Beware of wondering...

...then wandering.

Let us pray...

In the past couple of months, I've noticed that God has drawn me to a new level of prayer. The interesting thing that I have not necessarily started praying for longer times at one stretch, rather I have been praying more often within different stretches of time.

Thinking to the root of this, I can attribute this partially to the knowledge I gained from a a book: Prayer as a Way of Life - I read several decades ago. Although I don't remember who the author was, that book was definitely a seed which took root and is now ready to bear fruit. Addtionally, God has used several people to help me grow in this area of prayer. I have been blessed with a few ladies who have directly or indirectly watered and encouraged me. It is definitely a benefit to have others that you can partner with in prayer. My prayer partner and I pray together regularly and touch on the various dimensions of our lives - spiritual, emotional, marital, professional etc. 

Corrie Ten Boom articulated the place prayer should take in our lives when she said:

"Any concern too small to be turned into a prayer 

is too small to be made into a burden."

If you need to talk to someone about how to identify a suitable prayer partner, feel free to contact Beryl or I by email.

"Nice-to-have" vs. "Need-to-have"

It's nice-to-have people like you but that's not what I live for.

I live for and need-to-have God's approval...in all I do.

I'm not sure why or how but this thought crossed my mind...so I decided to share it because I've learned over time that God rarely drops things in my heart for only my benefit. He drops them in my heart so that I am blessed and better equipped to be a blessing to others which is my purpose in life.

As I am "getting older", or as we now say "aging gracefully" (and gratefully), God is helping me become more crisp on my "Nice-to-have" vs. "Need-to-have" list. I have found that there is so much in my life - including some relationships that were just "Nice-to-have" and that is a terrible way to live.

Beyond relationships, there are some "picture perfect" things that we pursue and put ourselves under so much pressure to attain that are really nice-to-haves versus need-to-haves. You know how I know? By simple observation.

So my question for you is: "How many things in your life are nice-to-haves versus need-to-haves?"
As we go into spring-cleaning season, I encourage you to make and take the time to clear the clutter of "nice-to-haves" so you have room for the valuable "need-to-haves" to bloom.

'Went', 'Sent' or 'Kept'?

A few years ago I  had in interesting 'Thank you' situation. As I pondered on it, because it really bothered me, the Holy Spirit drew my attention to Jesus' experience in Luke 17:11-19; let's read:

11 While Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem, He was passing [along the border] between Samaria and Galilee.  12 As He entered a village, He was met by ten lepers who stood at a distance;  13 and they raised their voices and called out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”  14 When He saw them, He said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were [miraculously] healed and made clean.  15 One of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, glorifying and praising and honoring God with a loud voice;  16 and he lay face downward at Jesus’ feet, thanking Him [over and over]. He was a Samaritan.  17 Then Jesus asked, “Were not ten [of you] cleansed? Where are the [other] nine?  18 Was there no one found to return and to give thanks and praise to God, except this foreigner?”  19 Jesus said to him, “Get up and go [on your way]. Your faith [your personal trust in Me and your confidence in God’s power] has restored you to health.” (AMP)

He then went on to expound this saying that when it comes to giving God (and men) thanks, we all fall into one of three categories:
- Went
- Sent
- Kept

Some of us, take the time and effort to "go" directly to God to express our gratitude and appreciation. When it's a human being, we want to thank, that person hears our voice - either face to face, via a call or even a voice message. These are in the 'Went' category.

The 2nd category are those of us who use an indirect medium to express our thanks without expressing it ourselves. As an example, asking someone to thank God or a person on your behalf without having direct contact with the Him or the person i.e. without reaching out to God or the person ourselves. For me, depending on the depth of the relationship, text messages fall into this 'Sent' category (pun intended).

The 3rd category is the 'Kept.' Essentially, we fall into this group when we do not even bother to say 'Thank You.' These people keep the thanks to themselves.

As I meditated on this, it occurred to me that the word that represented each category was further in the alphabet; almost as if it was commensurate to the level of effort required at each one: K ->S ->W.

