The Temple of God

 

The temple of God is where the Lord abides. The old testaments tells us it is a special place where you go to hear from God and experience his presence. It is the home of God

When we think about our homes, our character and personalities usually show in the way we maintain our homes. God’s character is holy! God is love! He is also a jealous God hence is Temple must be kept holy, filled with love and guarded. This is true of most “churches” as people see the “church building” as the temple of God. It is regularly cleaned; you are not allowed to bring in items that can defile the building or any part of it.

However Jesus tells us in 1 Corinthians 6:19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;

The Lord used this verse to talk about sexual immorality but we need to look beyond that. If our bodies are indeed the temple of the Holy spirit which is the spirit of God in us, does everything about us reflect he who lives in us.

If Christ lives in us and we are his temple then the lives we live and everything we do should reflect his character; over and above that, the body in which he resides should be kept in a way that honours him.

But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy. 1 Peter 1:15-16 NIV -Our bodies should be kept holy

Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple. 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 NLT

Holiness refers to a live burning with an intense purity that transforms everything it touches into itself. Oxford dictionary defines Holiness as dedicated or consecrated to God

In Hebrews Holy (qadosh) means “set apart” or “separate” it is used to describe the nature of God and how his character and nature are so much greater and more wonderful than anyone else. For something to be holy means to be dedicated to God, the extent to which our lives are devoted to him and our actions reflect his character.

If we are the temple of God then to reflect the character of holiness is to live a life that shows we are consecrated to him. Whatever is inside of us is what should reflect. If you hold a glass of orange juice and someone pushes you or you trip, all that will pour of the cup is orange juice. Regardless of what happens to us, it is that which we have given space to within us that will manifest.

So Jesus walked the earth and every where he went lives were changed. He healed sickness and diseases Matthew 4:23. He lived fearlessly. From a young age he stayed back to speak in the synagogue when his parents were returning from the Passover celebration Luke 2: from 41

In the way we live, does everyone that meets us know or experience the Christ that lives in us.  Are lives changed. Are the hungry fed? are the cloth-less clothed? are the poor provided for? We are the first Jesus a lot of people will ever meet, when they do meet us do they meet Jesus. Do we profess and speak the word and message he gives to us fearlessly or are we afraid of what people may think? In the way we run our businesses, at work and socially do people see Jesus in us! Do we show his love and speak his truth fearlessly?

People that know us before may be taken aback and may question the authority we possess or may belittle what they see in us. Even the family of Jesus said “Is this not Jesus son of Joseph whose mother and father we know. John 6:42. To God’s glory, we are not that person they used to know, Christ Jesus lives in us and we are sitted in the heavenly places with him. Ephesians 2:6. We have received power because the Holy spirit resides in us and we are to be his witness to the end of the earth Acts 1:8

Our light must shine so that Jehovah is exalted. We must not waver in the truth we know both in words and actions. Matthew 5:16 Let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and glorify your father in Heaven. Is our light shining bright or just a little or does it flicker? We all know light that flickers and is not stable hurts the eye of all who see it. Our light must shine bright and stable.

Jesus was fearless because he knew and was sure of the authority he carried. He was able to command the wind! Hallelujah. The bible says perfect love casts out all fear. 1 John 4:18. Jesus is perfect love. He lives within us. If he lives in us, there is no place for fear in us. Light and darkness cannot be together. Everywhere you light up even with a small candle, darkness fades. Jesus has taken away every fear. We cannot have Jesus in us and live in fear of the battles the devil brings. Luke 10:19. Remember we are fighting from a winning point. His death on the cross already won the battle for us. We just need to stand in the authority that is inside of us.

Physically we should think about what we feed the temple of God (Our body). We should be purposeful about what we eat and drink because the temple of God must not be defiled. It should not be loaded with Junk just as we will not make our home a place filled with junk or dirt that can make it uninhabitable. Note to self! Lol. Before you put that thing in your mouth Lola, is it going to nourish and beautify that temple. (I have to keep telling myself this) Trust me diets will be a thing of the past if we do this.

You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. And even though “I am allowed to do anything,” I must not become a slave to anything. You say, “Food was made for the stomach, and the stomach for food.” (This is true, though someday God will do away with both of them.) But you can’t say that our bodies were made for sexual immorality. They were made for the Lord, and the Lord cares about our bodies. 1 Corinthians 6:12-13 NLT. whilst this verse speaks about sexual immorality, it is true to say if our body was made for the Lord and he cares about our body, He also cares about the food we put into our body. Science tells us a lot of illnesses can be avoided if we nourished our bodies in the right way.

God has blessed us with food and we should eat and drink but we have to be mindful of what is good for nourishing our bodies and what is not.

Mentally- The bibles says we should guard our heart. Proverbs 4:23. What are we feeding our heart and minds. What are we allowing into our soul. The spirit of God is within us but for our soul to be at one with the spirit it needs to align. The words we listen too, the stories we read, the music we listen to, the conversations we have, are they aligning our soul to be one with the spirit of God. We may come across things that are not palatable about lives of others but our response should be to pray for that person and move on from it. Remember they are loved by Lord who resides in us. 1 John 4:19-21. The Lord desires the soul of everyone to be saved. We should pray for the salvation of the souls of those we know are not saved. We should not be found spreading gossip about people or mocking their actions and choices.

Colossians 4:6 Let your conversation be always full of grace (note the word ALWAYS not sometimes), seasoned with salt (we all know salt sweetens anything we add it too) so that you may have the right response for everyone.

Philippians 4:8 Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy think about such things

Remember we are the temple of God, where his spirit resides, we have to showcase the spirit that lives within us. Our lives should reflect the character of Christ Jesus.

