A word of encouragement for you all in this hectic time

I just want to send a word of encouragement for you all in this hectic time.

I believe the Lord is sending new miracles and wonders to everyone of us. When we pray and ask for change, we expect it to come somewhere along our everyday lives and everyday schedules. But the truth of the matter is that change comes in God’s perfect timing.

Currently a lot of our minds are more compact and fuller than our closets/wardrobes. We need to know and stand steadfast on the fact that our God is always on the move and that he won’t just protect us and our loved ones from the Coronavirus, but bring us out stronger and closer to God than ever before.

By allowing our minds to panic and lean only on the understanding of the Government, we are closing our minds off from change and not allowing any room for new perspectives and levels with Christ. We all need to stay in God’s presence and make room for the new.

We need to be stationary in the will of God and the peace of God, and be planted by the streams of living water and then God will come to us and favour will come to us.

“I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, an object descending like a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came to me.” Acts 11:5 (New King James Version)

Let us all be calm and courageous in this opportunity to break the limitations that bound us to this earth. As the scripture says in the Bible, God came to Peter while he was praying, heaven came to him. We all need to be still and know that God is God. Let Him show us and the world that everything; new and good, comes from our King and Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ.

Let us not look for things to go back as they were but instead look forward unto the unknown and be expectant that our God has something more for our lives and glorious for us.

“Remember [carefully] the former things [which I did] from ages past;
For I am God, and there is no one else;
I am God, and there is no one like Me,
Declaring the end and the result from the beginning,
And from ancient times the things which have not [yet] been done,
Saying, ‘My purpose will be established,
And I will do all that pleases Me and fulfills My purpose,’” (Isaiah 46:9-10 Amplified version)

– Troy Reid

“And I will send you another…”

The beautiful thing about God is that He always has a plan – reconciliation (restoring man back to Himself). From the very beginning (Adam, Eve, Serpent and sin – Genesis 1-3) until NOW; God’s plan is to always restore us back to Himself.

 After the death of Jesus; before His passing he said,

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

John 14:16 (King James Version)

God’s ways and plans can sometimes be forgotten by man (universal context), even after we have acquired of them. We don’t always intend or desire to, but things get in the way – people, circumstances, situations.

God’s Word can also slip from our eyes, even though it should forever be before us (Deuteronomy 11:18) and not forgotten (Proverbs 4:21). But thank God He ALWAYS has a plan!

The Bible says,

“If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

John 14: 15-18 (New King James version) 

We have the GREATEST gift of all… the HOLY SPIRIT. Let us turn to Him and get back to our rightful place in God.

What do we need for 2019?

-       What truth do we need to be led into?

-       What do we need to return back to?

-       What do we need help with?

-       What do we need guidance on?

-       What have we forgotten or not yet learned? Etc.

Let us ask Him; the Spirit of Truth - He knows EVERYTHING.

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

Matthew 7:7 (New King James version)

 Don’t walk in 2019 or beyond without Him.

BY STACEY SPENCER

GIVE UP the Ghost

“And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, ‘Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit:’ and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.” Luke 23:46 (KJV)

At the end of December 2017, I heard the words “give up the ghost.” During that specific moment in time, I had absolutely no idea what that meant but I KNEW God was speaking to me personally. That’s the thing I love about God, He gives you a Word in every season. He gives the Word to you in whatever way He speaks to you before you go into something or as you are going through something – a snippet before its fullness unfolds.  

Since that day; and even now, my life has become more of an INTERNAL battle. I can literally feel the war. The temper has flared up, frustration has climbed new levels, patience and tolerance are itching me, the tongue goes wild every now and then… BOOM! The bomb has really gone off. Paul’s words in Romans 7 & 8 resonate in my whole being. They’re becoming ALIVE on the inside.

At first, I was like “Lord, what is happening to me?” I automatically assumed that everything that was happening to me was a bad thing. Then I remembered the words of Pastor Philip, “let it come up and come out,” messages spoken by our Pastors and other ministers in church about our flesh being strong; we ourselves being too strong… DING DING DING!!! #LightBulbMoment.

The Word I heard came to mind again – give up the Ghost. Even though Luke 23:46 is referring to Jesus giving up His spirit; dying on the cross to move into the next phase of God’s divine plan for us, what God has been saying to me through this Word is GIVE UP YOUR FLESH. The scripture now takes on a new meaning for me. 

