Tuesday 27 March 2012

What are you controlled by?

"Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit"


Ephesians 5:18

What a contrast between riotous living and righteous living


But if a man or woman can be controlled by alcohol, how much more can the Holy Spirit control a man or woman?

Benny Hinn - 'Good Morning Holy Spirit' p92

It's always good to stop and re-evaluate and look at where we are in life. We can't really intentionally go forward unless we look at where we are. Of course life does go on whether we do or don't, but to intentionally shape the direction of our life we need to.

To direct my life for tomorrow, I need the Holy Spirit to direct where that is actually going, otherwise I'm just directing it on my own wisdom, which I admit, can sometimes be not so great!
I'd much rather depend upon the all wise, all knowing God who has a perfect plan for my life - will I choose to follow it or not, is up to me.


What are you going to choose to be controlled by today - the choice is completely up to you.


May God bless your journey today, and tomorrow!



Wednesday 21 March 2012

Re-evaluating


It's so easy to get caught up in routine and become insensitive to what you are actually doing and the way it can effect those around you.

We run a breakfast program at our local Primary School 5 days a week, and it can be very annoying, especially during the winter, getting up a couple of hours earlier than you would if it was just a 'office' hours day and it can be very stressful with dozens of youngsters demanding different cereals or toast, or spaghetti on toast, or a milo, or tinned fruit etc.

All we ask from the kids in return is to wash their dishes, but for most of them, that's too much and they creatively hide the bowls or cups and we have to hunt them down and stay behind to do their dishes.

Some days I just grumble but 'suck it up' and wonder why I am actually doing what I am doing - is it really worth it?!

Today we had a couple of new girls come to our kids club that we know from the breakfast program and at the end, their mother was telling us that her daughter has never eaten breakfast at home, but has been excited every morning and getting up early to come to breakfast at the school. Apparently it's her highlight of the day!

What a slap to my far from enthusiastic approach to breakfast!

You never really know what God is doing around you, nor how He is even using you in your day to day 'routines'

I thank God for His gentle reminder to me to never undervalue anything that He uses us for. It can be so easy to forget the impact that even the simplest of things can do to others and who knows what they might be going through.

"Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."
Colossians 4:6

Thursday 8 March 2012

Billy Graham's Prayer For Our Nation

“Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance.


We know Your Word says, “Woe to those who call evil good”, but that is exactly what we have done.


We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.


We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.


We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.


We have killed our unborn and called it choice.


We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.


We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem.


We have abused power and called it politics.


We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition.


We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.



We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.



Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and Set us free.



Amen!”