Finally.....

Ephesians 1:16-23 I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. 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. I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honour at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come. God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church. And the church is his body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with himself.

The same power that exerted Jesus resides in us, let us go out and showcase that to the world

 

The Cedars of (God) Lebanon

 

The righteous will flourish! Hallelujah

We are made righteous through the death of Jesus Christ. Hallelujah!!!! Romans 3:22 We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are

Psalm 92:12 - But the righteous will flourish like palm trees and grow strong like the “Cedars of Lebanon”

Psalm 104:16 The trees of the LORD are well cared for— the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.

We are the trees the Lord planted on earth.

Jeremiah 17:7 Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD And whose trust is the LORD.

We are promised that we will grow strong like the Cedars of Lebanon. The Cedars of Lebanon is the most famous Cedar patch and is one of the last vestiges of old growth forest. They are one of the rarest patch where the Cedrus Libani still grows. They were used to build the temple built by King Solomon. We are the church the Lord Jesus is building Ephesians 2:20-21 NLT.

The Phoenicians used Cedar Wood to build their ship making them become the world first Sea-Trading civilization. Just like the Cedars, Jesus is using us to build his church to bring the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth.

The Cedar tree symbolises resilience, immortality, strength and elevation. Through Jesus Christ who abides with us we are resilient as those who trust in him will be like Mount Zion that cannot be shaken but abides forever Psalm 125:1. Through his death we are immortal and will live on after we leave the earth 1 Corinthians 15:22. He promises to give us strength even when we feel weak 2 Corinthians 12:9 and to elevate and prosper us Jeremiah 29:11

The Cedars of Lebanon is a UNESCO World heritage site. “The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity" (Wikipedia). We are God’s chosen people, we are the salt of the earth, we should add value to everyone and everything we encounter; we are the light of the world and we are to give light to the world around us Matthew 5:13-16. To be selected as a world heritage site, the site must have a unique landmark, identifiable and have a special significance. We were created for great works God prepared in advance for us to do Ephesians 2:10.

The Cedars of Lebanon are protected by UNESCO and are demarcated as protected zones. God promises to keep us safe under his shadow, where no evil can happen to us Psalm 91. We are protected and shielded from the enemy 2 Thessalonians 3:3. Though we may have challenges we will overcome them in the name of Jesus Psalm 34:19. Halleluyah!!!!

The Cedars of Lebanon can survive in a challenging environment. “ The ancient Cedars of Lebanon have outlived empires and survived modern wars (New York Times) God promises that when we go through deep waters, God will be with us; when we pass through the rivers of difficulty, they will not drown us, when you walk through the fire of oppression, we will not be burned; the flames will not consume us. Isaiah 43:2 Hallelujah!!!

In order to protect the Cedars from destruction of climate change, various Lebanese conservation groups are trying to diversify their location and expand their population. The main goal of replanting, they say, is to make the cedar forests larger and more resilient to whatever future environmental pressures they face. (New York times July 2018). God is calling us out to go into the world and make disciples of every nation, to baptise in the name of the Father, son and holy spirit. Matthew 28:19-20. The Lord is calling us to a revival to take over the world from the ruler of darkness; to restore order to the world through his world Luke 4:18; to bring heaven to earth and change the world order to his glory Matthew 6:10. The Good news has to be preached throughout the earth so that all nations will hear it Matthew 24:14

God promised us we will grow strong like the Cedars of Lebanon. His promises are true 1 Corinthians 1:9 WNT, Numbers 23:19, Deuteronomy 7:9 and his word will achieve everything it has been spoken for Isaiah 55:11. Every word he has spoken will be fulfilled Joshua 21:45.

To enjoy his blessings, you have to acknowledge that Jesus Christ is our Lord and saviour Romans 10:9-10. If you have desire to know more please send an email to WomanafterGodsheart23@gmail.com

God is not National Lottery

The amount of offering you give in church does not determine the amount of blessings God chooses to bestow on you! God is not the "National lottery"


 Romans ‭9:10-17‬ ‭Not only that, but Rebekah’s children were conceived at the same time by our father Isaac. Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God’s purpose in election might stand: not by works but by him who calls—she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” Just as it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”


We should give to express God's love to humanity! To make life better for others! To show gratitude for what God has blessed us with! We give to show trust in God that we know he is in control and will give us "our daily bread". Giving doesn't have to be money! Sowing positive time into lives of others, a hug, food on the table for those that can't afford it, training someone to learn a new skill that will empower them, creating positive opportunities for others, a smile, praying with and for others, a kind word, encouraging people are all ways of giving! God loves a cheerful giver not an obligated giver or someone that gives so that they can reap a hundred fold! Yes whatever you sow you will reap but the reaping depends on how God determines not in doubling the amount you put down in church! In reaping it could be generations to come that will reap the seeds you or I have sown! Ultimately what matters is eternity! Our focus should be on being Christ like and making the world a better place not playing lottery in church. If you want to gamble try the National lottery or euro millions!

Christianity really is about having a relationship with God. That's exactly what it is, having your own relationship with our father Jehovah! Most of us don't need an intermediary to have discussions with our earthly fathers except in cases where the relationship has irrevocably broken down.
So why do we need anyone to be an intermediary between us and God who has clearly given us a tool "prayer" to talk to him and his guiding rules "The Bible" to get an understanding of what he expects of us and promises to depend on.
No man is perfect and I am glad God has made us all perfect in his own image but as imperfect human beings so we can keep our focus on him. So remember that your prayer leader and pastor you look up to are not perfect.
No one needs to tell you how to have a relationship with God. Get into the word! Read the bible. One verse a day and you will be amazed how much you have learnt in a year. You will be amazed how much peace you will have knowing God is simple and his ways are not to make life difficult or a misery. There is no prescription to salvation except accepting the Lord as your Lord and saviour and following biblical truths. Everything else is man made. Remember we worship God and not man!
Get into the word today! Pray for yourself. No one can pray on your behalf or explain your situation like you can. Remember Hannah in Shiloh.
Follow the simple truths in the Bible.
The bible says in this world we will have trouble but Christ has overcome the world. He will be with you even in those challenging times. No season lasts forever. But pls do not place our salvation on anyone's prescription. God alone is enough!!!!