Through this Word, God is saying, “Stop fighting me. Give up your flesh.” I must give up MY WAYS. In order to go to the next level, the flesh MUST die. I must give up my ghost– my soul (will, mind, emotions), heart and spirit. EVERYTHING I am, I MUST give to Him. I must STOP FIGHTING HIM.

Welcome to the process friends… or as Pastor Isaac calls it, METAMORPHOSIS.

Of course the battle is intense because the flesh doesn’t like the spirit and the spirit doesn’t like the flesh – they’re at enmity with one another (Romans 8:7). The flesh doesn't want to die! You really begin to meet your other side… your Mr.Hyde. However, we must still give up our flesh. 

God has been telling us as a house that the Holy Spirit is coming in a greater measure and the Church will not be able to hold Him. Isn’t it ironic that this is one of the Words for 2018, but just before it God tells me to, “give up the ghost?”

I’m here to say that the struggle is real but SO IS GOD. God tells us to pick up our cross daily and follow Him (Luke 9:23). As hard as it can be; especially when we don’t want to, WE MUST stay connected to God and daily give up our ghost – our flesh. It’s challenging but the more we find ourselves in His presence, the easier it will become because there is more of Him and less of us (John 3:30). 

Be encouraged to die and keep dying to your flesh… give up your ghost to receive His.

BY STACEY SPENCER

“I’m Boxed In”

Note from Author:

For 2018, I have decided to explore something different with my blog posts. I will be writing a series of allegories (a story in which the characters and events reflect a deeper moral or spiritual meaning). I have also written a set of questions to help you reflect and apply the story to your own personal life.

.....

September 12th 2017 5:30pm

       Ava storms past Olivia’s house upset and running. Being worried, Olivia runs after Ava. Ten minutes later, Ava; finally, has burnt out.

        "I’m … boxed … in!" Ava pants, throwing her knees to the ground and covering her face.

        "What box?" Olivia huffs, looking puzzled and trying to catch her breath. Olivia tries to identify their bearings.

       "Emm Ava, where are we?"

       Ava’s looks up at the unfamiliar territory around her with the same expression as Olivia.

       "Oh, you have got to be kidding? I’ve left my car open,” Olivia huffs in frustration as she turns around and starts walking back the way they came.

      "How have you got us lost?" says Olivia, turning with her hands on her hips, looking angry at Ava. Getting up and walking towards Olivia, Ava responds,

     "I didn't intend to get us lost. I just couldn't breathe."

     Scratching her head and then moving her hands to her face, Olivia questions,

     "Couldn't breathe? What? You was just running, have you gone mad?".

     Ava breaks down crying and Olivia comforts her. When Ava calms down she explains to Olivia that sometimes she feels like she is going mad. She explains that she is not referring to physical breathing but spiritual breathing. She feels overwhelmed, like change is impossible. Ava explains to Olivia the details of her life for the past year. How she feels boxed in, but not in a physical box. That she feels restricted, stagnant and limited in her mind, feelings, heart and relationships; especially her relationship with God.

    Regardless of her efforts, Ava remains spiritually frustrated in many areas of her life, causing her to feel overwhelmed like she cannot breathe. This is why she was running, she was trying to run away but gave-in because she realised you cannot run away from yourself. The box is internal, the inability and limitation is within. 

    Not knowing how to respond to Ava, Olivia comforts and encourages her, letting her know that things will get better. That she just needs to hold onto her faith in Jesus. Then they tried to find their way back home. 

September 12th 2017 10:00pm

    Later that evening, after getting her home in order, Olivia spends some quiet time thinking about Ava. Full of concern but feeling very powerless, she decides to pray for Ava. 

 “Dear Heavenly Father, I come to ask you to please help Ava breathe again. Lord you know and love Ava, please help her see and know your love at this time in her life. Father, I ask that you break the internal box that Ava feels she is in. Tear down the walls of her thinking. Melt the cement within her heart and stabilise her emotions so that she can breathe again, walk again and live again in a flourishing relationship with you. In Jesus name. Amen.”

September 19th  2017 12:30am

    Lying in the dark, tears running down her cheeks, Ava cries herself to sleep again.

    Ava finds herself in a theatre room, hearing the alarm of a monitor. A patient; covered, is on a table and the staff are just staring at the alarming monitor. 

    “Why is no one doing anything? Is the person dead?” Ava cries out.

    “Not physically dead,” speaks another.

    Ava looks around to find out where the other voice is coming from, but no one else is in the room. Ava, looking down defeated, whispering,

    “I don't understand?”

    The voice speaks again, “It’s like what you described to Olivia. It’s not physical death, but yes she is spiritually dying.” Ava looks up in surprise and asks,

    “How do you know what I said to Olivia?”

    “You know how I know Ava, just like you know who is on the table,” the voice replies.

    “Is it me Lord?” she whispers.

    "Yes, Ava it is you," the voice responds compassionately.

She falls to the floor in tears and asks, "why won't they help me?"

    "You know why?" the voice replies.

    Ava stands to her feet and examines the room as she shouts, "I do not know why!" She stands next to one of the staff, who is as still as a mannequin and throws her hands around in frustration and states,

    “I guess it's the same reason why everyone else can't help me… it's impossible!" The voice responds,

   “And that's why they can't help you because you do not believe you can be helped." She looks around in shock, then resigns speaking to the floor.

    "It is true… I'm too much of a mess."

    "Do you think a mess is impossible for me Ava?" the voice questions.

    "No Lord, but…" Ava looks for a distraction because He has caught her out. Walking over to the Doctors trolley, “Ahaha, that will do,” she thinks.

   "Why is there a big Bible on this trolley?” Ava asks.

   "My Word is waiting," the voice declares.

   "Waiting?" She questions.

   "Yes, for you Ava! My people are waiting for you, my Word is waiting for you and I am waiting for you," the voice announces. Ava, confused, asks,

   “Why are you all waiting for me, Lord?"

   "Because I have chosen you. I have presented life before you Ava. We are waiting for you to choose life," the voice boldly declares.

   “How do I choose life Lord?” she questions.

   “By saying yes to my Word,” the voice instructs.

    Ava wakes up and finds herself back in her bed, in the dark but something feels different… To be continued. 

Reflection questions

Place yourself in Ava's position and ask yourself:

1. Where am I at and what is going on inside me?

2. Am I seeking wise counsel?

3. Is God and those around me waiting for me to say "yes" to God’s Word?

4. What action can I take to move forward?

Place yourself in Olivia's position and ask yourself:

1.   How can I support those around me who are struggling?

BY CHARLENE KERR-SPENCER

All images courtesy of Pixabay

He Was Moved With Compassion

‘But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.’

Matthew 9:36 (King James Version)

It’s awesome how five simple words of a language can change a person. Who ever thought that five words could articulate what it means to be human? What human is to look like on the Earth… pretty amazing right?

Over the past few months these five words have been laid on my heart. Whether I am walking down the street, socialising with family and friends, writing, eating, sleeping; whatever it is that I am doing, these five words whisper to my spirit and circulate my mind.

What captivates me about them is that Jesus was moved with compassion. He wasn’t moved BY it but He was moved WITH it. Compassion was Him, built in Him; innate. God has been challenging me to move with and not by compassion, and it is this which I would like to share with you today.

If you know me then you will know that I am a lover of words and meanings. The key word that sticks out to me within these five words is with, which simply means, ‘accompanied by, characterised by, or having’ (Dictionary.com). Jesus functioned with the power of perceiving by touch, His whole being (EVERYTHING in Him) was compassion – ‘a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering’ (Dictionary.com).

Jesus’ compassion moved beyond what we know as our human emotions. He perceived (to become aware, discern) and desired (to wish or long for, request) change for others with His whole being. It was this characteristic in Him that allowed Him to move from one place to another to bring change, to move from one person to another to bring change, to be the sacrifice and die for us to bring change; ultimately to bring reconciliation (to cause a person to accept or be resigned to something not desired, restore – Dictionary.com). WOW, what love is this?

Jesus wasn’t moved by compassion because to be moved by something is not merely enough to bring a consistent, everlasting, internal change for yourself or another. The word by means, ‘to the extent or amount of, within the extent or period of’ (Dictionary.com). This means that there is a limitation when we are moved by something or someone, rather than moved with something or someone. It will only last a certain amount of time because it is not something that is built within our nature.

As humans we all have moments where we operate in our own strength when it should be the Lord’s strength, grace, and mercy we walk and operate in (Matthew 10:8, 2Corinthians 12:9). Our own forgiveness, tolerance, and grace towards people and situations can run slim because we are limited, which is why it is by the Lord’s that we must go in (Zechariah 4:6).  

