no worries :)

Philip. 4: 6-7
⁶ Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. ⁷ Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Did you know that one of the commandments of God is to not worry? Isn't that awesome?
Not worrying is actually Godly. That puts a whole new perspective on it, doesn't it?

I know what has been worrying me lately, and I'm sure that you know what has been worrying you! - but, its so refreshing to know that it's actually Godly for me to put down that worry. Isn't that lovely? :)

Will you join with me today and together we can lay our worries down? We can tear our eyes off of our immediate circumstances, and lift up our eyes! Lift up our eyes to the Lord (Psalm 121:1).

Will you agree with me in prayer?

Father, we come before and Thank you for your amazing grace and love and kindness towards us! Lord, we put down our burden, because your Word commands us to cast our cares onto you because you care for us!

Lord, we lay down our worries concerning [fill in with your concern] and pray that in this situation, that you will direct us, even as Proverbs 3 promises (⁶ Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take).
We thank you for your favour, which stands up to surround and protect us, like a shield! (Psalm 33:22 ).

Lord, you know my need in [fill in], I bring that before you. I thank you that you have provided for that need already - I thank you for it!

So Lord, today, we CHOSE to trust in your word, we chose to not worry and we chose to trust u to direct our path. Thank you for your peace which reigns and rules in our hearts, thank you for your peace which passes all human understanding. thank you for the plans and purposes for our lives. Thank you for your thoughts towards us, and that your eyes are upon us.

In Jesus' mighty name,
Amen!!

Love you guys! Have an amazing day! and walk in the divine peace of God!

Ria
xx

be still...

Psalm 46:10
“Be still, and know that I am God!'

I've been walking around for the last week, just whispering this scripture to myself ever so often, or maybe it was the scripture whispering to me.

God has promised that He will never leave us, but will be with us always...I've found that sometimes i forget this promise, i forget how great our God is and I forget that I have the Lord of all creation at my side. I'm running around, trying to solve my problems and meet my commitments and achieve things cause life is short, and i have deadlines etc etc...I think that's the best way to say it - I get lost in the 'etcetera' of life!

But then this scipture whispers itself to me- it never shouts, but it whispers, it lightly brushes against my mind, it tickles me like my baby brother when he's trying to wake me up on Saturday morning so we can watch cartoons!

It whispers- Ria, be still...and know that I am God...

cause in that stillness, a knowing comes. A revelation of my God, a refocusing away from my situations, unto him...and an understanding that I don't solve my problems - But it's God in me that does...a knowing that its only because of his grace that i can meet my commitments, meet those deadlines, find favour in unfavourable situations..and all the other etceteras of life.

Prov. 3: 4,5 says to acknowledge him in all your ways and he will direct your path...for me, that acknowledgement is started and sustained in the stillness- the stillness that comes before the 'knowing'...maybe that's why things seem to fall into place after- because i'm allowing him to direect my path...you?

Love you guys and I pray that God continues to bless us with a revelation of himself!

Ria
xx

be still...

Psalm 46:10
“Be still, and know that I am God!'

I've been walking around for the last week, just whispering this scripture to myself ever so often, or maybe it was the scripture whispering to me.

God has promised that He will never leave us, but will be with us always...I've found that sometimes i forget this promise, i forget how great our God is and I forget that I have the Lord of all creation at my side. I'm running around, trying to solve my problems and meet my commitments and achieve things cause life is short, and i have deadlines etc etc...I think that's the best way to say it - I get lost in the 'etcetera' of life!

But then this scipture whispers itself to me- it never shouts, but it whispers, it lightly brushes against my mind, it tickles me like my baby brother when he's trying to wake me up on Saturday morning so we can watch cartoons!

It whispers- Ria, be still...and know that I am God...

cause in that stillness, a knowing comes. A revelation of my God, a refocusing away from my situations, unto him...and an understanding that I don't solve my problems - But it's God in me that does...a knowing that its only because of his grace that i can meet my commitments, meet those deadlines, find favour in unfavourable situations..and all the other etceteras of life.

Prov. 3: 4,5 says to acknowledge him in all your ways and he will direct your path...for me, that acknowledgement is started and sustained in the stillness- the stillness that comes before the 'knowing'...maybe that's why things seem to fall into place after- because i'm allowing him to direect my path...you?

Love you guys and I pray that God continues to bless us with a revelation of himself!

Ria
xx

reasons for prayer

This is from Helen...

My Dear Friends,

How are you?
Hope that you are blessed in everyway, friends im so happy to be apart of you joining in the body of Christ, you all bring your unique personalities and gifts, which God values so dearly forming body of Christ, no one can do it like you do.

As you maybe aware we have be meeting on Tuesday's at 9pm for prayer, prayer is such a privilege an important part of our Christian walk, below are the benefits of prayer, it would be so great if you could join us this Tuesday, if you are not able to please send in your prayer requests and we shall join you in prayer....

Four Reasons for Prayer

There are several good reasons to pray.

