cleanses me and the robes of righteousness which cover me.

God, help me to share the love of Christ with those who don’t know you so that they can see and know Christ as their Shepherd.   Lord give me compassion for those who don’t know you.

Thank you God for the pastors and elders who you have put in positions to be shepherds of this flock. God bless them and help them to be good shepherds filled with your wisdom as they love us, lead us and care for us.

Lord, help me to feed on good food – building up myself and strengthening myself in you and your Word. Lord, renew my appetite and thirst for you because I know that you are the only one who can satisfy.   You alone are the bread of life.

God finally, I acknowledge that your word says that “Know that the Lord, He is God. It is He who has made us and not we ourselves. We are His People and the Sheep of His pasture”. Lord, let me have a true revelation of who you are so that I will not boast in me but in you alone. That I will walk humbly before you.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

 

Finally, these are some of the things which the Bible says about the Name of the Lord:

The Name of the Lord is a defence (Psalm 20:1)

A help in time of trouble (Psalm 9:10)

A comfort (Daniel 11:32)

A strong tower (Proverbs 18:10)

A weapon (1 Samuel 17:45; 2 Chronicles 14:11)

An ointment poured forth (Song of Solomon 1:3)

“In the name of our God We will set up our banners: The Lord fulfill all your petitions “ Psalm 20:5

Exodus 34 v5

“The Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there AND PROCLAIMED THE NAME OF THE LORD; And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed. “The Lord, the Lord God merciful and gracious, longsuffering and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and fourth generation”

 

 

 

Hidden treasures

I preached on Joseph a number of years ago and as part of that preach the Lord gave me 3 words for the church.  The Lord has reminded me of those words now and so they may encourage you.  The first was that the wealth of the Egyptians and the treasures of darkness would be released to the church for God’s plans to be accomplished for His glory and to advance His kingdom.  Those who had need of resources to fulfil the vision that God had given them had to ask in faith for these resources to be released to them.   The resources would be released but not from the traditional church giving etc. but would come from external sources – “the wealth of the Egyptians” and “treasures of darkness”.   It did not matter that people may not have all of God’s purposes revealed to them but as they walked out the purposes of God and His plans then more and more would be revealed.  It just needed that first step of faith.  If you need resources to fulfil the vision that God has given you then ask God to give you the wealth of the Egyptians and the hidden riches of the secret places so that you can be a blessing to others. – Isaiah 45 v3.    v 14 “Thus says the Lord – the labour of Egypt and merchandise of Cush; and of the Sabeans, men of stature, they shall come over to you and they shall be yours.”

The second word was that some would suffer for the sake of the vision and calling which the Lord had put on their life but that God would never forsake them.  He would be with them in every situation and would reward them when they stand before His throne.  If you are going through a difficult situation then hold on to God in faith and run the race until the end.    The Lord will reward your faithfulness and will never let you down.  He is with you in all the suffering and pain to uphold you.

The third word was that some would leave and go to foreign people and foreign places and that was part of God’s purpose and plan.  He was calling them out.   If you feel the call of God to go out to foreign places then follow that vision with confidence that it is God who has put the desire in your heart.