maturity

2Peter3:18

"But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."


God's goal for us is not conversion but maturity, to become more like Christ.
Becoming a Christian is the work of a moment; being a Christian is the work of a lifetime.
The Christian life is not smooth going,
because only through storms and temptations can your faith grows stronger.

Jesus warned us against welcoming the Word of God, but then allowing it to wither or be choked out by the cares of this world, like seeds planted among rocks or thorns. Instead we should be like "those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop."
Crops take time to mature, with lots of work and care.
If we ignore the gardens of our souls, we'll be spiritually weak.

Philippians2:15 - We are to"become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation."
2 Corinthians 3:18 - We...are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

Only in heaven will this fully happen, for then
"we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is."(1 John 3:2)

A sign of maturity is an increasing love for others.
When Christ is formed in you, the love of God in you also increases.
To be like Christ is have Christ becoming Lord of every area of your life.
Christ becomes Lord of your character, of your actions, of your attitudes.
Instead are you negative and critical? arrogant and impatient? filled with anxiety and worry?
lazy and undisciplined? undependable and irresponsible? domineering and harsh?

If our lives do not reflect Christ, why should people believe us.
1 Timothy 6:11 - flee from all this (evil), and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.
Galatians 5:22-23 - The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

These 9 characteristics are marks of maturity.
You're a matured Christian if you have these characteristics.
Only as you abide in the vine and His words, can you grow,
and the pruning by The Father will make you more fruitful.
But if you try on your own, all your futile efforts will result in a total crop failure.
The level of your character is the measure of your maturity,
a character that brings pleasure and glory to God.
You can only love others to the extent that God loves you.
It's God's kindness that leads you to repentance(Romans 2:4),
but so often we fail to respond to others befitting this kindness shown to us.
Even when we're faithless, God remains faithful (2 Timothy 2:13).

But if your spiritual life is dry and barren, begin by praying -
Search me, O God, and know my heart..see if there's any offensive way in me.(psalm 139:23)
Ask God to show you any area of your life where sin still rules, and then repent of it.

Although God's Spirit is in you, your old nature is still alive.
So everyday a battle rages in your heart, between your will and God's will.
Your old nature strives to gain the upper hand and control you.
So if you're weak, you lose the battle, and you reflect the unbelieving world.
The mark of immaturity is when your flesh gains the upper hand.

This is why Jesus said -
"If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself
and take up his cross daily and follow Me." (Luke 9:23)
Our old nature - our selfishness, evil desires, wrong attitudes habits - must die.
Colosians 3:5 - put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature.

For you have been crucified with Christ, and you no longer live.
You've turned away from wrong thoughts and deceitful desires,
and you've replaced them with Christ's thoughts and godly desires,
which are good and pure.
You've put off your old self (corrupted by deceitful desires),
and you've put on the new self,
created to be like Christ in true righteousness and holiness.

To see the mighty working of the Holy Spirit in transforming you,
you must move from repentance and submission into obedience and trust.
You obey because you love the Lord, your God.
God leads you by His Word and Spirit.
Only as you prayed, meditate on His Word,
and sought the Spirit and the godly advice of others,
can you find the path you should walk in,
confirmed by the small still voice of God in you.
Seek to be filled with th Holy Spirit daily,
and obey His Word and trust in Him.
Learn to live and walk in the Spirit,
having crucified your flesh with its passions and desires.
Guard your thoughts, emotions, and actions
so you won't give the enemy a foothold (1Peter 1:5-7).

How am I to pray?

I know prayer is important. How can I make prayer a part of my daily life?
Let me give you 6 guidelines.

1) First, have the right attitude.
We will only pray when we realise how dependent we are on God,
and we realise we can trust Him to hear our prayers, and to answer them according to His will.

There're people, who never think about God, and suddenly one day they find themselves in a crisis
that's far beyond themselves to handle,
and for the first time in their lives, they begin to pray and cry out for help.

Let's look at Acts 27. Imagine that you were one of the people on that ship, and as verse 20 says,
"Now when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest beat on us, all hope that we would be saved was finally given up."
Most probably at this time, you'll be kneeling down to pray for your life.
At this hour of your life, all your pride and self-sufficiency would have gone by now. Now you feel a dependency on an Almighty God, you never felt before. Because before, there was no such need. And Matthew 5:3 says:
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven"
That is to say that when you felt a dependency on God, you're blessed. "Poor in spirit" means you're dependent on God. And this is the 1st of all the other beattitudes; the 1st leading to the rest of the beattitudes. This is the right attitude you must have in order to make prayer a part of your daily life.
How can you pray when you don't believe you need God's help?
The Bible reminds us that
"God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." (1Peter5:5)
Prideful, self-sufficient people will never pray.

2) Second, with brokenness

One of the most difficult things for any person to see clearly is his own sin.
Through humility, the Holy Spirit will reveal to us our sin,
so that we can confess it, repent of it and be set free,
so that God can bless us after the hindrance is removed.
Then the Holy Spirit will give insight into His word, His plans and purposes,
and guide us gently and confirm our hearts, giving assurance.

Through our weakness, God pours His power into us,
for we know not how to pray as we ought to pray.
"if My people will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face,
and turn from their wicked ways."
"a broken and a contrite spirit I will not despise."
Through prayer also comes a spirit of brokenness.
Prayer in God's presence will change us.
If we continue to walk in His presence, we'll remain broken and humble.
To live like this is to walk in honesty; we learn to lose face. We let our pride go.
The Holy Spirit will cause us to be open and frank, with humility before God.

If we're broken and contrite before God, He gives us more grace.
Success is based on the grace of God.
How do we get more grace?....
by being broken in humility before God.
Therefore the secret to success in prayer is brokenness.
It was God's grace that made Joseph successful, and favour from the king toward Nehemiah.
Nehemiah 1: 4,11
-I wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before God
-O Lord, I pray, please let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant,
and let Your servant prosper this day.
Through prayer, Nehemiah knew the mind of God, and he was able to stand firm,
and was able to be in control of the circumstances around him.

