Tag Archives: God’s will

Nothing is Impossible With God!

16 Monday Jun 2014

Posted by in Inspiring Testimonies, Living Letters

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Dear believers,

Many times when God plants a dream in your heart, it seems impossible to achieve. It is, in your own strength. Yet the bible tells us that with God ALL things are possible!

May I encourage you today to take one small step in the direction your dream? Just begin. Prayerfully take a step of faith. Each journey begins with a single step. 

 

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Guess what? I was here! Shalom Jerusalem. Let me share with you how it happened:

Last year my pastors announced they were taking their sixth tour into Israel. Each time they go they are excited to take as many church members as possible along with them, to share in this wonderful, life-changing experience of being in the Holy Land. I had always been very enthusiastic about these trips, praying for those who were going and giving at various fundraising events. I had helped individuals financially in the past as they made their plans to go. But one night as I was sitting at home reading a book, the word came ” You’re going this time”.  The Voice within. Revealing His will. It was very clear. I was going to Israel!

But how? 

So began a journey of faith into the impossible. That Sunday at church I told my pastors, “Guess what? I’m going this time!” They were overjoyed. 

Principle number one:  Say yes to God.

When God spoke to my heart there was no mistaking it was Him. I just ‘knew’. So I said “Yes, Lord” The faith adventure began.

Principle number two: Take the first small step.

I opened an additional bank account and named it ‘Greece/Israel account’. I put a few dollars in it to begin with and continued to do so until I had enough for the deposit, three hundred dollars. I sent it in to the tour company with great joy and gratitude to God. Yet the trip cost thousands. How was I going to afford it? I wasn’t sure. But I kept putting a few dollars away here and there, each time praising and thanking God by faith and delighting in His will. The Lord led me week by week, economizing here and there, selling some things, a garage sale, tax refund, various juggling around money I had in other bank accounts etc., etc. Finally, after a number of months, by the grace of God, I had enough! I quickly sent the money through to the tour company, it seemed to good to be true! He had made a way! Praise the Lord!

How wonderful it was when they sent me a receipt which stated- amount due 0.00! I must admit, I kept looking at this receipt over and over! Paid in full! What had seemed so impossible was now a reality. I was really, really, going to walk in the steps of Jesus.

Principle number three: Walk boldly forward into everything you know to be God’s will.

Dear ones, sometimes when God reveals His will to us, our circumstances (and some of the people around us) tell us it cannot be done. Stepping out in faith often requires us to push through our inner fears and the constant negative voices of the unbelieving. These voices can shout very loudly. Let me encourage you today to walk on. Be bold and very courageous. Push through these limiting fears that immobilize and contain you. If God says you can, you CAN. Keep walking right on into the victory zone! The circumstances you see must change!

Principle number four: Give God all the glory and praise.

Well, dear ones, I have been back now for a few weeks and I have had the most amazing experiences of my life in Greece and Israel. I had the blessing of singing God’s praises at a number of sites in Jerusalem with the believers. This is a fulfillment of a long held dream.  We had so many wonderful experiences and we want to return as soon as we can! Impossible? No. Not with God!

Yours in Christ,

Bev

 

 

Book Review: Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby, Richard Blackaby and Claude King

02 Monday Jun 2014

Posted by in Terrific Teachings

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The revised and expanded version of Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby, Richard Blackaby and Claude King has been such an encouragement to me in my walk with God, it is no exaggeration to say this book is profoundly life-changing.

Experiencing God

I have been a Christian for 17 years and during this time have been an avid reader of Christian books. I don’t think I have ever read a book that has affected me so deeply in my relationship with God. When I read it for the first time I could not put it down. When I finished the first reading, I then went back to the beginning and re-read it carefully, high-lighting key passages,wanting absorb its encouraging truth. I lead a fortnightly bible study group and as a blessing to them I purchased 10 copies of this book and gave it to them as a Christmas present. That’s how much I love it! I consider it an investment into their spiritual lives which will encourage maturity and growth.

The premise of the book is that God desires for us to not just know about Him in theory but also to know and love Him by experience, and that God desires to work out His purposes in and through our lives. The material is organised around what he labels “the seven realities of experiencing God”, which are as follows:

1. God is always at work around you.
2. God pursues a continuing love relationship with you that is real and personal.
3. God’s invites you to become involved with Him in His work.
4. God speaks by the Holy Spirit through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the Church to reveal Himself, His purposes, and His ways.
5. God’s invitation for you to work with Him always leads you to a crisis of belief that requires faith and action.
6. You must make major adjustments in your life to join God in what He is doing.
7. You come to know God by experience as you obey Him and He accomplishes His work through you.

The book encourages you to seek to see what God is doing in your life, family, Church, world, etc., and to actively participate in His work as he prompts you, by faith. Joining God in His work will involve making adjustments in your life, and challenge your thinking and attitudes. The author encourages you to be bold and obedient to the call of God on your life, and the authors share many encouraging examples from their own personal lives and from Scripture. Life with God should be a glorious adventure of experiencing God’s love and of being involved with Him and His wonderful work throughout your lifetime. God wants to use you!

This book has the effect of orienting you to see things from God’s point of view rather than your own, and makes you want to serve Him with great oldness and abandon. The biblical principles this book sets forth are sound. Experiencing God will certainly build your faith and encourage you as you seek to walk with God in all His will and purpose.

Be blessed as you read!