Unity in Christ

One of the main difference between Christianity and other religions is the huge amount of denominations that exists in Christendom. In some parts of the world there is an average of two to three churches on every street. With so many churches everywhere, one will expect the world will be a better place. Unfortunately this is not the case. The devil is waging war against the people of God by bringing discord amongst denominations, ensuring Christians get wound up in their own denomination, and are not accepting of other denominations. Everyone believes their own way of serving God is the right one. Romans 3:22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference.

We all know that a house that prays together sticks together, as long as there is division amongst all the various churches, it will be a challenge or virtually impossible for Christians to be as effective as other religions. To make life easier there are also different translation of our bible, whilst this is supposed to help our understanding of the word of God, sometimes some of the message loses its real meaning in translation.

No one is perfect and we can only be made perfect through Christ. We should all play a part in bringing the house of God together. Turning your nose up at other churches does not by any means make you better than people that worship in that church. We need to be respecting of everyone’s way of approaching Christ, as long as it is Jesus and God they call on, we are all still on the same page. 1 Corinthians 12:13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink
Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus

The scandals within various churches seem to reiterate that what matters most is our own individual right standing with God. The church you go too does not determine the type of Christian you are.

The message of Christ is of love. Love one another with the love of God. That’s the commandment of our Lord Jesus Christ. So before you condemn the church down your road, your friend’s church or any church; think about the message of love and the unity that Christ desires for us all as Christians. Galatians 5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

We all need to come together and have one voice through the word of God, we can reach out to the world if we have one voice, show love and respect for one another regardless of which denomination we worship in. Ephesians 4: 2-6 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

If you truly want to make a difference, please visit organisations like http://www.churches-together.net/ http://www.streetpastors.co.uk/

Trusting

I totally trust God I hear most Christians say including myself but do we really? We only need something to test our faith before we realise how much we trust God.
God is the same yesterday, today and forever; yet when we face our human struggles it’s hard to see things in the spiritual realm. It seems easy to use a daily devotional, pray as a family and do all things we think God requires of us when the going is good; its harder to do these things when the going gets tough; yet God wants us to have a relationship with him regardless of what we are going through. Our parents are usually the first people we turn too when we have problems we cannot solve so in the midst of the storm, God should still be our first port of call.

He promised that; Psalm 34:10 the lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD will lack no good thing. God is the same God that blesses us even when everything around seems dry and it looks as if there is no way things can work out.

He has a plan for every one of us, we just need to trust and know that he will surely make a way when the time is right. Time and time again in the bible, God blessed people even when there was famine in the land, In Genesis 26; God blessed Isaac, he blessed him so much that his enemies were jealous, closed up the entire well his father Abraham had dug and sent him away to another part of the land; God continued to bless him even more. Eventually his enemies came to beg him and make peace.

We need to realise that if we walk right with God he will surely be there for us, through good or bad. He did not say we will not go through trials or challenges; what he promised us is that he will be there for us and he will lift us up.

I don’t know what you are going through right now but whatever it is leave it at the door of God; get on your knees and talk to your father who is so gracious and will meet you at every point of your need. Isaiah 40:30-31 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Stay Connected

I do love my BB (BlackBerry) so much and am sure many of you reading this are just like me (admit it). I take my bb everywhere with me. Why? I believe I have important people on it that I want to be in touch with and I want them to be able to reach me anytime they want too.
I have been guilty of getting late to places because I forgot my bb a home and felt the need to go and pick it up just in case I miss that important call, or message. Although some people will find this strange, it’s the reality of what happens in these modern times.

There is an emotional need within us all to be connected to our loved ones; to know they are ok; to know they can reach us and we can reach them whenever we want too. There is a kind of need being satisfied by being in touch. Imagine having this sort of connection with God! This will be so awesome. Am sure God himself will be delighted that we are in constant touch and he can reach us whenever he chooses too. So have we got our bb on for God? Because I know he has his bb on ready to connect with us.

How do we switch our bb on to connect with God? Reading, meditating on the word of God and praying blesses and increases our spiritual connectivity. God will speak to us constantly through his word if we spared a little time to just read it daily. Half a chapter is enough to meditate on daily. When we require one of our friends or family to help us out, again we send a bb message, make a phone call or send an email. It’s faster and cheaper; guess what? Praying is the same; it’s free; faster and cheaper. God is delighted to hear from us all the time and says he will answer our prayer if we believe he will. John 14:14 Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it! Mark 11:24 I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you've received it, it will be yours. Whilst it’s important to set apart some time to pray daily; praying through out the day is just as effective. We just need to stay connected.

We need to be in tune with the spirit of God throughout the day, God will talk to us daily through his word, our prayers, colleagues and through things that happen around us. He loves us so much that even with all our sin he still chooses to talk to us, listen to us, bless us and he is willing to forgive us.

There is a kind of inner peace that comes with being switched on with God. Peace and happiness radiates through people that are connected to God; He is the only one that can give everlasting peace. John 14:27 "I am leaving you with a gift--peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid.

So remember whenever you check your bb for that message from a friend or a loved one, remember to check you’re still connected to God too. It only takes a few minutes throughout the day to check and make sure you’re connected to the almighty. Stay connected.

Still want more? Start sowing more!!!

Everyday I talk to Christians, I realise there is an insatiable quest for more and more blessings.
Am not saying we should not pray for blessings from God but do we show appreciation for the blessing we have right now? And are we sowing seeds with the blessings we have right now. To reap more, you need to sow more.

The parable of the travelling man

For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered to them his goods. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several abilities; and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained another two. But he that had received one went and dug in the earth, and hid his Lord's money. After a long time the Lord of those servants comes, and reckons with them. And so he that had received the five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, you delivered to me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His Lord said to him, Well done, you good and faithful servant - you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things: enter you into the joy of your Lord. He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, you delivered to me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. His Lord said to him, Well done, good and faithful servant: you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things: enter you into the joy of your Lord. Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew you that you are a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed: and I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the earth: lo, there you have what is yours. His Lord answered and said to him, You wicked and lazy servant, you know that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not scattered seed: you ought therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it to him which has ten talents. For to every one that has shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that has not shall be taken away even that which he has. And cast you the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth

We need to realise first that God blesses us according to what he believes we can handle, however what are we doing with the “little” we have? A lot of people use up all they have without acknowledging the needs of those around them, yet they don’t understand how they never seem to have enough or even have increase.
God says that you cannot reap where you have not sown. If you get blessed by God but no part of your blessing is making a difference, you cannot expect to reap more.

My young daughter and I took part in the race for life for cancer research recently, I sent out numerous emails to friends and family to raise awareness of this cause and to raise money for the charity. I was so shocked at what little response I got from Christians. I know some people have not been touched by cancer through families or friends but the point is, there are so many people all over the world suffering from this terrible illness and through the support of this charity, so many people are now surviving.

More shocking is the fact that I raised a lot more than I initially thought I will, but 90% of the donation came from people that did not know God, the law of sowing and reaping works even for people that do not know God. I spoke to a lot of other believers at the event and they were all complaining about how little they got from their Christian families.

For our blessings to increase we should show gratitude to God for what he has done by sowing into lives of the needy, by doing this also we are planting for our own harvest. As Christians we need to stop preaching the bible but acting it out.

It does not have to be cancer research charity but search your heart today. What difference are you making? I pray God will continue to minister to us and open our hearts to the plights of people that need our love and support.

Start and Run your own business God's way!

I am not a business pro or have the magic formula but I do know that everything that God has a hand in succeeds. The business that you start and one that will succeed is within the gift that God has imparted into your life. It’s very easy to get carried away doing what everyone else is doing because you see that people have been blessed in that area, but is that what God has called you to do?
Psalm 139 15-16 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

Everyone has been blessed with a gift. A gift that you have been born with and guess what, that gift can never be taken away from you.
Romans 11:29 for God's gifts and his call are irrevocable.
So you have been born with the gift that is natural and will give you the breakthrough you need in every area of your life.

So how do we identify these gifts?
First you need to get on your knees in prayer and call on God to open the eyes of your heart, to give you direction, to let your gift make way for you.

Luke 11:19 So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

Next you need to do a soul search. What do you enjoy doing, giving a chance that you are financially secure, what will you enjoy spending your time doing? What are your interests? What sort of work will you happily do now without being paid for and that you will really enjoy?

Then speak to your partner if you have one, your parents, your siblings, your mentor and your genuine friends. What strengths do they see in you? Ask your parents what you enjoyed doing most as a child. You will be surprised that your gift has just been there staring you in the face.

There are lots of business ideas and opportunities that can be developed from the call of God on our lives. Some people are very good at talking, writing, singing, giving advice, acting, buying, selling, nursing, teaching and the list goes on. The thing is behind every single one of these gift there is a business idea. I have heard of a lady that set up a business helping busy rich people shop for their kids,  themselves,  their houses and their vacation. She loves shopping, she has since built good relationships with the big stores, she gets invitation to all the UK fashion shows, she gets inside information about sales and has now employed people that help to serve her clients and has also expanded to help people organise their wardrobes, ensuring colour co-ordination and seasonal clothes are always within easy reach for these people. If this was done by a Christian, imagine the opportunity to talk to influential people about Christ?

There are lots of ideas out there and most successful ones come from what people enjoy doing the most.

Its great to identify one’s gift but what separates the successful people from those not successful is what you do about your gift.
Romans 12:6 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you.
It is easy to say oh I can do this very well or I can do that very well but you do not do anything. Every successful business needs perseverance and hard work. Every talent one has needs to be nurtured and it takes constant practice to perfect one’s art. Look at the athletes, the Olympic medallists don’t say because they have won the Olympics, they now need to do nothing. They constantly push themselves and keep practicing. I once saw a very rich celebrity who recently had a baby and had lost all the weight, in the interview she said she went to the gym twice a day because her work depends on her looks. Well we could say that is vanity but guess what she got up and did something that will help to feed her family. I told my husband the lady is so lucky to be able to afford the gym and all these personal trainers, my husband replied “actually you do not need all the money to lose the weight. You can do simple exercises at home early in the morning and before you go to bed”. I do not need all the money, what I need is discipline which is what a lot of us lack.
You need to get out there, equip your self, do a lot of research and make your gift work for you. You don’t need millions or thousands to start a successful business. Alexander McQueen (May his soul rest in peace) was discovered at his college fashion show and delivered his first designs in a black bin bag

I have also learnt from successful people that their lifestyles did not change as soon as they started their businesses, they did not spend the money before they made. They save and save and save. They deprived themselves of things they were used to just to give their business the chance to flourish. They did not immediately buy all the latest fashion items. My mother had to cut out TV from her life to give her time to focus on her business. What are the things occupying your time now that are not making a positive difference in your life? What are you spending your earnings on now that you could give up to save enough to start your business? You can cut them out now and create time to invest in your future.