At the end, all I could do was ask God to forgive me for when I have 'sent', or even worse 'kept', my thanks to Him or to others. I pray for grace to be in the 'Went' category more often than not.

Note: I recognize that sometimes the line between the 'Went' and the 'Sent' categories are blurred. However, I know that we know when they are not the same. Whatever happens, don't be or stay in the 'Kept' category.

May you and always have multiple reasons to say 'Thank you' to God and others.

Happy Thanksgiving...may it not just be a day in your life, rather a way of life.

P.R.O.S.P.E.R. to prosper (3)

This Psalm encapsulates how we P.R.O.S.P.E.R. to prosper

1 Praise the Lord! Great blessings belong to those who fear and respect the Lord, 

who are happy to do what he commands. 

Positioned and Obedient

2 Their descendants will be given power on earth. 

Those who do right will be greatly blessed. 

Righteous and Obedient

3 Their family will be very rich, 

and their goodness will continue forever. 

Prosperity for Posterity

4 A light shines in the dark for those who are good, 

for those who are merciful, kind, and fair.

Planted, productive and an example,
expression and extension of God’s blessings

5 It is good for people to be kind and generous and to

be fair in business. 

Planted and productive

6 Such good people will never fall. 

They will always be remembered.

Stable and Resilient

7 They will not be afraid of bad news. 

They are confident because they trust in the Lord.

Stable and Resilient 

8 They remain confident and without fear, 

so they defeat their enemies. 

Stable and Resilient 

9 They freely give to the poor. 

Their goodness will continue forever.

They will be honored with victory. 

Planted, productive and an example,
expression and extension of God’s blessings

10 The wicked become angry when they see this. 

They grind their teeth in anger, but then they disappear. 

They will never get what they want most.

Psalm 112 (Easy-to-Read Version)

Look at that log!

A few years ago, during a quiet moment while on a bumpy road trip, the Holy Spirit started speaking to me as I was thinking of how I felt about the way someone talks to others. As I pondered on various instances, I remembered feeling "Why does this person talk to me/others like this? What an arrogant person!" Then the Holy Spirit said to me: "Look at that log!" Huh? He continued "It's only a proud person that will feel bad when someone speaks down on you." What?! Where did that come from?

He then reminded me of this passage:

Matthew 7:3-5 - ³ Why do you see the splinter that’s in your brother’s or sister’s eye, but don’t notice the log in your own eye? ⁴ How can you say to your brother or sister, ‘Let me take the splinter out of your eye,’ when there’s a log in your eye? ⁵ You deceive yourself! First take the log out of your eye, and then you’ll see clearly to take the splinter out of your brother’s or sister’s eye. (CEB)

I heaved a sigh...and wanted to change the topic but He stuck to the topic. He started by reminding of a message by Pastor Adeboye decades ago when he said that if we remember that we were formed from dirt, we would be humble. 

He went on to explain that when you think about dirt, it does not respond or react when or to the way it is treated. We step on it, spit on it and do so many other things to it and no absolutely complaints.
Needless to say, it sure was a timely reminder because sometimes I get irritated when I think or feel that someone is being arrogant or inappropriate in the way they speak to or relate with others. Admittedly, I cannot categorically say that they are or they are not - maybe the issue is with me. So I guess the question for me is "Do I think too highly of myself and enlarge someone's speck without dealing with the log in my eye (maybe in my head too)?" I better look at that log and deal with it.

On point

Don't watch the wind...

This verse came to me in a new light – almost a “blinding one” - let's read it together first:

Ecclesiastes 11:4 - He who watches the wind [waiting for all conditions to be perfect] will not sow [seed], and he who looks at the clouds will not reap [a harvest]. (AMP)

On point...so take note - and action

Daring...

... or Disobedient?

Stay relevant...

Yes they both start with "S" and have impact on whatever they come in contact with.
However to be and stay relevant, remember that: