Spiritual Growth #7 Meditation

Joshua 1: 8 NIV

“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips;
meditate on it day and night,
so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.
Then you will be prosperous and successful.”

I hear everybody meditates, Christians as well as non-Christians. I believe when we sit down and ponder God’s word we are in meditation, we are thinking about what the Word said and what it means to us as a person.

I believe we are so fortunate in being able to just go onto our Cell phones and read a scripture from the Bible we downloaded. We have the Bible at our fingertips. While we meditate we may just as well relax a little.

To be content and find rest in the Lord while you are reading His Word and focusing all your attention on what He is showing and teaching you. What an experience to sit in stillness before the Lord and learn.

The Holy Spirit will reveal truths to you and give you the necessary insight you need.

Prayer

Lord, I humbly pray for wisdom and insight and understanding, on meditating on Your Word today, please guide me and help me move forward. Thank You for the supernatural favour I enjoyed with You today as well as with other people. Thank You, Lord, for open doors and great opportunities. As I meditate and relax today, give me the strength to face tomorrow. Help me stand firm and please hold my hand. In the Holy Name of Jesus Christ. Amen

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Spiritual Growth #6 A Christian Mentor

1 Thessalonians 3: 10

“Night and day we pray most earnestly
that we may see you again and supply
what is lacking in your faith.”

In my own life, I am very needy and I am constantly looking for guidance and I believe that having a Christian Mentor just makes my life that much easier.

We need to speak to people about what is on our minds, how we perceive scripture and what it means to us. When we speak to someone who has been on this journey for a long time, they impart precious’s insight and understanding.

I find that people who have travelled on this road for a long time also have the experience and know how. Sometimes we need more information about fasting, why we fast and what is the intention of a fast? This is when we will need to speak to someone that knows and has the answers.

It is my heart’s desire that you will grow with me as we take this journey and learn more about growing spiritually. I pray the Lord will bless you and help you each time you study His word.

Prayer

Humbly, Lord, I want to come into Your presence today and say thank You for the people who mentor us. This year we will continue and I want to pray for wisdom and insight and understanding, I need to grow spiritually and I am asking for Your Supernatural favour in my life. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

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Spiritual Growth #5 Testify

2 Peter 3: 15
“Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation,
just as our dear brother Paul also wrote
you with the wisdom that God gave him.”

I know it sounds strange but by testifying you grow spiritually. Here is my own testimony, as a young woman we lived in the Orange Free State. Our family went through a really difficult time and one of our friends invited us to attend a church service.

The Holy Spirit was active that morning and He was speaking into my heart, I actually held myself down with both my hands. I was too shy to stand up in front of the whole congregation.

On Monday my friend came over and spoke to us and when they left I went to take a bath. I sat in my bath and I confessed my sins to the LORD Jesus. I prayed the sinner’s prayer and I believe ever since I have been saved.

After I accepted the Lord Jesus into my life, I feel that I started my Christian journey, I know it doesn’t sound that spectacular I didn’t do anything out of the ordinary and my life is very plain and so normal.

I can say the Lord has a plan and a future for my life and I believe that He feels the same way about you too.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, if there is anybody that needs to accept You into their lives today, Holy Spirit speak into their hearts and souls, draw them closer to You. Lord Jesus come into our lives and renew our thoughts, hearts and minds. I believe we are lost without You and we are humbly prayer come to us we need you. Amen

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Spiritual Growth #4 Reading Materials

Acts 2: 42
The Fellowship of the Believers
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’
teaching and to fellowship,
to the breaking of bread
and to prayer."

Growing spiritually I would suggest that you spend time reading good Christian Books, I think there are a number of great Daily Devotionals to choose from, there are a great number of Christian Novels to choose from. I found there are many Books on teaching about the Holy Spirit, Christian living.

I don’t know what you think about but the more you think about God the better, and some peoples journey may resonate with your own experience. I found that I wanted to know more about the Name of the Lord Jesus, there are a number of book on this topic.

