WE SPEAK TO NATIONS - or do we...??

A week ago a lady who works with me went out to do outreach. They went to little towns surrounding the Netherlands – if I have my facts right. She said it was such an eye opener. They worked on a door to door method and had questioners with questions on to ask the people about the Bible and about Jesus etc. She says that these people don’t any idea about the Bible and that someone said it was just fairy tales. They don’t really know who Jesus is either and the scariest part is that they aren’t bothered by the fact that they have no idea where they are going when they die.

And you know what struck me? It was this: (and I hope I make this clear…)

When we hear about outreaches and about mission work it conjures up pictures of people going to extreme places. Countries where there is starvation, sickness, death, destruction from war. Of far off places where the natives have not heard about Jesus. We imagine working with homeless children, people who live on the streets etc. Right? And this is good. We must as Christians reach out to these people and places. But what about 1st world countries like Europe and all the little towns therein? I was suddenly hit with the thought / revelation that because these countries are so very beautiful and have such steady financial structure and the unemployment rate is very low, the homeless children are not nearly as many as in Africa, there is no destruction or war, that maybe they have been forgotten by the saints. I thought that maybe because these people don’t struggle as in other countries that we take it for granted that they are ok with God too. And maybe the people living there don’t realize how much they need Jesus either because it is well with them?

And I was suddenly aware that God commissioned us to go into ALL nations to reach ALL people and tell them the Good News about Jesus. And maybe in those places where there is suffering you will find Jesus is loved and worshipped far more than in countries where there is no suffering. But I say why wait? Why should we wait for it to go badly in a place before we try to reach them with the Good News? If these people can be made aware of Jesus and His love and forgiveness and sacrifices for them now then greater will be their reward!!

All people in all places and all situations and of every race and colour and tongue should be reached out to. Rich or poor, suffering or prosperous, God is not partial and does not show favouritism. He loves us all – regardless. And He wants us ALL to know and love him too.

Rom 8:19 The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed

THAT’S US!!! We are the sons and daughters of God and the world is the creation. They are waiting for us. They are waiting for something better, and we have it. Jesus Christ. And we need to do whatever it takes to spread His Good News. It starts at home. But if you have to defy comfort and convenience to go into the nations then do it! And if you get sent by God into the 1st world nations then go!

Go and reach the nations and tell them of the Good News.

FINDING PEACE

OK, so you all know that I have been going through something tough lately. And you have all been so wonderful and your encouraging comments and prayers have really been a comfort. So I just wanted to share with you all that I have recently experienced a deep sense of peace...

I have been wondering how to explain it and I found this wonderful phrase "something settled in my soul" over at Terri's blog. And that was it in a nutshell. Something has settled in my soul and I know deep down that I have made it through the darkest parts and whatever comes in the future I will be able to handle it. I am stronger, wiser and more in touch with my God and my self.

I am at peace and the turmoil that was in my heart has subsided. I have spent a lot of time in prayer and seeking the Lords comforting presence, and I know it is only through him that I have handled things the way I did. I am not sure that I am being very clear or that I am getting my message across here. I just know I am growing spiritually because of this, and the peace of Jesus that passes all understanding which He speaks of in John 14 : 27 "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

This is the peace that I am experiencing...

YAY! A BOOK GIVE AWAY!

Karen over at Karen’s Ramblings is having an awesome book give away draw. It looks like a really amazing book and coming from a woman like Karen who really does have the most amazing prophetic dreams – it must be a good read.
Karen is a woman who spends a lot of time at the feet of Jesus, basking in His laight and feeding off his word.
Her blog is really good food for thought as well as a place where I have often found encouragement.

Go on over and check out her blog and put your name in a comment on this post: Karens-book-giveaway to be entered into the draw.

BE THOU MY VISION

This thing of “vision” is coming through SO powerfully lately – almost daily.

