How God gives us our heart's desire

I prayed just a short and simple prayer, that God would somehow help me to read better or improve my memory so I could get to know my bible better. Not too long after, I could see God’s plan and answer to prayer start to unfold

Source: GirlsGotSole.com

I've been a Christian pretty much my whole life but for some reason I never really got into the bible. I was never a big reader anyway and when I tried to read it there’d be so much old English I didn’t really understand what I was reading and after 5-10 minutes of not taking anything in I would put the bible down and carry on with normal day-to-day activities. I found this so frustrating because I had very little knowledge of the bible for someone who had been a Christian for so long! I really wanted to get to know the stories in the bible, to be familiar with the people in the bible and to have more of an idea of what’s where. I had a longing in my heart to know more but trying to achieve this on my own just wasn’t working!

In my early twenties, my husband and I had our son and it has always been important to us to bring him up knowing Jesus. At bed times I would read him a story from one of his children’s bibles (of which he has many!) and, as silly as it sounds, going back to basics helped me to remember the stories of the bible too! I had a strange sort of breakthrough brought about by reading children’s stories which I am not embarrassed to admit to. My reading isn’t great so God met with me on a really simple level and it worked. Now we were onto something! I started reading The Message which is a version of the bible I find much easier to read as the terminology is more modern. Psalm 37:4 ‘Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart’.

Source: kristiann1.com

I prayed about it one day, just a short and simple prayer that God would somehow help me to read better or improve my memory so I could get to know my bible better. Not too long after, I could see God’s plan and answer to prayer start to unfold. First there was an online debate that sprang up between an old friend of mine and some of his friends – all atheists. My heart felt like it was going to burst out of my chest because I felt so passionate about helping them know Jesus the way I do. They turned to theory, evolution, and scientists to form the basis of their arguments which in turn triggered memories from various sermons I’d heard which provided answers to their questions. If only I could remember the bible scriptures! God pointed me in the direction of ‘biblegateway’ on the internet where you can search for words that occur in the bible and it brings up all the verses which that word appears in. This was great for finding scripture when I have an understanding of something but no clue where to find the scripture to back it up!

Our debate went on into the early hours of the morning and then continued again later on in the day. I wasn’t getting anywhere and neither were they so we left it at that. Just two minutes after finishing that conversation God moved me onto the next challenge. There was a knock at the door. My heart was still racing from frustration. My spirit was all stirred up. I answered the door and was greeted by two Jehovah’s witnesses. I nearly burst out laughing because I could see God was up to something, and I was feeling pretty drained at this point. The bell had rang and it was now time for round two! The two ladies seemed pleasant to begin with but when it became apparent there were some big differences in our understandings of God and where we go when we die it started to feel more like an attack from the enemy. God refuelled me and my spirit felt stronger than ever at this point. He gave me a discerning heart and my spirit stood to attention – listening to that still small voice of God. At the point it felt like the enemy was trying to steal my salvation I closed the door. Never before has my spirit ever felt as stirred up as this.

Because I didn’t have the best understanding of the things that had been spoken about I decided to start looking up some of the things that were discussed. Again, I used biblegateway as this made it much easier to find what I was looking for. Two weeks later there was another knock at the door. When I opened the door and to my surprise, they had returned! Only this time, the enemy threw me a curve ball by sending the same lady as before but with someone who I knew, but I was not aware was a Jehovah’s witness. We didn’t speak for long because I was about to go out and didn’t have as much patience this time. I felt awkward closing the door on someone I knew and a few days later I got in touch with her and apologised.

This led to us arranging a meeting to chat about our beliefs and how we came to know Jesus, albeit in different ways. I knew I had to prepare. I had realised by now that Jehovah’s witnesses know parts of their bible very well. I spent all morning flicking between my bible and the online bible. I was highlighting, scribbling notes, bookmarking pages. I was engrossed! It was as though God was leading a personal bible study just for me! I’d turn the page and something new would jump out at me. I was amazed! It was all so relevant!...and interesting!

Later in the day my visitor arrived as arranged and we chatted for about two hours. Our conversation was purely bible-based. In the days and weeks that followed our meeting we exchanged emails with questions and scripture. I would have to allow 2-3 hours to compose an email because I would get so engrossed in what I was reading and continually discovering. I continued to pray for a discerning heart and stayed close to the bible that God was revealing to me.

All of a sudden I was starting to realise that all this had happened because of a small prayer I prayed to God. He was personally teaching me about the bible and doing it in a way that helps me remember! I am continuing these one-to-one, God-lead bible studies but I have to make sure I have a few hours spare in the day before I get started! Praise God. I pray that God will reveal himself to you in a similar way.