In all of these one thing you must do is remember to keep calling on God, make sure he is alongside you every step of the way by constant prayer and if needed fasting.

James 5:16(New living translation) The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

God is there willing to hear you out and answer your prayer. Remember the business you are starting is within the gift that God has given to you, so if you continue to include him in all your plans you are bound to succeed.

1 John 5:14-15 (NLT) And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.

You must also learn to give to the needy. There is a simple principle that if your hands are always opened, you can receive but if you close them you cannot receive it. God’s biggest calling on our lives is to show love. The bible says that if you have all the gifts in this life and do not have love, you are nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:2 If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God's secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn't love others, I would be nothing.

In everything God wants us to show love to everyone around us and to show love, you need to help the needy, you need to be selfless in your treatment of everyone around you. God calls us to love him and then to love our neighbours as ourselves. If you want your business to succeed, you need to be in the business of giving to the needy and showing love. Some of the most successful and biggest organisation in the world that do not have any Christian ethos give away lots to charities year after year and guess what just because they obey that principle, God blesses them.
Finally be honest with your self. Not everyone is born to set up a business. If everyone in the world had their own business, there will be no employees even for your own business! Your day job is your business if that is what you have been called to do. Get more information than your employer is willing to give and do your job to the best of your ability. Trust me you will be rewarded. Use the skills and knowledge you have learned at work to help your local community, your church, your child’s school and even your family members. That is your business. You do not have to earn money from using your God given gift. All I know is you will always have a sense of peace and satisfaction from using your gift.
God bless you as you ponder on these words and may he open the eyes of your heart, give you wisdom and direction as you take the next step in your life.

WAITING

There was a fire on the route that takes me into work today. It was a nightmare journey into work today and trust me I did not enjoy the experience.
I initially thought to work from home but unfortunately I logged on at home and realised I did not have full access to all the files I needed for work. I thought to myself, if this was my company, will I give up just like that. Well I will not so I decided to find alternative routes to work even though I knew it was not going to be easy.

I got to Lewisham station (a journey that should have taken me 15 mind took about 25mins), I thought to myself, well this is not so bad. I decided to take another service called the DLR to a station near work and walk from there (the walk will do a lot of good after all the cake I ate yesterday as it was my birthday).

When I got to Lewisham, there was a huge crowd of people trying to get on this DLR and the platform had to be closed intermittently to reduce over crowding. I thought oh no, maybe I should have stayed home. I stayed with the crowd. Suddenly a man at the very front of the crowd started to push his way out saying he had been at the station for over an hour and could not get on the platform and he’s leaving. At this point, the information board was showing that the next train will be leaving in 5mins. The man pushed his way out and a few people followed him. Just then the rail workers opened the platform and we all rushed on to get the next train. Guess what the man that decided to leave after waiting for an hour did not get on the train but some of us that were there barely 15mins got on.

As I got on, God said to me, the spirit of patience is so important. The man that had been waiting so long decided to give up his space just literally minutes before the next train was departing and gave up his opportunity for others to get on.

How often do we all do this? We get fed up of waiting and we give up and move on to the next thing, not totally sure what the results of the next thing may bring. The truth is the devil always brings this sort of thought just when our breakthrough is around the corner. I have given up on things before and moved on to the next thing only to realise that if I had been a little bit more patient, the reward could have been great.

In Exodus, it took the children of Israel forty years to get to the land God had promised them. A lot of them did not see this land because they faltered along the way.

2 Peter 3 8-9
8But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

God stands on his word and none of his words will return to him void. We have hope in God that anything he has a hand on, in our lives will succeed no matter how long we have to wait.

Isaiah 40:31
But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

How shall we as Christians wait on God? The way to wait and to renew our strength is by being steadfast in our prayer lives. It can be challenging sometimes to pray when we are going through trials. It can be hard to focus, so why not join others to pray and let others lift you up when you are weary. Why not start a phone in prayer group with your friends or even have a praying partner with a friend you trust.

I have a weekly phone in with a few of my friends weekly, I have learnt so much from our prayer group and even when I am weak, its a relief to know there are people that will lift me up in prayer.

To help you stand when you feel like giving up, make sure you surround yourself with praying people and you will not miss the train you are meant to catch no matter how long you have to wait.

Stand Firm

There’s so much going on around us now and so many people struggling in so many areas of their lives. I will like to remind us that, God is with us through it all.
This week he wants us to know that when it gets to the thick of the battle, he shows up for his own people. We need to have absolute trust in God and know that he is in control. Sometimes we have to go through these challenges so that God can take all the Glory and be magnified. Also battles brings us back to the place of total dependence on God. In the book of Genesis after Pharaoh had let the children of go, the bible says he hardened his heart again and chased after the children of Israel.

Exodus14:2-9 5 When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about them and said, "What have we done? We have let the Israelites go and have lost their services!" 6 So he had his chariot made ready and took his army with him. 7 He took six hundred of the best chariots, along with all the other chariots of Egypt, with officers over all of them. 8 The LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out boldly. 9 The Egyptians-all Pharaoh's horses and chariots, horsemen and troops-pursued the Israelites and overtook them as they camped by the sea near Pi Hahiroth, opposite Baal Zephon.