As you pray, there arise a new attitude of violence against your flesh and pride,
and you learn how to walk gently with the Holy Spirit,
to allow God to complete His divine work in our lives.


3) Third, with godly fear

Prayer is not just talking with God;
it's a deep, reverent submission to Him.
Through prayer, we come to know the intentions of the father heart of God.

When we come to God in prayer, what is the attitude of our hearts?
God reads our hearts as we pray....
is your heart in oneness with God?
is there reverent submission with godly fear?
is there singleness of mind to hear the still small voice of God in you?
is your heart receptive to His guidance?
Jeremiah 29:11-13
"I know the thoughts I think toward you, to give you a future and a hope.
Then you'll call upon Me, and go and pray to Me, and I'll listen to you.
And you'll seek Me and find Me,
when you search for Me with all your heart;
I'll be found by you."

Jesus prayed and He was heard because of His godly fear,
beause of the submissive attitude of His heart.
Hebrews 5: 7-10
"who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him, who was able to save Him frm death, and was heard because of His godly fear, though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the authour of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, called by God as High Priest "according to the order of Melchizedek."


4) Fourth, without fear but with boldness and confidence

When you pray, "Lord, give me safe journey home, which is 10 miles away. Keep me safe from road accidents" Do you think you're praying with faith?
Then how should you pray?
"Lord, help me to be humble, giving way to other cars. Help me not to be impatient, but wait patiently and move with common sense." or
"Lord, even if a big Tsunami were to come and destroy everything there is, I know Lord, if my time is not up, I will still be standing upright, just as You said to Paul, "Do not be afraid; you must stand before Caesar."

Deaths and disasters do not happen by chance;
they happen due to a reason, and for a reason.
Nothing happens by chance.
For God, there's no such thing as a coincidence.
You were born here on this earth not by chance either.
God knew you since you were in your mother's womb,
till the day you die.
Everything happens according to God's will and perfect timing.

5) Fifth, with unwavering faith

We're to pray with unwavering faith, believing that God hears our prayers, also that God will
answer them, in His timing, with His methods,
and for our eternal benefit, and for His glory.

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for
and certain of what we do not see."(Hebrews 11)

When we pray, think of the greatness of God. See Him for the mighty God He is.
God created all things....the heavens and the earth.
He moves mountains and calms seas.
As you pray in the face of a spiritual attack, set your mind on the vastness of God's power.
In the face of fear, He gives us boldness.
"God has given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."(2Tim 1:7)
He has power over death.
He gives us an eternal home in heaven.

6) Sixth, According to God's will

God is more interested in us knowing His will and obeying His
than just "saying our prayers."
What God wants is a heart obedient to His will.
Cry out with deep concerns of your heart,
and allow God to bring understanding, strength and comfort into your lives.
Know the heart of God; know His will.
Our prayers are often self-centred, outside the will of God.
God is committed to His loving plans and purposes for us.
God always has eternity in mind.

Prayer is not just for the purpose of getting God to help us,
but of getting our hearts and minds in line with God's will.
Through prayer, we receive wisdom for our lives.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom."
God desires to instruct us in the way we should go.

Proverbs 3:5,6
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on thy own understanding;
in all thy ways, acknowledge Him, and He'll make your paths straight."
If we lean on our own understanding, our hearts and minds can be full of the cares of this world.
Prayer is the secret to live without anxious thoughts.
But many people of the world try to do all things by themselves....
so they have stomach ulcers, heart attacks, insomnia and depression.
On the other hand, prayer produces spiritual understanding, even physical health.

Prayer gives us greater discernment, so that we're able to see what others cannot see.
Prayer helps us to hear the still, small voice in us,
hearing God speaking to us in our hearts,
sometimes giving a small warning,
and a word can change everything, making all the difference.


God's purposes are much larger than all our needs and requests.
The plans of God are beyond our imaginations, more than we can ever imagine.
Often we do not see the whole picture;
we ask for things that are unwise or even wrong.
God knows what is best for us.
God not only is working in us, but also working around us,
and often God guides us through our circumstances.

Jesus's prayer was heard because of His godly fear

Hebrews5:7-10:
in the days of His flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to God, who was able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His godly fear; though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author salvation to all who obey Him, called by God as High Priest "according to the order of Melchizedek".

Jesus always seek the Father's heart.
Because of godly fear, and reverent submission to God's will,
and the submissive attitude of His heart,
and yielding fully His life to the Father's will,
Jesus's prayer was heard.

Jesus knew the Father's love.
John 6:57
"As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father,
so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me."
Jesus lives because of the Father, and prayer was His lifeline.
The loving presence of God is His very life.
Beause of this love, Jesus prayed with strong emotions, with loud cries and tears(Heb 5:7).
Through prayer, Jesus prepared Himself to resist any temptation,
that could stand in the way of the Father's will.
Through prayer, He received strength to stay on the path of obedience.
Through prayer, His life was adjusted according to the Father's will.
This closeness kept Him safe.

Jesus said to the disciples,
"We ought always to pray and not to lose heart."

Jesus was one with the Father.
John 17:24: "The love with which You loved me may be in them, and I in them."
Is there oneness with the Lord as you pray?
If the Word of God is in your heart and mind,
and you spend time with the Father,
then you'll come to know His heart and will, as you pray.

Prayer is not just for the purpose of getting God to help you,
although there's nothing wrong to give Him a long list of petitions.
But are you listening? Because God is always speaking.
Are you hindered by pride and selfishness in your heart?
We often pray for our needs to be met, without considering God's eternal plans.
Allow God to open your understanding to His ways, truths and purposes. In the midst of a hurting and troubled world, do you maintain a singleness of mind to hear from the Father or do you tell God how you want Him to make you successful.