In Luke 6:36 it reads, ‘You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate’ (New Living Translation). We are commanded; it being an absolute, to be compassionate. As we are to be it, it must be built within us (our minds and hearts), as it must last and not tarry only for a season. We must allow the Holy Spirit to build compassion in our hearts and minds. We always talk about renewing our minds (Romans 12:2), but we forget that we also need God to work on our hearts (Luke 6:45, Proverbs 4:23, Proverbs 21:2). God said that He would give us a new heart (Ezekiel 36:26), but we must partner with the Holy Spirit to continually pursue and keep it renewed (Psalm 51:10, Romans 2:29). The heart is important, and before we can touch others we must be touched in heart too. 

So, considering all of this: Are you moved with or by compassion? What is the state of your heart today? Question yourself and invite God in… HE LONGS TO BRING YOU CHANGE; to restore you, to bring a better, everlasting change. It’s never too late, so let’s assess, change, and move forward in His grace together as one; the way we were created to.

BY STACEY SPENCER

Let Your Will Be Done

'I have glorified you on the Earth: I have finished the work which you gave me to do’ (John 17:4). This is the scripture I received after hearing myself pray, ‘Let your will be done in me as it was in Christ Jesus’.

For me, the best moments of prayer are hearing God speak through you in English, not knowing what’s coming but being blown away as it comes revealing that it hasn’t been pre-conceived by you; in fact, in that moment my mind was saying, ‘that’s not the scripture Riss!’ But when God speaks you feel the substance of His words and I am learning that when He speaks its always an invitation to walk into something new.

I was seeking simplicity and as always, God the Father points to His beloved Son. The beauty of their relationship wonderfully illustrated through love, sacrifice and dependency. Let Your will be done in me as it was in Christ Jesus. We have been endued with the power to choose and even when we try to seek an alternative way out, through Jesus we find the nevertheless grace.

Nevertheless, not my will but Your will be done. Nevertheless, my grace is sufficient for you because in your weakness I am strong. I am afraid; nevertheless, if I perish I perish. In the Son, all eventualities have been covered and every path He leads you on, He desires to walk with you. Choose to do nothing without Him, choose to wholly abide, choose to surrender your heart. Let the will of the Father be done in you as it was in Jesus.

What’s your something new in this season? What is God inviting you into? What word of His is He asking you to stand on?

BY LARISSA MATTHEWS

Don’t forget: As you reach UP, reach OUT!

After a week with two hundred young people from varied backgrounds, I feel greatly inspired to devote this blog to some of those youths.

The week was a tremendous blessing and there were some significant times of encounter with God, especially during worship. The messages spoken during the sessions were clear and relative, and I truly believe that the hungry were fed and the thirsty were watered.

But the devotion of this blog is to those few. I really can’t quantify or say how many, but to those who arrived with many questions possibly left with many questions, and those who struggled to engage during sessions. Those who during the times of deep intimacy of the spirit during worship were overwhelmed by the atmosphere, the intensity of the praise and the revealing of Jesus through the Word; and felt lost, these few words are your thoughts written down.

For me; no matter how powerful the service was, or how profound; or practical, our teachings were, there were some “lost sheep in Israel” that were crying out right there in our midst. Crying out for love, for hope and for peace.

They were crying out through their frustration; even through their absence in sessions, to know more than just the practicalities of the youth camp. Their behaviour screamed I don’t want to be here but their tears and conversations told another story.

I guess my point to all of this is that the church must encounter God to touch people, to embrace Jesus and all his amazing qualities which then must lead to embracing our youth. To embrace those who may not have the language of church that says, “I need help!”

We cannot become religious in our pursuit of God and remain behind the four walls of a building, forgetting how to connect with people we are meant to serve.

As we strive as the church of Christ to encounter Him more and experience; and receive His grace, it should not be at the cost of isolating ourselves behind the stained glasses of traditional windows or the lights of contemporary churches and miss the amazing opportunity to share all that we have received with those who truly require it.

Let us not forget this week during our meetings, our studies and our worship times: As we reach up, let’s reach out!

Matthew 9:35 “and Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.”

­­– Pastor Michael

God is STILL God and soil is still soil…

I know exactly what you’re thinking… “He’s lost his mind,” or “What’s with all these crazy titles and posts?’. Ha! Let me explain…

I’m gonna get right to the point with this one; let’s look at the parable of the sower (Luke 8: 4-15). Jesus takes us through the understanding of this parable and explains about where the seed (the Word) lands, and the condition of the people that receive it. He makes it very clear that the sower (God) can and will sow seed to anywhere it is needed, but the focus is on the condition of the soil and its surroundings. The Bible teaches us that His word cannot return to Him void (Isaiah 55:11); void can also mean without result. This re-iterates the fact that the soil is a very important factor for growth and the condition of such is significant for the result.