The Israelites cried out and even said to Moses that was it because there was not grave in Egypt that he brought them to the desert to die? They had forgotten just not to long the miracle of the Passover.
We are all like that sometimes. We forget the pain we endured to get to where we are. We focus on the current issue or problem and somehow forget that he who is in control is still alive, in control and will be forever.
This did not stop God from answering them because of the love her had for his people.
The Israelites were fooled by appearances and revealed their lack of faith, but God did not reject them. He stayed faithful and said, ‘Just watch what I am going to do.’ In his hands the apparent problem of the Red Sea was about to become the solution they could never have dreamt of.
Sometimes the solution to our problem is right in the middle of the issue and God is working just to be glorified and for people to know that it could only have been God. In this passage, God that killed all the first born in Egypt could have easily killed Pharaoh and all his chariots but he choose to let them even overtake the children of Israel and get to the Red sea before he threw them into confusion.

In the middle of our pain and suffering we need to just be still. V 13 Moses answered the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. 14 The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still."

Notice how Moses told them, the Egyptians you see today, you will never see again. We need to learn to call on God always, then be still and let God be glorified. Also we should realise that the battles that have been won will never rise again in our lives in Jesus name.
When it looks like there is no way forward, you need to realise that the battle is almost over. In tough situations when we are tempted to lose heart but we should try and stand firm and encourage others to do so. When we stick to godly ways and values and do not fall into compromises he will never let us down. Just trust him and depend on him totally.

Our Covenant with God: Are we playing our part?

In the book of Genesis 19: God spared Lot’s family when he decided to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah because of the covenant he made with Abraham which covers his entire family and generations to come. I have read this chapter a few times and always believed Lot was spared destruction just because of this covenant, however looking closely in the first verse, The two angels of God met Lot at the gateway of the city and immediately he saw them, he bowed down and offered them his hospitality. They insisted they will spend the night in the square but he persuaded them to go with him and spend the night at his house, where he cooked for them and cared for them.

Reading this chapter Lot was spared not just because of the covenant between God and his lineage but because of his generosity, hospitality and because he refused to compromise himself and encourage sin.

How many times have we missed God’s blessing because we have not blessed and welcomed people that we know will benefit from our love and blessings? How many times have missed it because we have seen our friends or family sin but we have turned an eye because according to us it’s nothing to do with us. The truth is regardless of God’s covenant with us we need to play our part. We need to follow the word of God. The greatest commandment is love

1 Cor 13:13: And now these three remain: faith, hope and love but the greatest of these is love

Matthew 22 v36-39. Jesus tells the Pharisees that the greatest commandment is love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and the second is love your neighbour as your self.

Jesus’ death is a covenant on our behalf that we are saved and we will inherit the kingdom of God but we need to play our parts by obeying God’s commandments. We need to learn to bless people we know need help, they do not even have to ask. The angels of God did not ask Lot for help but he knew what Sodom and Gomorrah was like and he offered to keep them safe.
We must also not turn a blind eye when our friends and people we know are doing what is not right. Lot begged the men of Sodom not to commit such sin and he found favour in the eyes of God.
I am not saying we need to be shouting at the roof top at our friends or family but we need to encourage them to walk right showing love and we ourselves need to be receptive to correction from people God has placed in our lives.

WAITING ON GOD

I feel privileged to share two great testimonies this week and both of them are about waiting on God. Not giving up. Our God is a faithful God and everything he says concerning us will be fulfilled in his own time. Sometimes we go through challenges which as Christians should make us stronger. Its easy to pray, read your bible, go to church and do all holy things when everything is going great in our lives but it can be challenging when things are not so smooth and you have been waiting for long for certain things.

God allowed Satan to take away everything from Job to see how much integrity he had. The truth is the Plans God has for us are for good Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

A very close friend of mine has been looking to God for a job opportunity for almost 18mths, to a lot of people the situation looked bleak as she was also trying to move into another area of expertise. I am sure if I were in her shoes, I might have given up and found something else to do, a new business idea, back to my old job, maybe even thought about moving somewhere where the prospects looked better, but she endured and I genuinely from the bottom of my heart applaud her. This week after blessing her with a child too in her period of waiting for a job, God opened the door. Isn’t it weird, she did not get a job early last year when the market was still ok but right in the middle of a recession when people are still losing their jobs, God decided that her time has come.

For me lessons learned are my faith must never waver not matter how bleak the situation appears. God will answer me when the time is right for me, in the meantime I will enjoy the joys that he gives me in the midst of it all, Focus!! it is important to be focused, know what I want and stick to it regardless except God reveals to me that it is not right for me. Finally I should always be in a place of prayer always reaching to God. He’s the only one that can sustain me, he’s the only one that can gear me up, he’s the ultimate encourager, the ultimate provider and lover of my soul and surely he will always make a way.

Also in my family God blessed us with an extremely handsome (honestly I really mean handsome, cutey) boy this weekend. The whole family has been praying and my brother and sister had been waiting on God for a while. Their first child is 11 years old. A lot of people will have given up, will have looked in other places, for some it would have drawn the marriage apart but in my sisters home, waiting drew her immediate family closer together in God’s service and love for one another, she constantly gives so much love to all children around her and my younger daughter will chose to be with her than with me. God is who he says he is, there are things that are a mystery to us and he does things in his own time.

Let us all learn to continue to depend on God and be patient in waiting for what we desire, if it is for our good, he will surely come through for us at the right season.

Forgiveness

Our God is a loving God that is willing to forgive our sins, and since he asks that we love too, we need to learn how to forgive and show love. I don’t know what your circumstances are but I know that when I am holding a grudge, I am the one that feels pain, deep inside there is tightness that needs yearns to be released.
Some of us think of the things people have done and its just hard to comprehend let alone forgive. In fact when you tell other people, some will inflame the fire. What? She said that? He did that? The truth is when we don’t open our hearts to forgiveness we are killing ourselves slowly and taking bits of goodness from our selves. Am not saying we have to best friends with everyone but we can learn to forgive and live a life full of love as commanded by God.