• It is a great privilege. Can you think of any greater honour than to have an audience with the One who rules over ALL creation? We have been invited to talk with the one who put the stars in place. We are invited to seek counsel from the One who is truth and wisdom. We are invited to sit down with the One who knows all things. The Puritan John Preston lays it out very plainly,

Prayer is a privilege purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ. Christ died for this end, it cost him the shedding of his blood, so that we, through him, might have entrance to the throne of grace. And will you let such a privilege as this lie still? If you do, so far as is in you, you cause his blood to be shed in vain. For if you neglect the privileges gotten by that blood, you neglect the blood that procured them. [The Puritans on Prayer p.17]

Conversation is a part of any vital and growing relationship. We sometimes measure the quality of a marriage relationship by how well the couples communicates. Or to state it another way, one of the first things people point to as evidence that a marriage is in trouble is a lack of communication. The same is true for our relationship with the Father. True, honest, heartfelt conversation is a sign of a healthy relationship. A lack of conversation, or conversation only in public is a sign of a relationship in trouble.

• We should pray because we are in a fierce battle. Constantly we are warned of the Devil's intention to neutralize and demoralize us. We are told that "our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (Eph. 6:10). We are in a battle and we need the help of God. The enemy has marshaled his armies . . .when we neglect prayer, we go into battle unarmed. Do you find it at all instructive that Jesus, the incarnate Son of God, found it necessary to pray? If He did not feel He could face the battle in His own strength . . neither should we.
• Prayer is a deterrent to sin in our lives. In the quiet times of private, honest prayer God exposes the rationalizations and the excuses that we use to cater to sin. In prayer God holds a mirror up to our lives so we can see the way we really are. . .and repent.
• Prayer makes a difference. I can't tell you how it "works" . . .I know that circumstances change when people pray. Diseases are sometimes healed, strength is imparted, guidance is given, hearts are softened, needs are met. I know that when I pray for others it helps them. But I also know that when I pray, I am changed.

The Content of Prayer
One of the most instructive parts of our text is in noticing what Paul asks on behalf of the Colossians. Paul does not focus on the material and temporal. He is not primarily concerned with comfort . . . He is concerned for their spiritual growth

with lots of love
Helen

Psalms 23:6

Psalms 23
⁶ Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.

We're eternal beings living in a present day reality.

At some pt or the other other, we are all faced with this dilemma....balancing the long term, 'to come' hope, with our short term, present-day reality....it's a constant tug of war- do you know what I mean?

I like this verse for many reasons, but one of the reasons is because it paints a beautiful 'today' with an even more beautiful 'tomorrow'.

Today, as in this present life- goodness and love will follow me, you, us...everyday, for the rest of our lives!! and it's not just a possibility, its a 'surely'!!!

by tomorrow, i mean eternity...we're eternal beings, Ecc 3 says that God has placed eternity in the human heart. well this psalm addresses out eternal tomorrow as well: forever i will dwell in the house of the Lord!!

This is our promise, to have goodness and mercy following us today and all our our lives and to hold in our hearts that our dwelling will always be in the house of the lord. so live fully today, knowing that your tomorrows are established.

Ria

Colossians 1:18

From Sharon...

Morning Saints,

I want to bring very simple yet powerful truth. Colossians 1:18 reads:

'And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.'

If we choose, Christ can be supreme in all areas of our lives. Every weakness, thought, feeling, desire, accomplishment, strength, the frustrations, the minute worries that we think aren't even worth uttering (something i can struggle with), every relationship or what we perceive as lack of relationship, every job, every choice, every song, anything creative...the list goes on. I believe this translation includes 'might' because he won't override our freewill so in something things, he needs to be invited to be supreme.

Let's make a choice and invite him to sit on the throne in our lives becaus he is the head of the church; the head of us who make up his body. Let's not glorify our weaknesses or strengths or anything more than we need to. Instead let's allow him to have all glory in every area of our lives.

God bless
Sharon

Philippians

From Johnny....

As we are reading Philippians together lets look at some scripture b4 friday...

Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, ¹⁹for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.^d]">[d] ²⁰I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. ²¹For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. ²²If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! ²³I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; ²⁴but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. ²⁵Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, ²⁶so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me.

A few ways this passage spks to me......

'Yes, and i will continue to rejoice' - rejoicing is a choice and a choice that needs to be made everyday.

'through your prayers' - reason why its so important for us to intercede for each other

'Christ will be exalted in my body + to live is Christ and to die is gain' - Matt 5:14-16 comes to mind

¹⁴"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. We are not living for ourselves anymore but for Christ. Choosing to love instead of hate, choosing to forgive instead of holding grudges.....freedom will come guys and we will be different and Jesus will shine through us and He will be glorified. living everyday to glorify him.

'I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far' which is better by far - Paul has an amazing revelation of what he and we have to come. When things get hard we need to keep our eyes on what we have to come......our momentary troubles dont compare to what we have ahead of us.

If you get the chance have a read over and see how God spks to you. Also if any of you, as you are reading Philippians, want to share a verse etc with the rest of us please do.

J