PRAYER OF CONSECRATION FOR 2013

Our Father in Heaven, we once again come to Your  Throne through the powerful Name of Jesus, our Saviour. We thank You for the blessing of another year, but the reality is that we are sustained by You moment by moment. We don’t know what our future holds, but we know that You hold all things together and, being outside the boundaries of time, You know our future.

You have assured us in Your Word that Your Plans for us are good and You desire to prosper us and give us a good future. Help us to trust in You and not to be anxious; it is easier said than done most times.

Lord, we thank You for the many doors of opportunity You have already opened to Your children, and to those who are still seeking,  we know You have the perfect answer to their petitions.  Grant us the privilege and ability to be  channels of blessing to those around us. Give those who are seeking work a good employment, that they may not remain idle, for in idleness is greater temptation to sin.

Thank You for the blessing of Your continual Protection over us. May the wisdom of Your Word lead us like a lamp through the unknown challenges that await us this year.  Help us to remember that we will not be alone, for  You have promised to be with us always. Help us to keep close to You, that we may not be led astray by the many distractions of this world that clamour for our daily affections. Help us to set our hearts on You, the Root, the Branch, the reason for our very existence.

May Your Holy Spirit dwell within the hearts of all who profess Your Name this year. Make us more compassionate and less judgmental, more generous and less selfish, more like You. Consecrate us to Your service this year, and help us to truly be  ambassadors of Your Kingdom. Let this be our primary mission and may everything else pale in comparison.  Help us to discover the treasury of talents and gifts which You have bestowed upon every person, and help us to use them not for vainglory, but in Your service.  May Your Perfect Will unfold in every life this year, as we trust in Your unfailing Love. Your plans are always the best plans! In You, may  we experience Life, Liberty and Happiness.  Amen.

God's Royal Law of Liberty

Jesus said: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” (Matt 4:4) It is the Word of God that created us and it is still the Word of God that sustains us each and every day of our lives. Therefore the Word of God should be the focal point of  our lives. It has many functions.

It serves as a moral compass to us to help us avoid the darker aspect of our human natures. “It is a lamp unto our feet, and a Light unto our paths.” (Ps 119:105) When the Word of God is eliminated from a society, moral decay soon follows.

In every Word of God is wrapped up His constant love for us and His desire to protect us. I like to imagine that God had each of us specifically in mind when He wrote His Royal Law. Isaiah 49:16 says He has our names engraved on the palms of His hands. When the Word of God  is practiced in the daily life of a believer, it serves as a happy liberation to the soul and leads others to admire God, our King.

The Law of God reflects His justice and points us to Christ, in whom is revealed His mercy. Like the blood of Christ represented “the sorrow and love that flowed mingled down”, so the Word of God represents His heart and thoughts to us.

We should follow the Word of God not through grudging or legalistic obedience as slaves to it, but rather because we love God. Jesus said: “If you love Me, You will keep my commandments.” We are sons, not slaves and we should behave as such. (Romans 8:15)

Shakespeare wrote that: “love is a star to every wandering bark, whose worth is not known though its height be taken.”

The Word of God as revealed in the Holy Scriptures is our “star of gladness gleaming”, for there is no greater love than the love of our Heavenly Father who has promised to “write His Law within our hearts.” (Romans 2:15). Keep your thoughts pure-reflect on God’s Law! (Phil 4:8)

"So speak and do as those who shall be judged by the Law of liberty." -James 2:12

God's Thoughts toward You

What does God think of me? It’s a question that we seldom ponder upon, yet it is one of the most important questions of our lives.

This answer to this question should override the fears that so often plague us and hold us back from our true potential in Christ which, more often than not, comprise other people’s expectations of us i.e. our family, friends and those closest to us.

Not knowing our identity in Christ causes myriads of problems in our lives. These include uncertainty, lack of confidence, depression and instability. Mankind is fickle and if we are to base our worth on others’ estimation of us, we will be miserable because people often do not admire us for who we are, but rather what we can do or what we possess. It is only God that looks at us from above and with all our faults and failures, still pronounces us as “good” and the pinnacle of his Creation.

Christ also experienced this when He walked the earth; one minute the crowds shouted “Hosanna!” but very soon thereafter, the same people shouted “Crucify Him!”(Matt 21:7-9; 27:20-25)

Basically, it comes down to this. We would live happier, healthier and more fulfilled lives if we focused on what God thought of us instead of worrying about what others think of us. Consult God when making important decisions-make Him your number one “go-to person” and when in doubt about how to behave in a particular circumstance, always think: “Will what I am about to do please God?” We seek the approval of our earthly parents so much; why not crave the approval of our Heavenly Father?

When you feel depressed and worthless, remember that the cross is what keeps us balanced. It shows us the horror of our sinfulness, but also how much God loves us despite ourselves.

Don’t make important decisions based on what others will think of you, especially when it concerns your own salvation. There are some matters that should be kept between you and God.

“How precious are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them!” Ps 139:17

The Secret to Contentment Part 4-A Learned Behaviour

Have you ever wondered why some people seem to have it all, yet never find true happiness? Scripture is fraught with examples and wise lessons on how being physically rich in the wares and treasures of this world makes it even harder to find entrance into the Kingdom of God. Since the Kingdom of God begins in our hearts, if our hearts are full of restless striving for worldly treasures, one can clearly see the problem! Jesus Himself said that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. (Matt 19:24) The love of money is the root of all evil, and those who possess such greed will never experience true contentment. It is not impossible for rich people to enter into Heaven; it’s just a lot harder! (1 Tim 6:10)

True contentment comes from recognizing the value of the eternal and unsearchable riches of God’s grace. After all, your heart is where your treasure lies (Matt 6:19-21). Those who practice the art of contentment make it look easy! However, contentment is a behaviour that often comes by way of learning some hard life lessons. I must confess, I myself only started experiencing contentment after the year 2008 which to me was one of the worst years of my life! It took  spending my first stint in hospital, escaping unscathed from two car accidents (one from a horse and trailer truck which would have demolished my poor Tazz had it not been for the hand of God), having one cell phone destroyed from liquid damage and another stolen, together with a season of unemployment and depression to teach me contentment. Yet despite this, I consider it one of the most valuable gifts I have been given – the ability to treasure and savour each passing moment of life, valuing it for the precious gift of God it really is.

The Apostle Paul states in Phil 4:11-13: “…for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” From this, we can clearly see that contentment exists in the heart of one who is totally surrendered to God and who gives up his own willful passions, plans and desires placing them subject to the Will of God. In this he takes up his cross and follows the Master, and in denying himself he finds true contentment (Matt 16:24-26). Contentment is a learned behaviour. It is when everything is stripped away from us that we learn that we really don’t need that much to survive after all! God will take care of you; if you make His business your priority, He will make your business His priority. (Is 33:6,16)