SO MANY HURTING PEOPLE

2020 will be a year forever in our memory. Like the world wars or holocaust. It is unrepentant, high in negative impact and disruptive. Many lives were lost and so too were many livelihoods. Many still are grasping with the realities that they are finding themselves in. 

Some hurts cut deep. This is one of them. I heard so many people say that they wish that it could be over or that they just want to forget. Yet, it is not over and it is making itself known more and more. I can just use the year 2020 and everyone will understand what I refer to. It has foreshadowed 2021 so much that the new year was just a continuation of 2020.

I cannot do anything tangible to help you today. I am in a country under restrictions still. I too am unemployed. But I can give you a word of encouragement. I can offer you eternity in heaven through salvation in Christ. This I believe is where we should be focused. Today I want to focus on the healing offered by Jesus. 

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:5

Jesus saves us in the physical and the spiritual. He heals us, our body, soul and spirit. There are many instances in the Bible when Jesus healed someone. Even when the woman touched the hem of his garment there was healing. Believe in Him and you will be healed.

And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. Matthew 4:23

Jesus casts out devils a number of times too. That is spiritual healing and deliverance. Many of us have hurts from the past that still hold us back. Psychological, physical and emotional hurts. They stem from some time of abuse or type of insecurity. Sometimes we do not even know what it is.  

It is important to give these things to God. Time will not heal. It might be loss experienced in 2020 or it may be earlier in life. Time gives it room to get worse and take root if you do not allow healing. Jesus is the healer. In your prayer life call it out and rebuke it, keep doing that until you feel that release in your spirit. Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil, 1 John 3:8.

I pray that you find the courage to ask Jesus to heal you of the hurts of the present and the past. I pray you allow Him to work in you and to see that He has a plan for you in Jesus name.

If you have not accepted Jesus as your Lord and Saviour you may say this prayer;

Dear Heavenly Father,

I ask you to forgive my sins in knowledge or ignorance. Please forgive me. I accept Jesus as my Saviour. I ask that Jesus comes into my life as I live to be a witness for Him. Please change my life and make me into the person you want me to be, in Jesus name I pray. Thank you.

  

 

HEAVY WEIGHTS

    When I was a child and into my young adult life, I had a weight that I carried. I just felt this lump of sadness inside of me that would not go away. No reason that I could remember. My childhood was pretty decent. But there was always something. I became a Christian and eventually it lifted.

Until we deal with the spiritual we cannot expect the other facets of us and our lives to change. I know that many many millions of people are hurting in this world today. Lebanon has fallen into anarchy, Iraq is colonised by Iran and electricity is being withheld, Jordan has fallen, Afghanistan is fallen, Syria is being taken over by Iran. Wow and that is just one part of the Middle East.

I have not even mentioned the billions in abject poverty who would just be grateful for one proper meal per day. Due to 2020 there are others who are now waking up to the reality that they have to downsize, return to family homes, stop buying meals etc. For many rice and peas is all they can afford right now.

Sometimes there is no one to blame. Sometimes the ones to blame are not reachable. That burden, or weight of pain of loss, is heavy I know. Everyday I am reading about people whom I met at one point in time who died. That spirit of depression has easy targets.

When we feel heavy, we feel there is no hope and it can lead to suicide. Statistics show that more children are committing suicide. Farmers in the UK have been prone to this too. It is important to offer hope and practical advice to help others. 

Not everyone has support systems in place. Like the weight lifer, he had three people on standby to help him if it got to be too much. These people were experienced. This is something I observed with our young people. They surround themselves with others young like themselves and with others just like themselves. We need to build support systems around us. 

It is important to have a sensitive ear and be willing to spend a little time with those who need it. Identify the vulnerable around you. Keep watch and pray. When that spirit of suicide hits it takes more than one life with it. Rebuke it from your family, community and nation in Jesus name. Take opportunities to pray with others. Give a blessing as a greeting. 

The Bible says the joy of The Lord is our strength. Why? My answer would be that by focusing on Him we are able to regain control of our life. We have hope in knowing that what we suffer on this earth cannot affect us in eternity in Heaven. Surrendering to Jesus, all the hurts and the insecurities is the answer to our prayer.

There is a practical application to this. In our praise and worship we can affect the atmosphere around us. In eating as healthy as possible we can maintain a balance in our bodies. Vitamin C, and dark chocolate works wonders for me. I attack from all sides any form of depression. I use this bit of advice to open the topic and talk about the spiritual part. It usually brings a chuckle or two.

I pray that God shows you the ones around you who need your prayer and your attention. I pray God gives you the right words and means to pray with them or for them in Jesus name.