Reading Christian books opened up a new world for me personally. I found interesting information and great insights.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, please blesses each person who reads this page today, opens their hearts and soul to Your words, and guides them. Bless them today and let You spirit rest on them. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

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Spiritual Growth #3 Attending Church Services

Hebrews 10: 25 NIV

“not giving up meeting together,
as some are in the habit of doing,
but encouraging one another -
and all the more as you see
the Day approaching.”

To my thinking it is a natural thing to do, going to church. I grew up in a family where we used to attend Church each and every Sunday.  My Dad would wake us up with a nice hot cup of coffee and then everybody would get ready for the service. I never really paid attention in those days but I am sure God already called me by my name.

In later years I still felt it was necessary to go to church and I would feel terrible if I had missed a service. I believe when we attend church its God’s opportunity to speak to us through His word. The Pastor would share his thoughts with us and many times God has a message for me.

I find that you need to go to church with an expectation, a need and you also need to be open to hear God’s message. In church, we make friends and then it becomes a community. From going to church there is the possibility to go the Bible study classes.

Prayer

Humbly, Lord, I come into Your presence, I know that it is important to attend Church Services and I want to pray that the Holy Spirit will ignite a desire in each person's heart today. Going to hear what the message is, is so important to each one of us. Thank You, Lord Jesus Amen.

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How to grow spiritually #2 #Ask for Forgiveness

1 John 1: 8 – 9 ESV
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves,
and the truth is not in us.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just
to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Now that we are in the presence of the LORD our God we need to humble ourselves and ask Him to forgive.

I think sin is something that comes naturally to us and it is always in our lives, so we do need to repent when we sin. This is the beginning of our transformation; we are working on the renewing of our minds.

We see in Psalm 32 verse 5 “Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin.”

In our drawing near to God, we are asking Him to forgive us our sin and He forgives us.

Prayer

Humbly Abba Father, please forgive me I am sinful and there are things I am asking You to forgive me. Yes, Lord, I want to confess that I have a jealous nature and I am too possessive please forgive me and I release this problem into Your hands in the Holy Name of Jesus Christ. Amen

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How to grow spiritually #1 #Quiet #Time

James 4: 8

“Come near to God and He will come near to you.
Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify
your hearts, you double-minded.”

#1 Quiet Time

Quiet time, please keeps in mind these are key to my own experience and I believe that it may help you too. We are reminded to draw near to God and He will come near to us. How will we do this? We can do this by spending time with God alone. I know in Matthew the Lord Jesus rises early in the morning and left the place where He was sleeping to go and pray.

In our quiet time, we are able to speak to God and ask Him for our protection, guidance and help for each day.

Thinking about it we should give our first hours of the day. I believe when you wake up early you should spend some time with the Lord. In the beginning, it is really difficult. Some days I would wake up early and others I would oversleep.

Prayer

Abba Father, thank You for keeping me safe and watching over me today. I want to dedicate my life into Your hands. Please help me to stay focused and help me to keep our quiet time private. I want to say thank You, for today and this time with You. Amen

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God will make away!

Isaiah 43: 16-19 KJV

Thus saith the LORD, which maketh
away in the sea, and a path in the
mighty waters;
Which bringeth forth the chariot
and horse, the army and the power;
they shall lie down together, they shall not rise;
they are extinct, they are quenched as tow.
Remember ye, not the former things,
neither considers the things of old.
Behold, I will do a new thing,
now it shall spring forth;
shall ye not know it?
I will even make a way in the wilderness,
the rivers in the desert.

I was really silly and I missed a great opportunity, I cried afterwards and I repented and I lamented but nothing changed. The consequence of my actions caught up with me. I couldn’t do anything about it and it seemed that all was lost. I prayed “Lord if this is where You want me then keep the doors open.”

