Yvette's Stellar Stories

Monday 5 November 2018

The Complete Armor of God

Ephesians 6: 13 – 17 Amplified Bible

“Therefore, put on the complete armor of God, so that you will be able to [successfully] resist and stand your ground in the evil day [of danger] and having done everything [that the crisis demands], to stand firm [in your place, fully prepared, immovable, victorious]. So stand firm and hold your ground, having tightened the wide band of truth [personal integrity, moral courage] around your waist and having put on the breastplate of righteousness [an upright heart], and having strapped on your feet the gospel of peace in preparation [to face the enemy with firm-footed stability and the readiness produced by the good news]. Above all, lift up the [protective] shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the Helmet of Salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”

Today I want to encourage you to put on the complete armour of God. I don’t think we realise just how very important our armour is in this day and age. Each morning we wake up with a song in our hearts. Thank You, Lord God for a new day, for Your mercies new every morning. I know I am so grateful for a new day. It means I have an opportunity to work hard and glorify the Lord.

Today I believe God wants both you and me to upon our complete armour of God. We are strengthening ourselves against the attacks the devil has laid out for each one of us.

I also have the habit in pray that the Lord Jesus Christ will clothe me and help me face today. I feel our days are very difficult and if we don’t dress properly we are going to fail. Think of it like this, you get out of bed and take a quick shower, the first thing you do is dry yourself off and then cover yourself with some nice smelling cream. That’s what I do, and then I start with my undergarments and then the rest of my clothes. I have noticed that the cream has a beautiful fragrance and when I am hot and sweating you are able to smell my body’s perfume. A pleasant fragrance, I will walk past my husband and he will say you smell nice.

Your armour is supposed to be this fragrance; it must be the first thing we put on so that we can stand each day.

Prayer

O Lord, heavenly Father, and today we put on the complete armour of God. Lord, we want to successfully resist and stand our ground against the danger today. We, Lord, want to deal with any crisis successfully. Lord, I am asking that You will help us and guide us so that we are able to stand firm, not moving. Help us with our personal integrity and let our moral courage stand out. We want to always have upright hearts so that we can face the enemy in any situation. Please help us and protect us in this day and age. As we dress in the complete armour of God and also clothe ourselves in the Lord Jesus Christ. Thank You, Lord, for answered prayers. Amen

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Friday 2 November 2018

Making my expectations clear

1 Chronicles 29: 1 “Furthermore David the king said unto all the congregation, Solomon my son, whom alone God hath chose, is yet young and tender, and the work is great for the palace is not for man, but for the LORD God.”

I constantly try and make my expectations clear to my step kids but it is difficult because we do not seem to be on the same page. I expect them to take responsibility for whatever they must do. Sometimes I see them doing what is required of them but it’s seems to be a process.

How will these kids build their ‘temple” if we don’t guide them. I hate letting things slide and I am on their case constantly bearing in mind that I cannot let things go. But at the moment I have come to a place where I do not want to take up their responsibility in life, they must and I leave them to it.

Prayer

Lord please help me to understand these kids, I am asking they You will guide them and help them going forward. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen

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A “Blame Thrower”

Galatians 6: 5 “For each will have to bear his own load.”

I have come to realise that people constantly are looking for a scapegoat. I think of someone that has a specific task and has been instructed to do something for me. I must constantly remind this person to take responsibility for their actions but then I would be blamed or someone else or the weather or the specific appliance.

It makes me so angry but then there isn’t much I can do to get this person to take responsibility for their own actions. I remember what my daughter told me “mom, the noise in your head, isn’t in my head.”

I also realised that at the end of the day, yes, you can get away with your actions but there is going to come a day that we will be held responsible for our actions.

I also believe that whatever you believe will come to you. Being negative and looking through a negative eye will influence our lives. Jesus says that whatever we believe will come true.

Prayer

Lord humbly I pray forgive me for being negative and not always taking responsibility for my own actions. Help me not to become a “blame thrower” and take responsibility for my own life. Lord, humbly I pray for guidance and wisdom and insight and please Lord I believe that You have good things in store for my life, I believe that You will give me the desires of my own heart. Thank You, Lord for my children and step children and my grandchildren. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen

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Be tempted by God!

James 4: 7 “Be subject to God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him], and he will flee from you.”

Today I want to be good in everything I do and say, I want to live in peace with all people, my family and friends. When I am tempted by the devil do I give in? God is whispering in my ear do good, keep on doing good. Don’t get so worked up about this or that, trust in the Lord.

Yes, life is full of unexpected surprises and it depends on us how we deal with each situation. As I think about today I want to as the Holy Spirit to fill me and stimulate me each and every day.

Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit today and every day, LORD. I want to stay in Your will.

Prayer

Lord, God, Abba Father I humbly pray for the infilling of the Holy Spirit in my own life. I come humbly and submit my life into Your hands, asking the I may be obedient and listen to your prompting and leading in my life. In the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen

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Thursday 1 November 2018

Out of my control!

Exodus 4: 2 NIV “Then the LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” “A staff,” he replied.”

Now Moses was speaking to the LORD and the LORD wanted Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Moses was a shepherded at the time and he had a staff in his hands. God used Moses’s staff.

Think about this, Moses’s staff represents his job, what he does and who he is at the moment. What is in your hand? I have been thinking about this. I am holding onto my job with all my might. Now I find that the harder I hold onto it the more difficult and stressful it is.

Its like putting sand in the palms of my hand, the minute I close my hand the sand runs out between my fingers. The minute I open my hand the sand stays in my palm. What am I trying to say?

I don’t have any control over what I will be doing in my life next year. I don’t want to let go, but in all reality, I have no chose in the matter. I must let go and trust in the LORD. I am going to surrender my difficult situation into the LORDS hand.

Today I am taking the courage to surrender this thing I am holding on into God’s hands. I am going to trust God with this matter and next year I will bring God glory.

Prayer

LORD, I know You are in control over my life. I realise that I am struggling with this matter and You know my heart. Today I want to humbly come and surrender my situation into Your hands. I am holding on to it with all my might and it's very hard to surrender it into Your hands. Please Lord, this is my situation and I want to ask You to help me going forward. It pains me but I believe You are in control over my life. In the name of Jesus Christ Amen

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Who do you turn to?

Psalm 25: 1 of David “In you, LORD my God, I put my trust.”

Looking back over this year I have come to realise that this year probably has been one of the most difficult years in my life. I would not say that I have been abused or manhandled but my spirit has been under a full-scale attack.

The thing that shocked me the most is the deception and traps put out for me. I am a straightforward kind of person and I say it as I see it.

In a moment I was lost, I didn’t want to speak to anybody, I didn’t even turn to God. I felt totally abandoned. Then I started reaching out to the Lord, I realized that only God knows best. I called out to Him in my hour of difficulty. God is always able to stretch out His arm and help me. Psalms 25 reminds me that ‘no one who puts their trust in God will be put to shame.’

God has a good plan in place for my life and I will call out to the LORD with all my heart, I have been diligently seeking God. In my heart, I believe God is hearing my call. I know He knows my heart.

Prayer

Humbly Abba Father, I want to come into Your presence bringing You glory and honour, worshipping You in my hour of need. You, Lord, are in control over my life. You, Lord, are my saviour and I can trust in You. No weapon formed against me will prosper and I believe You are able to protect me, guide me and show me the way forward. I give you honour and worship You in the name of Your son Jesus Christ. Amen

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Monday 29 October 2018

God is with me

Psalm 84: 11 AMP

“For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows grace and favour and honour; no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.”

I have come to realise that God is with me each and every day. I don’t always see Him and feel His presence. I do however believe He is with me. I am thinking of Moses when he saw the burning bush and the LORD spoke to him “for the place where you stand is holy ground.”

I was standing in church yesterday and realized that God was with me in church and the ground I was standing on was Holy ground.

I read that AW Tozer wrote “God is above, but He’s not pushed up. He’s beneath, but He’s not pressed down. He’s outside, but He’s not excluded. He’s inside, but He’s not confined. God is above all things presiding, beneath all things sustaining, outside all things embracing, and inside all things fulfilling.”

I take comfort in these words because I believe God is with me regardless and I can call out to Him and He will answer me.

Prayer

Abba Father, You know the condition of my situation and where I find myself today. The things happening in my life which frighten me and I cannot show fear because I believe You are with me. I stand against these attacks in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ and pray please help me face tomorrow. I need Your protection because I can stand on Your Word, You are all around me and I believe You protecting me. In Jesus Christ’s name Amen.

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Friday 12 October 2018

Secret and presumptuous sins

Psalm 19: 12 – 14 AMPC

“Who can discern his lapses and errors? Clear me from hidden [and unconscious] faults. Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then shall I be blameless, and I shall be innocent and clear of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my [firm, impenetrable] Rock and my Redeemer.”

I have come to a place in my life confessing “known as well as unknown sins” before God. I don’t want to come with this attitude that I am blameless, I do not believe that I can even say that I am blameless, I think there are attitudes and sins in my life that I know of and others I might not even be aware of.

Prayer

Lord create in me a clean heart and a pure spirit. Help me confess my sins known as well as unknown sins. Please Lord help me draw near to You, cleanse me Lord in Jesus Christ name. Amen

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