Psalm 20:4 ‘May He give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed’

Author: Samantha Tarplin

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Being open to God’s way is better than ‘trying to get it right’

Abandon rationality - listen carefully to what God is really saying and let him strip away the layers to get at the real issues and deal with them. 

Source: www.pinterest.com 

I always wanted one of those clear-cut testimonies. You know the ones where someone has been to the brink of hell itself and God has changed their lives so radically that they never 'have any doubts' they never look back and have an amazing relationship with God. 

I am a third generation Christian and a pastor's kid. One October Sunday when I was 6, my dad was unwell so I went with my cousin to church. That day there was a visiting lady speaker who took the Sunday school. I can't remember what she talked about but at the end of her talk she gave an invite for anyone who wanted to 'give their heart to Jesus'. Those who did were asked to put their hands up and pray with her, and afterwards say ‘I belong to Jesus and He belongs to me’. I am an introvert and as I say a pastor's kid and so these factors very much kept my hand down. But I prayed along with the lady and everyone else said the words, afterwards I confessed to my cousin what I had done. It was something that I understood and wanted to do but felt convicted that I had not put my hand up and therefore I was not properly ‘saved’. I wanted to feel the amazing change in my life that everyone talked about however the more I doubted the more that everyone assured me that I was OK.

Source: www.mybible.com

There was a lot more talk about the second coming of Jesus in those days, and the trouble that awaited those who didn’t really know him at that time and this got me a little scared. To make matters worse it was about that time that someone introduced me to the scripture that says that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit would never be forgiven. You know what happens when someone tells you something like that as a child – yes - you believe you have done it. I can remember trying to go to sleep desperately without thinking ‘bad thoughts’ about the Holy Spirit and being dismayed at the result.

All of these things were compounded by me being a ‘thinker’ by nature. I could not accept anything without analysing it first (I still have difficulties in this area). So when it came to wanting an overwhelming experience with the Holy Spirit I just couldn't get to the right place – every little stray thought, the approach of those trying to help, the different theologies all got in the way leaving me confused and downcast.

I could say a lot more about this – but why share it at all you might say - it sounds negative. I think that I have been prompted to and maybe it might be because I suspect that I am not alone amongst pastor’s kids and those from families with a Christian heritage in finding it difficult to come to a place of reconciliation and assurance with God. What happened as a result of all this is I guess that I built up a protective wall of ideas, theories and theologies that in fact, far from getting me near to God became a wall to keep me away. My breakthroughs have come in part from discovering that for real:

Jesus really loves ME – His death on the cross was an offering for MY sin. He really wants a relationship with ME – He wants to walk day today with ME like He walked with Adam in the garden of Eden. He is NEVER going to do things my way even if ‘my way’ is theologically sound – whatever He does He will do His way and unless I am willing to humble myself and accept that I will get nothing. This is very hard for those of us who believe they know the ‘rightness’ of a thing. It may be right and it may be scriptural but it is possibly and even probably that it is not the thing that we need to hold on to at this moment, if all we feel is frustration and hardness of heart. Abandon rationality - listen carefully to what God is really saying and let him strip away the layers to get at the real issues and deal with them. Psalm 139:23 ‘Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts’. Yes it’s very tough but when He is finished the result is to be overwhelmed with love for Him and all He is. In that place He fulfils our deepest desires and outdoes all our expectations.

1 Corinthians 2:12 ‘That we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us’.

Author: Chris Pearson

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Experiencing the presence of God

As I sit down today pouring out my heart to the Lord I am struck by the beauty of the silence surrounding me.  I have an overwhelming feeling of peace and tranquillity that really surpasses any natural understanding

Source: www.pixteller.com

Today was going to be a very packed busy day, starting with a 6am prayer meeting followed immediately with a school assembly rehearsal then straight on to perform said assembly then dashing to another meeting to discuss an exciting new project that is starting in our church. I eventually arrive home with thoughts of all the other things that I have to pack in today and stop in my tracks as I notice the time and realise that my daughter is about to go into a job interview.  I quickly text her to pray a blessing on the interview and then the dilemma begins.  I feel the Lord prompting me to stop and uplift this before Him.  I am forever asking the Lord to help me to be a Mary and not a Martha but even though I was aware that God wanted my time to sit in his presence the un-surrendered part of me was tempted to carry on with my list of jobs. 