It wasn’t two seconds and I was out, it wasn’t what God wanted for me, I was totally devastated. It took 18 months for my actions to get sorted out, God still made a way in the wilderness. Believe me, I am still astonished when I see what God has done for me.

When God decides on something for your life it doesn’t matter which way you turn, He will bring you back to the point where He wants you. I know I have experienced that first hand. I actually have seen this happen and I still stand amazed.

I must tell you that I am so happy about this because God is always in control and understands our problems. He knows what is best for each one of us.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You that You are making a way for me, that You have made a path for me to follow and that I am able to take it knowing You are there. Thank You for Your arm of power and for Your guidance. I want to praise You and bring You worship, honour and praise. You are worthy Lord, I adore You and know You are there for me. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

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Honour the Lord

Proverbs 3: 9-10 NIV

Honor the LORD with your wealth,
with the first fruits of all your crops:
then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine.

We need to honour the Lord in our lives and one of the ways we do honour God is by tithing. We see in Genesis 8 verse 22 there will always be “seedtime and harvest,” this will never cease. Do you agree with me that whatever we give will receive? 

Whatever we sow, we will reap at some stage? Yes, I have experienced this first hand.

I say that God wants us to honour Him with our finances. Look at what Luke 6 verses 6 verse 38 “give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

On top of this, we know the LORD loves a cheerful giver. Give without holding a grudge and worry about what you gave. Read 2 Corinthians 9 verse 7 “Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

Prayer

LORD, I want to honour You with my wealth, the first fruits of my crops. Lord, I am asking that You will search my heart and please cleans me. Lord, I pray for supernatural blessings, I ask that Your Spirit will fill my life. Amen

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#Glory and #Honour to God Almighty!

O LORD God, I will praise Your Name, the lifter of my soul. I will come and bring You glory and honor. Lord, You are worthy of praise. You created the earth and everything in it. You are the Lord of my life. I praise You for the opportunities You have given me. I will praise You for the strength and for lifting my soul.

I praise the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I will lift it higher and I will praise You. You are the Lord of my life, I praise You, Lord.

Your name is above every name and I will give You glory and honour God Almighty.

LORD You are the LORD at all time, I will praise You all the time, You name is constantly on my lips. LORD Your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in Your name I will lift up my hands. Praise Your Holy Name. Amen

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Present your case.

Isaiah 41: 21
“Submit your case,” says the LORD.
“Present your arguments,”
says Jacob’s King.

Let’s come boldly into the throne room of the LORD and present our arguments to Him. I want to present my case to Him concerning my job. I also want to present my case to Him about my relationships, and then my material needs.

See what it states in Job 22 verse 28 “You will also decide and decree a thing, and it will be established for you, and the light [of God’s favour] will shine upon your ways.” It is my desire that the things that have been taken away from me by locates be replaced. The losses I suffered are returned to me.

I am presenting my case to God and trust and believe that He will help me. In Revelations, we see there is a tree planted next to the living water-bearing 12 fruits, and it bears fruit 12 times in a year. From where I am standing it means every month of the year it bears fruit.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, LORD I come boldly into Your throne room, I clothe myself with the LORD Jesus Christ. I declare that I am the righteousness of God in Christ and I want to argue my case before YOU. LORD You know the problems I face and what my life is like. Please, LORD, I need an intervention in my life. I am asking also that YOU hear me. I am in need of a number of things. I am asking YOU please help me. Amen

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Steadfast / Poise

1 Corinthians 15:58 (ERV)

58So, my dear brothers, and sisters stand strong. 

Don’t let anything change you. 

Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord. 

You know that your work in the Lord is never wasted.

To be steadfast is something we need to learn and keep learning each day. I think that when we are faced with a situation that we feel we are going to “lose it” or “flip our lid” we should remove ourselves from that situation for a couple of minutes. Go and take a deep breath and re-group yourself before you react. If you cannot, I think you should say, I cannot respond to this right now. I need time to think and digest this first.