What is the one thing God wants fro you more than anything else?
obedience? dedication? prayers? time? service? fear of the LOrd? help the poor?
In one way or another, God asks for all these things.
But what does God want the most? What is His highest priority?
God desires our hearts.
Love thy God with all thy heart, all thy mind, all thy soul and all thy strength.

Through prayer, Jesus's life was patterned to the Father's will through daily adjustments.
john8:29: "I always do those things that please Him."
Jesus was obedient to the Father's will.
He learned obedience by the things He suffered.
He teaches us to pray, "Thy will be done; thy kingdom come."
In the Lord's Prayer, we see Jesus's heart for the Father's will.
In the Father's presence, His understanding was opened to what the Father was doing.
Through prayer, Jesus learned and prepared Himself to follow the Father's will, by adjusting His life to the Father's purposes. So Jesus always knew what to do and say, because He received instructions from the Father. Jesus prayed with godly fear and reverent submission. Though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.

In the same way, we also, by the things that we suffered,
and through the process of prayer with godly fear and reverent submission,
even with loud cries and tears, and obedience in the midst of suffering,
we are being perfected.
Prayer in our lives give the Father the opportunity to shape and change us
to His will and purpose,
so that God can accomplish His redemptive work in and through us.

power of prayer

Prayer has power. A person has more strength when he's at prayer.
Effective prayer is offered in faith.
When we're in a threatening situation, the normal tendency is to panic.
Many stories could be told of fear being replaced by calm through the power of prayer.
If we remain calm, placing faith in God and believing that we'll receive God's direction,
we'll eventually find the answer to our problem.

We all face challenges in life - physical, emotional and relationship challenges,
and at times we go through great pains.
But if you have confidence that God is in control, in charge of your life,
and that He'll help you through,
then your relationship with God is your strength.
And that relationship is grounded in prayer, if you are praying always with all prayer
and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance.

Sometimes we try so hard to solve the problems of our health, our children, our business,
or our future that we become agitated or depressed.
psalm46:10: "Be still, and know that I am God."
Prayer is more than a plea; it's a place where we must spend time if we are to learn its power.

As we face problems and personal suffering
, we must not forget that our prayers are subject to His will.
This takes the burden off us and gives it to the Lord.
His will is the best for us.
The difficulty is knowing the will of God.
We cannot find true peace outside the will of God.

Prayers that are selfish, vengeful, or mean are not in the will of God.
The answer from God can be yes or no or wait.
God'll not let us down in the hour of our need,
but God'll answer our prayer in His own way and time.
Most of the times, God does not give us what we ask for,
because God has a better plan which we do not know.

How are we to pray, in what manner? We can follow Jesus's pattern.
How did Jesus pray?
Jesus frequently prayed alone, setting Himself away from every distraction. So must we.
Jesus prayed with great earnestness, always seeking to do the Father's will.
His prayer was heard because of His godly fear.(Hebrews 5:7),
because of the submissive attitude of His heart.
He fully yielded His life to the Father's will. He always set His heart to obey the Father's wiill.
God also reads our hearts as we pray.
Jesus entered prayer with godly fear and reverent submission toward God's will.

God desires to reveal Himself to us and give us more and more of His presence and power
to bring about His plans and purposes earth.
The devil desires to keep us from having God's presence and power
actively at work in us to accomplish God's goals for mankind.

The devil knows the effectiveness of a righteous person who is praying with faith.
He'll send little thoughts into our minds to get us off track.
He does not want you to trust God's word in all situations.
He'll keep you busy or distracted so you don't pray or meditate on God's Word;
so that you'll become more anxious about things, more fearful of things,
some of which are unknown, making you think wrong thoughts;
so that you become a burden bearer, and because the responsibily is so great,
you don't want to be responsible for anything at all.

People with a heavy heart, experience weariness, too weary even to read the bible or pray,
no energy to get up, get dressed and go to church;
he is in a state of weakness; and the weaker he becomes,
the more he focus on himself...his needs, his failures.
In a weak state, it's easier for the fiery arrows to hit you.

A person strong in faith has great joy;
joy in turn produces great spiritual strength...the joy of theLord is my strength.
The person who prays has renewed energy and a zest for living.
Such a person feels strong and is eager to take on life's challenges.
Prayer helps one to trust the Father, to claim the promises of God,
to listen to God, and receive His wisdom.

Praying in the Spirit includes praying in tongues.
It means to pray under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
It means to be sensitive to His promptings about what to pray, how to pray.
It means to obey the promptings to speak or act in specific ways at specific times.
Pray about those situations beyond the horizon of your life or the lives of others.
Pray for God to redeem them, change them and bless them.

As you pray in the face of a spiritual attack, set your mind on the vastness of God's power.
In the face of fear, God gives us boldness.

Through prayer, we have better understanding of God's word, greater discernment,
greater awareness of sin, and greater energy and strength.

if My people will humble themselves...

2Chronicles 7:14 :
"if My people will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face,
and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven,
and will forgive their sin and heal their land."

psalm51:1-6,10-11,16-17
1: Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your loving kindness;
according to the multitude of Your tender mercies,
blot out my transgressions.
2: Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin.
3: For I acknowledge my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
4: Against You have I sinned and done evil.
5: I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin, my mother conceived me.
6: You desire truth in the inward parts,
and in the hidden part You will make me to know You.
10: Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11: Do not cast me away from Your presence,
and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
16: For You do not desire sacrifice.
17: The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,
a broken and a contrite heart....
these, O God, You will not despise.

Revelation3:16,18-21
16: Because you're lukewarm, I will vomit you out.
18: I counsel you to buy from Me GOLD refined in the FIRE, that you may be rich;
and white garments, that you may be clothed,
that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed;
and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.
19: As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten.
Therefore be zealous and repent.
20: Behold, I stand at the door and knock.
If anyone hears My voice and opens the door,
I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
21: To him who overcomes, I will grant to sit with Me on My throne,
as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His Throne.