Even non Christian research points to links between unforgiveness and health issues. Obviously not all health related issues are caused by unforgiveness but we open ourselves to sickness if we abhor unforgiveness.

Cancer surgeon Dr Ryke-Geerd Hamer from Germany has examined 20,000 cancer patients with all types of cancer. Dr Hamer noticed that all his patients seemed to have something in common: there had been some kind of psycho-emotional conflict prior to the onset of their cancer - usually a few years before - a conflict that had never fully resolved. Dr Hamer started including psychotherapy as an important part of the healing process and found that when the specific conflict was resolved, the cancer immediately stopped growing at a cellular level. Dr Hamer believes that cancer people are unable to share their thoughts, emotions, fears and joys with other people. He calls this "psycho-emotional isolation". These people tend to hide away sadness and grief behind a brave face, appear ‘nice’ and avoid open conflict. Some are not even aware of their emotions, and are therefore not only isolated from other people, but also from themselves.

Another study says

"People who have repressive styles tend to be more prone to illness, particularly [immune-system related] diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, infections, and cancers. The concept is of unexpressed anger. If one doesn't let it out, that could have adverse consequences." [University of California Los Angeles]

Even in the bible we are asked to forgive so we can be forgiven too Mark 11 24-25
24 I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. 25 But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.

There lots of people in the bible that did detestable things before the sight of God but when they called on God, he was willing to forgive them and we should note also that even whilst most of these people were sinning the eyes on God was always upon them, he never gave up on them. 2 Chronicles 33 1-17. Also with the children of Israel, through their 40 years journey and with all their sin God was still with them and was always willing to forgive them. Through out the bible there are countless story of forgiveness and restoration.

Who has upset you, who is holding the key to your fullness because you abhor unforgiveness towards him/her? Who is tormenting you by just thinking about what the person has said or done to you? Forgive them and let go. Restore your self to the perfect being that God made you. Let go of the hurt. Call on God and he will create a new heart and right spirit within you. Go to your pastors, leaders or mentors if you are finding it hard to let go. God wants the best for you and unforgiveness can hold you back from reaching your true potential.

Power of Prayer

I want to first thank God for his loving kindness and faithful. He is surely a man that stands by his words.

John 14:14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

This is the confidence we have as Christians that if we ask anything of God within his will for our lives he will do it.

1 John 5:14This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

Early this year my prayer group had a list of women (4) we were praying for concerning the fruit of the womb. These women did not even know they were being prayed for, but we stood together and lifted them up before God. Thank God, every single one of them is now expecting a baby. Most of these women had been waiting on God for at least 7 or more years.

Our God is a God that answers prayers, we pray for others and God answers our prayers. How is our personal prayer life? We have a God that listens and is ready to do great things for us but for some reason a lot of us don’t invest the time needed to have a conversation with him. Prayer is the essence of being a Christian. It is the way we make contact with heaven.

James 5 The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

Continually we have lifted people up in our prayer group regarding jobs and other things and God constantly hears us and has opened several doors. We should all reassess our prayer life and check to see if our prayers are effective. God listens and he answers. On my part this year alone, I can’t count the number of things I have brought to God and he has listened and answered at the appropriate time. For all these, I am truly grateful and I am learning to thank him more than I ask of him.

In the Bible we are advised to pray in every circumstance

James 5: 13 Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. 14Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.

God has also entrusted people into our lives that we have to pray for. An important group are our children. How many of us lay hands on our children every day and pray for them. Even if it is only for 5mins, whatever you call your children is what they will be. The prayer of a mother over a child is very effective and important for their moral and spiritual growth. My mother did this through out when I was growing up and I know God listened and still listens. Even now that I am older whenever she is around she lays her hand on my head every morning and prays for me.
Not forming the habit of praying particularly for our children who are vulnerable in this world is like leaving them alone in a battle field. Most of us will die and give up anything to make our children happy and well. Prayer is the best treasure and greatest gift you can give your children.

We need to pray for our partners, for our extended families and friends. We need to pray for our communities, as we live in, and our children grow up in these communities. We need to pray for our country as every decision right or wrong will make a difference in our lives.

Ephesians 6: 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

When we believe what our God is capable of doing in our lives, we will not have a problem with praying. He tells us that if we ask him he will surely do it.

Matthew 21: 22If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.

Make sure you are communicating with God daily, he is eager to hear from you.

Self Control

The English dictionary defines Self control as the ability to control one's emotions and desires, the capacity of efficient management to the future.

I will continue with the story of Joseph. He was a man that shows us an example of exercising self control and the rewards of doing so.

As mentioned last week, he could have had an affair with Potifar’s wife but he refused her advances and as a result went to prison for it. In the world we live in, very few people will go to the prison in place of so called enjoyment. In reality not having self control is an almost prison in itself as it send us to a land that will be very hard to return from. Lack of self control in one area of life leads to the inability to control other things.

Constantly being impulsive and living above our means leads to debts. Debts means having no control over our finances, it means working for loan and credit card Proverbs 22:7 The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender

Not giving our children discipline in love leads to children that we have no control over. Proverbs 22:6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it

Lack of self control in sexual desires leads to sexual sin that ends marriages and creates broken homes. Proverbs 6:32 But a man who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself (Same thing goes for women).

Lack of control in the words that we speak leads to regret and sometimes creating hurt that is very hard to repair, our words can either bring progress or destruction. Proverbs 18:21The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

Ephesians 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

Having self control is one of the main challenges for the human race. We want things and we want it now, people get angry and feel that revenge will make them feel better.
Anything that is in control of our lives apart from God can and will possibly bring ruin. We need to exercise self control by handing it all to God. We all desire good things and God wants the best for us but the best things are worth waiting for.