Even from the beginning of creation, mankind was designed from the soil, dust, earth, and ground. The earth was historically considered to be the most valuable asset; this is the reason why God promised so much land, why Moses was instructed to help the people of Israel to inherit it, and why David was commissioned to possess it at all costs. Why? Because of the capabilities of the ground; its ability to reproduce and sustain growth.

The most common thing in the parable is the soil; notice that every instance where the sower spread his seed, there were still results. Even when the seed was sown on rocky ground (or shallow soil, in some translations), it STILL sprouted!! What does this tell you? That no matter what condition the soil is in, there is always potential for growth. Soil is still soil; whilst its capabilities may be hindered or reduced by other factors and conditions, it was designed to bring forth life. And so are we… No matter what life may throw at us, we still grow. Don’t get me wrong; not all growth is good growth. In fact, I would encourage you to be the best kind of soil you can be to get the best results. But a lot of the times this is not possible.

Life can challenge us in ways that we can become hidden from the proper conditions for growth. The more that we stay away from His presence, we lack the moisture of the Spirit, the daylight of His glory and the warmth of His grace. And guess what? We will continue to grow, but not the growth we truly need. Did you know that growth can still take place in darkness? We can even grow in crowded places with no substance, around people that have ulterior motives, ministries with false doctrines or teachings. We, being the soil, can have our own ideas about how to live right and serve God, instead of searching His word and following His mandate for us. Many times, we often think that we are rooted in good soil and don’t realise we’re setting ourselves up for a mighty fall.

Here's the beautiful thing; God is still God! The unchangeable, omnipotent, unshakeable God. The one who’s conditions for growth never change. The same yesterday, today and forever more (Hebrews 13:8). Where the sun always shines and the rain always falls; the perfect balance for all our needs. Yes, of course we will have times where we feel like we are out of our depth and storms will come to shake up the very core of our existence. Who doesn’t go through turbulence? I’ve sure had my fair share of tribulations; far more than I care to think about. But in all things, God has remained consistent: the clear blue skies, the radiant sun, the perfect temperature and even the amazing downpour.

Whilst God provides the perfect conditions for growth and reproduction, we must take responsibility for our “depth”. Good soil demands us to have room for roots to develop, in order so that when we grow, we become resilient and strong. It’s at this place where we can truly bear fruit (Luke 8:8, 15). We ought to grow, not because God demands our fruit and substance, but to distribute what we have manifested for the greater good of His kingdom. It’s important to remember not to take His unchanging nature for granted, Isaiah reminds us to call upon Him while He is near (Isaiah 55:6) so we must draw near to Him while we still have breath. Let’s be good soil and grow as He would have us to grow: strong, resilient and fruitful.

BY STEPHEN MCCORMACK

He Knows My Name

Hey guys, it’s Stephen… Yeah I know, it’s been a while!! I hope you’ve all been well.

Here at New Nation Destiny Centre church, we have some great revelatory truths and some equally challenging ones; but truths all the same. One Sunday, our Pastor, Apostle Michael DaCosta, spoke to us about the woman with the alabaster box (Luke 7:36-50), and although I’ve heard this story taught and preached hundreds of times, it was the way that our pastor pointed out something I hadn’t considered.

It wasn’t the obvious details that everyone knows about the story; you know, the example Jesus gave to Simon (the Pharisee), the anointing of Jesus’ feet, the woman being forgiven. No, it was the fact that what Simon was THINKING about that was wrong with this whole situation; verse 39 (KJV) says, “he spake within himself”, meaning he didn’t verbally say anything audible for anyone to hear. And yet, here comes Jesus and ANSWERS Simon’s thoughts! Wow!!

Put yourself in Simon’s shoes for a minute… What on Earth did he think Jesus wanted to say to him? Certainly not the very thing he was thinking about the woman who was a sinner!! But Jesus heard exactly what he was thinking and it needed to be addressed. This brings me to the title of this blog, “He Knows My Name”.