The Lord is saying to you....

Know that I, the Lord your God, is indeed the Almighty God,
who created the heavens and the earth.
Repent from your old ways, and sin no more.
Obey the Holy Spirit and be convicted of your wrong doings.
Open your heart and ears to My still small voice in you,
because I am always speaking. Do not shut Me off.

Do not take My mercy and grace for granted. Do not test Me.
But repent before My presence, and humble yourself.
Go down on your knees and pray earnestly.
Straighten things out, if you've hurt someone else.

Know that I know your thoughts and your future.
Let not your mind be the devil's workshop,
but instead occupy yourself with righteous and holy acivities.

Do not look down on others, even your loved ones,
even though you think you're better.
But be more loving, more thoughtful...
among family members, church members and other people.
Remember no one is perfect; therefore judge not other people and find fault,
but be forgiving, merciful and gracious to one another.
Be slow to anger and judgement, or judgement shall come upon you.
Fear the Lord, your God, for I'm a jealous God.
And do not murmur or complain or chase after earthly things.

Be an overcomer over earthly things. How?
Pray and seek Me everyday.
Repent before the Lord, and be humble and be patient.
Know that I am always with you, through the storms and hardships.
Think positive; hope for good things. Stay holy and righteous.
Make sure there's peace and unity, even your own families.
Be after My heart.
Make sure your heart is clean, that I may dwell in you.
Do things not according to your heart's desire, but do things with My love.

The time is near. The last days are coming; be prepared.
Therefore guard your heart, that your name is in the Book of Life. ,

Do not let Me grieve over your sins.
Do not go astray; repent with My help and strength.
For I will never desert you.
And I'll not ask you of something you're not able to do.

Without true humility of heart and compassion and love in our characters,
all our worship and the preaching of the Word are in vain.
There's too much pride in our hearts; and we cannot see our own pride.
"anoint your eyes with eye salve that you may see."

Repentance is more than just saying, "sorry". It also means, "I want to change for eternity."
Through our prayers and supplications, and submission and obedience in the midst of suffering,
with passionate cries and tears, and with godly fear, we shall be made perfect.
We shall be changed and shaped to God's will and purpose,
so that God can accomplish His redemptive through us.
We're to be made for greater works.

wait on the Lord

Isaiah 40:31 :
But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not be faint.

God renews the strength of those are weary and exhausted, and who look to Him.
If we rely on God and exercise our faith, God can make us into people who're resilient.
There'll come times when we're too weak to run, walk or even too weak to crawl.
But the Spirit of God can give us wings of faith to help us fly.
Yes, you can fly, because the Spirit will carry and sustain you.
The Spirit has become the wind beneath your wings.

Yes we're running the race in order to win the prize.
We're running the marathon race; yet we're to remain calm.
We're moving and doing; yet we're to be still and know that He's Lord.
We're to stay still in the presence of God.
We're running with speed; yet our breathing remains calm, our focus steady.
If we're running the marathon, we cannot afford to get too excited,
because the anxiety will cut off the wind.
So we've to be calm, steady our course, get rid of our fears,
dwell not on the past or worry about the future.
And we lift up our heads,look ahead at Jesus and run with endurance.
And we'll find the wind of God's breath beneath our wings,
and we'll soar like an eagle beyond our own expectations.

We're to run with endurance, in a calm and steadfast way.
We relax in the midst of stress, as we run.
It is by faith. Faith gives power under control,
so that we can relax in the midst of all the stressful situations in life.
If we're to see victory, then our strength must be harnessed,
our vision must be focussed,
and our stride be steady.

do not be overloaded

The ship that Apostle Paul was in, on the way to Rome....on the 2nd day, the people on board threw all their cargos into the raging sea. The things that once seemed so important, may be the things that need to be unloaded...old habits, old hurts and memories, past failures and disappointments should all be thrown into the sea of God's forgetfulness, because we must move on.

Overloaded people fail.
Like an airplane, we can only carry a certain amount of weight. Or else how can we soar like the eagle? We all make mistakes in life; we all have regrets, but we must move beyond them. We must trim off the excesses, get rid of things and habits that hinder us. For many, their bags are too heavy, but they won't let them go.

Too often, our actions are dictated, not by our own sense of true purpose in life, but are dictated by a misguided need to please other people. We want to make others happy, and will do anything to win their approvals. We care so much about what others think. Although it's good to be concerned for others, if you're always looking for approval, you're not looking where you're going...you're going in the wrong direction.

Acts 5:29 : "We ought to obey God rather than men"
Therefore learn to let go, so that you can fly. Release yourself from the past, trim off the excess load, know your calling...your goal and purpose in life.

be still and know He's Lord....

To have God’s peace I must learn to be still, knowing that God is always working all things out for good to those whom He loved.  “Be still n know that I AM the Lord.”

God’s peace in us gives us rest n strength. Unless I have His peace, my mind is confused n I won’t be able to write this sermon. Every time I have peace, I can write; my mind is clear. I can hear ; I can think clearly. I seek His peace.  My heart must be right. I must seek peace with all men.

Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God.

For God’s peace to reside in me, I must let go of all bitterness. I must forgive like Jesus forgave the soldiers.

To be prospered by God is to do His will. And Joseph did the Father's will in Potiphar's house, avoided the attention of the master's wife n went to prison without any bitterness. And God was with him n the Lord prospered him even while in prison. “Be still n know I AM the Lord.” Joseph was still n he walked in God’s will. And God worked all things out for good for Joseph. If Joseph despaired n moved ahead of God, it would be difficult for God to work all things out for good for Joseph. But Joseph was still n he trusted in God n in His time.