Peter said in his message on Sunday that if I am struggling with something, I have lost my vision. And I can tell you I have been struggling heavily with a burden I thought could never be lifted.
But when I heard this I heard God’s voice almost at the exact same time saying that my heartache and pain and depression was clouding my vision of Him. It was coming between Him and I. Pete also said that anything you focus on more than God is your vision. So if you are not focusing on Him – He is not your vision. I had lost my vision completely and I had sunk so deep into my emotions and I was allowing them to take over. I could actually see the cloud of grey and gloom hanging around me – and I could not see His light.

What a revelation this was for me in the place where I was. Almost drowning in my pain. I went home and asked God to forgive me for allowing these things to get in the way of my vision of Him. And I have been making Him my vision daily since then and it has been the most healing and touching time with God that I can remember. He has lead me down a path of learning to pray for blessing in abundance over the lives of the people who caused me pain and instead of looking back to the darkness I am emerging out of I continue to look forward and upward to Him as my Light and my Vision. And once again this song that left me unable to sing for tears at the Leadership Training Time in Bloemfontein last year is still a song that speaks great volumes to my heart

Be Thou My Vision
Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart
Naught be all else to me save that thou art
Thou my best thought by day or by night
Waking or sleeping thy presence my light

Be thou my wisdom and thou my true word
I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord
Thou my great Father and I thy true Son
Thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one.

Be thou my battle shield, sword for the fight
Be thou my dignity, thou my delight
Thou my soul's shelter and thou my high tower
Raise thou me heavenward, O power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise
Thou mine inheritance, now and always
Thou and thou only the first in my heart
High King of heaven, my treasure thou art.

High King of heaven, when the battle is won
May I reach heaven's joys, O bright heaven's sun
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall
Still be my vision, O ruler of all.

"For without Vision, my people will perish"

HIS PRESENCE

This morning I was so moved again by my Lord. I have not been in the best place for a few weeks now, and I have been really clinging to Him and holding on to Him and spending time at his feet. This weekend I had time alone at home and I put on my worship cds and just worshipped Him. This morning in my office I put on my music in my office because I have felt lifted up out of the nasty place when in worship and I decided I am not going to listen to anything else today but worship. I know He is with me and I can feel His presence – lately though a little stronger than most times. Then just now a lady came in from the factory to bring me a little bottle to send on an overnight courier – and after she gave me the bottle she just stood quietly next to me. She said that if felt good in my office, the “atmosphere” was pleasant. She said she didn’t want to leave. Eventually she had to leave, but did so reluctantly. Now, my office is not warm or expensively furnished. I have only a small little bar heater which takes ALL day to warm my office. So I know that the warmth and peace she was feeling is God’s presence. When she did leave I was left with tears streaming down my cheeks. He is so amazing and He is with me in such a way that even other people can feel His presence. Imagine what it will be like to be with Him in heaven one day. If His presence is so overwhelming while we are still on earth – how will it feel to be standing in that place in heaven?

This song captures that for me so beautifully.

I CAN ONLY IMAGINE (by Mercy Me)


I can only imagine
what it will be like
when I walk by Your side.

I can only imagine
what my eyes will see
when Your face, is before me.
I can only imagine

Surrounded by Your glory
what will my heart feel?
Will I dance for You Jesus
or in aw of You be still?
Will I stand in Your presence
or to my knees will I fall?
Will I sing hallelujah?
Will I be able to speak at all?

I can only imagine….
I can only imagine.

I can only imagine
when that day comes
and I find myself,
standing in the sun.

I can only imagine
when all I would do
is forever, forever worship You

I can only imagine

Surrounded by Your glory
what will my heart feel?
Will I dance for You Jesus
or in aw of You be still?
Will I stand in Your presence
or to my knees will I fall?
Will I sing hallelujah?
Will I be able to speak at all?

I can only imagine

Surrounded by Your glory
what will my heart feel?
Will I dance for You Jesus
or in aw of You be still?
Will I stand in Your presence
or to my knees will I fall?
Will I sing hallelujah?
Will I be able to speak at all?