Self-destruction is something many of us do, and it is because we lack “poise.” “Stand strong, don’t let anything change you.” The challenge today is “stand strong” keep your pose, you are a Child of the Living God.

Heavenly Father, help us keep our poise in all circumstances good and bad, reminding us not to be conformed to this world but transformed through your Word. In Jesus Name, Amen! 

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Wellness

Job 33:17; 21 (AMP)

That He may withdraw man from 

his purpose and cut off pride from him 

[disgusting him with his own disappointing self-sufficiency]. 

His flesh is so wasted away that it 

cannot be seen, and his bones that were not seen stick out.

He was going through a lot and it is apparent that Job started to feel disappointed in his self-sufficiency. It is understandable that he had no pride left anymore as everything dear to him as he knew it was stripped away from him.

He must have been so sick that he didn’t eat well and because of his malnutrition, one could see his bones through his skin, he was wasting away.

Job’s testing was severe and I don’t believe we as normal Christians could understand what he went through. God’s mercy is new every day and we can come to Him when times are tough.

Prayer

Lord as we think about our wellness we pray that You will guide us and help us to follow You. We want to steer our lives into Your presence, in Jesus Name. Amen! 

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Husbands and Wives

Genesis 3: 6

“She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.”

Most women are curious and want what they cannot have. Satan must have been watching Eve while she was walking through the garden. Both Adam and Eve must have stood in front of the tree of the forbidden fruit admiring it.

Adam was instructed in the beginning never to eat the fruit in the middle of the garden. God said that Adam would surely die. Satan was watching Eve and knew she loved beautiful things. It would be easy to trick her into disobeying God.

The three of them were looking at the beautiful fruit in the tree and Satan said to Eve “You will not die if you eat this fruit.”

Adam stood right next to Eve when she reached out her hand and picked the fruit. She took a bite and gave it to Adam. What happened? Adam never reminded Eve of God’s instruction. Adam disobeyed God when he allowed Eve to eat the fruit.

God has a specific structure in place for married couples. The husband is the head of the household and then his wife and children. In honouring God we must honour our husbands. They are the head of our household who set the example for our kids. In John 10 verse 10 we read that when a husband is truly submitted to Christ, he can protect his family. I want to encourage husbands to submit their lives to Christ and take charge of their homes. Wives you need to encourage and pray for your husbands to trust in God and submit to Him. 

Prayer

Father God humbly we submit our marriages to You. Please guide our husbands and teach them the proper way in protecting and looking after our homes. I dedicate our husbands to Your hands today drawing them into Your kingdom, in the holy name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Amen. 

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Illness

2 Kings 20: 1 NIV

“In those days Hezekiah became ill 

and was at the point of death. 

The prophet Isaiah son of 

Amoz went to him and said, 

“This is what the Lord says: 

Put your house in order, 

because you are going to die; 

you will not recover.”

When people are ill and I am talking about people who suffer from cancer or some other dread decease. They go through different stages and the first one that comes into play is they isolate themselves from others and deny they are suffering from this illness.

Then when they actually need to deal with this illness they become really angry and lash out. Questions are asked and the “Why” comes into play. “Why me, what did I do to deserve this?” A struggle they go through for some time.

They start praying and reading their Bible and trying to bargain with God, “you know Lord if You allow me to get well I will serve You fully.” Things like that, and they do this for a while constantly hoping something is going to change.

As time passes and they see their bargaining didn’t pay off and they still are in the same state or have deteriorated they become depressed. They withdraw themselves from their family and friends and so sad and lonely.

They realise that there isn’t much they can do and then they accept their plight and they relax. Many times God heals people at the moment of their relaxation.

Prayer

Lord, we want to also pray like King Hezekiah Lord we repent and ask Lord, remember me. I walked before you faithfully and with a wholehearted devotion, I believe I have done what is good in your eyes. Please in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth heal me today. Amen 

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Marriage

Hebrews 13: 4 INV

“Marriage should be honoured by all, 

and the marriage bed kept pure,

 for God will judge the adulterer 

and all the sexually immoral.”