What was Joseph's secret? He walked in the will of the Lord. He was still. God’s peace remain in him. Joseph’s secret of success was he knew how to be still n allow God to work things out in God’s time n God’s will. Joseph was walking in God’s will n did not moved ahead of God out of anger, out of emotions or fear,  But was still n know that God is the Lord over all things, over all circumstances, over all sorrows, all his sadness, all the heartaches, all the tears he shed at night that only God knew.  He did responded with "a tooth for a tooth, an eye for an eye." “Be still n know that I AM Lord.” Amen.

Be still is not to move ahead of God, but to let His will be done.

God is always working things out for those whom He loved.

Imagine u are Joseph working for Potiphar, a fat old man, having many slaves working for him

Will u serve him faithfully or just eye-service?

Humble is not enough. Because we must be still and it is hard to be still.

Joseph not only was humble, but also he was still n serve Potiphar like he was serving God.

He was tempted by Potiphar’s wife n punished n put into prison as a rapist n criminal.

If I was Joseph, I would have cried out to God, “Lord this is unfair. I am faithful walking

in Your will, and this what I get.” I would have lost faith in God n get depressed in prison.

I would not be able to serve in prison like Joseph served.

It is easier to be humble, but harder to be still.

God can only truly bless us unless we learn to be still.

It is easier to move ahead out of fear n anxiety n walk in our own will.

To be still is not to fear but to trust in God’s will.

Joseph served Potiphar as a slave n was still.

Joseph served in prison as a prisoner n was still.

And God was working out things so that Joseph know that God is God.

Be still n know that I AM Lord.

“Peace I leave w u, my peace I give to u; not as the world gives do I give to u. let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14.27

When u have Jesus’s peace, your heart is not troubled.

Your life will be free from regrets, anxieties, worries. This is Shalom.

You are healthy, strong, full of joy n peace.

Isaiah says : those who wait upon the lord shall mount up like eagle, run n not faint.

Because u have shalom

U have peace n god’s protection over u. protect your heart, your health, from war,

From demonic attacks, from headache, from hyperthyroidism, from high blood, from stress.

You are strong in body, emotions, mind, full of energy.

You shall walk n climb n not faint n get wearied.

You have the strength of a young man.

Life is beautiful when God is with you.

Always pray. Always seek God’s will for your life.

Do not walk in your own will, or in your own way.

Always seek the Lord; be humble. Seek His peace. Seek peace with all men. Be a peacemaker.

Only in God’s will can I be strong. Stay strong by doing things in His will.

Trust in the Lord in everything that I do.

Seek Him for advices and guidance, for His will to shine ever brighter in the darkest night.

Always pray. Tell God how weak I am. And also that I can do all things in Christ.

put peace and love first in everything. Work together as one, by tolerating one another.

Above all, put peace and love above everything else, by thinking positively of other people.

Listen to what the Lord says, and be sensitive to the Holy Spirit.

Know that the Lord hears all prayers, and is always by your side. Talk to Him in your quiet time, and build a relationship with Him.

Know that He's with you, even through the harshest times when even your heart begin to doubt.

But know this..even in your sleep and tiredness, He comes and looks after you, to protect and watch over you.

Instead Joseph did what Jesus did : pray for those who persecuted u. For we to love our physical enemy but not the spiritual enemy, for we wrestle not against flesh n blood. We leave justice in the hands of the Father.

If u want to stay in God's will so as to prosper, u must be still n not move in your own will, but let go the past n not stay bitter. Yes hate evil n love good. Love your physical enemy n rebuke the wicked angels n pray for those who persecuted u.

Like Jesus who opened not His mouth in retaliation nor was deceit found in His mouth. He humbled Himself n became obedient to the point of death. Therefore God highly exalted Him n given him the name above every name.

God will likewise prosper u if u love n seek peace n learn to be still n allow God to work all things for good, n know that God is God.  Your own brothers who betrayed u are not your real enemy. Let not hatred n bitterness rob u of God's blessings.

Always seek God with a humble heart. let His peace rest in u. let not things of the world control u

do not let them control your thinking but like Mary, sit at Jesus's feet  n come out from the world

so that God can show u the way

so that u can walk in His will so that God can bless u.

"A new commandment I give you...love one another"

This is the most blessed n joyful commandment. joyful because the reward is... you will rejoice.

Are you a fruitful tree?

The fruit of the Spirit is love........

Hebrews 12:12 "Wherefore lift up the hands that hang down, and the feeble knees. "

There are times when we grow so weary that we question whether we will be able to endure another day.

When one is suffering, whether physically because of body disease or injury or severe infection, or it is an emotional problem like broken-heart or great disappointment

even one day is hard to go by...the pain.

During the long, hard trial of Job, God said to Job,

"Gird up your loins and be a man" (Job 38:3)"Now prepare yourself like a man"

Yet God promises to give us sufficient strength for our days.

God's grace is sufficient, if we do not reject His grace n turn bitter.

if we come humbly n boldly to his throne of grace.

Have faith that God can make the hard things in life become sweet for us.

let his peace rule in our heart. joy comes in the morning. although it had been a very dark night.

Many Christians have been offended n they cried out, "It is not fair!" n they stumbled n rejected the grace of God.

so they do not have the grace of God to sustain them in their trials n adversities.

So they are not able to go through the fire with a sound mind, n so they cannot understand what is happening.

they become bitter.

We are all not perfect. Help each other to walk this journey, to run this race together.

We are all in the same journey together. We are tempted, fall, rise again.

Leave everything to God who will do the judging for He sees everything.

If Jesus responded to the soldiers torturing him with evil for evil, He cannot be our Savior.

to take away all our sins.

We need to let go. forgive. so as to be free.

God is faithful n just to forgive us if we confess.

Be merciful as God is merciful. He is your husband. Help him, so that next time he can help you or God can help you.

Examine yourselves. Examine your hearts.

Whatever that’s not right, let’s put it right w God.

Ask for forgiveness with a sincere n humble hearts.

God hears the cries of our hearts.

Let there be no hindrance in our prayers to God. N His blessings n protection over us.

For if we judge ourselves, we would not be judged.

But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned w the world.

If there is any hatred n bitterness in our hearts, put it away by confessing it to the Lord n ask for His grace n mercy.

Let us come to the throne of grace with boldness n a clear conscience to seek strength in times of weakness.

come to His presence for refreshment n strength.

When everything is gone n there is no hope, wait upon the Lord

Psalm 27 :11-14

"Teach me Your way O Lord n lead me in the righteous path.

I would have despaired unless i had believed that i would see the goodness of the Lord

in the land of the living. Wait for the lord “

Be strong n let your heart take courage

To be strong n to be of good courage, we need to be refreshed n strengthened by God.

We hear ppl say, " In the presence of God there is joy, peace, comfort n strength."

This is true. But how to be in His presence? or manifested presence?

Remember God never leave us nor forsake us. He is always present. Omnipresent.

We must learn to be still n abide in Him, knowing that God is always in control

we serve a living God. make right with God.

"You shall love thy God w all your heart, soul, mind, strength.'

"You shall have no other god before me. Be still and know that I AM the Lord.

let nothing hinder our union w god so that God hears our prayer

is there anything not right in your heart..mayb something , some hurt cannot let go..as God forgives us, let us also forgive out of love

as we receive mercy, let us also be merciful to others.

without love, there is no holiness, no power to live the victorious life

without love, there is no true glory. he who knows love knows God, for God is love.

the source of glory is love.

Know that …

anger is weakness.  peace is strength.  ask for His peace.  ask for His grace to be strong

each morning u wake up. remember the Lord. grateful for each new day.

even for the air u breathe.  for the rain n sunshine.  for the good sleep u had

when u have peace. u can sleep well. sleep is a blessing.

the safest place is to be in God's will

always remember the greatness of God in your life.

Just keep doing what u r doing, only doing for the Lord

Do not turn to the right or to the left,

always looking unto the Lord

that He is your Master in everything.

n nothing can be taken for granted.

so make full use of your time

use it for God

please Him with your life

All the things we have on this earth are only of temporary value.

But everything we have with Christ is everlasting.

There's a great difference between the two.

Drink from the well that never runs dry.

seek comfort n protection from God.

Let Him cover you with His mighty wings.

soar n rise with Him above the storms

know that there's nothing to fear

for the Lord is by your side.

Love Him n you shall see how much He cares for u

Therefore keep your head high in your times of troubles,

and look up to God...where does my help come from?

Do not fear, for everything is under control, if you let God be God.

So rejoice everyday and give thanks to God.

Continue to stay strong in faith and cling on tight to Him.

We cannot find peace outside the will of God. Even as we face the storms and crisis and perplexities of life, when all hope is gone, when "the terrible storms raged unabated many days , until at last all hope was gone", and like Paul in Acts 27:23, we can say, "For there stood by me this night, an angel of the God to whom I belong, and to whom I serve, saying, "Do not be afraid. You must be brought before Ceasar."
Everything that happens, happens for a reason. When you get into a traffic jam that lasts for hours, do not fight against it. Patiently wait when it's time to move. This way, you find peace. You move in the will of God. You must allow God to move in, to take control. Your heart attitude must be right. Therefore be still, and know that God is in control.

2Timothy 1:7 "For God has not given us a spirit of fear,
but of power and of love and of a sound mind."
Right now, the temptation to move ahead of God is great, when the suddenness of this storm propels you to react out of desperation rather than faith. This will only leads you to poverty, and sin. But everything within you screams to do something.
Proverbs 21:5 "The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, but those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty."
Proverbs 19:2 "Also it is not good for a soul to be without knowledge, and he sins who hastens with his feet."
But by the mercy and grace of God, the Lord shows you that by jumping ship, you're only diving into the turbulent waters. So you cry you,"Lord, bring to a halt the furious thoughts racing in my head. Give me the presence of mind to be still and know that You are God."
Psalm 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God."
Psalm 62:1-2 "Truly my soul silently waits for God; From Him comes my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved."
O Lord, I bring my thoughts, emotions, words, and my actions under Your control. Lead me by Your Spirit, and stop me before I move ahead of You. Please, Lord, quicken my spirit to hear Your voice, so that I can rest in Your assurance, that even the wind and the raging sea obey You. Open my eyes to see that You are as near to me in my turmoil, as You are to me when everything is at peace. I want to walk by faith, not by sight, regardless of the rising waves that surround me.
Lord God, You are my salvation. I will trust in You, and not be afraid, for You are in control.
Jesus said,"Father, I know you always hear me."
God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Have you consistently seek God, believing that He hears you? As you seek to understand God's will for your life, God will lay His heart over your heart and mind; as you obey Him, you will abide in His love, and one with Him; your loud cries and tears will be heard, and His presence shall lead you; you shall pray ith confidence of heart, knowing that the Father hears.

There'll be times when you find yourself, crying out to the Lord, with deep concerns of heart as you follow Him, but you can be confident in the Father's love to hear and answer your prayers, as you submit your life to Him, even if you have to drink the cup like Jesus did. There should be a determination in our heartsto seek te Father's heart and will; the voice of God should be our source of joy, strength and hope.

Paul heard the angel sent to him by God, and he was assured and strengthened. Jesus heard the Father at the garden of Gethsemane."Abba, My Father, all things are possible with you; if it's possible, let this cup pass from me, but nevertheless, let your will be done."
As we listen and obey the voice of God, the Father will be able to fully accomplish His eternal purpose in us and through us. God always has eternity in mind. And greater works we shall do in His name. Jesus learned obedience by the things He suffered (Hebrews5). So must we. He prayed with loud cries and tears. So must we. His prayer to the Father was heard because of His godly fear and reverent submission to the Father's will.
"And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him."(Hebrews 5:9). Through the process of continual prayer, submission and obedience in the midst of suffering, Jesus was made perfect. And God was able to fully accomplish His will through Jesus.

