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Monday, December 29, 2008

THE TIME OF GOD IS HERE WHEN WE USE HIS GIFTS AND SEE BEYOND THE CLOUDS OF DARKNESS




The time of God is here. When He sent His Son to the earth, it was to break down any remaining barrier. He turns darkness to light and clouds into rain.
Are there clouds in your life? Look at them as filled with blessings. The bigger your problem, the bigger is the potential for God's intervention. As we all know, even as an Infant, He is vastly larger than the greatest problem.
The clouds above you should be viewed as filled with rain that can nourish, that can sustain growth. We need to remember this as we face the challenges (and excitement) of life.
Blessings build and build and then "rain" upon us.
Now, there are dark clouds that we must pray away. We are not talking about those! They are the result of evil. We're talking about the times in our lives when we fail to see a cloud that was sent with rainfall (and a silver lining).
Too often, we don't appreciate the arrival of a blessing. We see a cloud and it rains and we complain when we get wet -- we feel uncomfortable. It may even make us mad. We tend to think of rain as an inconvenience (or worse). It's a "bad day."
"It is raining at this time, and you say, 'It is not reasonable to go to church in this slush. Why is it raining so much?'" the Blessed Mother said in a locution at Medjugorje. "Do not ever speak like that. You have prayed without ceasing for God to send you rain that makes the earth rich, and so [you should not] turn against the blessing of God."
The same is true with snow: it refurbishes our aquifers, our streams, and our rivers when it melts.
"The wind is my sign," she also allegedly intoned. "When the wind blows, know that I am with you. When it is cold, you want to come to church; you want to offer everything to God."
Of course, there are storms that represent displeasure. There are storms of chastisement. But with many clouds, with most, each drop is a blessing.
These are "clouds of grace." They are clouds of favour. Through faith, they build and build. The darkness holds the potential of favour.
When a problem comes, it often has a grace behind it!
Expand your vision. Look beyond a dilemma. Don't keep looking down; no blessings come from there! Instead, accept life as a test, and transcend sufferings. Ask yourself: what would happen if there was no precipitation?
When we constantly thank God for what He sends -- or is going to send -- and when we use all that He gives us (letting His gifts flow through us to others), He multiplies that grace. He expands those gifts. He grants greater favours than we imagined possible. He wants us to expand our vision beyond the clouds and that's when the "sky" really opens and graces flow like a torrent!
Ask for unprecedented blessings, and they will grow and shower down upon you -- in God's time and in His Way. Let Him surprise you!
In the coming year, vow to ask "big"; vow to thank God; vow to exercise faith; vow to use His gifts to help others; and vow to see beyond every darkness.
[resources: The God of Miracles]






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Friday, December 26, 2008

WHEN YOU ARE FAITHFUL IN A HARD PLACE, GOD CAN TRUST YOU IN A HIGH PLACE - Daniel 3:25-30



UCB READING

'Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego...' Daniel 3:30
The story of the three Hebrew children in the fiery furnace makes us realise four things: 1) Obeying God doesn't exempt you from trouble. Don't expect the world to always understand or appreciate you. Look at Christ: 'In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it' (John 1:4-5 NIV) 2) You're not alone; God is with you in your trouble. When King Nebuchadnezzar looked into the fiery furnace he said, '...I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God' (Daniel 3:25). Instead of destroying them, the fire burned the ropes that bound them and set them free. So be encouraged. It may feel like you're 'bound by circumstances,' limited and locked in, but God is with you; He's going to vindicate you and bring you out of this victorious 3) Your trouble will become your testimony. Others are watching. What they're trusting in doesn't work, and they're wondering if what you're trusting in does. Your faithfulness to God and His intervention on your behalf will touch their lives in ways your theology never will. Everybody in Babylon knew what the three Hebrew children believed, but they wanted to know, 'Does it work when you're in the fire?' It does! 4) On the other side of your trouble, there's great blessing. 'Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon.' It's a Scriptural principle: when you are faithful in a hard place, God can trust you in a high place.

Sunday, December 21, 2008

HE ANSWERS YOU ! - Isaija - Isaiah 65:24


“I will answer them before they even call to Me…” (Isaiah 65:24, NLT).

Have you ever thought about something you wanted or needed, and suddenly that need was supplied—before you ever even stopped to pray about it? God knows your needs before you even speak them. He wants to provide for you and answer the very desires of your heart. When you put Him first in everything you do, when you faithfully follow His commands, He’ll pour out an extra portion of His goodness and favour upon you.Don’t ever think God is too busy to answer your prayers. Don’t ever think your needs are too small, or that you don’t matter. He cares about everything that concerns you, and He loves to hear you call upon His name. You are very special to God, and He promises to answer in His timing, and sometimes, before you even call. Stand in faith knowing that God wants to shower you with His abundant blessings today.

A Prayer for Today


Father in heaven, thank You for Your faithfulness in my life. Reveal Your good plan for me and teach me to trust in You as I surrender to You every area of my life. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.


Saturday, December 13, 2008

Joy in His Presence - Psalm 16:11


“You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand” (Psalm 16:11).

Do you need more joy in your life today? God promises that joy is found in His presence, and if you’ve accepted Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, then His presence lives inside of you! That joy manifests when you focus your mind and heart on the Father and begin to praise Him for what He’s done in your life. The Bible says that He inhabits the praises of His people. When you begin to praise and thank Him, you are in His presence where there is fullness of joy. It doesn’t matter where you are or what’s going on around you, you can access the joy that’s inside of you at anytime, day or night. And know this: God wants you to experience His supernatural joy and peace at all times. That’s why He chose to live inside of you and give you an endless supply. Don’t waste another minute feeling overburdened and discouraged. Let the joy of the Lord be your strength, and you will move forward in victory on the path of life He’s prepared for you!
Pray This:
Father in heaven, thank You for an endless supply of joy. Today, I choose to cast my cares on You and give You the praise, glory, and honour You deserve. Let joy flow through me today so that I can be a witness of Your goodness to those around me. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.