Right there and then I decided my Mary moment was here and I was going to grasp it with both hands.  As I immersed myself in prayer and fellowship with God something happened that has never happened before in my 33 years as a Christian.  A total peace and love encompassed and washed over the situation, over myself and even over the room I was sitting in.  I sat pouring out my heart to the Lord and then sat listening in awe of the experience.  I knew in that moment not only would my daughter get the job but I felt His tangible presence in the room with me.

Source: 4givenministry.com

The really interesting thing to me is that in my family (my birth family) we were expected to show our love by actions not words. However sitting there for the first time I realised that I needed both words and actions, hand in hand to discover the fullness of God. In that moment I wanted to shout out from the rooftops ‘I love you’ to God but I chickened out by just phoning some friends to tell them, ‘I love you’ instead. I was reminded by God that I am a work in progress!!!  Praise God. Philippians 1:6 ‘being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus’. 

As I sit down today pouring out my heart to the Lord I am struck by the beauty of the silence surrounding me.  I have an overwhelming feeling of peace and tranquillity that really surpasses any natural understanding. Psalm 46:10 ‘Be still, and know that I am God’.

When my daughter phoned a few days later it came as absolutely no surprise to me when she told me that she had got the job.  I realised that God often wants to get our attention and wants to share His heart with us, but we are happy to fill our life and time with distractions (often good things) that seduce us into thinking ‘we've done our bit’ and we can then sit back on our laurels.

Here is a challenge, next time you feel prompted to sit down in His presence determine to do it regardless of how busy you are because I would not swap that day for any other I have ever experienced in the whole of my life, Your experience may not be the same as mine, but I guarantee that if your ears are attentive to that still, quiet voice it is because God has something to say to you.  I urge you to not miss out on the blessing that I nearly did!!

Author: Lyn Hunt

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Seasons in the Son (Jesus)

…we will undoubtable encounter good and bad times in our lives, however the way we look at things can make a difference to how we are able to enjoy the good times and get through the bad. Jesus told us that we would have troubles in this world, but not to worry

www.leemillchurch.org

The favourite topic of discussion in the UK is the weather, we moan all the time about it, saying 'It's too cold, it's too hot, it's too wet or it's too dry', etc. etc. but we really are blessed to have the different seasons, and all of them have their good points and something to celebrate. Genesis 8:22 ‘As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease’.

Spring sees the days getting longer and new life appearing all around us as the blossom and leaves start to come on the trees and new shoots start to come out of the ground. Endless amounts of daffodils spring up in gardens and along the side of many of our roads. It's also the time for the spring Lambs to be born and jump around the fields as they play together. As Christians we remember the amazing act of love demonstrated by Christ as He gave His life for us on the cross, opening up the way for us to have new life if we chose to. John 3:16 ‘For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life’, and John 1:11-12 ‘He (Jesus) came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him. Yet to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God’. Let these words be a time of spring and a new beginning in your life.

Source: www.calvaryhelena.com

Then there's Summer, and for some a time of swatting for exams as they approach the end of the academic year, but on the bright side, we have the long days and short nights, the warmth of the sun, and holidays to look forward to and enjoy. Also by this time all the flowers are in full bloom, fruit is appearing on the trees and.........the grass constantly needs cutting!! Malachi 4:2 ‘But for you who fear my Name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in His wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves in the pasture’.

Next comes Autumn, and the nights start to draw in and the temperature starts to drop. What an amazing display of colour we get from all the trees as the leaves start to change from green, to reds, browns, oranges etc. We also look forward to celebrating the Harvest Festival and giving thanks for the Lord's provision as the land yields its abundant crops. James 5:7 ‘Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains’ and Philippians 4:19 ‘And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus’. God does not just meet our physical needs, but gives abundant provision for our spiritual needs as well. Romans 5:17 ‘For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!’

And finally there's Winter, which brings with it long nights, cold weather and a lot of rain or snow. Winter is also a time when all the streets and houses come alive with different coloured lights as we head towards Christmas and the celebration of the birth of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Isaiah 9:6 ‘For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace’ and Matthew 1:20-23 ‘But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins’. All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’ (which means ‘God with us’).

As we progress through this year we will undoubtable encounter good and bad times in our lives, however the way we look at things can make a difference to how we are able to enjoy the good times and get through the bad. Jesus told us that we would have troubles in this world, but not to worry. John 16:33 'I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world’, and as we draw close to Him, He promises never to leave or forsake us. Hebrews 13:5 ‘Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you’. So may you know God's peace and blessings on your life as you journey through this year and beyond. Shalom.

Author: Kevin Hunt

May God bless and enrich your life

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