Prayer in our lives is purposed by God to change and shape us to His will and purpose, so that God can accomplish His redemptive work in and through us. May we allow God to adjust us as we pray. God is faithful to provide to those who call upon Him.
"My grace is sufficient for you, for My srength is made perfect in weakness." When God says 'No", it is because of His perfect love and wisdom.The provisions of God are many, and they come in a multitude of ways.Therefore do not lose faith or lose heart, but continue to submit in prayer to God's will, and to believe the promises of God. In spite of the dark clouds, in spite the great storms and thunders, in spite the hopeless situations, even when there's no sheep in the pen, no cattle in the vine, we know that God is in control.

Father in heaven,

We want to come to you, to cast all our burdens unto You in prayer to You, not holding anything back from You.

Help us Lord, to live our lives according to Your will, and not according to other people's expectations of us. For You're the One who holds our future in Your hand. You're the hope we look to everyday, for You'll be with us throughout our whole lives.

Help us to draw close to You, for You alone understands all our disappointments, and You know everything there's to know. Help us to wait upon You, and renew our strength in You. Help us to feel Your every heart-beat, knowing deep down inside Your heart, You're filled with brokenness and sorrow for us. The moment we sin, it breaks Your heart. The moment we reject another person, we reject You.

Help us to always trust in You, following Your leading, and not to waver or go astray or lose our focus on You, but to always think about You, and dwell in Your presence and carry Your annointing. It is faith from a sincere heart that You look for...trust and loyalty from a sincere heart, not just faith by words or by thoughts.

Help us to humble before You, and be brought low, so that You can pour in, and pour in, into us, filling us with Your love, Your Spirit and power, and putting Your mind into ours.

If I continually keep my mind upon You, You will unfold things to me,
and if I obediently walk before You, and keep my heart pure and clean and holy and right,
You, O Lord, will always be lifting me higher and higher than I ever shall expect.

our confidence is in....

2Corinthians 3:4,5 :
"Not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to think anything as of ourselves,
but our sufficiency is of God."

Our trust is in God. There is much failure in self-assurance. We must not rest upon anything that's human.God has promised to be with us at all times, and to make the path straight, and to make a way through the mountains. God never fails; He knows the end from the beginning.

Psalm 73:25-26 :
Whom have I in heaven but You?
And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.
My flesh and my heart fail;
But my God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

O God, You're my only hope.
You're the strength of my heart, and everything I will ever need.
When everyone around me is wilting under the pressure,
teach me, O Lord, to remain steadfast.
The testing of my faith shall produce endurance,
and I shall be mature and complete, lacking in nothing (James 1:2-4).
I shall reap if I faint not.
"He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might
He increases strength"(Isaiah40:29).
In my exhaustion, renew me like tha eagle so I can run and not be weary;
so I can walk and not faint.
When I reach my breaking point, You'll provide a way of escape.(1Cor.10:13)


The day and night are alike to the man, who rests completely in the will of God,
knowing that
"all things work together for good to them that love God." Romans 8:28

ushers of life

As you travel beyond your limitations, you will meet new people. They are placed at various stations in your life to enlarge you. Do not ignore them. They are God's messengers. They help you to open doors and neutralize your fears.

There was such an usher on assignment, sent to a young girl who needed aid in adjusting to a new world:

(Ruth 2:2-4) ...
"so Ruth the Moabitess said to Naomi, "Please let me go to the field, and glean heads of grain after him in whose sight I may find favour." And Naomi said to her, "Go, my daughter." Then she left, and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers. And she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Boaz who was of the family of Elimelech. Now behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said to the reapers, "The Lord be with you." And they answered him,"The Lord bless you!"

Ruth was new to Bethlehem. She began by gleaning behind those who were reaping. She picked up things by just listening. If you want to elevate yourself, associate with those who have matriculated into the areas you aspire to, and catch what they drop until you have caught up with what they have. Ruth stayed close to an older waman named Naomi, who was at a different maturity. There were times when they did not relate to each other. But differences and distinctions were put there by God to bring forth growth. Naomi understood where Ruth had been and where she was currently.
We are a product of our past. The past shapes many of our likes and dislikes, eccentricities and peculiarities. Only a very secure minority has the capacity to grow with you. Naomi was her tutor and mentor, sent by God into her life. Ruth had to depend on God as well as on who God had sent into her life.

God blessed Ruth, yet she found herself in an unfamiliar and stressful world. Being blessed can be stressful. The blessing of the Lord will make you lie down at night and ponder to yourself, "This is a long way from home."

Yes, it is a very long way from home, but you can handle it. If you are going to the promised land, you must leave home.

patience brings forth hope

Our worst enemies are the ones that live within us.

The times that challenge our faith are when all efforts fail.
Patience is what God gives you when bad things remain unchanged.
Patience is the furnace that brings forth hope.

God will give you the grace to sustain you,
the grace to overcome emotions and feelings,
the grace to pursue your goals, while ignoring the pain.
God works in unexpected ways to bring you to strength and joy in the midst of suffering.

There's joy to be discovered in the midst of suffering.
Without the dark clouds, we would never know the joy of sunshine.
We can become hard and unteachable, if we refuse to learn from our pains.

But if the cup seems too bitter, or burdens too heavy, be sure we cast the burdens unto the Lord.

O Lord, in my dakness and despair, who can I turn to?
My hope is in You.
In this dark hour, I hold fast to You.
I rest in Your goodness, faithfulness, and love.
Though I cannot see You in the darkness, I believe in You.
You're working everything together for good.
I'll not be downcast; I'll not be disturbed within.
I place my hope in your promises.
I look not at my circumstances, but I look up toward You in heaven.
I walk by faith, not by sight.
You give me the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.
I shall learn of You, for Your yoke is easy, and Your burden light.
You shall plant me by the waters, and even in drought,
I'll yield fruit because of my trust in You.
You'll keep me in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You.
I'll fix my thoughts on You, for You're my refuge and my fortress.
In the name of Jesus, I take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (2Cor.10:5).
I pull out all roots of anger, anxiety and bitterness from my mind,
and I command my frenzied thoughts to come to a standstill, in Jesus's name.
Replace the my wrong thoughts with Your Thoughts.
Let Your Word renews my mind.
I'll lie down in peace and sleep;
for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety (psalm 4:8).
And when I awaken, Your grace shall enable me to face another day.