I used to sing the song “Love Hurts” all the time when I was married for the first time by Roy Orbison. This song spoke to my heart and I would try and understand my own life from the perspective of the song. The funny thing is that you cannot build a relationship with any song.

I was married for 21 years which to me was a lifetime and during the last couple of years, I just couldn’t get through all the hurt, pain and suffering. I spoke to so many important people and I prayed and cried and things just never worked out. I broke down and divorced my husband.

In the later years, I met someone really stunning my second husband. We get on like a “house on fire” and we also have problems but I do believe it’s about attitude. Working on our marriage is important to me and I try and understand his point of view. I know he loves me and goes over and above when it comes to my needs. God is good and has given me someone so special and I love and appreciate him.

Prayer

Lord, we thank You for second chances in life with our marriages and with our families. Lord bless our marriages because our children need that foundation to get married one day. We set the example and they follow in our footsteps. Please help us to show compassion, listen and love each other with an unconditional love. We pray this in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen. 

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Getting strength

Exodus 15: 2 NIV

“The Lord is my strength and my defence;
he has become my salvation.
He is my God, and I will praise him,
my father’s God, and I will exalt him.”

Nothing you say or do is going to make your life any better after everything is said and done life still has to go on. You look at the kids and realize they only have you to depend on and you cannot give up no matter what.

Some days seem so very hard to deal with; you feel like your entire life has fallen apart and that you just cannot get up and go. Then someone at the office sees’s you and gives you a hug and a word of encouragement. It’s not too long and another colleague walks by and gives you an unexpected cup of coffee with a cookie, your favourite.

You know God must really love you after everything is said and done. You see His hand of protection over your own life; you see the gifts of supernatural favour coming your way. You don’t have the strength to make it on your own but with God and good friends and family, you may just get through this difficult time.

Getting strength sounds really cool but when you really are falling apart and you don’t have the will to go on and face anything, which is when God sends you a friend or a family member. You talk about the divorce or the death of someone close to you. Each day you talk about the pain and hurt you are facing the more you are strengthened by your listener. The burn is getting lighter and you are starting to heal, one day at a time.

Prayer

Lord, you know the pain and hurt we face the loss of a family member through divorce or when they pass away. Thank You for sending us people into our lives to help us face tomorrow. We thank you for our support groups, family and friends. We don’t always understand and get why these things happen but we trust in You, believe You know best. We pray this in the Holy Name of Jesus Christ. Amen 

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Winning kids

2 Timothy 1: 5 TLB

“I know how much you trust the Lord,

just as your mother Eunice and your 

grandmother Lois do; 

and I feel sure you are still 

trusting him as much as ever.”

Kids that find themselves in broken homes normally have to fight harder to get where they are going. My kids are no different to all the kids out there. As a single mother life is not always conducive to kids.

My only resource at that time was to stay close to the Lord. I used to pray and fast many days, praying for the protection and salvation of each of my kids. We want to pray that they are not drawn into any unsavoury company.

Looking back I realised I cried many days, my kids had to deal with life first hand. My daughter was in a difficult situation. The Lord showed me in a dream that she was struggling and had no way out. I saw her in a pit of snakes and she was screaming out for help.

The next morning I decided that I would fast and pray specifically for my daughter. She lost her job which was a good thing. It was during the following three months when she stayed home that the Lord changed her life. She received the Lord and today I am the proudest mom ever. My daughter is a manager in one of the biggest financial houses in South Africa. God heard my cries and saved her life.

Both my sons are doing extremely well, fasting and prayer worked for each of them too. These kids of mine are covered by the blood of Jesus Christ and I remind God every day to watch over them.

Prayer

Lord, we are single mothers and have no resources please Lord, hear our cries. We bring our kids before you, as single mothers and grandmothers. Protect our kids; give them the necessary wisdom and insight. We pray in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

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