Now, I think I remember saying in a previous blog that God is omniscient, the all-knowing God! So, He doesn’t just know my name, He knows EVERYTHING about me, you and everyone else! So even when we choose not to talk to God, please know that He already knows all that we go through. I know… I hear you asking, “Stephen, if He already knows everything I’m going to say then why do I need to communicate with God?” That’s easy; God wants a relationship with us. He gave us free-will to do as we desire within the remit of His ultimate will for us. But He wants us to open up to Him willingly, to talk to Him like we would our friends and family. Not for His benefit, but ours! God is GOD!! There is nothing that we could ever give Him that He; in His infinite wisdom, power and authority, could gain from.

Hearing this word made me very uneasy at first, but I soon realised how important it is for me to keep a clear channel of communication with the Father. Having to hear, “Stephen, I have something to say to you…” has its pros and cons. It means that God is still speaking to me regardless but it also means that my thoughts can be heard as loud as thunder in a church hall. My thoughts have to be of a nature that is Christ-like, and not carnal. My thoughts; if misdirected, can turn into negative actions and manifest into undesirable behaviours. It’s only by His grace that we keep grounded but we cannot continue to operate from grace. Grace is the fail-safe, the “press button in case of emergency”, the back up plan, if you will. And with God, His grace is always there by the truckload. But in order to be who He called us to be, we have to walk in the same power and authority that Christ exuded every day.

Don’t get me wrong; I’m not saying this isn’t a hard lifestyle to keep up. Trust me, let me be the first to say I struggle a lot with speaking to God and having positive thoughts. With all of the curveballs that life throws at me, I often drop the bat, run and hide in the bleachers. But sometimes, not swinging is not the same as giving up; for some of us, it might mean that we need to take a time out to re-strategise, change the size of the bat or choose a more comfortable stance. And in our Christian walk, we need to do just that; change things up a bit: adjust our prayer life, tweak how we study God’s word or spend more time with our brothers and sisters in the faith. The more open we can be about our current state, the easier it is to begin the transformation process. And guess what? The best part is that God never changes; He will still be the God who knows your name, knows your past, present and future, knows when you cry, and knows when you need Him the most.

Truth be told, we won’t always get it right. But we should endeavour to try. That’s all the Father would have us do. And I hope that with the sincerity of our hearts, we give Him all we have. Peace be upon us all and the love of Christ to all who read this.

BY STEPHEN MCCORMACK

Being Useful In the Kingdom of God

It’s Sunday evening and I've made myself a cup of tea... It's been a long day and I love tea!!! I've just sat down to write to you guys, pondering what I want to speak about. Then, all of a sudden, THAT question pops into my head... It's a question we've all asked ourselves in our lifetime... "Why are we here? What is our purpose?"

Want the short version? In the "Christian" world, we are taught that we were created to worship God and to serve Him only. Whilst this is true, this is but a small portion of what we were designed for. 

"Go on then...l hear you say. "Tell us why we're REALLY here!!" Well... I'll try. 

Let's go back to basics... The human anatomy. We are made up of flesh, blood, bone and organs; designed intrinsically and specifically by God. Each body part has a role to play in our everyday lives; for example, our ears are not just for hearing and listening but to give us balance and help us to stand, walk and run (bet you didn't know that!!!)

So... What's your point, Stephen? What I'm trying to say is that we weren't put on this Earth to accomplish just ONE thing! My wife, Serena, is crazy about dance and the arts; this is her passion and she is very good at what she does. However, today was VERY different. For the first time ever, she preached an amazing word to our congregation; it was mind blowing to watch her do something she has never done before, as if she does it all the time. Now, please understand; this is something that was way out of her comfort zone, and yet, with the aide of the Holy Spirit she was able to convey a passionate and on-time message from God.

God will use us to do things to advance His Kingdom, whether we believe we can do it or not. This says a lot about us as human beings; we have a higher threshold than we think. It is up to us to make a decision and allow our capacities to be increased a hundred fold. Don’t get me wrong; it is HARD!! The hardest part is accepting that if we enlarge our tents, we cannot go back to our “normal” ways of living. Once we have been exposed to God’s glory and our excuses have been removed, then we must move forward and begin to move in His power. 