If you have not accepted Jesus as your Lord and Saviour you may say this prayer;

Dear Heavenly Father,

I ask you to forgive my sins in knowledge or ignorance. Please forgive me. I accept Jesus as my Saviour. I ask that Jesus comes into my life as I live to be a witness for Him. Please change my life and make me into the person you want me to be, in Jesus name I pray. Thank you.

  

PARENTING

    I joined several parenting groups on facebook. I have so much experience with children and I realised that there were so many parents who had questions. I decided it was time to put all the babysitting experience and all that I learnt from my mother and aunties to good use.

In 2020 I saw many parents posting and asking for advice. They did not know what to do. Too many parents rely on television and what others say to help them. But too many parents lack life experiences because they had children at a young age. 

Experts say what this world has been going through since 2020 is unprecedented. Many are at a loss about the future. What worked before does not work anymore.

Some years ago I worked in a pharmacy to pay my way through university, I had some eye openers. I had worked in a pizza place as well, Mario's Pizza on campus. The staff was young. Both experiences taught me that the younger people are not spiritually minded, realistic nor have a moral compass. 

One young man about 17-19 years old came to the pharmacy to buy a pregnancy test or what we called a PT. It was $15.00. Our minimum wage is $9.375 per hour. When he heard the price he responded, 'so much?' My thought at the time was, 'Wait until you hear the price of pampers'. You can understand why my favourite job at the pharmacy was in attending to the condom shelf. 

Our young people are distracted by pressure to have a relationship, to show they could have children, to look pretty, to make money and to attend social events. Self worth was determined by these things. They have no time for anything that is truly meaningful. They have no value for it either. 

By meaningful I refer to something that has a positive impact in their own life. No value is placed on reading and understanding because we continue to make allowances for people who make no effort to read nor continue to learn. We are fast becoming the society for the few who would not. That is not democratic is it?

Our first priority not just as parents but being a family member is to lead the children to Christ. If this is our first focus in parenting we can have a plan for the future. The most obvious and direct message Jesus gave about parenting is; 

But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 19:14

This incident came right after Jesus answers questions on marriage and divorce. It is perfectly timed to show us how to keep a family together. Focus the children on Jesus, He is happy to take the burden of not having the answers from you.  

He has a plan and He is able to handle anything that comes your way. As aunty and cousin I have blessed every child in my family and committed them to Christ from 1994-2019. I teach whenever I can and encourage in the things of God. It is not hard at all. God makes a way. Ask Him. 

I pray that you have many opportunities to speak to others about Jesus. I pray that you find the answers in Jesus in His name.

If you have not accepted Jesus as your Lord and Saviour you may say this prayer;

Dear Heavenly Father,

I ask you to forgive my sins in knowledge or ignorance. Please forgive me. I accept Jesus as my Saviour. I ask that Jesus comes into my life as I live to be a witness for Him. Please change my life and make me into the person you want me to be, in Jesus name I pray. Thank you.

MULTIPLY

From early in life we start learning mathematics. We learn to count and add and subtract first. Later we learn to multiply and divide. From very early mankind was told to multiply: 

Then God blessed them, and God said to them, Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth. Genesis 1:28

When we become born again, we have dominion and have every blessing in the Bible due to us. We read the Bible with Jesus in mind. The Holy Spirit teaches us with Jesus at the centre of everything.

From very early we are told to be fruitful and multiply. We are supposed to multiply and be a blessing to others. Our works taken forward as others carry it on. Our works taking the message of Jesus forward. All these are ways in which we can multiply in our rebirth. 

God said the same thing to Noah:

And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth…Genesis 9:1-7

It seems very important if it is repeated. You can find it at turning points in our history. The final blessing of Abraham in this passage is that all families of the earth are blessed by us.

Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. Genesis 12:1-3

You might be asking, How? Let us go back to the dominion part. In Genesis 1:28, it says we are able to subdue and have dominion. But that is not over each other it for the animals. In that way you can bring about meaningful change on the earth. Be kinder to each other.

Of course there is more to this. By praising God we can change the atmosphere. By praying for others we help others. By giving counsel and speaking truth. By speaking about Jesus or saying a verse of scripture, we can give hope through Christ. 

Here is one to think about. By exercising our dominion over the spiritual things that are not of God we can set others free. I think this is incredible.  By exercising dominion over natural creatures we practise our spiritual authority. What we bind on earth is bound in heaven. What we loose on earth in loose in heaven. 

I pray that the fruit of your work is blessed. I pray the blessings of God are multiplied in you and through you in Jesus name.

If you have not accepted Jesus as your saviour you can pray this;

Dear Heavenly Father,

I ask you to forgive my sins in knowledge or ignorance. Please forgive me. I accept Jesus as my Saviour. I ask that Jesus comes into my life as I live to be a witness for Him. Please change my life and make me into the person you want me to be, in Jesus name I pray. Thank you.

THE BOOK OF LIFE

The blessings of Abraham are preached on and quoted by millions of people over hundreds of years. It is inspiring and helps us to focus on what we must do. 

Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 

And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 

And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. Genesis 12:1-3

Christ is your assurance. God is the author and finisher of your life. With such a writer and editor you cannot loose. Your name will be great. The story is about you. Your name is written in The Lamb's Book of Life! 

But you have to be a blessing to others. This is what starts off the cycle. You bless others, God blesses you. 

If you are a blessing to others and following after God, not conforming to the lies of this world, He will curse those who curse you. Good deeds cannot work alone. You need Jesus.

I pray that your name is written in the Book of Life. I pray that you are able to find courage and strength in your faith in Christ to keep following after Him, in Jesus name.

If you do not know Jesus as your Saviour, you can pray this prayer of conversion: 

Dear Heavenly Father,

I ask you to forgive my sins in knowledge or ignorance. Please forgive me. I accept Jesus as my Saviour. I ask that Jesus comes into my life as I live to be a witness for Him. Please change my life and make me into the person you want me to be, in Jesus name I pray. Thank you.

 

ADOPTED INTO THE KINGDOM

I am still looking at the blessings of Abraham. In claiming them I feel rich because they are powerful and filled with a lot of understanding. I have covered the first blessing already.

Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. Genesis 12:1-3

A great nation! If you want your lineage, your children and grandchildren to be blessed then you follow the instructions. However remember that to be part of the family is critically important to claim the blessings.

As a born again Christian I am entitled to these blessings. Can I claim them based on birthright? Many people think that because they speak a particular language or are born in a particular country they are entitled. However, that means they are under legal entitlement and not adoption. 

Being adopted into the kingdom of God means that you are under grace. It means that you follow the principles of grace to receive the blessing. Legal entitlement by birthright means that you have to follow the specifics of the law. That means you cannot follow one law and not the rest, you follow all the laws. I can claim both but I prefer grace.

God continues to identify and quantify His blessings to us, I will bless you:

He gives in abundance - ..... The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. John 10:10 

He gives all that we need based on our faith - But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Phil 4:19 

He gives us authority - Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. Ephesians 3:20 

God is saying that He will give more than you can think or imagine. You cannot quantify God! He is saying believe and ask, you will receive. He will give you an abundant life. Not one filled with curses but one filled with blessings. 

I pray you are a great nation. I pray your lineage is blessed. I pray that through faith you are blessed in abundant life in Jesus name.

If you do not know Jesus as your Saviour, you can pray this prayer of conversion: 

Dear Heavenly Father,

I ask you to forgive my sins in knowledge or ignorance. Please forgive me. I accept Jesus as my Saviour. I ask that Jesus comes into my life as I live to be a witness for Him. Please change my life and make me into the person you want me to be, in Jesus name I pray. Thank you.

 

MY BLESSING

In life there are struggles that are born out of the devil's resistance to you. My struggles are not unique but I believe that I am blessed through Abraham my earthly forefather. In this world currently, for everything that God gives us the devil tries to imitate his own way.

I realised that I could be a natural leader. But I came to understand that every step I made was a fight. Part of discovering the authority God gave me was understanding my situation.

I am not unique in this. There are many others who feel this way. Perhaps it is due to generational curses or curses that activate due to sins that we ourselves commit. But I look towards the blessings not the curses to encourage.

In Galatians 3:14,

That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

In all things I have learnt that there must be confession that I have sinned in knowledge or unknowingly. In all things I give thanks. This is where it starts. David always had a repentant heart even though he sinned and this is what God appreciated. 

If we want the blessings of Abraham then we start at the start. An important key

Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 

And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 

And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. Genesis 12:1-3

Yes, folks believe it or not we have to bless Israel. There was no Palestine in the Bible. If you do not understand the Israel-Palestine situation enough to say why your God commands you too, put it in the comment. However, remember the devil is a liar, he is the author of deception. Trust your God the God of truth. 

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:5

To be blessed you have to believe, and you have to live in obedience to God. If you want God to show you the land then it starts with being different and walking circumspect. That means you do not conform to the ways of the world. You put God first. No matter how tough it gets.

Seek Him out on what He is saying and what He wants you to do. Start with prayer and reading your Bible. The land that you are promised can be:

• your spouse
• your church
• your children
• your own home
• your calling or ministry work

I pray that you receive the blessing of Abraham in your life. I pray that you have opportunity and strength to separate from the wickedness of the world around us in Jesus name.

If you do not know Jesus as your Saviour, you can pray this prayer of conversion and attend a full gospel church nearby: 

Dear Heavenly Father,

I ask you to forgive my sins in knowledge or ignorance. Please forgive me. I accept Jesus as my Saviour. I ask that Jesus comes into my life as I live to be a witness for Him. Please change my life and make me into the person you want me to be, in Jesus name I pray. Thank you.

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