WORSHIP OUTSHINES WORRY

"Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life."

 Phil 4:6-7 (MSG)

What was the climax of your day/week/month?  I know that if I'm honest with myself (which is not always easy!!) my mind tries to highlight the trials, challenges and worries.  I think things like "Well, I lost a client, but I'm working really hard to get another one", or "I still haven't forgiven myself for..., but I know that I must."

We're programmed to overcome, we're wired in such a way that we naturally need to fix and triumph in difficulties and hardships.  Our natural inclination is not to just sit back and relax - even if we are from Cape Town... it's just not natural.

I WILL ANSWER

'Call to me and I will answer you.  I'll tell you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own.'

Jer 33:3

I love this verse for two reasons:


Firstly - the assurance that GOD will answer us.  As Christians we often find it hard to believe that GOD will answer our every call - especially when we haven't quite lived up to our end of the 'bargain'.  It's this mindset that limits what GOD is able to do through us because we live with a 'law' mindset.  In the Old Testament you had to pay a price in order to have your transgressions absolved and be able to plead with GOD.

Jesus' death and resurrection changed all of that - so why, then, do we still think in the same way?  I believe that it's because we listen to the Devil when he tells us that we're not good enough.  It takes very little for us to believe that GOD won't take note of our call because we don't deserve His attention.

Stand firm

 Three quick lessons from Nehemiah

I want to share a quick encouraging thought with you that comes from Nehemiah 4:1-9 . Nehemiah was originally a cup bearer to the king Artaxerxes (try saying that ten times fast...) but GOD called him to rebuild the nation of Israel in Jerusalem. Quite something for a government official! I don't know many government officials that are actually involved in rebuilding and growing countries...

Anyway, I am really encouraged by the way that Nehemiah responds in this scripture for three reasons:

Persist. Persevere. Prevail.

"Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

James 1:4