Serena said something very key today; she said that we must begin to distribute what we have received. There’s no use in storing our capabilities in our homes, churches and close circles. Jesus ventured across all of Israel, just so that God may be glorified. He saw a need for a widespread movement of the Spirit and did whatever it took to ensure God’s glory was revealed at any given opportunity. What more could be possible if we as born again, Holy Ghost filled believers (much greater in number) came together on one accord with a common goal? In Matthew 5:13, Jesus describes us as the salt of the Earth. Again, salt isn’t just for flavour but for preservation, cleansing and purification. Let’s apply this to ourselves; Jesus is saying that we are here to flavour (influence) the people, to preserve the Church, cleanse (heal) the sick and afflicted, and to purify the hearts of the many. Wow! There is so much inside of us that we can do, none of which requires any special skill or talent but a willingness and a pure heart for God will suffice.

Sounds great, doesn’t it? So, what’s stopping us? That’s easy… US!!! We must begin to take responsibility for everything that happens in our lives. Yes, the enemy occasionally has some influence when things go wrong; but ultimately, Satan’s involvement is a reflection of our current state. Does that make us bad people? NO!! But if we do not want the enemy’s interference, then we must shut down the access gate. I love Ephesians 4:27 where it says “Neither give place to the devil”. It’s only recently that I understood what this scripture means… We blame the Devil for everything that goes wrong in our lives, whether it be sickness, finances, depression, etc. You name it, we blamed Satan! But the reality of it all is we have made bad choices that have led us to be in such lowly states, and the enemy says, “Hey, I had nothing to do with this one!! But by all means, I’ll accept!!” Thank You, God, for this safety net called Grace! Holy Spirit, we salute you!!

So, how do we become useful in the Kingdom of God? Well, first we must look at ourselves and ask “What do I have in me that is useful?” Once we have done that, we must honour God with that list and allow Him to guide us in line with His will. Trust me, His will is better than our own ideals and motives… My tea has gone cold and it’s time for bed! Until next time. God Bless.

Stephen McCormack (NNDC Blogger)

Unveiling The Source of Your Joy

The sun beamed upon the crown of his head, lighting the shadows that lay beside him as he pondered the words of his mission. Besieged by the task at hand, he knew within himself that his part to play in the war had been turned up to a higher degree. He could no longer hide in the shadows of who he was as a demand had been placed upon him, he had been commissioned. As sweat from the rising sun beat down his face and his nerves began to tremor fear, something else rose on the inside. A small voice of hope in his head saying “we can do this.” He looked up to the skies and smiled; he knew the voice. Joy arose on the inside with a mighty strength from a fortified truth. He led the men to a mighty victory.

- Stacey Spencer

Joy is defined in the dictionary as ‘a source or cause of keen pleasure or delight within a thing or person greatly valued’. This everlasting fruit can often be the unease of humanity, as we can tend to not dare acquaint ourselves with it. We speak of a strong allegiance to happiness, conditioning our minds and hearts to its instabilities but never truly walk in pursuit of joy. 

You may not be facing a physical war but we all face war. This could be emotionally, spiritually, socially, morally or even mentally. Life tests us through its situations and circumstances to reveal to us who we really are. 

The soldier in the above story was faced with a decision. He had been called to come higher and lead the men into battle. He could of chose differently but instead he chose to listen to a voice of which he knew was not his own, a different source. From this source joy arose in the midst of the storm.

Happiness is an emotion, which like many others can be likened to a heart monitor. How we feel and our perspectives produce inconsistencies that peak either high or low dependent upon situations and circumstances presented to us. We cater to their unpredictability and the solidity we need is never truly accomplished.

Joy is much more than this. This is the component that caused the soldier to rise in the fullness of who he was. His mind and tampered thoughts told him that it was impossible; that there was no way of him accomplishing what had been asked of him. The emotion of any given situation will ware off but joy stays as it comes from truth based upon the source living inside of you. 

In order to rise above an uneven playing field our joy must be a continuous flow from a source greater than the one whose vessel it flows within. It gives us an inner strength and hope to draw upon in order to face this little thing we call ‘life’. 

Nehemiah 8:10 (New King James Version) Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Psalm 28:7 (New American Standard) The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him.

When someone or something greatly valued to you is the cause of your pleasure or delight, you will find that you have a hope because you firmly placed your trust in that thing or person. A peace comes following your decision and you find the strength to conquer all battles in life. 

WHAT IS THE SOURCE OF YOUR JOY? Is it man? Is it animal? Is it your job? Is it materialism? Is it even yourself? Imposters are always unveiled in the end because of truth finding its way to the foreground. 

Let your true source of joy be revealed to you. When you find the answer and if it does not seem to be in its rightful place then I encourage you to place joy back in the true source it belongs… God.

BY: STACEY SPENCER (NNDC Blogger)