I can only imagine
when all I would do
is forever, forever worship You

I can only imagine


Thank you Lord for being with me in such an awesome way.

THE HARDEST THING

This forgiveness thing is so much harder than I though it would be. True forgiveness is by far the hardest thing to do. True forgiveness means that once you have forgiven some one for whatever they did that you then do not tell other people of it and you ask God to not to keep a record of that persons wrong either. Because telling of it over and over again only keeps you bitter. Telling of it over and over again makes it harder to let go and forgive the wrong. And for us as Humans, this is so difficult to do because we love to wallow in our pain and tell other people how terribly we are suffering. We want pity and comfort from other people because we feel like we deserve it and we need it. Did Jesus behave that way on the cross? Did He ever tell anyone how badly He was suffering and want people to feel sorry for Him? Even in the garden of Gethsemane He only cried out to God, not to His disciples, and not to gain pity either. Why do we find it so hard to follow His example?
It is so hard and I find myself struggling through this, and I feel so week because I think of Jesus on the cross asking His Father to forgive the people who were killing him. He died so that we all could be forgiven – yet I am struggling with this at this point in my life. It is confusing because I know that I have forgiven, but I still hurt. And I am coming to the realization that we all sustain wounds through life’s battles. We all get hurt and cause hurt. Some of those hurts leave scars and some of them never completely heal up. I know why forgiveness is important it is something that I consider the very foundation of Christianity. It is highlighted over and over again in the Bible – look here: (I found these on “Right To The heart of Women”)

* We’re to love our neighbor as ourselves, including our enemies. Matthew 5:44

*If we want to be forgiven, we must forgive. Matthew 6:12, 24, 15

*Unforgiveness hinders our prayers. Matthew 5:23, 24 0

*We are not to be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. One of the ways we overcome is by forgiving the evil. Romans 12:21

*“Great rewards” and blessing are promised to those who practice forgiveness. Luke 6: 35, Matthew 5:7

*Forgiveness is commanded — seventy times seven — which means always! Matthew 18:21, 22

*Forgiveness illustrates the love of God, making us “children of our Father.” Matthew 5:45

*Forgiveness demonstrates maturity in Christ. Matthew 5:48

*If we are unforgiving, we are no better than our enemies. Matthew 5: 46, 47

*Forgiveness shows discretion and “glory.” Proverbs 19:11

Look at these quotes:

Remember: Those who have something to forgive are the bleeding victims. The only place they will ever find healing and help is at the feet of Jesus. Those who need to ask for forgiveness will need His Divine help to do it. – Rebekah Montgomery

“Forgiveness is the key that unlocks the door of resentment and the handcuffs of hate. It is a power that breaks the chains of bitterness and the shackles of selfishness. He who cannot forgive others, breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass.” - Corrie Ten Boom

“Forgiveness is an act of the will and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart.” - Corrie Ten Boom

“Not forgiving is like drinking rat poison and then waiting for the rat to die.” - Anne Lamott from Traveling Mercies

I have forgiven – yes, I know in my heart that I have forgiven. But I am still dealing with the hurt, and I am afraid that the hurt will cause bitterness again. So I am asking God to take captive my thoughts and feelings so that I don’t find myself picking up that unforgiveness again.

And yet my problem seems so small when I compare it to the amount of forgiveness and compassion Jesus showed that day when He was crucified. He forgave and never recalled again or spoke of those He had forgiven. He found His comfort in God. I think that is such an amazing example to follow and I am going to try harder to follow that example and cry out to Jesus in my times of fear and pain – and not to people.

So in conclusion, forgiveness is never easy, but it is vitally necessary. Without it we would not have eternal life. We need to forgive to be forgiven and to be set free from the burdens of bitterness and grief and pain. Jesus never told us that life as a Christian would ever be easy, but He did say He would be there with us every step of the way – and that is why He sent us His Spirit – and it is because of His Spirit who was sent to help us that we can overcome all things, and forgive even the hardest things. He did it, and that means we can do it too.