Proverbs 25:28. Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down without walls

Lack of self control is one of the main causes of sin, most people generally know what is morally right and wrong but cannot control themselves when there is a fight to satisfy self. Let us continually fill ourselves with the word of God and pray for God to take control of every area of our lives.

Faithfulness and Goodness

Our God is a faithful God and continues to manifest his faithfulness in our lives.
Most of us say the above statement but for some reason but tend to waver in our faith when challenges come. I know it's hard as we battle with flesh but we need to equip ourselves with the word of God and stand on it when those times arise.
If we look at the story of Joseph, God showed him his future through dreams but he had little understanding of what those dreams meant. He was also a loved boy by his father and rather spoilt. He may not have arrived at where God was taking him if he did not go through those challenges.
One thing I noted though was through all he went through, Joseph never compromised himself. He could have compromised himself with Potiphar’s wife but he did not. He waited for his time and he got there in the end.
When he arrived, note also how he was able to forgive his brothers and bless them after all they did to him.
Be rest assured through it all God is working on your behalf.

His word says in Romans 8:28 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Also we need to have faith in God and trust that he will surely come through for us. Regardless of our circumstances, we must not compromise. In the same way God is faithful to us, we must be faithful to him and not compromise.
Also we must show kindness even to the people that hurt us. God is love and shows love to all regardless of who and what we are.
I went to a powerful women’s conference a couple of weeks ago and the woman of God used the story of David claiming back all the things his enemy has stolen from him. 1 Samuel 30 1-end
For David to get back all the things taken from him, he had to feed one of the men from the enemies camp. The man had been left there by his comrades when he was ill and almost dying, David fed him and nursed him to health and it was the same man that took him to where all his things were. 1 Samuel 30: 11-16 We have to show goodness to people regardless of how they have treated us. They may be the key to our Success.

Kindness

Kindness is a big word but it is something we all have inside of us and are capable of. For me the foundation of kindness borders on treating others as you expect to be treated. We all show Kindness to people we really love and care about, but as a fruit of the Spirit, Christ expects us to go further than the people we love and care for. We are told to love those who hate us

Luke 6:35 But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.

If God were to consider our attitudes and behaviours he will not bless us at all with all we have, but he says he shows kindness to the ungrateful and even the wicked. The truth of it is their ultimate reward is in heaven. That’s why it is hard for us to comprehend how some really horrible people get blessed. God is a kind, merciful God and full of love.

If you read the story of Lazarus in the bible. Most people believe that the rich man went to hell because he was rich but really if you look properly into the story, Lazarus was by the gates of this man’s house, the man did not do anything horrible to Lazarus but at the same time he did not show kindness. He had so much that he could have blessed and been kind to the poor man. Sometimes its not about what we do its really about what we do not do, it’s very easy for us to be immune to things going on around us and believe as Christians we are touching our friends and families lives.

Do you know your next door neighbour, do you know people in your children’s school, how many charities in your neighbourhood do you volunteer for or even help. Some of our neighbours are going through challenges in their marriages and with their kids but we tend to just say to our own children, “I don’t want you near their kids” (I have been guilty of it myself), Some of our children’s class mates are struggling with divorcing parents, some have siblings that are disabled or terminally ill. what God requires is for us to reach out in love and kindness to the outside wall, out of the inner circle, show kindness, there are old people in our neighbourhood we can help, it teaches our children the act of love and kindness. There is a neighbour out there that could do with a kind word, some food for their children (Particularly in this economic climate), some need some money to pay bills.

We really should access ourselves as Christians and check what difference our lives are making to the outside world. Let us show kindness to people

Patience

Patience is a learned behaviour and one that we do not have a choice but to embrace.
Unfortunately in the world that we live in now, everyone wants instant gratification, instant answers, instant solutions. Even our foods are instantly made, instant coffee, processed ham for sandwiches, instant noodles to mention a few. The truth we all know is all these things do not taste like the real thing. They may feel the initial void but they are not long lasting. In the case of our food, the so called people that made all these instant foods are now telling us they are detrimental to our health.
This is the same with our faith and our lives. Generally instant gratification fills us temporarily but leaves a void very quickly. A friend recently told me how much one of her friend spent on her child’s party and I said I don’t see myself ever spending that much but she said the woman had waited almost 9 years to have this one child and she had the child through IVF after several attempts so maybe my attitude will be different if I were in her shoes and I had the means.
When we have had to wait for something we appreciate it more, take good care of it and are very grateful for it.
God perfects everything in our lives at the right time and he is always faithful to his word. Patience brings a lot of good results. We need to be patient and wait on God. As Christians our lives are in God’s hands and we need to let go and wait on him.

Isaiah 40: 31But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired.

I also found this poem which I found interesting.

As Children bring their broken toys, with tears for us to mend
I brought my broken dreams to God because he is my father
But then instead of leaving him in peace to work alone
I hung around and tried to help with ways that were my own
At last I snatched them back again and cried
“How can you be so slow”
“My child” he said
“What could I do?”
“You never did let go”.

We need to be patient and watch what God is doing in our lives, we need patience to find the right direction, we need patience so we may be totally fulfilled and not temporarily filled, we need patience to enjoy the journey on the way, we need patience to fulfil God’s purpose for our lives. Isaac was patient and waited on God in Genesis 26 when there was famine and God told him to stay in the land and not move, in the same year, the bible says he reaped a hundred fold (when there was famine).

Finally in
James 1 v 2-4
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.