God's help during temptations

You may think that you are tried more than other people are.
If you knew the value of it,
you would praise God for the trials that come your way.

It is in the trials that you are purified;
it is through the fiery furnance of affliction
that God gets you in the place where He can use you.

The person who has no trials and no difficulties
is the person whom God dare not allow Satan to touch
because he could not stand temptation.
Before God puts you through the furnance of afflictions,
He knows you will go through,
and not one single temptation
comes to any person more than he is able to bear;
and with the temptation, God is always there to help you through.

Abraham was tempted and God helped him through to victory.
God wants to make us like Jesus.
As we look back over our spiritual journey,
we see that there has been a good deal of our own way,
and that the end of our way was the beginning of God's way.
We cannot enter into the deep things of God
until we are free from our own ideas and ways.
How mercifully God preserves us from calamity.

Hebrews 4:16
" Let us therefore, come boldly to the throne of grace,
that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

There's no way I can withstand the allure of temptation on my own.
My feelings neutralise my resistance.
My flesh craves gratification.
It's a war, fought on the battlefield of my soul...my mind, will and emotions.
I win only as my spirit works in partnership with the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 26:41
"Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation.
The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."

The Lord is leading you...

Know where the Lord is leading you to;
know your calling and walk in the calling.
Always trust in Him; follow His leading.
Do not waver, or go astray or lose your focus.
Think about God, every second of your life; do not lose touch with Him.
Always dwell in His presence, and carry His annointing upon you.
Know that you have a purpose in life.


The Lord loves you, but do you love Him?
Do you really love Him,
that you are willing to do whatever it takes to keep your faith,
and continue to believe in Him?


When you in the darkness, you might not see or feel Him,
but will you still believe in Him?
that He is still able to rescue you?
What God wants is your faith,
that comes from your heart,
not just faith by words or by thoughts. ..but trust and loyalty from a sincere heart.


Be committed to Him, and be there when He calls.
God has shown His undying love for you and me on the cross,
and the moment we sin, God's heart is broken.
The more we hate each other, or stay apart from each other,
the body of Christ, which is the church, is divided.
The moment we reject another person, we reject Him...
Do not turn your back against God, for we will be judged on our actions.

experience the mind of the Spirit

Too many people are concerned about appearances..how they look.
The main thing is to experience the mind of the Spirit deeply within yourself
more clearly today than you had the day before;
that nothing comes between you and God to cloud your mind.
When you continually keep your mind upon God, He unfolds things to you.
When you obediently walk before God, and you keep your heart pure, clean, holy and right,
the Lord will always be lifting you higher than you have ever expected to be.
Live in the Spirit, and God puts His mind into yours.

And how does this come about?
It comes when we are in a place low enough,
and where God can pour in, pour in, pour in, and fill you with His power and Spirit.

God is going to bring many sons to glory.
The Lord is tender to those who cry to Him.
He never turns away from the broken hearted,
and those who seek Him with a whole heart will find Him.
A measure of faith is given to him who says, " I will go all the way with Jesus."
But there are some who have sown the good seed and yet lose out,
if they do not press forward.

reap what you think

There is nothing more hollow than empty words and lofty cliches, that have no real meaning or compassion in them. They roll listlessly from the mouths of people whose conversations are meant to entertain, but have no capacity to edify.
I would rather spend more time with myself, to warm myself at the fire of my own thoughts and smile with the contentments of the riches contained therein.

psalm19:14 :
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart,
be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.
The Lord is my strength and my redeemer.

Do you know that your thoughts need to be healed? Your thoughts can be the product of damaged emotions, traumatic events, and vicious opinions forced upon you by domineering people.
Do not let past determine who you are today. There people plagued by memories of traumatised chilhood, failed marriages, broken promises and personal failures. The pasts eat at their thoughts. To be healed in your mind, you must think on better thoughts.

Philippians 4:8
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report,
if there be any virtue, any praise, think on these things.

reap what you think 2

A thought is a seed that, if not aborted, will produce off-spring somewhere in your life. Choose carefully what you meditate upon. An evil thought will rearrange your goals, dreams, and it can be planted by the evil one. A thought can feed on an incident in the past and grows, and weaken you. A thought can be as dangerous as the action itself. Remember the Korean boy in an American school, who rehearsed how he was going to get even. It materialised.

Therefore you must quickly cast down an evil thought before it becomes part of you, before it drains away your commitment to excellence and leaves you crying in the valley of regret. Who will know what you really think, but God knows. You reap what you sow, even in your thoughts.
Sow good seeds and reap the rewards. If no one knows what you think, why shouldn't you allow your minds to collect rubbish and poisons, without regard to cleaning and renewing your mind? Even the computer needs clean-up to function properly, what with so many modern day viruses.

We become what we think. It is not just the lust and greed we must clean out, but pride, anger, hatred, unforgiveness, arrogance, envy and jealousy. If you are impregnated with a bad seed, better abort the baby before full term.

Most people who are unsuccessful in their lives do not lack talent. Why are such talented people unsuccessful? There always seemed to be some little thought they entertained that affected their commitment to excellence. Some dwarfed self-image, or over-inflated ego, or anger and hatred that leave them no peace of mind, or arrogance and over-confidence,or lack of humility and wisdom.

The Word of God is your lifeline to repair your damaged thoughts about life, about others, about yourself, about right and wrong, and your purpose on this imperfect earth.

Isaiah 55:9-11
For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: so shall My word be that goeth forh out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing hereto I sent it.